Simple Things Matter

I am deeply touched with the movie "Children of Heaven". It is a foreign film (Iranian) dubbed in Filipino. It is a story of two siblings who share one pair of shoes... It made me remember one evening when Bien and I went out to Starbucks, little NAncy (not her real name) approached me and asked me to give her a pair of slippers so she could use it when she goes to school. Little Nancy is just one of the street children asking money from other people... it breaks my heart to see little Nancy in the middle of the night still begging for others to give her money. We couldn't see any disappointments on Little Nancy's face... everytime we see her, she is always beaming with a smile. She is a happy little lass and very enthusiastic everytime she sees us. What touched me most was when she asked me for a pair of slippers instead of money. That was so unusual because everytime I see her, I automatically hand her 20 bucks or sometimes more. I thought to myself... I never really asked her what she needs...

In the movie Children of Heaven, Zahra (Ali's sister) damaged her shoes and Ali eventually lost them on his way home after bringing them to the shoemaker for repair. Because of poverty, they kept it as a secret to their father because they knew for a fact that they don't have enough money to buy a new pair of shoes. So, Ali shared his shoes to Zahra. It was a sacrifice for both of them. Zahra will wear Ali's shoes in the morning for her class and rush every class dismissal so she could return the shoes to Ali, who will use them for his afternoon class.

Because of Ali's desire to give Zahra a new pair of shoes, he joined a race contest where he could win the said item. He aimed for the third prize in order to get the shoes. All throughout the race, his desire was inspired by his thoughts of Zahra and their old shoes. He ran as fast as he could... he got up when he stumbled down... all in the name of winning the third prize... but more than what he expected, he won the first prize... Although he won the race, he was so sad and was crying because he's aiming only for the third prize... he aimed for the shoes... he was crying because he wasn't able to win the shoes for Zahra...

It's heartening to see the warm bonding between brother and sister; the sacrifices Ali underwent for her Zahra; the laughs and tears, and even the pains that they shared together; their acceptance to their present situation and for not giving up; the value they have shown to their old, yet considered as their most precious shoes. They enjoy the simplest things together and managed to be joyful despite of their misfortunes.

Ali did not even desire to win the first prize. He did not aim for the top... he only aimed for the third place so he could get the shoes for Zarah... this implies that Happiness doesn't always come in great package; most of the times, we find joy in little things.

And as for Little Nancy's request, unfortunately, I haven't given her yet a pair of slippers... but Bien and I promised ourselves to bring our simple, yet precious gift to her one of these days...