the heart of an Atenean

I just read Larry Fonacier’s article on Joy’s blog. He was saying something about the heart of the Atenean. Indeed, the heart of an Atenean is one and same. Young or old, it seems that we have this bond that wherever we are we can always understand one another. For almost four years of my stay here in Ateneo, I can atest to the Ateneo Spirit that each one has. Different Though One. Within the university where there are labels, when one finds himself confronted with another Atenean in the outside world, they seem to have this connection. Again, the heart of an Ateneo. I have no explaination for this, but it may seem to have come from all the heavy workload and the minor subject ( esp philo and theo) that we have, the training and the holistic approach that we all undertake. For example, even the geekiest will take time-off on school work or the most cono will join with the uncono ones to cheer on the blue eagles game and have the heart to humble accept the losses and stand proud when we win. Maybe it’s because we have learned the ‘all being is in being’ and that we all should be ‘men for others.’ Again, something that all Ateneans share. Indeed, it is no joke being an Atenean. Some people may put us down, some people may even mock us but the important thing is that we know where we stand. We know how tough it is to get in, stay and graduate in Ateneo regardless of what course. We know what hell weeks can make us do and how it affects us. We know the pressure and the number of sleepless nights that we undertake to finish our projects or for preparing for our orals. We know how hard labor and social awareness fit into our lives. And most of all, this is only found in the heart of an Ateneo.