January 27, 2020
After checking in at 2:30 pm, we had some mother and son conversation about his past, present, and future. A short assessment of his life. We briefly touched about his being the biggest loser in the investment and networking he joined in 6 years ago. I encouraged him to share his experiences with others so as to help prevent other people from getting into the same bad situation. To make people aware of the potential lost of all their investment. If they still want to do it, it’s up to them but at least sharing his experience might prevent some from being too aggressive in placing all their money. I told him you could tell people the big risks so they don’t invest their money with 100% belief of earning big just like what happened to you. He said he is not yet ready. He was traumatized kasi by his experience. It was tough.
On the eve of his birthday, we were exchanging texts. I greeted him happy birthday. He thanked me again for giving birth to him, for being his mother. I replied by saying that He was God’s blessing to me. He said but he made mistakes. We all do. I made huge mistakes too. The important thing is not to do it again. Pick up the pieces and do something good for yourself. He is currently doing and trying to do good for himself, for his future.
I actually didn’t choose to become his mother. God chose me to be his guardian. And I hope God would give me at least an 85% passing grade because my son grew up to be a good person. Not just average good. He is a very good person. He is kind, loving, thoughtful, caring. He is sincerely nice even to strangers. He cares for the environment, for humanity. He is matulungin, generous to a fault.
He is forgiving and doesn’t harbor ill-feelings towards others who did him wrong. He is not even mad at his friends who enticed him to invest. He is not mad at the three guys who continuously lied to him so Nyke and his friends would continue giving them their money. He is not even mad at his so-called best friend who denies to this day that he already got much more than what he invested.
He continues to dream and we encourage him to dream. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, or petty. Everything in this world starts with a dream. An idea that flourished into something useful and meaningful.
At 30, his life is just beginning. The first 29 years was just a practice.
May the next 30 years be a journey filled with love, happiness, good health, prosperity, and contentment. His Jesuit training is to be a man for others. In so doing, he should not forget about himself first and foremost.
Good luck anak. May you always be protected by God’s embrace and may your steps lead you to nothing but happy places.
Love you before I even saw you. Love you today, tomorrow, and forever.
I also fell into a networking trap back when I was a teen. I sold stuff that my parents gave me and invested it. Di pa ako nakuntento, pati tuition ko ininvest ko din kasi I was blinded by their promises of a big return. It was too late when I realized it was a scam. But I learned my lesson and it really made me more cautious when dealing with people.
I bet Nyke will use this lesson to be a better judge of character. Mas magiging mapili na siya sa friends and maingat na din sa kung sinong pagtitiwalaan. He’s lucky to have you Miss Annie.
Hundreds of people fall into the same promise of very big returns for their money. Who doesn’t want to earn a lot of money? But more often than not, the money disappears. Whatever amount you are willing to invest, make sure you are prepared to lose it.
When I tell friends, acquaintances, and even strangers about my son’s bad experience, majority of the time he or she had experienced the same thing, or he/she knew a family member, a relative, a friend, who had been in a similar situation. Some lost massive amounts of money. Some collected hundreds of millions from their families and friends and all of them never saw their money again.
Very recently, a scion of a billionaire in Manila committed suicide allegedly for losing 100M in an investment scam. He was in his mid 20s. Same age when Nyke got into trouble.
Suicide is not the solution. The initial tremor is indescribable, but we drew our strength from our love for each other and we held on to our faith that God will see us through. We prayed hard, prayed harder, and prayed hardest.
That’s the thing with these networking groups, they knew they fell into a trap kaya ang gagawain na lang ata nila is to recruit others para damay damay na? And they can sleep into it. While yoong mga mahihina, bahala na sila kung paano nila haharapin ang loss of finance, lost of trust from friends, relatives and how will they face also their own guilts.