Father’s Dream Come True! A Young Farmer Steps Up To Continue Family Tradition

A Young Farmer Steps Up

To Continue Family Tradition

In one of the most extraordinary ceremonies, my young son, Bernhart Immanuel, graduated with honors from Senior High School of the Ateneo de Davao yesterday.

It was a graduation ceremony like no other because instead of marching up onstage to receive their diplomas, the graduates of ’21 sat in front of their computers and watched as their names and photos were flashed on screen.

I watched the ceremonies too and I saw my son’s photo flashed onscreen for two seconds followed by many other names of young kids who wanted to pursue studies in the field of science.

For one fleeting moment, the memory of the 6-year-old boy who could hardly carry his backpack climbing the stairs of the Ateneo Grade School came rushing back.

I felt proud as a father seeing him graduate from high school with honors and deeply happy that he grew up as a well-behaved 18-year-old.

His two older sisters, Maria Krista and Josa Bernadette who are now both medical doctors, also grew up as responsible and humble persons, thanks to their doting mother who disciplined and guided them.

[rl_gallery id=”290″]

Never did I lay a hand on my children in instilling discipline and they grew up loving each other.

What gives me greater joy is the fact that Imman followed my advice to continue the age-old family tradition of going back to where we all came from – the farm.

Imman will be taking up Veterinary Medicine from the State University where I also earned my Bachelor’s, Masters’ and Doctorate Degrees, the University of Southern Mindanao.

Aside from being a natural farmer, Imman was convinced to take up VetMed because I told him that he has to take over the chicken and goat farms when I would be gone.

I knew as early as when he was a young kid that he would be a farmer because one day, when I was about to stomp on a stinging bee which flew into my farmhouse, he stopped me saying: “Papa, don’t kill it. Who’s going to pollinate our fruit trees?”

At that young age, he was already aware of how every living thing is involved in an interlinked relationship which results in productivity.

The proximity of the farm to his new school would allow him the opportunity of learning the theories in the classroom and validating these with realities in the field.

I believe that Imman will be a better farmer and maybe even a more persuasive agriculture advocate than I am.

That will be the day when I will savor ultimate happiness and joy.

#FathersDreamComeTrue!

#LongLineOfFarmers!