FLAT IRON and IRONING are my topics in this blog...
UNUSUAL? BUT NOT FOR ME...
FLAT IRON is my CONSTANT BUDDY
and IRONING MY CLOTHES especially UNIFORM is almost a daily HABIT...
Allow me to share with you the 10 LESSONS that we can learn from the FLAT IRON and the act of IRONING...
1. INDEPENDENCE
When I qualified to become a PMA cadet, the sense of INDEPENDENCE was already deeply inculcated in me. Aside from other things to do when living independently, I was already ironing my clothes on my own without the help of my parents because I was living in a boarding house about 50 kilometers away from home. I was then taking up BS in Engineering. But the demands of ironing at PMA was more than double than what was required during my life as a civilian. During my college days, the only time that our uniform was being inspected was at Sunday ROTC training (during that time ROTC was still mandatory for male college students). But in PMA, every formation was inspection time, improperly ironed uniform were reflected in Delinquency Report where demerits would be incurred when we were reported by the Tactical Officers and posted cadet guards. But we were more under the scrutinizing eyes of our upperclassmen (more senior cadets than us). Unironed or improperly ironed uniform means physical exercises and various compliance as punishments. It is when this piece of metal (flat iron) and how it is being utilized that taught me to think and act INDEPENDENTLY not only for survival in the training and in the armed profession, but more significantly to attain excellence to be able to render selfless service to our country and people.
2. RESPONSIBILITY
We were carefully selected from among the thousands hopefuls nationwide and were given the great privilege to don the PMA cadet uniforms. Embedded in that uniform is the gargantuan RESPONSIBILITY of performing our duties to become worthy to be called PMA cadet. In order to show that responsible behavior, we have to wear our uniform with great pride. Until this very moment as graduates and as officers of the AFP, ironing our uniform is a daily habit. Wearing ironed uniform certainly positively affects our self projection of RESPONSIBILITY. It significantly forms part of that very valuable requirement in the organization, the SERVICE REPUTATION.
3. CAREFUL PLANNING
This is another skill or lesson provided by ironing and preparing our snappy uniform. It will occur to us that we have to plan our activities properly to prepare our uniform in advance to provide adequate time for ironing our uniform, to create those desired visible lines. It is actually a stressful situation when someone failed to plan accordingly wherein there is a cramming condition when your limited time is being divided into preparing your uniform while consolidating other requirements related to your tasks. It is often said that "FIRST IMPRESSION LASTS". Ironing and wearing presentable uniform display that efforts behind the visible eyes of others, the PLANNING stage. Symbol of being SNAPPY that are expected to be translated on how we deliver our DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
Practice makes perfect. Experiences greatly help us to improve in doing things especially our ROUTINE TASKS. The daily routine of living life in the profession of arms requires us to perform better as we age in the service. The way we carry and present in our selves while in uniform absolutely reflect how we perform and deliver our jobs.
5. TIME MANAGEMENT
This is a very important skill to have and to master. Be able to do things with QUALITY at minimum TIME. This is another important lesson that preparing and ironing our uniform taught and still teaching us in the profession of arms.
6. AWARENESS
There are call of duties that are urgent in nature especially during emergency situations. Awareness of present situation is one of the key result areas of having to prepare our uniform on the spot not compromising either of the quality of presentable uniform and accomplishing the given mission.
During weekends especially Sundays, we were given free time that we can utilize to go out of PMA compound and explore the City of Pines or go somewhere else that our limited time can permit. In utilizing this freedom, a PMA cadet should learn to decide to live a balanced life as a cadet with great responsibility and as human with longing for others activities and time to be with our families, loved ones, and friends. The overwhelming demands of having to prepare and iron our uniform while having to study and pass the high standard academic and also physical requirements at PMA, we have to utilize our free time properly, the FREEDOM of CHOICE. We have to EXIST in HARMONY between SUCCESSFUL STINT in the SERVICE while ENJOYING PRIVATE LIFE.
8. CARE AND CONCERN
Pressing our uniform develops in us a sense of care and concern not only in taking care of our uniform to look presentable, but also with other things, and people. When we were still cadets and even in deployment areas, we have limited space in our room wherein a table has various purposes; as platform primarily to study, for laptop to accomplish a written report and, also being utilized for ironing our uniform. There is a need to consider our roommates due to limited space that we shared for various purposes. We have to have that care and concern to produce a snappy and presentable uniform while also have the needed concern for our roommates/bunk mate as they also accomplish similar or different tasks. In Filipino "MALASAKIT".
9. SENSIBILITY
The need to properly set the desired temperature at the FLAT IRON taught me and still teaching me to have that SENSIBILITY. The actual need of our uniform depending with the kind of fabrics or materials used for a certain uniform. We have to be SENSIBLE with the actual needs of our UNIFORM of protecting our uniform from damage or burning while producing a snappy uniform. In essence, we have to be SENSIBLE with our ORGANIZATION, with our ENVIRONMENT, with our COMMUNITY, and with the PEOPLE around us.
10. CREATIVITY
There are situations wherein the space or requisite to properly iron our uniform is not given or provided. Creativity is the key to comply with that ironing requirement satisfying the limitation of the space and situation, while producing quality ironed uniform at expected time. Just like in LIFE, you have to be creative to conform even with the unforgiving situation and unfavorable condition to achieve the desired results.
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