‘Sige lang’

“You have garnered excellent points in all criteria of the ranking process, but you are NOT our priority because you are not a resident of this city,” words that echoed in my heart and pierced my soul. After a year, they hired a number who do not reside in the city — ”sige lang.”

I wanted to move mountains and cry foul over this but something told me to keep calm and let the heavens take the reins. After two months of wandering and exhausting all my separation pay, I finally received an offer from another division. The ultimate catch was my assignment details. True enough, life gives you bacon when you need a pizza. I was assigned 70 kilometers away from the city. I had no choice but to brace myself for the challenge of getting through a life of solitude and alienation. Putting more weight on my acceptance was the fact that someone way below my rank was assigned to a nearer spot. It was another source of discouragement and disappointment — “sige lang.”

As the cliché goes, the hardest climb often leads to beautiful destinations. The inhibitions, second thoughts, and skepticism faded away as I embarked on my journey. What’s more appalling is seven days later, the division that said “NO” called but with so much confidence, I turned it down. I never thought I’d love the place I was assigned to. I did my best and started to gain several feathers on my cap. I became a writer, host, and short film actor, and accomplished more than what I simply dreamt of. I even became an “on-the-spot writing” competition winner and later on, a national writer for reading materials. These accolades would have not been without me saying “sige lang” at some point in my career.

After almost three years, I decided to make a career move. I applied for a spot closer to home. The day of reckoning came. I did not get it because I was short by two days of the required three years of service. I felt put off just like a candlelight blown out hastily. Supportive forces tried to help me but I myself put them off, too — “sige lang.”

Then the universe conspired. A blessing came in the form of a vacant position at the most sought-after (or most feared, depending on how people see it) threshold in our field. I did not see this coming, but I tried just the same. Luckily, I got the top spot although one of the applicants complained. So, I waited and said — “sige lang.”

After patiently waiting, it became mine. I am now in the position that I applied for. People would always have something to say. And I would calmly reply — “sige lang.”

In all major turning points in my life, “sige lang,” which can mean “just let it pass” or “just go for it,” became my comfort phrase. In times of great challenges, it became my guiding light. Some would say that it is a sign of cowardice and a lack of assertiveness, but to me, it is a word of blessing. It breathes humility and vast acceptance of the many circumstances that I have gone through. The humbling experiences were even more far-reaching because of this phrase. However, this expression, as I suspected, was a mere representation of a deeper faith. I am reminded of the ever-ubiquitous citation in the Bible that became a favorite when I was in college: Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This in a nutshell is the core foundation of my persistent “sige lang” in all of the challenges that I confronted. I am not religious but this was a prime mover in all my undertakings.

Had it not been for “sige lang,” I may have not reached this point in my life. This only mirrors my view that someone has greater plans for us. Some tread the road taken by many, but there are also some of us who are meant to take the road less traveled. “Sige lang” is also my fair share of courage alongside motivation. I keep the fire burning for there might be some gaps that I have to mend before I get to achieve what I really want to, thus, it has driven me to better myself more.

“Sige lang” is an act of humility. We cannot have it all in life. There are wins and a fair amount of losses. There are things better left out than fighting for. The best is yet to come and there is always a reason for everything — “sige lang.”

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Teofan C. Gallosa of Valencia, 27, is an education program specialist in Negros Oriental. A dreamer, a teacher, and an embracer of life’s greatest offerings.