Last month my son was hospitalized because of Dengue. It was only now, that my cousin who shared shifting schedules with us taking care of our son early morning, told us something that strengthen my belief that this community is on the right track.
My cousin told me that she was able to talk to a woman who was admitted in the hospital. She got curious because she was the only adult who was inside the Pedia Room (despite that there are rooms for adults) together with 2 other children that time (including my son). She found out that the woman will not be staying for long and will be released anytime. Aside from that, what surprised my cousin was the reason why she was hospitalized:
Cousin: Wala po kayong kasama ngaun? ( No one's with you today?)
Woman: Wala eh may trabaho ung nanay ko pero siya naghatid dito. Pero mamaya susunduin niya na ako. (None, my mother is working however she was the one who brought me here and will pick me up later)
Cousin: Baket po kayo na admit? (Why were you brought here?)
Woman: Nag-suicide kasi ako. Uminom ako ng pangpatay ng insecto. (I took suicide. I drank insecticide)
Cousin: Ha?! Baket naman po? (What!? Why?)
Woman: Kasi ang laki ng kuryente namin. Nagtitinda lang ako ng gulay sa Palengke. Nahihirapan na ako. (Our electric bill is too much. I just sell vegetables in the market. It's difficult for me.)
Cousin: Magkano po ba ung electric bill niyo? (How much is your electric bill?)
Woman: 1,500.
Cousin: 1,500???! ipagpapalit niyo ung buhay niyo don?
Woman: Naaawa kasi ako sa mga anak ko, wala silang kuryente nagaaral pa naman sila (I pity my children because we will not have electricity anymore and they are studying)
Cousin: Naawa po kayo kayo sa mga anak niyo pano naman po yan kung natuluyan kayo? sino na mag aalalaga sa kanila? Hindi niyo po ba naisip yun? (You pity your children? but you did not consider who will take care of them when you're gone?)
Woman: Yun na nga eh. Naisip ko na rin ngaun. (Yes, I already thought about it now)
By the way, my cousin is just 17 years old. She cannot believe that such beautiful lady, older than her, will do such thing for an electric bill of 1,500.00
I remember a quite similar incident as well with the wife of Ted Failon (news anchor). To those who are not familiar with her story, she also ended her life because of debt and misused funds that reached more than a million. She left a letter and it goes like this:
Papa, I'm so sorry, gustong-gusto ko pang magsabi sa iyo ng totoo pero hindi ko po alam kung papaano ko uumpisahan. Sobrang takot na takot po ako. Umalis po muna ako kasi hindi ko po kaya at nahihiya po ako sa iyong humarap. Sana po mapatawad mo ako, Papa. Sorry sorry Papa, -- Mama (Papa, I'm sorry, I really wanted to tell you the truth but I don't know how to start. I am so afraid. I left because I cannot continue anymore and I am ashamed of facing you. I hope you will forgive me papa. Sorry, Sorry papa--Mama)
She shot herself in the head.
Then there is another person, Donald Trump. He had $900 million personal debt and 3.5 billion in business debt between the year 1989-1997. He even said that during those times, when he looked at the pauper outside of his apartment, he can't help but laugh on himself because the pauper is literally richer than him. The only difference though he realized, that for the pauper, the future is already bleak yet for him, the future is clear. He will re-emerge from bankruptcy and in 2005, he did.
So, I want you to tell me, what's the difference between the three people I mentioned? They all have the same problem and that is money. This time, before I will share with you the ending of this blog, I want to know from you, your thoughts about this:
1. What do you think is the difference between the three people I mentioned in terms of confronting their money problems? One has a 1,500 debt, the other more than a million debt and the third one has billions worth of debt.
2. Wherever you are right now, a student, employee, parents, entrepreneur, what opened up for you while reading this?
3. Between any amount of money problem (thousands, millions or trillions) and your life, what would you choose?
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.
Reference:
Online: Donald Trump, Wikipedia
Ted Failon wife's case, ABS-CBN
Publication: Think Like A Billionaire, Donald Trump
View original Article Here: http://www.ca2020.net/profiles/blogs/emotional-bankruptcy-is-this
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