The sanest wish

Title

The sanest wish

Creator

Tensuan, Dolores

Language

English

Subject

Health promotion

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

[Ms. Tensuan asked her class for the things they desire in life. All students are eager to give their answer, but Rosario's wish caught their attention. Her only wish is to have a good health.]

Fulltext

October, 1996 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 267 HEAL TH AND SAFETY SECTION DOLORES TENSUAN * One day, before the silent reading. of the story, "The Wishing Ring." I asked my pupils this question: ''If each one of you had a wishing ring which was good for only one magic wish, what gift would you ask for?'.' All hands were in the air. Everyo~e was very eager co express his greatest desire in life. Majority of chem wanted to have wealth above everything else. some boys wished to have automobiles. guns, yachts, etc.; others wanted to have success. whereas, some of the girls desired beauty. Each one tried co explain The Sanest Wish \vhy he chose the particular wish he mentioned. There was one little girl who sat very quietly. She is Rosario, the modest, sickly girl, who always seems to prefer listening to talking. ··Now, Rosario, you have not told us what wish you will ask your wishing ring. Do tell us what you desire most to have." I asked. The girl stood and with a soft, trembling voice, as if afraid to let her classmates hear, answered, "I wish to have good health, Miss Tensuan." Some of the pupils laughed at what they considered a queer wish *Teacher of Health, Washington Elementary School. .r=~.-==~= "'~~£'::~ AD)rwhettil.Witbo\lt relrlc· .-eitilllbDletlia.or6wymlllr, ••tiool · · ADdfaomtheontoJOIWPGd:l'J",1 Elimllt:hat'lila4otmDt.'Xllrn itlpurit)randwil!«m..., __ ~e:.~~!o:;d;~~~ ~~~~~~~~ las I• dded. Nothins i• ~" manrUUorev.thefr.n.ttuli.al ~~;::i:s;1g E :;:;,;; 'withtlM!Dlltllrl1flawir, . aupply you, aend ua the cood nouriabm~t Mlaame and~ •FRlilJl::f;aht .... tlui 1¥Hou Hll.K. GETZ Bll..,o•j"'. Cc CO - ..... ..,_ llLtl:'. . • nq t.n~~ and timid, thin and pale Rosario, cowered in her seat as if sorry about what she had said. I was so much touched by the pitiful condition of the girl that I realized then and there the great suffering she must have endured from being sickly. With a silent prayer that God grant her that wish. I told the class that Rosario's wish was the sanest and the best of all wishes mentioned. From the expression on the faces of the pupils, I could see that they found it difficult to believe that good health must be the uppermost desire of everyone. I was so eager to make them realize the importanc~ of good health that I forgot entirely about the story which was to be read.' Before I knew it, I had already talked on the importance of good health for three minutes. I'm glad to say that the moment I fin· i.c.hed the talk, the doubtful looks cf my pupils were changed to smiles of pleased appr~val. For the benefit of other pupils who consider wealth, beauty, and success as more desirable than good health, I repeat in writing what I told my class. Do you know that good health is the most precious wealth? It is the secOnd great blessing that mor(Continued on page 268) 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

267-268

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