No doubt about it, former President Cory Aquino was a paragon of humility. During her term, she preferred to be called "Cory." She was photographed wearing her simple clothes over and over again. Her parties were subdued and spartan. She flew in economy class.
At the end of her term, she stepped down with nary a sign of lust for power. And she kept insisting she was just a transition president from dictatorship to democracy.
But humility is often forgotten and ignored. Like all other virtues, it is clouded by more interesting scandals on sex videos, overpricing, and grand-scale corruption.
I had just read the newspaper headline that morning—it was another one of those juicy gossips about celebrities. That was playing in my mind when my sister, Aie, walked me to the World Vision Building where I was to facilitate a writing workshop.
After we turned right at the first corner, Aie pointed to a small, simple house, the roof of which was only a bit higher that the short height of its gate. I couldn’t see the house but it's definitely nothing to write home about.
“That’s Cory’s house,” she said.
I knew Cory lived in an ordinary house but I didn’t expect one which was the size of a low-cost subdivision box. “Cory’s house?!”
“There’s the marker,” she stressed.
I took two photographs—from two different angles. But the house of the former president of the Republic of the Philippines still looked the same. A structure of basic lines, and nothing else.
The newspaper headline seemed suddenly so miniscule. The teeny house was more important than any news I have read that day. It spoke to me of humility, a virtue that was consistently lived by the Savior.
May His grace, in all its abundance, make me see it well and live it, too—consistently.
6 comments:
Wow! That's amazing! I would have thought that she would live in a bigger place too.
Yes, suprising isn't it?
Tita May, Cory lives on Times Street, near Bulletin where Tita Aie, Agatha, etc. lives. If my memory serves me well, it was there where Ninoy's remains were put on display before it was paraded. I went to see him with Tita Aie and Tita Ganda I think.
Cory remained low profile but her family (the Cojuangco's) is filthy rich. There's a rumor that it was actually her cousin who was the mastermind behind Ninoy's death. But I digress. He he.
I slept over at Tita Aie's and although I go there often, I haven't actually seen Cory's house, till that morning. Amazing! thanks for visiting.
i never would have thought. wow. if only more politicians were like her. oh well. i know. wishful thinking. :D
Maybe if we wish hard enough . . . prayer concern.
Post a Comment