Barretto, Jose Alberto Christopher D.

14-0235

“Do good, to be better, for the best.”

Ever since I was a young boy, I would always be told by my parents of things that
would make me have great virtues in life and ultimately be a better person. Although all
of what my parents have taught me and all of the things that they told were very true,
inspirational and good, I could say that there was this one particular line that my father
told me that struck me the most and it was what has molded me to be the person I clearly
am today. “Do good, to be better, for the best.” Now, it may not be very striking when
you first read it but when you think of it again and again and realize what it truly means,
then maybe it could be.

When I was back in gradeschool, I would always get in to fights with other kids. I
never wanted to fight and I never started one, but I would always be in one and the reason
for this is because back then, I would always see other people being bullied or hurt and as
my parents always told me, I should always do good. Whenever I saw someone being
bullied, I would immedietely let go of my stroller and help the helpless kid. I knew that I
should always mind my own business and not get into any trouble, but I couldn’t help it. I
would always help the bullied kid out but in return, I myself would be hurt as well. I
didn’t mind if I got hurt, but whenever one of my parents would pick me up from school,
they would scold me for getting in another fight. Then, they would ask me who hurt me
so that they could talk to the principal about it. Of course, I told them who did it but I
would always tell them not to talk to the principal anymore and that I was alright and I
would explain to them what happened, as well as why I did it and I would always tell
them that I was just simply following my parents. As I said that, they would stop and
think of what they told me that made me get in to fights but then I would say “Do good..”
and then they would laugh. The day after the fights, I would always say sorry to the
person whom I fought with. At the end of the day, I would make new friends, the bullies
and the bullied.
 Ever since that line got in to my head, I would always try to follow it. Whenever I
am, whatever I do, I would always think before I act, which is another thing my mom told
me. Whenever I was being naughty, I would see my parents’ faces in my mind, saying
those lines and I would immediately stop, but later on do it again and it would be a long
cycle of the same thing. Eventually, I learned how to really follow what my parents told
me and it would really pay off. Growing up, I had some typical child behaviors of being
too lazy to study or not following my parents. It would always make me guilty at the end
of the day, but it was just really boring to study back then and all of the perfect
distractions were right in front of me, especially the video games. But, as time flies and
as I grow and mature, I would eventually realize what the line means, and what I should
do. I guess with all these being said, I could relate this to our lesson on wanting with a
reason and the reason being something that is good. We all desire something that is good
and that something good would happen to us. With doing good, it will lead us to
something great, something we want.

I was in high school and having to balance out everything back then was hard. I
wanted to go out with friends, go to soirèes, play games, meet girls. But, I would do good
and study as well. It made me better, more responsible and more mature and it led my life
to the best. I can say this because I am now studying in the University of Asia and the
Pacific, taking one of the best courses they have, being friends with a lot of people and
gaining new ones, and being happy with my family. However, I can say that I am not the
perfect person, nor the perfect son, sibling and friend, but I am trying my best to be one
and I am still trying to always do good, so that I could be a better person, which will lead
me to the best future I could have.