Rc Paper.docx

Ang Buhay ng Isang Bayani (The Life of a Hero)

Rizal grew up in a loving home where he was greatly influenced by his mother's thirst for knowledge as well as his father's hardworking personality. He was deeply loved by his siblings especially his older brother, Paciano, who has always supported him. His early years was what most would consider to be normal. He was described as a quiet child with a profound love for painting, sculpting and reading. He loved the arts and he loved the academics. He never stopped in his pursuit for knowledge, going as far as getting degrees in different fields of study. Throughout his life, Rizal suffered a lot of hardships and injustice stemming from the inequality rampant in their time. A lot of people came and went in Rizal's life. Some were lovers, some were friends, some were foes, and some were friends turned foes. He was very determined when it comes to turning his ideas into reality, even when he and his family paid dearly for it. Rizal was an intellectual with a strong sense of justice. Some might say that this is his greatest strength as well as his biggest downfall. He saw all the wrong things and he wished to make a difference. Plenty of people were enamored by this quality of Rizal which is probably the primary reason why he was able to influence such a big change in the heart of those close to him and those who read his works. Numerous times, he was hurt, lonely and helpless, but none of these deterred him from pursuing his goals. He chose to endure, live and love all the same. Without having to delve too deeply into the film, it is already apparent how much Rizal loved his family, but his country more so. He wrote countless letters to his family telling them where he is, what is going on in his life, and at the end of every letter, he never forgets to remind them how much he loved them. In between the lines, however, he always sought their understanding as he refuses to give up his hopes for his country. Rizal fought against the odds with only his pen and paper as his sword and shield, and despite his tragic end, there is no doubt that he was successful in uniting the hearts of the Filipinos.

Back then, life was very different. There was little freedom, only oppression. Because of Rizal's valiant efforts that awakened the heart of the Filipinos, we are now liberated, enjoying the freedom gifted to us. Like him, I believe that everyone should strive to be a kind of person who wish for change, and it is important that initiative is taken to make that change happen. Another trait of Rizal that I truly admire and wish to apply to my personal life is his determination and perseverance. Despite the many obstacles he had to face, he never once thought to give up and

take the easy way out. He could have just enjoyed the peace he was experiencing with his family back in Hong Kong, but he chose to fight for what he believed was right. He stood by his principles even at the cost of his own life. I, myself, want to be someone like him. Someone who will take a stand. Someone who will never waver. One of the most significant thing that Rizal showed us is that there are a lot of other ways to seek justice without the need to use violence. Through his poems, novels and books, Rizal was able to convey his message and reach out to the hearts of the Filipinos. I believe that the world will be a better place if only people learned that violence is not always the answer. It would only lead to more hatred resulting in more violence. In the end, we would undoubtedly destroy ourselves in the cycle. Rizal knew this, which is the reason why he chose to be pliant. He chose not to escape from prison when given the chance but this was not him giving up. He never stopped fighting. Inside his heart, he always rebelled against the Spaniards. He simply chose a path wherein he didn’t need to pick up an actual weapon because his words were already more than enough. Above all of this, I hope I can continue to be faithful, loyal and dutiful not only to my loved ones, but most especially to my country, just as our national hero lived his life to the end.

There is no doubt that Rizal's story has impacted us Filipinos greatly. His life and all the sacrifices that came with it continue to inspire us to this day. Even though we are living in a democratic setting in the present, it is still highly relevant that we know Rizal and his story in order to always remember that the freedom we are experiencing now was not free. It took a very long time and in all those years, Filipinos, both young and old, men and women, devoted their lives to attaining it. A lot of lives were lost. A lot of people were left without mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters or friends but none of them thought about giving up. Such was Rizal’s influence. He played a huge role in pushing the Filipinos to continue fighting because he knew that one day, they would succeed. Knowing where we came from, our tragic yet undoubtedly hopeful history would no doubt touch the lives of Filipinos. This increases nationalism and camaraderie between us and it also encourages Filipinos to try their best to become better citizens of our country and to never forget that our freedom is something to be treasured. We must protect and take care of it to the best of our abilities. It is apparent that Filipinos nowadays place their freedom of both choice and speech in such high regard, even exercising it excessively. This is probably due to the fact that it was once something that was taken from us. Rizal made Filipinos believe that they are worth it

and that they do not deserve to be below Spaniards, or anyone in that regard. This is still something that the youth today carry in their hearts. Most protesters and activists today are youths, much like most of our known heroes, and even Rizal at the time when he began devoting his life to the cause. Every Filipino knows Jose Rizal. When asked, most would answer “he is our national hero” or “he died for our country” but more than this, a lot of people don’t really know his whole story. His life before joining the cause, his family, friends, relationships, and the hardships he had to endure during the cause. If one would only take the time to know him deeper, they would realize just how much he has done for us and for a country who was on the brink of giving up. He sparked the fire inside the hearts of the Filipinos to continue fighting and hoping that one day, our country would be ours again. It did happen, and we have this man to thank.