If

My parents only had two major instructions before I boarded the rickety bus that would bring me to the capital city of Lucena to begin my journey as a college student: Don't do drugs and don't join any fraternity. I admonished them by saying that why would I do drugs when I do not even smoke and I cannot withstand alcohol. I would go tipsy from a mere sight of a San Miguel bottle.

Of course I did not become a drug addict but I joined a fraternity---The Honor Society of Lambda Kappa Phi. My late mother had no clear idea that I defied her, and for the first time in my life, I had to conceal something from my mother.... it would jump start my journey as a man at age 16.

Since then, there was no looking back and I am grateful that HSLKP taught me how to decide for myself. My good friend and batch mate Gem would chide me for romanticizing my membership with the fraternity, while some of the older brod's would probably label me as overacting but my connection and link with the fraternity is too deep and divine... it is simply surreal. Maybe because the fraternity helped me discovered my weaknesses while highlighting my capabilities. I have low threshold for pain but the baptismal and final rites provided me with the impetus to go on despite debilitating pain. Early on in my career, I would endure the pain of walking with a swollen feet just to cover the market territory assigned to me. I did not find the task of running after a potential client perilous for I have mastered this skill as an initiate while navigating AE building to Admin building just to chase a master for his precious signature. I would excel during the on- the- spot- sales- presentation on my first job (and would later be awarded as the top sales person for two consecutive months) because I could remember Teddy Zaballero and the late Billy Luangco pressuring me to give a speech in the middle of Banyuhay Bridge. I honed my leadership skills at MSEUF and when I transferred to Manila on my second year, it was a breeze penetrating the school paper and the student council.

My great fraternity is celebrating its 50th year now and I am forever grateful to the pillars, my masters, and the university for becoming instrumental in whatever success I am enjoying now. If not because of the HSLKP, I would have been a very dorky and geeky fellow. At HSLKP, my student life became eventful, fun, and fulfilling.

If I did not become a phian, I would not have met great friends I am too confident to divulge my fears... share my success stories... convey my thoughts... and simply run to when I am down and out. Every waking moment of my life is anchored on our creed written by the legendary Rudyard Kipling. I am sharing this poem here hoping that it will inspire another young student to thread the path I pursued sometime in 1986.

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream and not make dreams your master,

If you can think ---and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you have spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to,

broken

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve

and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: " Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more-- you'll be a Man, my son!

Long live the Honor Society of Lambda Kappa Phi on its 50th anniversary !