Back to the Future (begins here)

I have been trying to write this blog for a couple of days now, trying to reconcile with myself why I am back in Taft Ave., in the hallowed halls of the LS building, taking my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in De La Salle University. But, I keep finding it more and more difficult to intellectualize my decision? How do you put a framework or an explanation to “following your heart”? Perhaps, the best explanation of why, out of anywhere else in the world, I am back in Taft is: I WANT a Lasallian education.

Let me explain first. I hold a Lasallian undergraduate degree, also completely by own volition, albeit, not as profound a reason as why I am here today. I chose to enter DLSU for college because of proximity (I’ve always lived in the City of Manila, no where else), student organization, (I was a high school debater, coached by a Lasallian varsity debater) and, thrown in for token depth, values (my high school Alma Mater stressed the importance of social awareness and transformation, and I felt DLSU was closest in mission to those ideologies). But, it was only until I saw the world we lived in beyond the four walls of my classroom – a world filled with grief, and suffering, and oppression, and selfishness, and sadness, and corruption, but just as much, a world with so much hope and potential – that I felt a stronger calling. I knew then that I was being called on to do work that was much bigger than myself, and that in order for me to fulfill this calling, I would have to actively make decisions that would allow me to do so.

I was reading somewhere on the internet about finding one’s ikigai (see the Venn Diagram below), a Japanese concept which means “a reason for being”. Many of us find work that we can merely get paid for, but not particularly something we would enjoy doing. Others might find work we love, but it may not afford us a means to survive. Still, others find work they are good at, but not necessarily something that will contribute to the common good. Or, perhaps, work that we gravely need in the world, but we are neither good at, nor passionate about. But the intersection of all of these, need, compensation, ability, and passion, is Ikigai.

I began to contemplate on the things that could contribute to finding my own ikigai, decisions I had to make so I could be of better service. I already have a job, which I am very proud to say does very noble work providing excellent training and employment to thousands of Filipinos. That’s vocation. And while there are some days I say I don’t jump out of my bed to go to work, I love my job. Knowing I am contributing to making the lives of many Filipinos and their families better fills me with joy. That’s mission. The only challenge is, I’m not sure if I am fully equipped to take on greater responsibilities so that I can turn my mission and vocation into a passion and profession, and consequently, my ikigai. This is why I decided to take up an MBA.

Now, don’t get me wrong. While I admit, the decision to re-enter DLSU was a decision largely based on my heart, this was not an impulsive decision at all. On the fateful morning that I finally decided I was ready to re-enter a learning environment, I laid out all my options in front of me, including but not limited to a university half-way across the world, and a school North of Manila where the grass grows a little bit blue. They were all very compelling options, and I honestly permitted myself to dream big and believe I could get into any school of my choosing. But when it came right down to it, I thought about what it was I wanted to become and what kind of life I wanted to live post graduate degree. I asked myself, what kind of education would I have to have to fulfill my ikigai.

Setting aside all the practicalities of work and of learning, such as location, faculty, workload, relevance of the area of study, and prestige, I found that the uniqueness of each institution lies, not in their program offerings, or facilities, rather in their values and principles. I had to choose a school that would instill in me the values I would need to enact my reason for being. I thought about my family, and how I wanted to influence us to live the life of devout Christians, the way God would have wanted us to do. I thought about my friends, my colleagues, the people I care about, and how I could be happy making them happy. And, I thought about my community, the underprivileged, the vulnerable, the defenseless, and how life is not a monolith, and change is best sought out together. So when the time to choose a school to take my graduate degree in came around, I realized the answer to all my questions had been right under my nose all this time: FAITH, ZEAL FOR SERVICE, COMMUNION – These are what I am being called to do.

I want to live a life of FAITH, with a strong and unwavering relationship with God in all His forms. I want to be a bearer of His Good News to those who have lost their way, or those who seek refuge. I want to be an instrument in the proliferation of His Word to others because I believe that from this is the fount of the hope this world severely lacks. To have FAITH in the Lord is to be given light in the darkest of your days. And in turn, I can be called to be a light to others.

That is ZEAL FOR SERVICE. I have found that I am happiest when others are happy, and I wish to be part of the mission that makes this happen. I have the firm belief that I am put here on this earth to be of service to others, to leave the world better than how I first found it, to have someone say that their life, while not perfect, has been happier because I was a part of it. I am committed now more than ever to defending and uplifting the lives of those who are vulnerable and defenseless, because if not me, then who will stand for them? And while my abilities and capacity to help may be limited alone, I am determined to offer what is God-given to me, so that others may benefit as well. And where I can no longer work alone, I know a village together can make waves out of ripples.

This is COMMUNION. Like the first Lasallian Brothers who banded together in the firm belief that their mission was blessed by God, I know together with like-minded individuals, we can make a difference in the world. With a willingness to collaborate with others, and the humility to accept each other’s uniqueness, we will be able to extend our reach farther than any individual person can. And as we try to cover ground in the fulfillment of our mission, we are able to call on others to join our cause. More and more will we be able to spread our message of hope and love and positive change, no matter what we end up doing, be it business, government, political, academic, or social work.

These are the foundations of a Lasallian education. And no matter how high any University anywhere in the world ranks on any given survey, or how melodic the sound of its name is when you say you this is where you graduated from, I know that it is only here that I can truly embrace my life’s purpose, my ikigai.

So, here I am, back in Taft Avenue, studying with a renewed enthusiasm to complete a Lasallian education a second time around. And as I finally put an end to this lengthy and overly-dramatic blog post, I call to mind the many, many, many Lasallian catch-phrases I’ve heard over the years, all of them still ringing true for me today:

“If I were to live my whole life again, I’d still want to be a Lasalista [pa rin].”

“I’d rather be green than be…” any other color on the planet.

“I will continue, oh my God, to do all my actions for the love of you.”

“Live Jesus in our hearts forever.”

But more importantly…

“The future begins here.”

I hope you, my fellow Lasallians, find that the same is true for you. May you find your life’s ikigai here as well. And in the process, together, I assure you, never shall we fail.