When I was a little boy, I was so intrigued by the name that was given me: ‘Ryan’. My mother told me that ‘Ryan’ means ‘little king’ and that she and my father opted to name me ‘Ryan’ because to them, I was their little monarch – the ruler of their lives. Since then, I made sure that the little monarch led a life that would bring them joy, love, and honor. All endeavors that I carefully planned and delved into were made with the personal goal for touching the lives of others with greatness and success.
Apart from my parents who had provided me with holistic support, I have a brother who I truly admire and adore. We share practically the same interests. We love watching action and adventure movies; listening to contemporary pop; meeting new friends, especially girls; going window shopping; or just strumming our guitar in the living room. At home, we share the passion of eating. We love Italian food: ordering pizzas and experimenting on pasta, to name a few. Together with my father, the kitchen is actually our kingdom.
I realized early in life that I had always been a higher achiever: be it in educational pursuit, sports, and in one’s social life. I was such a gregarious child that school was a favorite hang-out. I got to play all kinds of sports: basketball, football, hockey, baseball. I joined extra-curricular activities. I got to volunteer for community programs and projects that focus on developing one’s civic-mindedness and a thrust on social responsibility. Likewise, I have developed this passion of challenging myself into getting a particular grade, which, I almost always get to attain. I do this with exemplary study habit, in conjunction with talent for inviting peers and classmates to create study groups and to seek coaching and mentoring from teachers in subjects which were deemed complicated and mind-boggling. At the end of every excruciating school project or requirement, I get to enjoy the company of the same friends in sharing the joy of passing.
As I started pursuing higher education, I realized that my personal and professional goal, despite expanding into pursuing a degree to specialize on one’s intended career; remains basically the same – touch the lives of others through sharing what I have learned, through the skills that have been honed, and through the competencies as well as qualifications that were developed through years of academic pursuit. There is still the firm belief that happiness and success comes only with unselfish giving and sharing. I could aim to becoming the CEO of a global organization or start an innovative venture on my own. However, these activities would have been made futile if I would have no one to share my success with.
Until now, I get to enjoy watching old movies with my brother and indulge in midnight snacks with the company of my father and mother in our own dining room. We still find satisfaction in discussing the outcome of a basketball game or anticipating the results of the Oscars. Our physical features could indeed have changed through the years; but what remains are the love, camaraderie, and happiness shared when we are together – doing simple things, doing great things, weathering challenges and difficulties, and reigning supremely over our simple kingdom.
