Two-gold Olympic medalist

HERE is a belated congratulations to Carlos Yulo, the two-gold medalist in the recent Olympic games in Paris.

A determined athlete, young Yulo at 24 years old, has proven to the world that a Pilipino standing 4’11” in height is not a hindrance to achieving one’s goals.

Guided, mentored and supported by no less than lady PH Gymnastic President Cynthia Carreon, he trained in Japan under the tutelage of a Japanese Olympic coach in his early formative years.

After winning the two gold medals, he came home to the warm welcome of a jubilant and proud nation. He was accompanied by his Pilipina – Australian girlfriend Chloe San Jose. In his preparation for the Paris Olympic games, she stood firmly in discipline for an athlete preparing to showcase mastery moves in gymnastics.

Despite second-thought acceptance of her relations from Carlos’ mother, Chloe San Jose lovingly and silently held on behind him in support to his mental and emotional physical preparation for the 2024 world sports stage.

Despite the negative motherly agitation and perturbation on financial misunderstanding in social media, Carlos lost his hard earned money yet survived and won two gold medals for himself and country.

Like most families of RP Olympians, not one of Carlos’ family accompanied him to Paris for reasons on their own. Or perhaps due to financial constraints and the stress of securing travel visa to France and Europe. Ms. San Jose along with few others was there.

This brought to fore the emergence of Pilipino uneducated talents in family relations counseling in social media (sic).

Daily, thousands painted Carlos as a bad son to his mother who seems to have stolen the center stage and public attention by accepting interviews in press conferences to reveal family dirty linens.

Other so-called experts in family reconciliation surfaced to degrade the kind of person Carlos is in their own views. They continue to insist and tell the Olympic champ on how to mend his relations with the estranged mother. Some bravely scold and bashed him with threats of karma in his future life.

As an athlete, can he withstand the negative audience coming from his own countrymen? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

As a budding young man, can he survive negative signals coming from his own blood, once connected in umbilical cord? Que sera sera.

However, as a disciplined athlete he came out in face book extending a warm message sincerely revealing his forgiving mind and heart towards his mother.

Nonetheless, there are sound suggestions from fellow citizens for mother and son to settle their disagreements privately within the confines of the family and seek oneness.

Whomsoever is right or in the wrong, the better counsel I read is to keep dirty linens from public scrutiny. There are thousands of “Marites”, near and far, lurking around and salivating to feast on anyone.

In our world, there are prodigal sons as well as prodigal mothers. The best message so far come from our Beloved Mama Mary relayed in the holy mountains of Lourdes in France. Simply stated:

“The family that prays together stays together.”