My Autobiography

Yeepee! I was born with a name Joshua A. Casinova. A Life Shaped by Struggle, Growth, and Determination.

MY NAME IS JOSHUA A. CASINOVA AND THIS IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE. EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE BEGINNING AND MINE OFFICIALLY COMMENCED ON JUNE 20, 2006. I WAS BORN IN VILLAPAZ NAGUILIAN-ISABELA. MY PARENTS OFTEN TELL ME THAT WHEN I FIRST OPENED MY EYES TO THE WORLD, I CRIED AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS. PERHAPS THAT WAS A SIGN THAT I WAS FULLY READY TO FACE THE NOISE, CHAOS, AND BEAUTY OF LIFE. MY PARENTS, ALMERA A. CASINOVA AND MARIO T. CASINOVA, SERVED AS MY VERY FIRST GUIDES. THEY GAVE ME THE NAME JOSHUA A. CASINOVA, A NAME THAT I CARRY TODAY WITH PRIDE, AMBITION, AND DIGNITY. I GREW UP IN A HUMBLE AND SIMPLE ENVIRONMENT. LOOKING BACK, MY CHILDHOOD WAS A BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF PLAYING IN THE STREETS AND LEARNING VALUABLE LESSONS INSIDE OUR HOME. I STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN GETTING MY FACE DIRTY FROM PLAYING TRADITIONAL GAMES LIKE PATINTERO, TUMBANG PRESO OR SIMPLY RUNNING UNDER THE HEAVY RAIN WAJ ENOUGH TO MAKE ME HAPPY. LIFE BACK THEN WAS INCREDIBLY SIMPLE, THERE WERE NO HEAVY RESPONSIBILITIES, NO BILLS TO WORRY ABOUT, AND MY ONLY REAL PROBLEM WAS WEATHER MY PARENTS WOULD ALLOW ME TO PLAY OUTSIDE AFTER LUNCH. DURING THOSE FORMATIVE YEARS, MY CHARACTER WAS QUIETLY SHAPED BY THE FUNDAMENTAL VALVES TAUGHT BY FAMILY, HONESTY, RESPECT AND KINDNESS TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE. AS I GREW OLDER, I REALIZED THAT MY FAMILY 15 THE SINGLE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON THE PERSON I AM TODAY MY SIBLING KENNETH A. CASINOVA WERE MY CONSTANT COMPANIONS THROUGH EVERY BOUGHT OF LAUGHTER, TEASING, AND TEARS. OUR HOME WAS NEVER PERFECT. THERE WERE DAYS OF MISS UNDERSTANDINGS AND QUIET NIGHTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, LOVE ALWAYS PREVAILED. THIS STRONG FOUNDATION GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO ‘STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND FACE A MUCH LARGER WORLD THE WORLD OF SCHOOL.

