bitter pill

a while ago, i was trying to get my 8-year old cousin, Kyle, to take his vitamins that was 3/4 inch in size. i never really thought i'd get a hard time to convince him that it was really easy to take it in. my first attempt took us 30 minutes of swallowing and spitting out, but to no avail. His aunts and Lola was already cheering for him, until minutes later they were getting really tired and impatient, and soon enough, annoyed. Kyle cried. My brave little cousin cried saying "hindi ko po talaga kaya, ate... natatakot ako." He was afraid it would get stuck in his throat. He said it's too big for him. and so we gave it a break and let him finish his food first. the room finally settled down and all his aunts were not speaking of it anymore. It didn't really get me down because as Kyle was about to take his seat again, he told me "mamaya ate, iinumin ko na talaga. promise." and that gave me hope. i told him there was nothing to worry because i'm going to give him chocolate soon after so he won't taste the bitter pill. after he ate, he went to my side, got the pill and his glass of water. i can still see the fear in his eyes. Then he said it's better if we go upstairs where no one can see him. so we did. we went upstairs, got ourselves ready, and had our second attempt. it was, of course, calm because his aunts weren't around. it was just between the two of us. when he was in his position already, he blurted out: "ate, hindi ko talaga kaya..." he was asking me if it was okay if we just open the pill and he'd take in whatever's inside the pill. i wasn't really sure if that's fine, but i thought it's better if he gets trained taking in pills, after all he said he wanted to be a doctor. so i explained to him how the pill needed to get to his stomach first before the nutrients could be distributed. we had a little lecture on anatomy and on the digestive system. still, he was saying he couldn't take it in. i continued on with the convincing, and from time to time i was gaining hope when he'd say: "ate ikaw maglagay sa loob." so i did but after taking it in he spitted it out again. the pill was getting all messy, melting little by little. we paused for a while, and i told him to pray to God and ask for courage and strength. He did just as i said. but he still wasn't ready to take the pill. to make the long story short, after an hour of convincing, lecture on the body, spiritual preparation, and mental conditioning, he still did not take the pill. We were really almost there. He was convinced how the pill's good for him, and he was willing to do it for his health, only if it weren't for the thought of the pill getting stuck inside his throat.

it was an experience i shall never forget. Even if we weren't able to attain our goal, i know how this experience will mark Kyle's identity as well. A simple decision to drink the pill can reflect his behavior on decision-making. i just hope it's gonna do him good and gonna make him a stronger person after.

Life has so many bitter pills to offer. it's up to us if we will risk a little to take them in, or if we will waste the opportunity and risk the possibility of forever regretting the wasted opportunity. Each of us have different perception on a single bitter pill. it's up to us how we will strategize to take in the bitter pill. In the end it will always be our decision.