Artwork by Riane Pamon
Reflection by Amber Coleen T. Oloya
At the moment, I am perfectly all right, scarcely affected by the deadly crisis. I am enclosed in my comfort zone―merely staying in the house, doing whatever I like, being able to eat what I crave, and so on. In short, I live a simple yet comfortable life.
Then something dawned on me which caused me to panic: What if my parents would lose their job because of the pandemic? What if one of them gets sick? A striking feeling comes through me as I come to realize that I am living this simple yet comfortable life because of the sacrifices of my parents, who make sure that they do their part despite the dangerous and risky situation. They are the reason why my life is filled with fewer worries, not only because of their diligence in work but also because of the warmth and love they bestow upon me. They are the embers that keep the fire of my life alive.
Yes, I am indeed well-blessed to have loving parents who initially have shown and made me experience what Cura Personalis is all about. And with all the overwhelming turn of events these days, I asked myself at one point the question: How do I share what overflows in me? How do I give back the Cura Personalis God has bestowed on me through them?
Currently, I may not be a huge help to most people in my family, but I always try my best to help at home; doing some chores such as cleaning the house, doing the laundry, feeding our adopted cats, and walking the dogs. In school, I do my best to participate both in academics and extracurricular activities. As much as I could, I help my classmates with what they need; sharing simple things such as pad paper or correction tape.
During the early days of the lockdown, I had been socially distant, and I hardly checked up on my social media accounts. Being checked upon by a friend was something I barely received, so it was quite difficult for me to do so.
However, I tried to start going out of my shell. I do remember occasionally chatting to a few friends to ask them how they were. I did not know, but lately, I realized that those small actions were already my simple ways of showing Cura Personalis.
As time went by, I became conscious of the fact that it gave me an eye-opening perspective, even though it was just a little act. The new perspective brings an astounding feeling, which would continue to bloom as more actions are done; and slowly, the view widens, and I would come to see clearly the beauty of caring for others.
Generally, we receive the love and concern every day in our lives, and those things keep us alive like endless flowing water that nourishes our soul the way water nourishes our body; like that of the artwork, which shows streams of water cascading from the heart, a symbol of overflowing gifts that that one’s heart can no longer contain and that should be shared. These streams of water shall we offer back to others as we have received them, and as this continues further, we come to live by the Ignatian value called Cura Personalis.
My Ateneo education gradually deepens the meaning of my life. As I continue to grow, the Ignatian values being imbibed in me serve like the fertilizer that nourishes the values initially instilled in me by my parents. It brings me to act upon others, causing me to bloom a spring with blooming flowers and overflowing waters; symbolizing my growing love and care for others.
#IgnatiusInArt #adnujhs
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“Ignatius in Art” is a 9-day series of artworks and reflections from our students focusing on the themes provided by Educate Magis: Global Network of Jesuit Schools. This is a project of the AdNU JHS Campus Ministry Office and the ANSGO JHS in celebration of the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Campus Ministry Office 