A Roller-coaster Ride on Dr. Jose Rizal’s Life

Life is ironic. One time you’re floating in happiness, the next you are drowning in tears. One time you’re on top of the world, the next you are at the bottom of the ocean. On the days when you think you’ve conquered everything, life will throw you another challenge. But isn’t it what makes life beautiful? It is that feeling of contentment and satisfaction that you have survived another trial. Tomorrow is another day, and there will always be tomorrow. I saw a roller-coaster ride on Rizal’s life.

I was once more amazed by how talented and intelligent he is. I also got to know his happiness in finding love and his heartbreaks. It is good to know that Rizal, despite his greatness, is also capable in feeling butterflies in his stomach. Who would have known that this young man is a hopeless romantic? Haha. Moving on, I also read about how he became a victim of Spanish brutality. Imagine how “kilig” I was reading about his love life and then suddenly I read about how a Lieutenant of Guardia Civil attacked him. I was really angered by that. It is a sad fact that during those times Filipinos could not do anything to fight back or to obtain justice. I could not dare to think how they endured so much pain.

Rizal tried his luck in Spain. He wanted to obtain more education. He wanted to learn more. He wanted to use his knowledge to help his fellow Filipinos. He wanted freedom. And so, he departed even though his parents did not want him to go. Life was not easy abroad. He experienced many hardships. But because he wanted to free his people, he worked hard. When he was there, he received much sad news. A disease had spread in Manila. Leonor was sick because of his absence. But instead of feeling down, he never gave up. He also joined the masonry in order to gain some help. He could no longer stand the abuses of the friars in the Philippines. He needed to do something.

I saw how Rizal persevered. Even though life was tough, he did not let those problems bring him down. Just like Rizal, may we learn how to continue moving forward. May we use him as an inspiration to achieve our dreams. Trials are just passing. Let us put in our mind that those misfortunes make us strong. All the great men had tasted the bitterness of life, yet they learned how to make it sweet. They did not fell down. There is no one who had ever succeeded without facing problems. After all, there won’t be a rainbow if there’s no rain.