Dean _____, fellow professors, barristers, law students, friends,

I am most grateful for your invitation to give an inspirational

message in tonights send-off party for our barristers this year.
I remember when we had our last review class two weeks before
we went to Manila for the bar exams, there was a dinner for us all
reviewees sponsored by the review center. One of the lawyers
told us something to this effect that our performance in the bar
exams would determine how much each of us hunger to become
a lawyer.
Since the day you enrolled in law school, you have been carrying
a big placard for all the world to see that says I want to be a
LAWYER and in our case before, it was a violet t-shirt with the
words I will be a lawyer. I brought that shirt with me during my
review and I wore that too during the one-month self-review prior
to the exams. It served as an affirmation of all the effort and the
times spent on reading, studying and more reading and studying.
Your graduation from law school speaks highly of you and of your
dream of becoming a lawyer.
Congratulations!
You have
successfully hurdled the challenges and the hardship of a law
student.
And now you are about to take the Bar Exams. They say that the
Philippine Bar Exams is the most difficult licensure examination in
the country and the most difficult bar exam in the world. Thats
pretty intimidating!
But you want to become a lawyer! Yes, you will because you can.
In the Acquaintance Party of the College of Law last school year, I
was tasked to give a Message. I have just taken my oath then as
a new lawyer, and I remember so well that the opening paragraph
of my speech was I knew this was gonna happen that I shall be
addressing you and talking about my successful taking of the
bar. How did I know that? I knew because I saw it happen many
times before my eyes, inside my mind. Let me emphasize the
power of positive thinking. Clearly visualize what you want to
happen, see your name in the list of passers, if not in the
topnotchers, feel the atmosphere of jubilation in the party which
you are throwing because you passed the bar exams. Others
would term this as the power of attraction. Attract good vibes by

thinking positive thoughts. When you think and do the right

thing, good stuff has a way of happening. (Randy Pausch, The Last
Lecture).
But theres always the possibility of failure, your inner self
would say. When that thought would raise its ugly head during the
times I was studying, or thinking about the investment which I
and the whole family have put in in my studies, in my review and
in my taking the bar, I would acknowledge it. I would speak to
myself, Yes, thats true, its a possibility but at this time, I refuse
to consider it. Later, when the result is out, Ill deal with it. Not
now. And I would consciously order my mind to vividly think of
my passing the bar exam. This means that you have to avoid
negative thoughts and negative-speaking people.
But people you can never do without. In your quest for the
achievement of your goals, you have to get people to help you your family, friends, your office mates, acquaintances, even the
friends of your friends, or relatives of your most distant relatives.
When I decided to take the bar, I wanted that to be known only
within my family and only among my close friends. I didnt want
others to know, because my reasoning then was that if I didnt
make it, at least only a few would know. But then, my friends
which include a handful of priests, would say, I will pray for you
and they would give words of encouragement and oftentimes,
even financial and material support. It felt good to hear their
words and I wanted more of them, more so the financial support.
Prayer, I know prayer becomes more potent when shared by
many. And so I realized I couldnt possibly get all the help I can if
I contain the information only among a few persons, and anyway,
my name would be published if my application to take the bar is
approved; and so I better tell everyone who cares to know. That I
did and for which I am very thankful. During the four Sundays of
October, I had prayer warriors imploring heaven for me to pass,
which was granted. My dear barristers, be earnest in asking
others to help you.
It is said that a quitter never wins so dont give up. In the last
weeks prior to the first Sunday of the exams, you may find
yourself overwhelmed by a mix of emotions and even of physical
afflictions, but remember that they are just tests to your mettle.
The Friday before the first Sunday of October 2013, I was
hospitalized. I could not read when there were still so many

things unread. I asked my husband to do the reading for me in the

hospital. Saturday night came, I still had fever. The doctor would
not let me out. I told her, I would sign a waiver just so I could get
out. I signed the waiver and was able to get out of the hospital at
4 oclock in the morning of the first Sunday of the exam. By 6:30
am, feeling lightheaded and still basically sick, I was inside of UST.
When the exams started, I was in Exam Mode. The kind of
person that you are would show during these trying times. Never
give up. Always keep that dream and go for it.
My dear barristers, in the pursuit of your dreams, you come
across pits, torture, brick walls. Randy Pausch, in his The last
Lecture said brick walls are not keeping us out from our dreams,
brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we
want something. The brick wall is there to stop people who dont
want it badly enough. My dear barristers, how much do you
hunger in becoming a lawyer? Would you be stopped by a brick
wall?
Thank you. Goodnight everyone.