National Hero? Not my plan...

Yes, I have to admit the fact that I planned for my glorious death, I knew about my death and wrote Mi Ultimo Adios, but not the title of national hero. I just wanted to be remembered as someone who loved the country, wanted the nation to grow. Well, I am not saying that I hate the fact that I gained this title of national hero, but it just makes me to think about what I have done in the past. If I were actually expecting myself to be someone that important, I should have behaved better, with less temper, working with different people for the nation. Different people, I mean here, is the people who are not illustrado or principalia, like Bonifacio, maybe. I could have tried to stay committed to only one girl, instead of my worldwide girlfriends. I just enjoyed my life too much to be a national here, who should be more of self-denial and sacrificing totally for the country. But again, even knowing all of my weaknesses, people still thought of me as their national here. This is just so great.

The reason why I wrote the Mi Ultimo Adios is that I wanted to be remembered as someone who really cared for the country, in order to compensate my being not as passionate as Bonifacio in physical sense. Through this, along with my other writings, I wanted my descendents to remember me as learned someone from their trace who loved the nation, and part of his life was really the efforts to make things better, especially through education. Nothing more than that. I just wanted my name to be remembered after my beautiful death which I have been practicing and planning. For such reason, I really thank people for that title. With this, my dream of being remembered as a lover of the country is made, and much more are actually gained. People put me in their coins, and they would study my writings in their schools, they would build up the museum for me, and many more. I should have taken better photo so that they could have used my better look, than what they are actually using for the coin. But that's fine, I just am very happy with their love for me. Although I wanted the glorious death for myself, the patriotic historians see me as the Philippines who did not want to kneel down before the Spain, and that's so cool! Thank you Philippines, I feel achieved with your recognition. Thank you so much! :)

(Tae Kyung Kim "Julia")