"MY BRAVE SOLO FLIGHT"

"Taking an honest look of the situation, I thought I wasn't as independent as my brother Preach, but I proved myself wrong. There's bravery lurking inside of me. A spirit of independence sets me ready before my journey to APYC.😇☺️"

INTRODUCTION

I am a "SSH," simply silent, shy, and a homebuddy; most of my friends and neighbors feedback about me. I mostly enjoy pleasures around home and not into going out with our neighboring friends; the latter visiting me at home instead is always the case. But just recently, I am into developing social relationship.

Brave Solo Flight

The Asia Pacific Youth Conference, or APYC 2023, was finally announced last August to be taking place after 3 years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the youth department to prepare for this rare opportunity to experience a sem-break mind recharge and soul revival event just this November.

I've learned that plane tickets should be purchased in advance since they are quite cheaper compared to having bought them close to the deadline, unless you'll come across promotional tickets. However, promotionals have no assurance of hitting a specific schedule ahead; we can assume that they might come before or after the 1st week of November.

So earlier my parents had ate Lai our close church associate to have me booked a flight for Cebu Pacific Airlines since we didn't have a credit card. Also, some of my youth friends, mainly in the media and deaf departments, had their own booking transactions. When the event came closer, we found out that I will have a solo flight😲

With this knowledge, mother shrank inside, knowing the fact that I would be traveling alone was unwonted for her. If assented, that was the first time to have me away from them for 7 days. It would be commending if I had another friend to join in with me, but there is none. I was not used to walking or traveling alone. Besides, money was tight to escort me to Manila.

ACT OF COWARDSHIP SOMETIMES😄

Uncertain about what to come up with, me too found myself "on the fence" deciding. Later, mother settled to decline my appointment outside Cebu. But my father comforted us and rolled out things on behalf of the APYC advantage.

The point was the chance to have not just met different races like Afro-Asians, Chinese, even American people or involve in exciting games, worthwhile team building, counseling, landmark travels and more, but the different topics to be conferred by international rapporteurs/speakers tackling lessons to increase one's sense of purpose, goal setting, self reflection through personality growth and most especially spiritual calling and development for generation Z, were so preciously ginormous matters to miss the boat on.

OVERCOMING FEAR

APYC at Ninoy Aquino Stadium

Father calmly explained the benefits that I would have in exchange for a brave solo flight. And besides, I am not going somewhere else unfavorable for me. Everything was for my own good purpose. After hearing out his part, as we dilly dallied on these matters, and at long last, "We got the picture."

REFLECTION

Being brave doesn't mean we are inherently fearless; we fear nothing and no one. But put simply, it signifies that we have conquered the weight of fear. Sadly, many people are fearful, regardless of age. Afraid of trying new things, getting a chill down of spine through the dark, blending of strangers (case-based), and even to be completely fed up due to frustrations and owning up to defeat.

However little children are naturally fearful, when exposed to unfamiliar people and unconventional circumstances, with it they step back attempting to withdraw subjectively and immediately eyed toward the location of someone they're comfortable to be with like their mom, to convey an expression that they are afraid.

Fear, because the world we are in is giving us more than enough reasons to. Even in this light of truth, I thank the Lord for my parents for they responsibly influence me to realize that there's a "safety zone" even in stressful occurences. A safety zone is a concept deeply ingrained in one's mind. Where chained souls are released from the grip of fear. It evinces when we go through a first-hand experience by which we are put in challenging tasks and given the opportunity to learn the value of bravery in life.

Zooming in, we will begin to settle an understanding that challenges are a natural part of growing older and that sometimes we must deal with them on our own. No matter how hard we try to circumvent ourselves against harsh situations, time will suffer us to get entangled in them.

Moreover, running away from contradictory circumstances, is a form of fear, worse than "skating on a thin ice", or trying to take risk and perhaps a falling through, because we are depriving ourselves from developing "courage." And dispossessing the next in the line of generation as well, of learning how to fend for themselves in unpleasant circumstances and to keep one's head above water.

I won't forget Sir Lee Stoneking's lines that say, "It takes only one generation to either build or destroy the next."

We do not wish to raise a generation of cowards. Drawing inspiration from the life of Rizal, he courageously uncovered the Spanish brutality through his writings. And he had no qualms about facing the guns and accepting his death. Confident that he had accomplished his mission of freeing the Filipinos from the iron fists and granting them to have their own identity. Though he was exposed to trouble of being fired by a squad, Rizal had faced fears and were not overcome by it.

The further I go from documenting down my own chunk of life's journey, the more I realize the significance of valor, bravery, or courage. Bravery in the sense, not braggingly honking who buys a brawl on the street but of without dread to face odds and adversities, left without undermining a legacy of being pure in spirit.

As I walked through the airport's admission area, seeing mama and papa from a distance as the glass door was closing in front of them, since they can't accompany me anymore inside, there's a bit of weariness in mom's eyes, but I gestured to them an assurance, sending a message that," I AM ALRIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN HANDLE. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. INDEED WITH GOD I CAN."