We, humans, often believe that learning begins only when an educator stands before us—someone who knows it all and simply hands us the knowledge. We call them our teachers: the ones who pour their time into reading and preparing lesson plans that we are meant to absorb and put into practice. Yet we forget that learning is a never-ending exchange; they, too, must keep learning to pass it on. In the end, we realize that all of us are and will always be students.
But then, to see the journey unfold through the eyes and reflections of an educator changes everything, because we can learn from their own learnings, accompanied by life’s challenges, personal triumphs, self-discovery, and societal resilience.
Dr. Micky Macorol offers us a literary portal through his heartfelt poetry and declamations in Just Believe, made possible by his encounters with his students. With every page, it feels as though we are being drawn into a deeper understanding of life—a chance to navigate and reflect on what the heart and its escapades truly wish to impart. And here we see that wisdom isn’t just the result of countless books and lectures we acquire inside the classroom.
There is no definite answer to the question “Saan nagmumula ang karunungan?” because it’s always reciprocal.
We love along with the heartaches.
We laugh, only to be eventually surprised by an ugly cry.
We hope amidst the chaos.
We take the travels that we were sure we'd pass through, only to later regret the roads not taken.
And we try fitting into the society that will shape us afterwards.
And these, written in the lines and filled with tenderness, resonate with the battles fought and won, familiarity with the hows and whys, and always the understanding of life. Embedded in each of his literary pieces is the invisible yet gentle reminder to believe that there are encounters meant to be a lesson, and those meant to make us feel alive.
Reading Just Believe feels like carrying a quiet companion through life’s winding paths. Each piece lingers, not just as a story to admire, but as a spark that follows you into your own choices and crossroads. It reminds us that learning does not end when the last page is turned; it continues in the way we speak, decide, and live. The words settle into the corners of our days, shaping how we see the world long after the book has been set aside.
Everything is a source of knowledge. But through this powerful and raw collection of word petals, we are able to grasp the most obvious answer to the question, “Saan nagmumula ang karunungan?”
Through Just Believe,
It’s life.
by Kaeylla Espejo