Cebu City, Philippines–Having the will to help someone while saving oneself is a form of love that guarantees no reciprocation. As they say, love is an open door. You let others in to help you, or go outside and help others.
When Stephen Secretaria, a differently-abled person, was featured by CDN Digital, he shared an inspiring story of courage and determination and proved that despite struggles, one can always find a way to survive.
READ: FACES OF CEBU: Stephen Secretaria, 29, PWD vendor
His only wish was to have a pedicab (bicycle with a sidecar) to use and a sari-sari store (sundry store) to start another chapter of his life.
For 14 years, he fought for his life and made it worth living by helping and working as a food vendor despite his condition. He used what he had and didn’t mind much what he didn’t have.
A day after publishing his story, some people sent CDN Digital messages, asking how they can possibly help Stephen.
Some directly called his mom, Josephine, and offered to give the pedicab that Stephen longed for.
Other than love as an open door, love is also like a closed door. Someone will knock to offer you help, and you open and wholeheartedly accept it, regardless of its kind.
It is so refreshing to witness that despite all the problems that people are facing and battling this pandemic, there are still those who want to lend help at any cost and way accessible to them. These could be simply adapting the moral of Stephen’s life or helping him out.
Truly, anyone has an own version of love. One may view it differently or similarly with others but it falls down to love itself.
Behind the love that people give to others is the respect that founded them all. With no respect, love will not find its way.
This February, other than celebrating love, one, perhaps, can continue to ignite respect to whatever endeavor he or she is taking or to whoever he or she is with.
It boils down to you respecting yourself and respecting others to be happy and to be loved.