2nd Write up by Kendric Tee
Last year, as Patrick was undergoing his first operation, I did notice that he and our late President Cory Aquino had many striking similarities. Both of them suffered from cancer, but despite their suffering, they fought on and stayed strong. In their suffering, both Patrick and Pres. Aquino managed to unify many divided people, and inspired them to undergo positive changes in their lives. Even in their passing on, they left a good legacy, the unification of many people, the changes in the attitudes and personality of so many others. They convinced us to be more perseverant and more hopeful when dealing with adversity, and instead of being weakened by it, they became stronger, and the strength they gained from their struggles has been passed on to each and every one of us.
Both Patrick and the late President will be remembered by a signature color. In Patrick’s case, that color is blue because of his affinity for the Ateneo Blue Eagles and his general preference of the color. Blue also represents peace, serenity and adaptability, which perfectly embody him as he fought his battle. Aside from this, we can say Patrick and President Cory are truly parallel, as represented by Xavier’s school colors-Blue and Yellow (or Gold, as some would say). These parallelisms are not merely coincidental, but show that these two people, who are icons to us, are truly similar in dealing with adversity, and the impact they have made in each and every one of our lives is very connected-both have convinced us that life is short, and that in our lives, we must learn to love one another and to care for each other and our world right now. Safe to say, both of these icons, these heroes, tried to convince us that each of us can be a hero in our own right, just as the song goes:
“There’s a hero, when you look inside your heart
You don’t have to be afraid of what you are
There’s an answer if you reach into your soul
and the sorrow that you know will melt away.
And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.
So if you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
Then you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you.
It’s a long road when you face the world alone.
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold.
You can find love if you search within yourself
and the emptiness you felt will disappear.
And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.
So if you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
Then you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you.
Lord knows dreams are hard to follow,
But don’t let anyone tear them away.
Hold on, there will be tommorow.
In time you’ll find the way.
And then a hero comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.
So, when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you’ll finally see the truth
that a hero lies in you.
That a hero lies in you,
that a hero lies in you.”
(Source: http://www.elyricsworld.com/hero_lyrics_mariah_carey.html)
They proved to us that it was not external strength that mattered, but the strength of the spirit and the will of the heart that did. Now that they are both in a better place, one that is free from the suffering and injustices of this world, the best way to remember them is to be inspirations in our own right and to live out life just as they did-to its fullest. They will constantly be watching us from above, guiding us along the way. If we are faced with trials, we need to remember how they dealt with theirs, even up to the point of death-with perseverance, endurance, strength, and hope.
