CLASS PROFILE |
Capping Ceremory, July 1999
written by: Ann-Ann & Gigi Go
No less than a wide glittering pond, a single dewdrop is large enough to reflect the sunshine. We are a batch of twenty-nine. In the long parade of yearly capped Paulinian nurses, we are the fewest. Few, yet vast in aspirations, coupled with overflowing hearts and unparalleled commitment, we hope to prove that these magnified qualities exist beyond the value of number.
We have chosen to be called the "Parvae Lucies Domini 2001", which means "Little Lights of the Father". We speak of "little" not to disregard the greatness of our Lord’s love, but rather to emphasize on the potentials of something small, as our batch, to radiate light from the deepest core to all humanity. Just like the spectacle of even the tiniest flicker of a flame, our dreams are immeasurable. We believe that by serving as lights and mirrors to each other, we will be able to reflect far beyond the conventional boundaries of impossibilities.
The years have unfolded and so has our class. We started as a group of fifty-six, and sometimes it saddens us to think that we have reduced to almost half the original number. Our passion for this course was overshadowed with much uncertainty. Some came thinking this was what they wanted to do; some came thinking they did not know what else to do; others came thinking this was what people wanted them to do; but ultimately, we’ve come to realize that we came because it was what our Lord called us to do. In the span of two years, we had our share of struggles. While most of us have lived through the darkness of the night, many got lost and found their way, as a few stumbled and trailed behind, leaving twenty-nine determined souls marching strong, like gems polished by time and pressure. We gather strength from the knowledge that we have each other, and that we have lasted. With the bond that has unified us into one, we deem each other twice as dear because of our number.
Striving and surviving each day just like every student, we have tasted the bitter pill of sacrifice: spending endless nights finishing requirements, foolishly grasping the hours, almost as if we were forbidding time to continue its course. The load of work during duty hours have become overbearing, demanding so much of our attention that we oftentimes forget how hungry we are or how much our feet hurt. When facing difficult exams, we all had to act as little angels to lift one another. Our hands have stiffened; our brains have drained. It was not easy, and we all have, perhaps more than once, thought of giving up. But with the help of our parents, our ever-supportive clinical instructors and friends, we didn’t. The kindness and encouragement of the people around us echoed a clear voice: that we can do it. For this we are eternally grateful. There’s only one way to go from this point. We are survivors; we shall trudge forth. Just like kites that rise against the wind and not with it, it is through our blemishes that we have come to meet this day.
Amidst all our struggles, we’ve never forgotten the element of fun. Being few doesn’t mean that our laughter didn’t echo through the halls; it doesn’t mean that our teachers had an easier time handling us; mostly, it doesn’t mean that we couldn’t hit the bulls-eye of mischief. Youth is exuberant, and so are we. Sometimes it took much effort to contain ourselves from this carefree nature, but in the span of our Paulinian lives, we have grown together – not just as acquaintances but as brothers and sisters. When school activities called for our participation, we had to blindly multiply ourselves to fit the demand. Having drowned in buckets of tears and deafened by thunders of laughter, the experiences that molded us are but a memory away. Looking back, reminiscing the events that have flavoured our path always gives us something to smile about. We all have our own little stories to tell. In the end, I take pride in saying we still made a difference.
Now you see us – a collage of contradictory pictures blending beautifully into one harmonious class. We shall continue to be those little lights of God, illuminating his love to the infinity that we can reach. As we stand here today, young, ready, motivated, we face a much-awaited thorny yet golden path. We have reached this point. Today, we step into a higher level - for the continuance of a journey that began not so long ago, and which shall begin again with a vision broadened and faith strengthened by our convictions - carrying a new responsibility as the blazing flame of our Father’s torch lights the candles of this small yet dynamic batch. This is but the beginning of our story… the beginning of what we pray to be another remarkable legacy.
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