Life’s experience is the best teacher

Gemma, a fresh Education graduate, shares her experience about learning and growing in the life of love and unity.

I got to know the gospel life of unity four years ago. Meeting this way of life has really transformed me. Through the Focolare, I learned to behave and speak out of love for the others. It is not always easy but by trying to be love, I am able to love others.

Here’s one unforgettable experience from my college years. Once, my classmates had noticed that there were a lot of changes among the school teachers and administrators. We felt that the quality of the school’s education was being affected. Realizing that we had to do something, we considered talking directly to the people involved. Some of us proposed starting a rally and others simply wanted to go directly to the school official to air our criticisms. But after talking it over with a teacher who practices the life of unity, I realized that ours was not the best way to go about the problem. We couldn’t hurry things and ride roughshod over people’s feelings, even if we were concerned about the betterment of the school. So I suggested that instead, we go through the proper channels.

When we came face to face with the person concerned, some classmates, due to their anger, said some hurting remarks which provoked that person to raise his voice too. I had to ask the Holy Spirit to help us in that moment, and to really try to believe that Jesus was in that person. It was hard because he was our “enemy” in a sense, but on the other hand, with much care, I offered him our observations and spoke about the effects on students and teachers. Fortunately, I saw that he felt loved, as he simply listened to what I was saying, and I was truly taken aback, as I had never expected him to understand our concerns. Later he actually acted positively upon them.

Another experience. Having recently obtained my Bachelors in Education, I am now working as a teacher in the daycare section of the Focolare Pagasa Social Center in Tagaytay. As a teacher, I always believe that life’s experience is the best teacher. A few months ago, my apparently healthy younger brother died from a sudden illness and so I asked myself, “What can I learn from this experience?” I understood that I really had to say a big “yes” especially during such a difficult moment, and this meant I had to try to forget my own sufferings and be of service to others.

Seeing the suffering of my bereaved family, I tried to be strong and to look after my father, mother and sister who were all suffering so much. Our key to unity, the love for Jesus Forsaken, helped me a lot to love the others in such a moment of suffering. I had to be strong for my family. I drew more strength too from the love and support that my friends in the life of unity have shown me and my family.

I remember the other youth of the Focolare who came almost every night during the wake, praying the rosary and singing inspirational and religious songs with us just to keep up the goods spirits in my family. With their support, we felt our burden lightened and my family was able accept of the loss of my brother. Somehow, we felt totally embraced by a bigger family.

Chiara Lubich had said, “Human beings do not grow by thinking a lot but by loving a lot.” So it was that way for me during hard moments in life. I am growing up and have learned so much from life’s lessons because of the art of loving that I too, try to practice.

Gemma Villanueva

Source: New City, Philippines / August 2011