Lumapit kayo sa akin, kayong lahat na nahihirapan at nabibigatang lubha sa inyong pasanin, at kayo’y bibigyan ko ng kapahingahan.

Mateo 11:28

Can you imagine yourself being inside a school cafeteria during the kids’ lunch break? Siguradong kabi-kabilang masasayang kuwentuhan ang maririnig mo. There’s a table for two for a pair of  BFFs, wearing matching hair accessories, na masayang nag-uusap. May  barkada of boys na nagkukulitan. You might also notice a class clown na imbes na kumain ay nagjo-joke lang sa classmates. Sa unang tingin, iisipin mong ang sarap maging bata. Walang pinoproblema!

Pero paano kung tinatago lang ng mga batang ito ang tunay na pinagdadaanan nila? What if, before going to school, nag-away muna si Star Varsity Player at ang kuya niyang hinihiraman niya ng rubber shoes dahil sira na ‘yung kanya, at wala nang pambili ng bagong sapatos si tatay? Paano kung puyat si Ms. First Honor dahil pressured siyang ipasa ang math exam dahil kung hindi, magagalit si mommy? Paano kung naka-jacket na naman si Class Clown dahil tinatakpan niya ang mga pasa gawa ng pambubugbog ng stepfather niya?

Realizing that not all families are healthy and everyone may have a burden he or she is carrying should make us more sensitive to the world around us. Everyone is, in one way or the other, dealing with challenges. That maybe, inside these students’ backpacks are bricks too heavy to carry — hindi lang nila pinapahalata kung gaano ito kabigat.

Being that classmate, teacher, school admin or staff who is willing to listen might be the help these people need. If we are around them, gawin natin ang kaya natin para makabawas sa bigat na dinadala nila.