Sabi ni Mommy...

I believe that Mother knows best... most of the time. This is one of those times.

I grew up hearing my mom talk about my grandmother's brothers and sisters. These people are not human. They don't study, rarely come to class and yet, they take home first prize, the gold medal or whatever the highest honors are. They bring a whole new meaning to the word "overachiever."

A classic story is that of Uncle Fidel, Ate Pau's dad (back when he was in third grade). He was called by his teacher to recite on something about the assignment and so he got out his notebook and read from it. When the teacher looked at the notebook, there was nothing written on it and Uncle Fidel was answering the homework questions on his own, no notes. Nothing.

Mom, according to my grandmother, always went home with honors. She would work hard and actually cry over homework. My uncle was another story. He wouldn't study, play basketball, pull pranks, not go to class and yet he would finish the term with honors. My mom said that Tito Arnold was the real genius and she, my mother, was just hardworking. It was a Castillo trait, according to her. Somehow, all our happy-go-lucky relatives-- the first-class pranksters-- were the geniuses. This is how I came to believe the truth in Aristotle's words... "No great genius ever existed without some touch of madness."

My high school English teacher once told my mom that I was smart, just too lazy. It was why I failed her class and had to take remedial Grammar (which I have to say was an experience I'll never forget). I never believed that... I always thought Miss Asa said that to comfort my mom, that she did not have a dunce for a daughter. My mom, on the other hand, thought I was too much like my uncles... all that mad brilliance bottled up inside.

I am ashamed to say I was the only one who failed the Civil Law Review prelims. I never thought that it would happen since I had a strong foundation in Persons and Family Relations (mag-RPL ka ba naman dun). Plus we got hold of a samplex. How could anybody fail? But I did. I studied for three days, looked at the samplex at the last minute and I failed miserably. I couldn't even muster the courage to tell my mom. I always picture how she looked like the time I told her I failed Crim 1. What more if I tell her that I might not graduate? I resolved to do everything I can so that moment won't come. But apparently, the universe was against me. I got swamped with a lot more homework, extra-curricular activities and what-have-yous that I didn't even have time to study until the night before the exam.

Come midterms, I was terrified that I would be the senior who would not graduate not because of Justice Fernandez or Dean Sundiang but because of CivRev 1, the easiest course during the first semester. But I didn't even finish reading the codal provisions on property. I went in blind, so to speak. All I knew was the law on builders on good faith and their rights. I didn't even remember the movable and immovable properties and I was relying on what I had learned back in second year (which wasn't much).

I got the results yesterday. I passed... with flying colors. I don't know how it happened but I did. I remembered what our driver/confidante said the day of the exam. He said I would pass because I didn't study. Even he noticed that pattern.

So I remembered my mom's stories about my uncles... how they wouldn't study and pass. No, I'm not going to stop studying. I still will but I've got to learn to take it easy, not let the pressure get to me. She always said to relax a little, find the balance between taking it easy and working when I need to. And for that, I thank her.

In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, there was a line... "If you really want something, the universe will conspire in helping you achieve that dream." The universe did. It gave me my mom.