Last Tuesday, July 12, 2022, was indeed a productive day for me as I was able to have

a meaningful conversation to one of my respondents, in fulfilment to my assigned task

in this course. My chosen respondent was referred under the pseudonym of Mrs. Jane
Roe, 44 years old- a plain housewife and a loving mother to 4 children. I chose her
among others as the subject of interview because I see her as someone who can enrich
my point of view in terms of dealing daily struggles, pain, perseverance and of course in
dealing with life in general. The said interview happened via video call since Mrs. Jane
Roe is under quarantine. Mrs. Jane Roe was a good friend of my mother and was once
our house helper before. Right from the start until the end of our interview, I was truly
emotional and sorry. We started the conversation with a short kumustahan, and she
began to share a lot about her anxious feelings and concerns to the condition of her
daughter. Her daughter had only a couple of days left due to a critical illness and now
sadly being monitored due to COVID-19 infection.

Mrs. Jane Roe was the 4th born child out of 8 siblings and her father was a fisherman.
She stopped schooling when she was in 3rd year high school due to financial incapacity.
Later, she got married to a company mechanic and settled here in Agusan, having their
own house and a small sari-sari store. The income of his husband could truly suffice the
needs of their family of 4 children. Her husband would have an average range salary of
15,000-20,000 thousand pesos per month, plus free family medical coverage. This
salary range would be enough for their simple living, if only it was intended merely for
them. Unfortunately, this was not the case according to Mrs. Jane Roe, her husband
would spent much of his money for his vices and personal desires such as alcohol and
women. With that Mrs. Jane Roe had strived and started providing for the family. She
would do housekeeping and laundry from the neighborhood and had join to different
money lending services.

Mrs. Jane Roe, stated that her situation was never easy. Having an unfaithful husband
and a dying daughter, she had to deal with so much pain and suffering in which I had
found several striking parts to ponder. Hence, through this conversation I was able to
contemplate that sometimes, I feel so ungrateful to God that I easily complain and
mocked him for situating me into an uncomfortable situation in life. Thus, I began to
think after the conversation that in life we often speak about pain and suffering without
having to know and compare the pain and suffering that other people tend to go
through. Truly I was moved with the fighting spirit and positivity that Mrs. Jane Roe have
despite having to share more about her life’s misery. In fact, she even told me that she
looked at all of these instances as a mission to surpass and not as a punishment or
misfortune. With that, I have come with a certain course of action of being more
compassionate and giving to other people. I will be more kind and helpful. I will extend
my skills and talents in advocating for those people in need. Being more patient and
kinder in my words and deeds because everyone has their own story of pain and
suffering to tell, and they just need a little for us to be gentle and more understanding.