I glossed over the recent survey for Presidentiables. Among the many figures that vied for my attention, only one really mattered: 45/45.
Actually, that’s what my daughter, Gracie, got in her periodical test in Science. You should have seen me stand tall and proud when Gracie showed me her test paper. Boy, was I a different man! Chest out, shoulders pulled back, chin hoisted, head up high.
But you know what really made me one proud Dad? I saw one attention-grabbing word written on the upper right corner of Gracie’s test paper. It was scribbled by Gracie’s teacher in red, bold letters. It read: HONEST.
“Gracie, what is this 45/45 and ‘Honest’ all about?” I asked.
“Well, Dad, my teacher gave me a perfect score in Science, but I actually had one mistake.”
I took a more probing look at Gracie’s test paper and saw her mistake. It was a question about the similarity of a cat and a dog. The choices were:
a. They have the same color
b. They have the same size
c. They have the same number of legs.
Gracie’s answer was “B” – they have the same size. Obviously, she was wrong.
“So what happened, Gracie?” I curiously inquired.
“Wala lang po. I approached my teacher and said, ‘Teacher, I’m not perfect, I had one mistake.’ Then, she did not erase the score and wrote ‘honest’ on my test paper. ”
As soon as Gracie left our room, I confidently mumbled to myself: “Here is a fine President in the making.”
Personally, it doesn’t matter if she would be a President of a TODA (that’s Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, for the uninitiated), or the head of the association of DHs. (It’s not what you think, fellas. “DH” stands for Dolores Homeowners.)
I may be biased, but I think she can be the best bet for President. Okay, I know she’s just 7 years old and it will take another 33 years before she qualifies as a Presidential timber. But I believe she has what it takes to assume the top post of the land, starting with that word which Gracie’s teacher wrote on her test paper.
This early, I spot in Gracie an embodiment of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy: “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” Methinks the honesty that she exhibited is already a glimpse into her inner character that is being formed and a preview of the kind of leader that she will become. So, I look forward to the day when she will become the President.
When that time comes, I’m sure she’ll mouth a familiar campaign pitch. Not a novel one, but disarming in honesty just the same:
Hindi ako magnanakaw.
Quote for the week:
“We must make the world honest
before we can honestly say to our children
that honesty is the best policy.”
– George Bernard Shaw
Actually, that’s what my daughter, Gracie, got in her periodical test in Science. You should have seen me stand tall and proud when Gracie showed me her test paper. Boy, was I a different man! Chest out, shoulders pulled back, chin hoisted, head up high.
But you know what really made me one proud Dad? I saw one attention-grabbing word written on the upper right corner of Gracie’s test paper. It was scribbled by Gracie’s teacher in red, bold letters. It read: HONEST.
“Gracie, what is this 45/45 and ‘Honest’ all about?” I asked.
“Well, Dad, my teacher gave me a perfect score in Science, but I actually had one mistake.”
I took a more probing look at Gracie’s test paper and saw her mistake. It was a question about the similarity of a cat and a dog. The choices were:
a. They have the same color
b. They have the same size
c. They have the same number of legs.
Gracie’s answer was “B” – they have the same size. Obviously, she was wrong.
“So what happened, Gracie?” I curiously inquired.
“Wala lang po. I approached my teacher and said, ‘Teacher, I’m not perfect, I had one mistake.’ Then, she did not erase the score and wrote ‘honest’ on my test paper. ”
As soon as Gracie left our room, I confidently mumbled to myself: “Here is a fine President in the making.”
Personally, it doesn’t matter if she would be a President of a TODA (that’s Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, for the uninitiated), or the head of the association of DHs. (It’s not what you think, fellas. “DH” stands for Dolores Homeowners.)
I may be biased, but I think she can be the best bet for President. Okay, I know she’s just 7 years old and it will take another 33 years before she qualifies as a Presidential timber. But I believe she has what it takes to assume the top post of the land, starting with that word which Gracie’s teacher wrote on her test paper.
This early, I spot in Gracie an embodiment of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy: “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” Methinks the honesty that she exhibited is already a glimpse into her inner character that is being formed and a preview of the kind of leader that she will become. So, I look forward to the day when she will become the President.
When that time comes, I’m sure she’ll mouth a familiar campaign pitch. Not a novel one, but disarming in honesty just the same:
Hindi ako magnanakaw.
Quote for the week:
“We must make the world honest
before we can honestly say to our children
that honesty is the best policy.”
– George Bernard Shaw
