Saturday, February 14, 2015

That Thing Called Tadhana, Of Arrows and Life Insurance Agents


Happy Heart’s Day or Belated Heart’s Day! (…depends on when you are able to read this article). 


Last night, me and my wife had a movie date.  A lot a people were lining up to watch the controversial movie, “Fifty Shades of Grey” (Note:  It was so SOLD OUT, that the mall operator opened another cinema for 12:30AM showing!).  Meanwhile, we silently grabbed our tickets for the movie, “That Thing Called Tadhana”.  Yes, I was forced by my wife!  =)


Anyway, I was fascinated with the animated short story “The Arrow with a Heart Pierced Through Him” that was featured in the film and thought that it might be a good piece for life insurance awareness purposes.


Here’s the original short story in black (Source:  That Thing Called Tadhana by Antoinette Jadaone), followed by  my own interpretation in red.

 

There was an arrow flying in the air, minding his own business, when he suddenly felt something heavy. To his surprise, there was a heart pierced through him.


There was a working man, minding his own business, when he suddenly felt something strange.  To his surprise, there was an insurance agent sending him a text message.


“Where did you come from?” he asked.


“Hu u?  Where did you get my number?” he asked.


But there was no reply.


But there was no reply.


He floated about, asking those along the way, “Have you lost your heart?”


He went about, asking some along the way, “Do I really need life insurance?”


But he couldn’t find the owner of this heart.


But he couldn’t decide for himself.


He decided to ignore the weight he was carrying by going back to doing what he was doing. He floated away carrying the weight of the heart.


He decided to ignore the life insurance agent and went back to what he was doing.  He went away carrying the weight of a non-believing heart.


As time passed, he felt the weight decrease. He was either getting used to the weight he was carrying or the heart was carrying itself. One day, the heart just slowly left the arrow. The arrow was glad because he was no longer carrying the heart that pierced through him. As he went about his way, he noticed that something was still weighing him down. The heart was no longer pierced through him, so he shouldn’t feel burdened at all. The arrow decided to move on and live life normally. But something was different. He realized that he was no longer the same arrow before the heart pierced through him. Something was missing, yet the arrow still flew about his way.


As time passed, he felt the weight decrease.  He was getting used to the life insurance agent texting him but ignoring him again and again.  One day, the life insurance agent just slowly left him in peace.  The working man was glad because he was no longer receiving texts from the life insurance agent.  As he went about his way, he noticed that something was still weighing him down.  The life insurance was no longer bothering him, so he shouldn’t feel burdened at all.  The working man decided to move on and live life normally.  But something was different.  He realized that he was no longer the same single, healthy, and young man he used to be.  He is married now, with kids, and some health problems.  Something was missing, yet that thought of life insurance still flew on his mind.  


Until, he heard a familiar voice, “Have you lost your heart?”


Until, he heard a familiar voice, “Do you need life insurance?”


It was from the heart that pierced through him.


It was from the life insurance agent who texted before.


The arrow didn’t reply, because he didn’t need to.


The working man didn’t reply, because he didn’t need to.



Gerald “Ge” Cantor’s mission is to help Filipinos save and invest for their future while protecting themselves and their families for the present.  Ge is a Financial Adviser of Pru Life UK (www.prulifeuk.com.ph), a Financial Planning Advocate of Personal Finance Advisers Philippines Corporation (www.personalfinance.ph), a Registered Financial Planner graduate (www.rfp.ph), a  Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a Son of Lourdes (LSM), and a La Sallian (Animo La Salle!).  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", an entrepreneur, a "frustrated" baller, and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia and Clarie. You may e-mail him at geccantor@hotmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/iPon.ph for more iPon tips.