Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
~ Luke 11:1
Today is International Teachers Day. I have always considered myself, first and foremost as a teacher. I come from a family of teachers. My father was a teacher.He taught building construction skills all his life at the Pampanga School of Arts and Trade. He has contributed to Pampanga being the source of first-rate carpenters. He was the first in his family to go to college. And he inspired and financed some of his nieces and nephews to follow his footsteps.
It was as a teacher in Xavier School that I met Anabelle, the love of my life. She taught me a lot about what and how it is to love. She taught why and how I should stay in love even in the most difficult moments. Even now, in our senior years, we still have a lesson or two to teach each other.
Even when I was pursuing a corporate career, I devoted time to stay and keep on being a teacher – late at night and on weekends at the Ateneo Business School. And as a manager, I always thought of my work as a being a teacher to my subordinates. Like a good teacher, I wanted to see those who worked with and for me to be more knowledgeable, better skilled and kinder and more compassionate persons after I have worked with them.
Learning and teaching are life-long experiences. They never stop. In my old age, I still strive to be both a teacher and a learner.
“Lord, teach me pray, to love, to serve, to give and share what you have given to me.”