It's Not Too Late [poem]

Title

Creator

Vargas, Noemi

Language

English

Subject

Philippine poetry (English)

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

268, THE YOUNG CITIZEN How A Candle Started A Fire When the discussion of daily news came up in Jose's class, he reported this item: "A Child Was Burned to Death." Jose told the following story: Mang Sebio was a very thoughtful father. Many times during the night, he got up to see if his children were sleeping peacefully. Sometimes he would wrap a child up in a blanket or kill mosquitoes that dared enter the mosquito net. There were five children lying side by side under a very wide mosquito net. As usual Mang Sebio got up that night. Holding a lighted candle up, he peered into the mosquito net. A number of mosquitoes were flyin~ around while some were on the children's faces. By their distended stomachs, Mang Sebio saw that they had already feasted on his children's blood. With an oath, the cld man crawled into the mosquito net. Placing the candle in a corner, he began crushing the ill-fated mosquitoes between his heavy palms. He was so 3bsorbed in catching mosquitoes that he did not notice that a corner of the flimsy net had caught fire. The fire spread instantly. In a panic. Mang Sebio roused the rest of the family. He carried four children out of reach of the fire. When he returned for the fifth, the fire was so big that he could not reach for the child anymore. Jose's teacher asked, "How could the accident have been prevented?" This was Jose's answer: "A candle should not have been used. A lantern was better.~· Another boy said, "The safest thing to use in that case is a flashlight." What do you think? Tl-IE SANEST WISl-I (Continued from page 267) tals are capable of; a gift that money cannot buy. Many of you desire wealth, success, and beauty. Of course, all these things are necessary in life. but have you ever stopped for a moment to consider j~st how useless these things are if you don't have good health?· Can you enjoy all the luxuries that wealth can give you if you have to stay in bed? Of what importance is success if you are too sickly to make use of it? Let us say. you finished your career with the highest honors, but c<'ln you m!)ke use of your learning if you are a tuberculou's person? Many of the girls desire beauty aboVe everything else. but do you know that beauty is absolutely useless if you are sickly? On the other hand. if you are healthy, you can attain success, and to some extent beauty. Good health helps boys and girls and men and. women to do to the best of their ability their daily tasks at home, in school. on the playground, in business, and everyWhere. Without it. the biggest and best things in this world would not have been done. Nobody will be successful in any undertaking if his health is very poor be ca use ·success. like a big building, needs a good foundation and that foundation is good health. \Vith good health for your capital. you can also attain wealth. How does good health give you beauty?, you may ask. Good health, more than a;.ything else, makes you better-looking. Have you. ever seen any of your playmates after they have been ill? If so, you know how pale and thin they looked. What happened as they began to get well? Did you notice how round and rosy their faces became? Even beautiful girls and handsome boys will begin to look ugly and unattractive if they neglect their health. Good health usually means rosy cheeks, a clear skin. glossy h<air. October, 1936 and erect posture. and hard muscles. Many of you think that good health simply means, not getting sick. It is more than that. Don't you experience some days when everything goes on like a song? You just cannot walk, you feel like skipping and running. It ~eems as though you cannot keep still; you like to laugh. ·and sh9ut and sing! Nothing worries you; you could not be angry! You are cheerful. and happy, ready for everythingplay, work, or wh.atever comes along. That, children, is the feeling of Health! What would y9u nof give to have everyday of your life a day like that one? Do you now agree with me that being endowed with good health is the sanest and best wish? It's Not Too Late 'Determination By NOEMI VARGAS * When once my _teacher told me that I practice simple cleanliness. I little heeded what she said, For my own benefit. But I'm still young, it's not too lat~ To make up for what I haven't done; I have resolved to do it all. So now, I have begun. J\t morn, when I w·ake up to start, I brush my teeth and take a bath, I keep myself neat, very clean. And now, I'm very glad. I don't forget to brush my teeth. At evening 'fore I go to bed, I don't stay up too late at night To lose my full night's sleep. I did not think that I could win- - Such kind respect from all my friends Since having practiced cleanliness, I say. It's Not Too Late. "' Teacher, Intramuros Elementary School.

pages

268

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