Chains of Restrictions

Nikita Paola A. del Mundo

You have virtues regarding your actions toward others and their actions toward you. There are,
however, circumstances that can hinder your mission to perpetuate these virtues. Some things you do may
seem right to you and to the people you help, but it can turn out otherwise to the viewers.
Take, for example, a student who excels in making reports. One of his classmates asks him for
help. He refuses to help. What will be your conclusion? With a lot of criticism genes in you and without
any reliable and valid information at hand, youll probably say that he merely keeps his skills for himself,
or maybe he simply chooses the kind of people he helps. What if you know that his classmate asking him
for help just takes him for granted? But what if you dont know that he who excels doesnt want his
classmate to depend on him always?
At times youre held back from doing what you want to do because youve already thought of
what others might say. Youre chained. Why? Because when you do something good, youre a show-off.
When you do something bad, youre a no-goodnik. If you manage to remain neutral something difficult
to do its up to the viewers to call you good or bad or both.
Why dont you just reverse such negative views? Think positively. Others waste their time poking
their noses into your business because youve caught their attention. Their reactions might be the result of
either envy or insecurity. Be proud, for youve made them grab a copy of your life story. Be glad, for
youre rich in experiences that have helped build a stronger and better you. Just keep moving
Its better if you follow whats in your heart and mind. If your intention is pure and honest, whats
there to lose? What others say is just their personal opinions. Personal opinions arent to be rejected
because those are theirs Those are just their opinions. If you let what they say hinder you from doing
what you really want to do, you merely subject yourself to whatever they have to babble about.
If theres freedom of speech, theres freedom of movement. After all, negative views are just
imaginary chains of restrictionsrestrictions that you have to stop imagining. Keep in mind that God
never gives and never will give challenges that you cant surpass.

Published in Tinta The Carmelian Faces (official publication of the Higher Education Department of
Mount Carmel College of Baler), November 2013March 2014, p. 1