Lessons

Children with their parents, grandparents or chaperons, shared the story of Pinocchio presented by the Silliman University's Speech and Theater Arts Department in cooperation with many sponsors over the weekend. The children were very participative in learning the song "Buon Giorno" which, in Italian, means have a good day with wishes that your dreams come true. With color, music, acting and dancing the lessons of going to school, behaving oneself, being brave, being honest were spread throughout the Luce Auditorium with prayers that they were planted in fertile soil in the hearts of the audience and will grow.

Being part of the village scene gave me the opportunity to experience behind the curtain scenes and there too many lessons were being imparted. Aside from learning to properly sing, in tune and in correct time, internalizing one's role and relating your part to the story's lesson was challenging enjoyable. The long hours of rehearsals was a course of patience and raising standards of excellence. When an opportunity for betterment presented itself or an error was made the scene was repeated and repeated until the improvement was done or the correction made. Witnessing the sacrifices made by the others with their time, schoolwork, and other resources reinforced the principle that foregoing comfort is a necessary ingredient toward improvement. Tempers were constantly tested and controlling one's emotion contributed positively to teamwork.

The most revealing lesson shared with us by our Director was in the scene wherein Pinocchio and his father were reunited inside a whale. In order to get out, our wooden puppet hero offered himself to be burned to get a fire going so the whale would cough out Gepetto, his father. It was the willingness to sacrifice himself for another that made Pinocchio a real living being. Learning to care for others more than ourself is the mark of real humanness or the transformation from being selfish or self-centered to being able to love others more is the essence of being a real human being. A step further was made when the lesson was related to our love of country. Only when we truly love our country do we become real Filipinos.

Let us end with a smile and a story to help us remember the lessons we learned with this story. St Peter is dozing at the Gates to Heaven when he sees an old man hobbling towards him. "What's your name, my good man?" goes the Saint. "I don't remember I've lost my memory. I can't remember anything at all" "Right then," says Peter, "I'll try and help you: these questions may jag your memory: Did you have a job?" "Yes, yes, I did" "Did you work with your hands or your head? "Hands" "Did you work with iron, glass, wood....?" "WOOD! Yes, I think I was a carpenter." "Did you have a family?" "I think I had a son but I had some problems with him at some stage" "Right," thinks St Peter, "an old man, a carpenter and a problem son. I know who he is." He goes over to Jesus and says: "Listen, Lord, I think your Dad has arrived." Jesus comes to the Gate of Heaven, overwhelmed to see the old man and shouts, "Dad". The old man holds out his arms: "Pinocchio!"*