By Cleofe Uy Catuday
Ten years ago, I started my career in the hospitality industry. This after almost a decade stint of Sales and Marketing roles in one of the biggest Telecommunications companies in the country. I then joined the Cebu City Marriott Hotel as the director of sales and marketing (DOSM). An opportunity I will forever hold dear in my heart and will perpetually be grateful for. From an industry of the foray to innovation in communication to an industry of tourism and customer service experience.
While competition was cutthroat from the past industry, collaboration and synergy was a big thing in hospitality. Back then we created a group of DOSMs that became an amazing group that became a sounding board for challenges but at the same time a source of inspiration for all the best practices shared by each one of us. From simple lunches that shared about work, client potential, toxic officemates and the ever-changing demands of hotel operations to the sharing of life lessons, celebration of wins amongst our children and even varied stories of husbands, boyfriends and partners. Obviously, I can gush about this as I recall those moments I shared with these lovely ladies. There is one thing I shared with this group that I remember so well which I would like to be able to share here. I call it the Analogy of the One Thousand Allocation.
Coming from such a small group of five ladies and getting to compare and learn from each other’s life situation, I just realized how our creator has loved us all in fair ways. Comparing this to how we have all been given an allocation of a thousand pesos to start our lives with as a gift or an allocation. Some of us have 400 pesos in careers, 50 pesos in lovelife, a hundred pesos in health, another 400 pesos for the gift of great children and the other 50 for all other gifts. Others have more in beauty. Others are born into rich parents while others also are blessed with the best husband or wife.
Some have so much smarts, some have endowed physical attributes, and some have so much ease in life with the grace of their charm. We can drill down further to many details like how some have so much patience while others are described to have low emotional quotient. The list can go on and on. One thing is for sure, our uniqueness allows us to use our one thousand allocation many ways. We are here to trade our strengths and learn from each other. We are here to exchange denominations or life lessons. Where we are strong, we will help others who are struggling in that specific area of life. Our willingness to share will also help us sharpen our own saws and ultimately help us grow the initial allocation of a thousand pesos that we got. How our individual differences are also deliberate so we can find value in co-existing and finding joy in sharing.
It’s much like the parable of talents. How God rewards and blesses those who put much effort in improving their lives. Those who are intentional in multiplying what they have been blessed with by sharing and making them grow. For us to utilize the God given gifts that we have and to recognize that he being the source will be with us as we grow what he has initially allocated us with. May we find joy in being the light for others who are struggling in areas we are strong at. May we find hope in faith that what we are challenged with may be helped with by others who God has put in our path to help us. May we always respect others by consistently recognizing our individual differences still as a part of God’s gift to each one of us. Let us grow our one thousand in great faith in God.
