Next to Reading, I started to develop my ability for Writing when I took my secondary education, first in the seminary and in high school at various parishes of assignment of the Catholic priest whom I joined as his factotum. There I got good grades in English composition and even passable in Pilipino. Of course, when I took a fancy on a pretty girl at school, I wrote her several letters in English with the help of my trusty Thesaurus. Unfortunately, my classmates then told me that said girl would not entertain me as she did not like the idea of consulting a dictionary to answer my love letters. Thereafter, I practiced my writing ability by having pen pals along with my class mates whom I convinced to do so.
After a year of working in then Greater Manila area, I got married. Still, I wanted to pursue my college studies knowing very well the value of education in future advancement in my line of work. Prior to enrollment, I was toying the idea of taking up journalism as I wanted to follow the footsteps of my favorite newspaper columnists then like Max Soliven and Teodoro Valencia. However, I was discouraged to do so having read of the low pay of newcomers in the newspaper business. Thus, I decided to take up commerce which would help me cope with the requirements of my work.
In college, I was able to put into good use my writing ability when I participated in an Essay Competition. A pleasant surprise dawned on me when I perused the results of the contest. Lady Luck had really favored me so much since I garnered two top prizes therefrom. The contest awards committee chose my pieces as First Prize winner in English category and the sole Third Prize winner in Pilipino category as there were no winners selected for the First and Second Prizes. Indeed, immeasurable joy filled me while I encashed my check prizes with the bank, thinking all along what I would buy with the money. An Instamatic camera was the result of my brain-wracking search for the best item to buy which I gleefully used to take pictures of my first born son.
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