perfectly choreographed life

I was a random girl from a rural town in the heart of Bicol Region and my life was nothing like you hadn’t seen from a typical poor Filipino family, though I never would have chosen this kind of life, I knew
Thanks to the regions’ vast amount of rich flat land - owned by lucky few, my father got to toil plowing their lands in exchange of some amount hardly enough to put food on our table. With my father’s meager income, matched up to  four kids that needs to feed and send to school, my mother did a good job making ends meet. She, being the ever determined that she was, did every possible way to help cover the growing expenses. She would make native delicacies which me and my elder sister would sell at school during weekdays and around the town on weekends. Both my parents were not given the chance to finish schooling, my father barely reached grade three while my mother was lucky enough to finish grade six, and if there’s one thing I knew they would not compromise, it’s our right for education. But life sometimes has a habit of pushing us to the limit. I was on my last year in elementary, anxiously waiting to enter high school, when our family reached rock bottom. Our debts accumulated as my father ‘s menial job calls became less frequent. High school was still possible for me I knew, but it would mean more over work and more sleepless nights for my parents. Simply put, that would mean two promissory notes during exam days, one for me and one for my elder sister who was at that time in third year going to senior year.
Concurrently, the "heavens" was good enough to send the angels in the form of the Sisters of Mary, to rescue me. They offer free education to the underprivileged kids, and I was rather lucky to be one of the chosen kids. I remember, there was a school affair when one Sister and her group came without prelude, so basically, no regular classes and most students were not in their respective classrooms. I was then walking round the campus, watching school event when one of my classmates approached me, and told me our teacher called for me. There, some grade six students, not even half the class, were taking the exam. She got one test paper, and asked me to take it. Luckily, I passed the exam, for that I thank my teacher for the chance I almost missed. Or maybe that was already defined by God. It was a blessing and who would have refused something this good, whatever comes with it. I was borne and baptized an Aglipayan, and for me to be accepted, I had to be converted to a catholic faith. So there, at 12, I was given the sacrament of Baptism, all with the help of my teachers who were also active in our parish then.
From a random country girl, my life was about to change when I entered the Sisters of Mary School, Girlstown, Sta Mesa Campus. Just like in boot camp, they stripped me off my worldly spirit and rebuilt it according to God’s righteous way. I was given the basic needs, from head to toe. With the intellectually competitive teachers carefully picked form the rest, I was given the best education anyone could have. The mother sisters who loved me like their own, guiding in ways a real child of God should be. A "second family" who loved me unconditionally, who shared my pains and my joys. Our spiritual friends, giving me spiritual nourishment in every homilies during mass. More importantly, for having had the chance to know an extraordinary man, the champion of the poor, my spiritual father, Msgr. Aloysious Scwartz. And His devotion to Mama Mary, which he passed on to us, his children . It was indeed a little paradise for me. A home I belonged to and I never entertained the idea of soon leaving this comfort zone. If it was because of separation anxiety or an escape from the uncertainty of life outside, I was not sure. But I knew that was not what Fr. Al wanted when he said "My children you are created not to be fat little ducks waddling in the mud but eagles destined to rise above and explore the kingdom of God." I knew, he wanted me to come out to the world and be a living testament of God’s love, in my own little ways. I had planned of working after high school graduation to help support the family I temporarily left, though my desire for college education was still there, laid dormant in the deepest recesses of my heart. But God has a different plan for me, His plan which was far way better than mine. Another God’s instrument was sent for me. A college scholarship was offered to us. I admit I was so preoccupied with unimportant things that I never had taken notice of the path readily set for me. I never would have taken the exam for the scholarship grant if not for my sister who literally pushed me into giving a try. There was a slim chance for me to make it, I thought to myself. There were hundreds who would be taking the exam and there were only a flew slots to be filled in. Obviously, I forgot to consider, God is working in manners we may never know. I got the 6^th slot, thanks to the people around me who gave me the push I needed. "I’m ready to cross the Rubicon!" sounding like Julius Caesar wannabe, I was feeling energetic. Armored with the lessons I gained for four years, I was ready to conquer the world. Which battlefield? - the outside world. Along with the other scholarship grantees, I practically lived the fast-paced life in Manila. A rectangular space with linoleum as the flooring and wooden walls that barely protected us from the chaotic neighborhood , had been our haven. From a shabby electric fan giving that "it-might-overheat-any-minute feeling", an ice water and banana cue to quench the hunger, not even a single book required for the course, rather settled to a piece-by-piece  photo copy, wash-and-wear pair of school uniform and a hand-me-down shoes bigger than my size. It was real hard. From a small allowance, how could we possibly get by? But I never drew back, though there were several times when I was about to. But every time I was losing heart, something would enkindle my spirit. Now I realized, for that four bitter-sweet years in college, never a time did God neglect me. I know Fr. Al has been watching me from above like a true father to his child. The people who were kind enough to alleviate my suffering testified that he was with me every step of the way. I may have fallen and offended him a countless times as the world swallowed me up. But he always had put me back on track urging me to re-learn the path to righteousness. I am now working in one reputable company in Makati. I don’t have much, but I have enough to support myself and my family. Looking back, it all dawned on me, without everything that I've gone through, my life would be more like a smoothly-paved, straight flat road to nowhere. I may have not chosen this kind of life, but this is what God has choreographed for me. And if I am to live my life all over again, this is the kind of life I would live, still.