CC Project #6: Tomorrow

Competent Communication Manual
Project #6: Vocal Variety
Speech Title: Tomorrow
Delivered at: Divanna Estaraha during the Induction of Officers 1st Term PY 2008-2009
Evaluated by: ACB/CL Erick John Tapales

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Toastmasters Project #6: Vocal Variety

Title: Tomorrow

Introduction

One cold December evening of 1974, somewhere in the vast rice fields in the lowlands of Cotabato, a little boy was trying to catch sleep along the mud. He was tired, too tired, that he was not mindful of the fireworks on the air and accompanying loud bang of explosions.

He knows that was neither a Christmas fireworks display nor a New Year festivity. He understands those lights were machine gun spikes, howitzer mortars, and tracer bullets. He was running together with his father, his mother, and sisters away from the pursuing MNLF rebels.

I was running for my life.

Salutation

Good evening fellow toastmasters and beloved guest. Welcome to PICPA Riyadh Toastmaster Club! Tonight, let me share to you one turning point of my life that made me who I am today.

Let me continue my story.

Body

Running for Life

Just as I started to doze off, my father shook me on the shoulder and whispered with a commanding voice. “Wake up, take care of your sisters and move towards the second ditch”. Shaken, I move forward holding my sisters by my side.

My father then started firing his M60 submachine gun towards my back, while my four other “uncles” – soldiers actually, were also snipping on the flanks with their Browning Automatic Rifles.

Few yards away, my mother shouted "faster… and keep your head low". She wraps three heavy belts of bullets across my body and said "these belts to your father and these canisters to your uncle". "Run but keep you head below the ditches".

After giving the ammunitions to my father, I sat down – unmindful of the on going battle – and tried to catch sleep. Then my father shouted, "Wake up! There is plenty of time sleeping when you are dead. For now, you need to stay awake, and keep your sisters alive. Now, move!"

I was tired and so as my sisters. All we want was sleep and stop running, but my father was persistent and keeps saying, "Hold on, tomorrow will come and there will be sun – there will be help".

Battles in our lives

Thirty years has passed, that boy has grown into a man, this man. Yet I am still running, and I am still dodging. Yes, I still want to get a sleep.

I am still running.

Running not on the rice field away from armed conflict, but I am now running on the economic field - away from poverty. I am no longer running from one rice-field box to another but instead, I am moving between countries: Japan, Canada, and Singapore. When I decided to move to Saudi Arabia, my friends tried to scare me, "Are you crazy? There are no girls in Riyadh, only camels. Gee... you'll not survive". I just gave them a wink and said, "It's money, my friends… just money. When I come back, you will ogle with my state of the art camera".

I am still dodging.

Dodging not from enemy’s bullet, but from trials and challenges in day-to-day life. It is there every day. I have a confession to make. You may find me jolly and smiling at all times with Toastmasters, but believe me, I am the exact opposite in the office – I am meek as a lamb. When my boss says, "Jorge do this, do that, finish this today, overtime tonight – even if there's nothing to do". I just keep my patience. I will do what is appropriate, and will perform my job properly. There is no need to expose myself with frustrations and whining. Beside, I came here to work, not to take a vacation.

Yes, I still want to sleep, once in a while!

I want to sleep, not sleeping in the mud along the rice paddies, but sleeping away from all these running and dodging in life.

When I was in Singapore, I exclaimed, "Huwah! (the Singaporean way). This country is beautiful and clean. I will retire here, lah". And I though, I would.

But when I look at my three-year-old daughter, I realize I still have to move to another box – Saudi Arabia – to secure our future. I still have no savings, and this next box would assure that I have sufficient funds until her college education.

Conclusion

It has been thirty years of running and dodging, and I needless to say I am weary.

In 1974, the boy was running on a rice field with one goal in mind. Protect and kept his sister safe. He lingered and eventually saw tomorrow. The sun rise up and military reinforcement came. They were safe.

Today, I am moving between countries but with one goal in mind. Secure the future of my family for my three-year old daughter and for my 3-month old son. Tomorrow may still be far. The sun is still far. Nevertheless, I believe tomorrow will come, and I could already see that it will be a better. Perhaps, I could get my sleep that time.

Closing

In closing, I would like to share a snippet of a song taken from the movie Annie. TM Ron, if you could remember, you throw a question during the Table Topics session – on my first day with Toastmasters. You ask, "What reminds you of this song".

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

TM Ron, you reminded me that evening that me together with the millions of OFWs, we are all running along this Economic Diaspora, in the hope the our loves have a better future… tomorrow.

Back to you toastmaster of the evening