I Miss Mrs. De Castro
by Oliver Carlos
When I was in elementary school, I was a very shy boy. I didn’t talk much and didn’t have many friends. I was a perfect specimen of an introvert. Academically, I was mediocre. Since I was so quiet, my teachers didn’t notice me. I felt that I didn’t exist. But I didn’t care if I get noticed or not. I’m happy where I am, living inside my shell.
But things changed when I was in Grade 5, when I met Mrs. Imelda de Castro. At the end of that year, I was the 1st honor of our section. That feat wouldn’t have happened without our class adviser. She spotted me, saw my potential, encouraged me, and led me to become the best pupil I can be. Never have I felt so valuable and important in school until she took me under her wings.
Decades after finishing elementary school, I don’t remember much about the Biology lessons Mrs. de Castro taught us, but what I remember so well was her character. I find her very motherly. My fond memories of my Grade 5 days were lunch time with Mrs. De Castro. All of my classmates would eat lunch outside the classroom, at the school canteen or maybe at restaurants outside school. But as for me, I always had my binalot, food cooked by my Mommy and packed in a Tupperware box. I would it eat alone in my seat, in my little corner of the classroom. Mrs. De Castro would also stay in the room for her lunch. She had 2 daughters who would eat with her. They’re studying in the same school but were in the lower grades. Occasionally, another teacher would join them, Miss Cortes, our History teacher.
One day, Mrs. De Castro invited me to come over at the large teacher’s table and join them for lunch. I felt happy, somebody noticed me and gave me attention. I wasn’t Invisible Boy after all. Since then, I looked forward to every lunch time, when Mrs. De Castro would have conversations with me, asking me about who I am, my family, what goes on in my life, and many other things. Over those talks, she would gladly share her viand, and I felt so at home. Oh, by the way, I remember she had unique containers for her and her daughters’ viands. She didn’t keep them in the traditional Tupperware containers, but in a garapon, or large glass jar.
Obscure it may seem, but those lunch moments fired me up, and motivated me to be more open and assertive in class. My self-worth and self-confidence were greatly propped up. Finally, there’s an adult who is not a relative, who sees some value in me. I got so motivated in reading my books, studying for exams, and reciting in class, knowing that somebody believes in me. My full potential was harnessed. I excelled not only in Mrs. De Castro’s subject, but in all my other classes as well.
This is similar to a Bible story, the event when Zacchaeus met Jesus in Luke 19. Zacchaeus had very low self-esteem because he’s so short. He felt unimportant, until Jesus saw him climbing a tree, and told him to get down because they’ll eat dinner together at his house. That brought out the best from Zacchaeus. He became a changed man, a follower of Jesus. He became righteous in his job and generous to people. It all started with that encounter with Jesus. Sometimes we just needed someone to walk up to us and say we’re loved and important.
Jesus said, “Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God’s chosen people. The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.” Luke 19:9–10 (ERV)
Dear reader, I pray that you’ll likewise feel Jesus’ concern and care for you. You don’t need to look far. He’s calling out your name and reaching out his hand to you.
POSTSCRIPT: A few years after that schoolyear, I heard Mrs. De Castro stopped teaching. They made a big family decision for her to watch over their ancestral hardware store that was one of the longest-running businesses in our town. I remember her mentioning it to me in our lunch conversations, that they had such plans and she’s quite hesitant about it as teaching is her passion.
The next time I saw Mrs. De Castro was when I was a fresh college graduate. My Mom and I visited her in her hardware store and told her the news that I just graduated cum laude. I knew she was so happy for me. But that was the last time we’ve met. I haven’t seen her since then. Recently I went to Los Banos, and alas, her hardware store wasn’t there on that spot anymore. I tried looking for her on social media, but my search would always lead to a senator in Latin America with the same name.
How I wish to meet Mrs. De Castro again and say that many things have happened since our last meeting. I wanted to tell her that I became a teacher like her, and I’ve been in that profession for 4 decades now (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s). I wanted to thank her for inspiring me to be a teacher. In all those years, I hope I was also able to be a blessing to my students, and that many of them had their full potential realized, just like what happened to me because of a teacher.
