Crossing the Street

“You have to go to Tita Beng – it’s an emergency. And you have to go alone”.

This is what my brother told my six-year old daughter.

Just half an hour earlier, my brother JV picked my daughter up from her Kumon classes. She was going to spend the weekend at Mamita’s once again.

When they got home, my brother prepared lunch, and then asked Julia to “call Mamita” to eat. Julia went into my mother’s room and returned a few seconds later telling my brother that “Mamita was not answering and she was not waking-up.”

Mama was recently diagnosed as being diabetic. JV – who has been an insulin dependent diabetic for over two decades now – became very strict with my mother’s diet and sugar intake.

He realized immediately the Mama was unconscious due to low blood-sugar.

JV took her blood-sugar count – and indeed it was a deathly low 25. Being alone at home, he had to go get help, but he also had to stay with my mother. That’s when he told Julia that she had to cross the main road alone to get to our neighbor’s house.

“I can’t, I’m scared”, Julia said.

“Julia, you have to. Mamita needs help, and I can’t leave her. You have to go.” JV then started to prepare some sugar-water to try to administer as soon as my mother hopefully regained consciousness.

A few seconds later, JV heard the gate close and when he looked behind him, Julia was gone.

A few minutes after that, Tita Beng (mother of Felice Fernandez) and Tita Linda walked in. By then JV had already called a few people, and my sister-in-law Lanie was on her way to the house, as was Kit, a childhood friend of ours. My other brothers and I were likewise rushing home.

Mama is okay now, and as I type away, she is sleeping soundly and comfortably in her bed.

No offense to Mama, but this isn’t about her really.

It’s about Julia (again). And about all of us as well.

Sure, Julia is six, and a lot of six-year olds walk and cross streets alone. Lots of kids Julia’s age do so many things alone.

So this isn’t really about her crossing the street to get help in an emergency situation either.

It’s about her crossing the street when she was absolutely sure she couldn’t do it because she was scared to do it.

Julia faced her fears when she had to – and in so doing she actually and literally helped save the life of her grandmother.

And you know what else is amazing about it?

It was no big deal for her. As far as she is concerned she crossed the street because Mamita needed her to do so.

That’s it.

She found a reason to overcome herself and her fear.

I know of many adults – my age and older – who have not yet overcome their fears nor themselves.

There are those who shy away from relationships because they were hurt once or twice.

Those who put off doing what they want to do because they failed at it once too often.

Those who wallow in their sorrows because they feel no one would be interested to listen to them.

Julia faced her fear because she wanted to help Mamita.

Want to be in a meaningful and fulfilling relationship? Then work on it.

Want to achieve something great in your life? Then take the first step – and then the next.

Want to find comfort and a reason to move on? Seek the comfort of the people you call your friends.

Our Lord came into the world for one reason: to give his life so that we would have life.

He came into the world because of the future he wanted for us, not because of the past.

So when faced with your fears, forget the past.

And look into the future you want to achieve.

Then take the first step until you finally cross the street.


P.S. - I wasn't able to publish this earlier, as things were quite busy during the days Mama was in the hospital. Thank you to all who prayed for and with our family; thank you to all who visited and called. Like I said in one of my emails, GOD IS GOOD not only because he has watched over Mama and us, but also because he gave our family people like you. GOD BLESS!