The Life of a Hero

“He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.” The quote mentioned is one of Jose Rizal’s famous quotes and sure enough, he stayed true to his words as he was one of those people who keeps looking back at where he was from, as evidenced by his entries in this diary and letters to close friends and family. He was the kind of person who liked to share to others on what he had gone through, no matter how low or down in the eyes of others. The documentary “Ang Buhay ng Isang Bayani” featured the story and the happenings that had taken place in our national hero’s life. The events that were highlighted have gone all the way from when he was born and up until the day he died. His beginnings, his life with his family, his student life, his love life, his travels, his thoughts, his ideas, his emotions, and even his hardships had been revealed.

It has been clear that Rizal was really a person who has a thirst for knowledge, ever since he was still a little child under the mentoring of his mother. This was also proven when he chose to travel away from home, alone, just so he could pursue his studies even if it was against his parents’ wishes. As young as he was at that time, he was able to study and accomplished a lot, and even surpassed most of his classmates. He was also able to go abroad to study some more, all for the sake of learning more and only from the best. He really was determined even if he had to undergo some hardships like having to live with little food and money, not to mention that he was sort of frail and sickly.

Even if he was abroad, life wasn’t always that easy for Rizal. But despite everything else, he was still able to think about his family back home; and most of all, he thought about his beloved country. He was able to take part in nationalistic movements by means of his writings and publications. He was able to raise awareness of his fellowmen and a few foreign people. He loved his country indeed!

Without a doubt, he is someone whom we can consider a martyr. He chose to go back to our country even if it meant for him to be imprisoned and punished rather than stay in the comforts of being in abroad while his fellowmen were suffering. He did not choose the easy way unlike most of us probably would when confronted with a similar situation.

But not everything that happened in his life was pure hardship though. He was a man, just like any other, who is also capable to experience the thrills brought about by love. There had been a lot of women linked to him – from pure Filipinas to foreign ladies whom he had met from his travels. These ladies had captured Rizal’s heart and had managed to add sparks to our hero’s already complicated life.

With everything that has happened, Rizal had been and always will be, an inspiration, if not to all, to most of us Filipinos. The things he did for this country, not to mention, dying for his country are indeed worth remembering and should definitely not be forgotten. Even if his life ended at about more than a hundred years ago, his story will forever remain in the hearts and minds of every Filipino.