KEESHIA: STANDING FOR TRUTH AND RIGHT

By: Norberto Betita

Rather than be intimidated by the circumstances and influences bordering her life, she chooses to stand for truth and right. Her countenance reflects no enmity. Her smile hides no gloom. Her words express no malice or bitterness. Her mood shows no anger. Her confidence speaks no fear. Her eternal vision collides not with worldly aspirations. Yet even at this time of her youthful vim and vigor she is challenged perhaps far more greater than many of her peers. However, her conviction remains steadfast and her faith immovable as she keeps on standing for truth and right.

She turns fourteen this day, July 14, 2016. She expects no birthday feast, but greetings and hugs of love from people so dear to her heart. She was named, baptized and confirmed as KEESHIA BETITA PALMA by his father. Her name Keeshia is not common and was reported as rarely used. Although I do not believe in what the name imports, yet I found these meaningful equivalents: “extremes in fortune, health and spirituality; very versatile, idealistic and intuitive.” She is our second eldest living grandchild. She is full of hope and faith for the future notwithstanding the sorrows and pains, and the agony of a family divided. She walks the early heats of her race with impressive passion for success, leaving behind the miserable grief and depths of sorrow which she and her siblings suffered from being estranged of their father. She is happy and grateful to have been engulfed under the caring and loving arms within the extended family boundaries. In her youth she seemed to know and understand well that she has to pass through the refiner’s fire for all those unwanted and trifling experiences to melt away and for her to eventually shine bright as silver or gold, and lift her towards growth, refinement and progress.

She is very open to us and her maternal uncle and aunts. Her honesty and candidness makes of her even more lovable. Her happy disposition and optimistic outlook is so deserving of our support and love. She reared no ill-feeling against her father. Once after our family scripture study and prayer she asked us if we can ever forgive her daddy should he decides to seek for forgiveness. We told her that the Lord will forgive whom He will forgive, but of us we are required to forgive all men. She always has the courage to invite her father to church. On one occasion during our scheduled branch conference in the church she invited her father to attend. She was promised he will. When the sacrament meeting started I noticed that she was very uneasy looking back every now and then, until I saw tears in her eyes. But what glow her countenance showed as she saw her father came in. Recently she told me that she extended the same invitation for her father to attend church; when she was told that he had no money she chastised and reminded him that he received no blessing because of his disobedience.

She is now 16 and in her fourth year of high school life. The fondness of infantile days and the tenderness of childhood now swing into a transition of marvelous youthful beauty and teenage vigor and vitality. The exuberance of youth now looms as the childish liveliness fades. Yet the cheerfulness and high spirit which had been a beckon of childhood still gleams. The twinkle of such seemingly outsized but beautifully woven eyes even increased in beauty as the baby we once enjoyed to cuddle and huddle now turns into a glowing and blooming little lady.

Her early love of music fills the voids of her life. She sings beautifully and her angelic voice awakens my senses to a vision of a possible glorious career in singing for her. The beauty and brains and the love of music which is inherently in her person paint a transparent picture of brilliant expectations. Her hope for success is even magnified by her exceptional positive attitude towards the early trials and adversities she encountered in life. In her is found the faith and courage as to believe that, “There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what the lighthouse of the Lord can rescue” (Thomas S. Monson).

The spiritual gift of intelligence and wisdom remain discernible and profound and the quest for learning ever burning. As she entered high school she brought with her the same enthusiasm which afforded her a few honors during her elementary grades. She carried with her in remembrance the awards of her most honest toil as a continuing motivation for her to excel---(1) From the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines Vice Presidents Leadership Award; (2) Junior Chamber International Philippines in cooperation with the Department of Education and Senator Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito – Youth Leadership Excellence Award; (3) JCI “Ang Batang Lider” – medal; (4) Schools Leadership Award – President Supreme Pupil Government – medal; (5) Deserving Pupil – medal; (6) DLC Championship Award – medal; (7) Cultural award – medal; (8) Band Majorette of the Year Award – medal; (9) Feature Writing, Second Place – medal; (10) DLC Bonokbonok Festival, first runner up – medal; (11) Science Investigatory Team, second Place – medal. She knows however, as she was taught that it is not the marks and honors, but the honest and diligent conscientious efforts which measures the true and real academic achievement. Her first year in high school afforded her the honor of being fourth in the Special Science Class curriculum.

She wakes up today with the same fervor as in any other day, grateful that God has given her another chapter in her life story. She knew she will still have to engage in continued battle along the road to her dreams. Yet she is determined to carry on and walk on in advancing rhythm, like her own band majorette experience of marching with precision and confidence. She knew that every step in her life is important and every misstep is an opportunity to bounce back for a greater leap up the road to success. She believes and has faith that if she continues to take a forward momentum in the uphill route to her goals, and venture to live her life in accord with her optimistic expectations, she will one day, out of the blue, unexpectedly see the summit of victory she deserves. She trusts that the hand of the Lord will always be right by her elbow as she calls home to her most loving Heavenly Father for direction and support.


She braved the raging sea and whistling winds of a threatening tropical storm during the youth temple trip---July 6-9, 2016. And while inside the Cebu Philippines Temple singing the hymns More Holiness Give Me, How Gentle God’s Commands, and I Know  That My Redeemer Lives for an opening exercises, she was privileged, together with the rest of the youth, to hear angels singing with them in perfect blend of choir voices as Heaven’s grateful acknowledgement for their sacrifices to come to the Holy House of the Lord to perform ordinances for those beyond the veil. At Sacrament meeting following the trip, she together with her sister KayAn and cousin Angelica bore tear-filled solemn testimony of such spiritual experience of infinite worth.

As grandparents how we wish to be blessed with added years of life to witness her eventual triumph in her fight against her personal goliaths. How we ever wanted to be a part of her race to victory. Our hearts yearn for that day when our dearly beloved Keeshia and her siblings will eventually find comfort after their grueling struggles. We can only hope. But I am grateful that I could write my thoughts for each of them as part of our family history designed for our coming posterity.

The birthday table is overflowing and brimming with a very special cuisine---LOVE--- which the family so abundantly laid, while the essentials in a birthday feast are scanty. However, more than all that money can buy, we wish that Heavenly father will bless Keeshia with added health and vigor, intelligence and wisdom in her quest for growth and development from this day and onwards. May the heavens bestow upon her an enduring faith to stay on, standing for truth and right . May it be so, is our earnest prayer.

FROM THE VERY DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS WE EVER SO SINCERELY EXPRESS OUR GREETINGS FOR A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR EVER DEAREST KEESAY!