Lessons in Life from a Pencil Maker

A pencil maker once told us about five important lessons in life: first, in everything that we do, always leave a mark; second, we can always correct the mistakes we made; third, what’s important is what lies inside us; fourth, that in life we have to undergo painful sharpening which will make us a better pencil, and the most important one is to be the best pencil we can be. And as such, we must let our selves to be held and be guided by the hand that holds us, Let go and let God.

Leaving a mark in everything that we do is indeed a matter of exercising our freedom. In the truest sense, freedom is to do what we are ought to do as God’s creation (St. Thomas Aquinas). It always lies on doing what is good and just. And to do what is just is to exercise our freedom without stepping on another person’s freedom.



We can always correct the mistakes that we’ve made. We must agree to this, because if we do not, we are doom to commit the greatest mistake we can commit in our lives, and that is to think that we can never change as a person. This is despair, the down fall of Judas Escariot. After he sold Jesus for a couple of pieces of silver, he was eaten by despair and eventually committed suicide. Unlike Simon Peter, who denied Jesus not only once but trice, asked his Master for His forgiveness and strive to spread the Good News and eventually became the first Pope of the Christianity. Now whose example we are following? That Judas or that of Simon Peter? (Pause for a while and reflect)



What lies inside of us is further more important than what is in the outside. It’s the natural goodness in us which lies in our hearts. It is not the gift but the giver as they said. It is not about what we take but it is about what comes out of our mouth. It is our soul; the very essence of our lives is what matters most. We are created in the image and likeness of the God who created us. He is the God of love and as His highest creation we are to live to experience His love, to learn how to truly love ourselves so that we can truly love others and that at the end, we can go back to the very source of that love in His Kingdom.


Furthermore, we must always remember that there is no easy way in all things. The path towards goodness and success is always a narrow path. In life we have to undergo painful sharpening which will make us better persons. Just like the process a caterpillar must undergo before she blooms as a full pledge butterfly. Life is like a road. It is filled with many obstacles, sufferings, pains, difficulties, problems and the likes, but then let us remember to look at end of that road. There is a light. After the rain there is always a rainbow. After all our endeavors, we will then enjoy the fruit of our labors.


Most importantly, we must strive to be the best person that we can be. That is to “Aim High” according to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). President NOY stated in His Inaugural Address that “hindi pwede ang pwede na”. It is a call to be the best that we can be. It is to maximize the talents, the gifts that God has given us. Just like Vice Ganda quoted days ago in Showtime “Our lives is a gift from God and what we become is our gift to God in return". Again, let us ask ourselves, what kind of gift are we to offer God in return? (Pause for a while and reflect)


Most of the time we claim that we can always do what is best for our future and that of our offspring’s. Most often, we do it on our own. We carry the weight of every bit of problem and struggle that we have. We can surpass it, for the Lord is always near and besides, we never forget to pray. I may say that it is not enough to claim that we consider Christ as our Savior. We always say “Lord just stay right beside me as I drive the car of my own life….. then we keep on asking God "where are we heading for Lord?".... Its high time to let go and Let God. Let us allow God to drive our lives. Let us give the steering wheel to God and let Him drive. Let us allow our selves to be held and be guided by the hand that holds us. “Cast your burdens upon ME, those who are heavily laden…. Come to me and I will give you rest”, as the song Lift up your Hands to God said.

Let go and Let God. And proclaim the famous words of Mary the Mother of God “FIAT” (Thy Will be Done).


Yes! We can say that “life is just like a pencil”.