My Unforgettable Experience

Life is such a peculiar thing to have with all its countless twists and turns one wonders if
it is possible to predict what your tomorrow would be nor to determine who you are now
because of your past.

Asking questions is the best manner to determine who you are. When I was a young
girl, I used to love frolicking in my mother's garden pretending that I am a scientist or an
explorer. It was in one of these adventures of mine that I encountered that most
memorable part of my life.

It had just rain the other night. As what was customary, puddles of water on the ground
were scattered all over the garden. Early that morning I quickly got up without even
taking the time to wash my face nor to drink some water. Of course, I did not forget to
pray as was taught by my Granny. "You can forget everything when you wake up in the
morning out of excitement but not praying."

Still wearing my pajamas, I gamely trotted on the wet grass curiously observing each
puddle to see if there were tadpoles around. They have been my passion ever since I
was a kid of five. Now that I am almost at my teens, I still have a heart for these
creatures. Curious on how they get to grow up as majestic frogs.

It was in such an adventure where I encountered my most unforgettable moment. I knelt

down on the soft moist ground to take a closer look at the puddle. It was an usual
puddle coz it had a diameter of almost a meter. There were minions of tadpoles
swimming across the clear water.

As I stopped down, I didn't notice my older brother sneaking behind me like a tiger
about to pounce on its prey. With much agility, he got near me unnoticed. And with a
sudden jolt with his hand, pushed towards the puddle. Instantly, I fell face first on the
pool of water, drinking some of the water in the process and almost drowning. As if by
misfortune, I even swallowed some of it together with several tadpoles.

I began to desperately gasp for breath. Alarmed by what he did, my big brother
immediately pulled me out and laid me on the grass nearby.

"Ayat! Ayat! Are you alright?" He shouted in utter desperation.

Soon my parents came rushing from the kitchen, startled by his untimely cry. They knelt
beside me. My mom began to panic but my dad knew what to do. Trained in first aid, he
applied the Heimlich maneuver to relieve me from my choking. I vomited all the water
and tadpoles I swallowed earlier. Certained that I was okay, he carried me towards the
house. My brother got the scolding he deserved and was remorseful in the end.

God teaches us in ways we can never fathom. He uses the people around us to make
us comprehend the beauty of life and His creations. I have learned a lot from the
incident. That of not being complacent about my surroundings and always wary of the
danger that lurks within. My brother also had his share. He realized that not everything
can be passed off as a joke or a game. That he must take life seriously now that he is
already a grown up man.

Now that I'm a young lady, I have carried with me the lessons from that unforgettable
experience of mine. I have been more challenging experiences but I only hold one
philosophy in mind, "God would never give you a problem you can never handle
because He is always there to guide you."

I have proven this philosophy time and again especially during the Pandemic. There
were times back then where I was about to give up because of the difficult situation. I
was marooned in a country far from my own, I was desperate. How would I eat? How
would I get by each day? These were the questions that lingered in my mind.
God was the one who gave me the strength. He was my constant companion. As I
prayed each day, I got closer to Him and understood life's lesson with a clearer
perspective. I realized that God is a friend, a brother and a confidante.

As I get older and have a family of my own, I will constantly be indebted to God for
giving me this life of mine. He is both a Savior and a friend who would never leave your
side.