A Comparative Essay of Rizal’s Childhood and My Own

Rizal is one of the most prominent individuals in history. Rizal is known for his intelligence and
bravery during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. He was born in Calamba, Laguna, and was
raised by his loving and hardworking parents. His childhood was his foundation in beSing a good
individual, a reformist, and a national hero. Notwithstanding being a national hero, he was first an
innocent child, a son, and a brother in their family. His early childhood was short yet happy and
cherished. The childhood that he had was about nurturing and developing the love for knowledge, as
well as the love for the higher being, which shaped his identity and behavior in adulthood. In contrast
with Rizal’s childhood, mine was a happy and a lifetime experience. I was being taught to enjoy life and
be happy with what’s on my plate. Despite having differences in childhood, we were once kids, innocent
children, and being taught values and knowledge. While Rizal’s childhood was described as having a
supportive environment and sharpening of intellect, mine was more exploring and enjoying the active
childhood; these highlights the diverse experiences of people that result in having a diverse kind of life in
the future.

Rizal was raised by a religious mother who was also an educator and a hardworking father who
was a businessman. His childhood was the foundation of his intelligence and consciousness. His short yet
happy memories become one of his treasures of memory. Rizal was born into a wealthy family; his plate
was full of not just foods but also knowledge and values. Comparing to my childhood, I was raised by my
hardworking mom and a happy-go-lucky dad and suddenly raised with disciplinary acts by my
grandparents. I was not born rich; my mom was the one working to provide us foods and daily
necessities. However, despite not being financially rich, I am proud to say that I was raised with love and
lucky enough to attend school and be alive.

Rizal’s love for knowledge was fostered by his own mother; she was his first ever tutor. His love
for God was also influenced by his mother, and these are some of the reasons why he valued her mom
so much after God. When we think of childhood, we normally think of bubbly and funny memories, but
Rizal’s was different. Rizal was described by his family as a quiet person; however, you can still get
emotions from his facial expressions. He was a nature lover—a boy that loves to observe the
environment and save the picture in his mind or on his paper. His hobby was painting nature by using
also the things he found in nature. He was really into the arts, wherein he was also invested in making
figurines of the characters that he read in their thousands of book collections. His mind was full of
stories—stories from the books that he read or from the narratives of his nanny. He loves looking outside
their window and observing the moon, and usually with his nanny. Same with the other kids; he was also
fooled or being tricked by fictional stories. His nanny was telling scary stories for him to eat his food. In
contrast with Rizal’s happy and peaceful childhood, he also experienced grief at such a young age. Rizal’s
first heartbreak was when his younger brother Concepcion died. In addition to Rizal’s childhood, he was
also lucky to experience his first travels with his dad. He had seen the other beauty of nature and other
parts of Manila. To sum up Rizal’s childhood, it was indeed happy yet short. His maturity is what makes
him different from other kids. His early education was the time he was walking in front of his innocence.

Differing from Rizal’s childhood, mine was jolly, bubbly, and full of memories that make me want
to go back. I was not born rich, but I was full of happiness living with my parents and siblings. I am the
youngest child of the family, the baby. I was described by my parents and my cousins as jolly, hyper, an
explorer, loud, and full of curiosity. Very contrary to Rizal’s status, we’ve experienced financial difficulties,
but through my mom’s perseverance, we managed to eat every day. If Rizal’s childhood was calm, very
observant, and harmonious with nature, mine was not that much. I was more into exploring and trying
things out. We have a “Filipino version of pool” in our house. I always play with it despite my size (I
remembered that the stick was bigger than me). If Rizal was an introvert, then I was an extrovert. I love
talking with people and asking them various questions about my surroundings. I was also loud when I
was a kid. My voice was too thin to sing my favorite song, "Narda." If Rizal was more into books and arts,
mine was more into sports and instruments. I love playing games and seeing people play instruments.
Moreover, same with Rizal’s experience when he was a kid, I also experienced my first heartbreak. It was
not about grieving; it was just pure heartache. My first heartbreak was when my mom decided to work
abroad, and because of this, I was forced to live with my grandparents in a house that has a different
disciplinary value. Living with my grandparents was a mixed experience. It was sad being hit with a
hanger, a broom stick, or the stem of a tree, but living there was also fun, as I experienced watching the
store and playing outdoor games with my neighbors. To sum up, my childhood was fun, active, and
chaotic.

In conclusion, even people with a promising identity had childhood like a normal kid does. Rizal
experienced doing his hobbies, being taught and raised by parents, and being shared with different
stories. His childhood is what makes him in his future time (which is in the past now). Rizal’s childhood
was the foundation of his love for knowledge and God. He was consistent with his hobbies and loved
ones. Comparing to mine, my childhood is also what makes me now, but it was not consistent. If before I
was a loud and social butterfly, now I am not. Life is not consistent; there’s always change that happens
ahead of us. We just need to be ready and decide if we are going along with the changes or staying as
who you are, as long as it is good and it makes you happy.