I could recall years back during my first day in 5th grade. I was a new student then, having transferred to an exclusive school for boys. Life was financially difficult for my parents having transferred me to a school with a higher tuition fee.
At school, we were required to wear a short-sleeve white polo uniform with the school's insignia on its upper left pocket that could be you could buy in the campus. On the top pocket should be worn a name tag to best identify each student. To cut any expenses, Mom decided to stitch and sew the tag herself.
"This would do?" she asked.
"Umm yeah Mom". I was a bit hesitant wearing it.
"Umm yeah Mom". I was a bit hesitant wearing it.
At school, boys stared teasingly at the tag.
"Who did such crooked job?", one shouted.
And another remarked "How odd. Well it caught our attention".
"Who did such crooked job?", one shouted.
And another remarked "How odd. Well it caught our attention".
I knew it. Initially, I tried to cover it and detach it. But eventually it dawned on me that it didn't matter if it was different from others who wore the customized tags. I realized it should not stop me from doing my best regardless of our differences in culture or economic class or status. What is true is that Mom painstakingly made it possible to give the best for me. I should be proud of it. And I did, I wore this badge for the rest of the school year.
Moral of the story is, you were born to be different so why be like everybody else when you can do your best.
