To the Graduating Batch of 2020,

This season, we were supposed to be enjoying the last few weeks or days of senior year. 

After years of hard work, we were finally getting the opportunity to celebrate all of it. I can almost feel the tears in our eyes as we recount every hardship we endured to get to this point in life. I can almost feel the nostalgia creep in as we look back at the memories we made in the past years. I can almost feel the hugs given to us by our families, friends, teachers, and every single person who supported us throughout our high school and college journeys.

I can almost hear the beat of the graduation march. 

But instead, we are stuck in our homes due to the community quarantine. 

Suddenly, the opportunity to wear that toga, to go up on that stage, and to grasp that diploma is canceled or postponed. The exciting chance for everyone to dress up and have fun for one last night has been taken away. An entire month to be able to spend time with our friends, classmates, and teachers is now gone. 

It is devastating for a lot of us, going through this season of dismay. It was all so sudden. There were no warnings at all. We feel robbed of a moment we can never get back.

Maybe if there were warnings, we would have gone through our last few weeks of high school and college differently. 

We could have shown our appreciation to our teachers who helped us get through, and to our friends and classmates that we will no longer be seeing everyday. We could have spent a little more time in our classrooms to savor our last few days. We could have walked a little slower along the halls that housed us in the last few years. But at this point, all we can do is wonder what might have been.

There are a lot of sana’s and sayang’s in our situation. 

“Sana hindi na lang nag-quarantine.” 

“Sayang naman yung binili kong dress para sa ball.” 

There are so many questions to ask. 

“Bakit ngayon?” “Bakit kami?”

But everyone else is feeling the way we are feeling right now. We are not the only ones who are thinking sana, sayang, and bakit. There are people all over the world thinking “Sana hindi ako maapektuhan ng COVID-19,” “Sayang yung business namin,” and “Bakit yung kapamilya ko?”

There are frontliners risking their own lives to save the lives of others. There are people out there who have no assurance of their health and protection. There are employees who cannot earn their wages to buy necessities because of the quarantine. There are families who are grieving over someone they have lost due to the pandemic. 

It is beyond doubt that everyone is in a state of uncertainty and dismay; however, we can be certain that someone is in control of everything. In Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) the Lord says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

In situations like these when we are troubled, it is good to be reminded that our God is sovereign, and that the ultimate help we need is our Savior and Protector. He is with us, and we are in His hands. Because of this, there is hope. We can be certain that our God has not and will not forsake us.

Be confident knowing that for sure, God will redeem us from this time of uncertainty and dismay, and that our situation now will allow us to appreciate even more the gifts of life in the future.

There will be better times when our “sana” will be “salamat;” “sayang” will be “saludo;” and “bakit” will be “buti na lang.”

Salamat, Diyos, na iniligtas at maililigtas Mo kami sa panahon ng pag-aalala. 

Saludo ako sa kapwa ko na nagtiwala at nagtitiwala Sa’yo. 

Buti na lang naasahan at maaasahan namin ang kabutihan Mo.

We can always count on He who is an ever-present and ever-faithful God. He has never failed us yet, and He never will. He’s too good to do otherwise.

We’ll graduate together, Batch 2020. 

With high hopes,

Notch