Rizal’s Life, Work and Writings

Reflection Paper

One of the most important people in the Philippine

History is Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda. Whenever I hear
his name, first thing that will come out to my mind is, he is the National Hero.
My Rizal subject has an important role to my life because I’ve learned more
significant insights and information about Rizal’s life and the importance of his
works and writings to me and my classmates. I became more aware of
his sacrifices and noble deeds and ideas. It’s good to know, his travels, his
exile and execution, his social, political and economic ideas, the similarities of
Rizal to the other Filipino patriots.
The first thing I noticed in Dr. Jose Rizal’s life was that
he lived a simple one. He did not choose to have a luxurious life like the most
of us have wanted. Even before he became under surveillance by the Spaniards,
he had lived his life as simple as possible. I think it was the work of his
parents that made him lived like this. I strongly believe that one’s lifestyle Is
influenced mostly by their parents. I l earned from the life of Rizal the importance
of taking part of the parents to their children’s morals.

I learned a lot while studying this subject. I’ve gained

knowledge about Rizal’s life and his contributions to our country. I’ve seen Rizal-
our hero in a different perspective. While some of us may just know him as our
national hero, but for me, I’ve realized that Rizal’s just like some of us. He’s
had his struggles and triumphs. 

His life was a truly inspiring story. Not just as an

ordinary story of a Filipino but a story of a very intelligent and talented Filipino,
who is ready to sacrifice his whole life just to give freedom and peace to his
family, and own nation.

For one semester, I’ve known who Rizal is. It might not
all about him, but those learning’s and knowledge I learned, is enough to say to
myself and to other Filipino and even not, that he deserves to be what he has
known for today. And that is, the National Hero of the Filipino. His life was truly
amazing and colorful for the hero’s experiences mold him to what God purposely
do to him.

Jose Rizal, for my own insights, tells me the value of

certain things which is important for the success of his life. That Is God, Family,
Country and Self. He could not reach as that far without God. The Lords is the
most important one who could determine our success, just like as Rizal feared
God and in return, he have been bless abundantly not by material things only
but a spiritual one. That is intelligence, skills, love, and compassion. Moreover,
Rizal proved that pen is mightier than a sword.

Thanks to Rizal for he is inspires me and thanks to our

professor who imparts and explains all this knowledge for us to better
understands it. His books and the idea of nationalism caught my attention, while
others used force to fight the enemies, Rizal used the thing that he’s an expert
at- writing. His books opened the eyes of the people to the oppression of the
Spaniards. The people became more conscious of what they were experiencing
and thus led to revolutions. His idea of nationalism taught us how to love our
race. It gave us an identity- that we are Filipinos and that we should be proud
of who we are and where we’re from.  I’m very thankful I have this kind of
subject where we can discover more about our National hero’s life and
everything and help us to appreciate more about his sacrifices for us.

But until now, I still don’t know how did Rizal managed
to have different girls while fighting for our freedom and for our country yet
doing very good with his academics at the same time. This is also one of the
things I adore about Rizal, is how intelligent he is, all his subjects were graded
as excellent.

He graduated with flying colors and took up a

preparatory course in law at the University of Santo Tomas. He earned two
doctorates and a degree in medicine. A polymath, he was gifted in Science,
Algebra, and a multitude of other fields, including art and farming. He even tried
his hand at sculpting, he has a lot of courses and fields.

Every time I think about him and all his talents I felt
proud inside of me, well I guess because I am a Filipino. Every inch of his life
taught us lessons. Every one of his doings were dedicated for his country for
every Filipinos and for our freedom. His love to his fellow Filipino has nothing to
compared with.

I can say that Rizal is a very humane, compassionate

and benevolent citizen. He has dealt with social problems through his popular
books Noli Me T’angere and El Filibusterismo. He is an ambassador or social
justice and equality, which is a very good thing that we should follow. If there
were only thousands of persons like Rizal, I believe our society will be at good
condition.

I always hope I could be like him in some areas of his

life, but I know that it is far from reality to happen, it reminds me of our
professor in this subject. He always says that “You can also be Rizal, you just
need to study more and take it seriously, read and read and read”. But what I
am doing is that I am performing at my best, making every effort to become a
productive individual in different aspects of life.

And now, our country finally restored its liberty and freedom
because of Rizal’s effort and love. His works and noble deeds greatly influence
the Filipinos. It is indeed a good reference for the country’s education in
developing student’s patriotism. Filipinos owe him a lot. I wish someday his
sacrifices never faded and be forgotten even in the next , next generations of
youth Filipinos, let us at least recognize all of his deeds as a payment for all of
It at least we honor him with all our heart and soul.