Life is like a wheel. Sometimes you’re in the top and sometimes you’re in the bottom. We faced a lot of problems and trials but life goes on and this is one proof that we are alive. Last Sunday I watched an episode of “KMJS” where they featured a story of a 10 year old boy that at a young age he already learned how to work for his family. Many of the viewers were touched by his story including me and I’m happy that after his story got featured he received a lot of help from other people. Now, why am I telling his story? Is it because I remember from him that at a very young age we were able to work for our family.
Before I became a professional and reached what I have now, I remember everything that I went through, it’s like a roller coaster ride but I had fun on this ride. I can't say I'm rich and I'm successful in life now but I'm happy with what I've achieved and what I will achieve in the future. I had a solo parent who is my mother and I have one elder sister. My mom did everything she could for us to survive in everyday life, work here, work there, sell stuff, if she could make the night a day just to earn money though it’s impossible I’m amazed how great my mom was. My father died in a car accident when I was 1 years old and it feels that heaven and earth had fallen in my mom’s life but she doesn’t give up in life instead she strengthens her faith in God and continues to live for us. As I grew up I came to realize that I need to do something to help my mom and give back what she did for us. My mom stopped working in a private company when I was in highschool but it doesn’t mean she will not do anything instead she will find another way and become a street vendor. I was 12 or 13 years old at that time and I accompanied my mom every time I got home from school. She was selling “Ice Candy” near the elementary school and it’s not hard work for my mom so I felt relieved, though my mom knows that her earnings in the office were bigger than this, she chose being a vendor to take care of us more than her previous job.
Since I always accompanying my mom why not I try to sell for myself, I asked my Mom if I could sell “Ice Candy” after my school, she refused at first because she doesn’t want me to get tired but I really want to help her so she finally agreed but only for a short time and it’s okay with me. Since I observed how she did it I easily managed to sell properly at the same time it was not hard giving changes to customers. The summer break came and since the children had no school my mom thought of other ways on how to earn during this time, she came up with an idea to sell small rugs but where? My uncle was a street vendor on the highway, where he sells a small mineral water to the vehicles that passed by on the highway, my mom asked my uncle if she could sell there, she can but it’s pretty dangerous because there’s a lot of vehicles including big trucks. My mom told my uncle that she will only sell on the side of the road so they agreed and as always I accompanied my mom. I saw the situation on the highway and it’s really dangerous, I told my mom not to go in the middle of the road because my uncle and the other vendors really walked in the middle road just to clarify things. They only walk and sell their stuff when the red signal on the stoplight is on. I just rested and stood by the sidewalk where our things were placed . Then something happened, the “pahinante” on the truck called me and asked “Tubig ba yan boy? Bili ako limang piraso”, I was shocked but I said yes and gave five bottles of mineral water then the driver gave the payment with tip and I was really happy. I give the earnings to my uncle then it gives me an idea if I can sell water too. I can help with expenses at home and I can help my mom. It was hard convincing my mom that I will become a vendor and I was very young, it really took time before she agreed but to make the long story short I became a street vendor and I sell mineral water.
If you’re familiar with people that get on the bus carrying a bucket with water, or people that sell in the middle of the street or highway, that's what I did ever since I started highschool until I graduated. I am a street vendor. Imagine walking in the street back and forth where the vehicles are passing by, the sun shines brightly and it’s really hot, smoke coming from different vehicles, dust in the road, I faced it all just to help my mom. When I started selling water I didn’t go in the middle of the road but when I learned and had a loyal customer or “Suki” in Tagalog I could compete with other sellers including my uncle. On a regular day I can earn 250 to 300 pesos a day selling water but when the water is in demand on the street I can earn up to 1000 a day and it really helped us a lot. I am also thanking the Lord for 4 years of being a street vendor. I am well, doing good & fine for protecting me and giving me strength when I am selling. When I entered college I stopped being a vendor for the meantime and tried to apply as service crew and luckily I was hired but when the medical comes I didn't went to medical center because I think I cannot manage both my studies and my work if ever. What I did in order to gain income, I work sidelines fixing computer issues and still sell water even once or twice a month.
Now I got a regular job, good compensation and I can return all the things that my mom did to us. Once a street vendor, now a professional. I can bought whatever food my mom wants and anything that she request. It feels good that I can do everything for my mom and life really gives experience & struggles in life, though it's hard it's not forever for there comes a time that everything you do will paid off. Salute to all vendors out there and I believe someday your life will changed just don't give up and keep striving in your life. Hope others inspired in this story of mine, if you have comments feel free to share it below. Thank you for your time reading!
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