Skip to main content

One homecoming night becomes a value-teaching opportunity

OVER TIME, I had developed, as a personal coping mechanism, a don’t-care-much attitude towards people who regard themselves as a privileged breed; who think they know everything and are right all the time; and who behave as if they had been licensed to speak their minds at whatever cost, dropping “freedom” as shield.  One can only have sympathy for these airheads.  Unfortunately, there are millions of them around us and somehow, we have come to accept them as natural fixtures of society.  A fellow professor and friend at a Graduate School in the Philippines has told me these attitudes have some psychological mooring, explaining that as a rule, we tend to view things, including ourselves, in different ways.  Too often “the view” about and in favor of “us” is for ego-boosting reasons.  That said, I have a specific bone to pick, however, with people who are brazenly frank to tell you, literally right in the face, that they are better-looking than you and me. Ouch, that hurts! 

Defining beauty
It is on one such situation where I would have to draw the line between ignoring a one-sided personal declaration and making a firm stand.  Just what is exactly society’s standard of what’s beautiful or what’s not?  Is there such a norm?  If there is such, is it solely anchored upon outside physical appearance? This seems to be the limited vantage view of a “few people” at the recently-concluded DNHS 2015 Grand Reunion and Homecoming where they overtly implied their displeasure - or perhaps envy- on the selection process that picked the occasion’s Homecoming Queen, Ms. Glorina Papaioannou of Australia.  In effect, this “limited few” was saying, “Why her and not me?”

I am sure you have heard the oft-quoted saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” In other words, beauty is relative. What you consider as beautiful may not be viewed the same way by the person seated next to you.  This is where the relativity element plays in.  Ten individuals looking at the same thing but employing different vantage gauges would yield ten varying viewpoints. 

‘Miss Universe’ culture: the culprit
The problem with present-day society is that it has become deeply-mired in the so-called Miss Universe culture where, no matter how organizers and proponents cleverly justifies the selection process, it still boils down to the winners chosen mainly on physical appearance and assets. Interestingly, the numerous local, national and international beauty pageants held practically all throughout the year,  only reinforce this  sad reality, and judging by the way things are going,  beauty is still unfortunately slanted along the physical sense.

Grace amidst scrutiny and criticism
Lest I totally digress, let me go back to our main issue here.  Had Ms. Papaioannou been so onion-skinned, she would have been cowered in shame by the humiliating reference that she was not the “perfect” Miss Homecoming material.  Who should have been?  When confronted shortly after the affair about the matter which was initially limitedly-circulated, Glo surprised us with a shrug and a big laugh.  There was no trace of rancor in her voice when she finally found herself composed to reply. And in a gentle but portly demeanor that befits her title, she said:  “Oh, well, what can I say?  It’s just too bad that I disappointed a few, but you know, I really think that night was solely meant for me and I could not have been any happier and more fulfilled.  All my life, I have had some disappointments and being not recognized for what little worth I thought I may have is just one of them. Never mind that I may not be as physically good-looking as other people think they are. I am well aware of this. But to me, beauty is more than a captivating face or a nicely-sculpted figure.  True beauty resides in the whole person, both inside and outside.”

With a warm and loving smile so characteristic of her, her voice still calm but almost reduced to a whisper now, she concluded, “I am more inclined to believe that true beauty is not totally an item for physical display. I think it transcends beyond what the eyes can see. It is more as a thing holed inside of you. It is spiritual. You feel it and you try to reflect that feeling upon others.  That feeling which is non-threatening and non-encroaching is contagious, you know, and before you realize it, you see “beauty” all around you, something which nobody can take away, not even the airheads and know-it-alls.”

Queen she is indeed!
REFLECTING upon that short interview, Glorina left us no reason to argue her position.  Instead, she provided us that rare chance to list more personal attributes she has which obviously we did not know about: grace, humility, forgiving and understanding heart, open and positive-minded and forthright spirit.  Truly, there could not have been a better choice for a face and name to the 2015 Homecoming Queen title.  And, true to her name, Glorina was “glory sent” to all the Dingras National High School homecomers this year!


*(Author’s Note:  Because of the sensitive nature of this article, permission from Ms. Glorina Papaioannou was sought for its publication.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PIDS expert says income tax cuts justified; warns gov’t of revenue loss

Proposals to amend the personal income tax schedule appear to be well-justified. However, these proposals should include measures that will allow government to recover the revenue loss from lower income taxes. Dr. Rosario Manasan, senior research fellow of state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said at a seminar sponsored by the Philippine Senate, that government should look for new revenue measures to compensate for the projected revenue loss that will arise as a result of the implementation of any of the various proposals to restructure the personal income tax. Currently, there are several income tax reform proposals pending in both houses of Congress. All of them, according to Dr. Manasan, have the same objective of addressing the phenomenon of bracket creep, which results from “non-indexation to inflation of personal income tax brackets”. Simply put, bracket creep occurs when employees’ income increases over time as a result of inflation. Th

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City.  (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.