EARLY LIFE OF RIZAL

What part of Rizal’s life before trial and execution do you find interesting and can
relate to?

Talented is an understatement to describe our national hero, Rizal. He achieved

expertise at multiple skills such as painting, speaking in multiple languages,
medicine, writing, and many more. So there are lots of facts about him that anybody
can find interesting. But for me, the most interesting fact about him is when he shifted
from studying Philosophy and Letters to ophthalmology when he found out that his
beloved mother was becoming blind. To many, this may be a boring fact since it is
such a common knowledge about him but for me, who has a soft spot for my mother,
I find it totally amusing when a person can sacrifice their own ambitions for someone
they love dearly. And I can totally imagine how frustrating it must have been for him
while studying ophthalmology because he was receiving “fair” or “good” grades
compared to “excellent” that he normally receives while studying philosophy.

Rizal is admirable not just for his love for our nation, but also for his love as a
son. If I will be in a situation where I need to pick between continuing to pursue this
course that I truly enjoy and taking a course for someone I care about, I will honestly
have second thoughts. This is not something you can decide on the spur of the
moment, at least not for me. Furthermore, Rizal's timeframe differs greatly from ours,
which might have a significant impact on the decisions that will be made. But if there
are no other available options, just like Rizal, I will gladly shift in a heartbeat.

His love for his mother shows how much love he can give. And Filipinos are
utterly fortunate to be able to receive this kind of love. Is it not courageous for
someone to write novels that will expose the rotten system during that period
knowing that they can get killed for doing so? Honestly, if I was in his position, I doubt
that I would do the things he did to free the country knowing that my safety and the
safety of my family will be at stake. But for Rizal, it is a must, and I totally respect him
for that. His immense patriotism is not something that I can relate to, as it feels like I
am insulting him when he fearlessly put his life in line for freedom that we enjoy. But
as a child of a loving mother, I can totally see myself to him. For I too, can make
sacrifices for the well-being of my love ones. In a heartbeat.