A gambler who made herself rich

I've already heard lots of stories about individuals who made themselves successful in life. These stories really catch my interest and probably yours as well. Of course, we should be interested after all, who doesn't want to become successful? No one I guess. Perhaps most of us are familiar with the stories of the famous fast-food chains here in the Philippines and for those who are not, then it’s up to you to search it on google just to inspire you a bit.

It's hard indeed to climb up and reach the top of a steep mountain but just because it’s hard to do, doesn’t mean it’s impossible to reach. Remember the story of KFC or the SM, these two also start from scratch or nearly from nothing but look at them now, they already reach their goals but still trying to maintain or even surpass their previous achievements because that’s how we make ourselves richer and even wealthier. If we just imagine or dream to become rich but don’t want to struggle or to gamble or to take the risk then stop dreaming because if we won’t take care of a tree it won’t give us good fruit.

In this article, I will share with you the story of a woman who loves to gamble in her younger days and how she made herself successful and provide everything for her children. I am sure that the story is the fact because I witnessed her growth in life in terms of financial aspects. I know this story because I’m her grandson, she was my grandfather’s sister. That’s how we are related.

The story starts when Marry, my grandmother, was 10 years old, she likes to play street plays which need certain coins to play, a simple gamble perhaps. Back then, gadgets like cellphone, personal computers, PS4/PSP, etc. are not yet that of a need nor introduced well especially to a secluded place like ours because even electricity can’t reach our area.

When Marry turns maturity, she starts to seriously gamble as her past time. She works in the rice fields, asking the owners to take her as labor when the harvest season of rice comes, and she’s not the only one who did this kind of thing, everybody in that community does the same thing. She used her earnings to fund herself every time she gambles, she doesn’t care if she loses her money in gamble, all she cares about was her enjoyment and what will make her happy.

Time went by and she married a man not that of a rich man nor as poor as her. They had 12 children. Despite having a dozen of mouths to feed on, she did not let go of her only vice, she often gambles and sometimes used their savings just to satisfy her short-term happiness. She continues this character until such time that one of her children got sick. No quack doctors or fate healers from their community healed her child and so they decided to bring her child to the hospital. There she was informed by the doctor of the condition of her child.

When it’s time to discharge her child from the hospital, the amount of the bill suddenly slap on her face, she was so frustrated because she doesn’t know where will she earn that large amount of money. Thankfully her brother and the whole family help her so they manage to collect enough money to settle the bill in the hospital. That day forward she realized that someday a struggle like this will happen and she needs to prepare for it tho she doesn’t pray for it to come.

She starts to buy raw “palay” grains and processed them into rice then sell them. Back then, the raw “Palay” grains were only 8-10 pesos depending on the grain breed and the price of rice ranges from 25Php to 35Php per kilo. She maintains this kind of business and hoards her earnings. Then she saw the potential of the rice mill business in her community given that the main products of the residents there are “palay” grains. She saves money in a small old wooden box so that she can start her rice mill business.

A year later she started the business and as she was expected, it was profitable not to mention that she doesn’t have any competitors. From that day on their life starts to become favorable to them. Little by little she acquired properties. 5 years later, she manages to buy the whole land where her house, my grandfather’s house, and the whole compound of our family were located.

She also acquired 10 hectares of rice fields which are located just in front of her house and more than 20 hectares of rice fields in different areas of our community. Her family is considered one of the most richer families in our community. By the way, she’s not a fan of depositing her wealth in banks, I don’t know her reason why but as her grandson I don’t question her.

today, her son, my uncle, owned a car or machine repair shop and a huge grocery store aside from his rice mill. They are very good at handling money that’s why they became rich and they deserve it. Unfortunately, money can’t save or buy anything. My uncle died because of many health complications and because of that my grandmother felt so depressed and it’s bad for her condition given the fact that she’s already in her 70’s. Just a year later from her son’s death she passed away. I don’t know what happened to all of her properties and wealth, all I know is that she made sure it will be divided equally to her successors.

I hope the story inspires you at least for a moment. Again this story is true and base on what I know and what I witnessed from her life. Hope you learn something.