ENTERING A SCHOOL WAS A MASSIVE ADJUSTMENT FOR ME. CAN STILL RECALL MY VERY FIRST DAY AT VILLAPAZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE I CRIED UNCONTROLLABLY BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT MY PARENTS TO LEAVE ME. I WAS TERRIFIED OF THE UNFAMILIAR FACES AND THE DAUNTING IDEA OF SITTING STILL FOR HOURS JUST TO LISTEN TO A TEACHER. EVENTUALLY HOWEVER, THAT FEAR TRANSFORMED INTO GENUINE EXCITEMENT. I LEARNED HOW TO READ, WRITE AND COUNT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I LEARNED HOW TO BUILD FRIENDSHIPS. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT I REALIZED THE WORLD WAS MUCH BIGGER THAN TITE FOUR CORNERS OF OUR HOUSE. DURING MY ELEMENTARY YEARS, MY SPECIFIC INTERESTS AND TALENTS BEGAN TO SURFACE. I STARTED TO REALIZE WHAT I WAS GOOD AT AND WHAT I ENJOYED DONG DURING MY SPARE TIME. SOMETIMES I WAS ACTIVE IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER TIMES I WAS PERFECTLY CONTENT SITTING ON THE SIDELINES, QUIETLY OBSERVING. EVERY GRADING PERIOD FELT LIKE A CRUCIAL BATTLE THAT I NEEDED TO WIN JUST TO MAKE MY PARENTS PROUD. EVERY STAR STRAMPED ON MY HAND OR MEDAL PINNED TO MY SHIRT WAS WORTH THE PRICELESS SMILES ON THEIR FACES. AFTER GRADUATING FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I TRANSITIONED INTO HIGH SCHOOL NAGUILIAN NATIONAL HIGHSCHOOL. IF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS A PHASE OF IDENTITY DISCOVERY AND RAPID PERSONAL GROWTH. THIS WAS THE ERA OF GENUINE FRIEND GROUPS, TEENAGE CRUSHES, AND MUCH MORE DEMANDING ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS. IT WAS ALSO WHERE I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST REAL SET-BACKS FAILING EXAM MARKS FRIENDS WHO DRIFTED AWAY, AND THE INTENSE PRESSURE TO CONSTANTLY FIT IN WITH WHAT WAS TRENDY. YET, DESPITE ALL THE TEENAGE DRAMA, HIGH SCHOOL TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE INDIPENDENT AND HOW TO STAND FIRM IN MY OWN DECISIONS. NO LIFE IS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT AND SMOOTH PATH, WE ALL HAVE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH ROUGH PATCHES. IN MY JOURNEY, I HAVE ALREADY FACED MY FAIR SHARE OF STORMS. THESE MAY HAVE COME IN THE FORM OF FINANCIAL STRUGGLES, HEALTH CHALLENGES, OR THE DEEP EMOTIONAL WEIGHT OF LOSING A LOVED ONE. THERE WERE NIGHTS WHEN I FOUND MY SELF STAIRING AT THE CEILING WONDERING, WHY IS THIS SO HARD OR CAN I ACTUALLY SURVIVE THIS. THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN GNING UP FELT LIKE THE EASIEST OPTION BECAUSE THE BURDEN SIMPLY TELT TO HEAVY TO CARRY, HOWEVER EVERY SINGLE TIME I STUMBLED AND FELL, SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ALWAYS REMINDED ME THAT I NEEDED TO STAND BACK UP. SOMETIMES, THAT REMINDER CAME IN THE FORM OF A TIGHT EMBRACE FROM MY MOTHER OR FATHER, OTHER TIMES, IT WAS A SIMPLE TIMELY TEXT MESSAGE FROM A LOVAL FRIEND. AND SOME-TIMES, IT CAME FROM MY OWN REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR THE PROFOUND REA-LIZATION THAT THE BATTLE WASN’T OVER YET AND THAT I STILL HAD SOMUCH LEFT TO PROVE. THESE TRHALE SERVED AS THE FIRE THAT REFIND MYDETTAMINA-TION. THE HARDSHIPS DID NOT BREAK NE INSTEAD, THEY NADE ME STRONGER WISER AND FAR MORE ENMPHATIC TOWARD THE STRUGGLES OF OTHERS. HAND IN HAND WITH THESE TRIALS WERE THE MILESTONES AND TRIUMPHS THAT I MANAGED TO ACHIEVED. PASSING A NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT SUBJECT BEING CHOSEN TO JOIN A SCHOOL ORGANIZATION, OR SIMPLY LOOKING AT MY SELF TODAY AND REALIZING! AM MUCH HAPPIER AND MORE AT PEACE THAN I WAS LASTYEAR. I CONSIDER ALL OF THESE AS NAJOR VICTORIES. I HANE LEARNE TO CELEBRATE EVERY SINGLE STEP FORWARD, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, BECAUSE I KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH EFFORT IT TOOK TO TAKE THAT STEP. WHO TRULY IS JOSHUA BEHIND THE ACADEMIC GRADES AND FAMILY BACKROUND? I AM AN INDIVIDUAL WITH SIMPLE PASSIONS. DURING MY FREETIME, I LOVE PLAYING BASSKETBALL, LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT I LOVED, WATCHING MOVIES, PLAY ONLINE VIDEO GAMES AND COOKING. THESE ACTIVITIES SERVE AS MY SANCTUARY AND MY ESCAPE FROM THE EXHAUSTING BEAUTIES OF DAILY LIFE. WHEN IT COMES TO PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN THE SAYING THAT LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT. NO ONE ELSE HOLDS THE PEN TO MY DESTINY EXCEPT GOD AND NY OWN TWO HANDS. BECAUSE OF THIS I MALE A CONCIOUS EFFORT TO BE A GOOD PERSON EVERYDAY. I MAY NOT BE THE SMARTEST, WEALTHIEST, OR MOST TALENTED PERSON IN THE ROOM BUT I MAKE SURE THAT I POSSESS A KIND HEART AND ABSOLUTE RESPECT FOR MY FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. FOR ME, THE TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN YOUR WALLET, BOT THE NUMBER OF LINES YOU HAVE TOUCHED AND THE INSPIRATION YOU HAVE SHARED. STANDING HERE IN THE PRESENT CHAPTER OF MY LIFE, I CANNOT HELP BUT LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE WITH A MATURE OF NERVOUS ANTICIPATION AND EXCITEMENT. WAHAT EXACTLY LIES AMEAD FOR ME IN THE COMING YEARS? MY PRIMARY GOAL RIGHT NOW IS TO GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL AND SECURE A STABLE AND FULLFILLING JOB. I WANT TO GNE BACK AND HONOR ALL THE IMMENSE SACRIFICES MY PARENTS MADE FOR ME. I WANT TITEM TO SEE THAT ALL THEIR SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, EXHAUSTION, AND HARD-EARNED SWEAT WEAR WORTH IT BECAUSE THEY RAISED A SUCCESFUL AND GROUNDED CITIUD. BEYOND PERSONAL SUCCESS, I ALSO DREAM OF BECOMING AN INSTRUMENT OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN SOCIETY, EVEN IN MY OWN SMALL WAY. I ASPIRE TO BE A IT PROFESSIONAL WHO DOESN’T JUST WORK FOR PAYICHECK BUT SERVES WITH A GENLUNE HEART. LOOKING EVEN FURTHER AHEAD I HOPE TO BUILD A STABLE, LOVING FAMILY OF MY OWN SOMEDAY, WHERE I CAN PASS DOWN THE BEAUTIFULL LIFE LESSONS THAT MY PARENTS LOVINGLY INSTILLED IN ME. NN LIFE IS A BOOK THAT IS CONTINUOUSLY BEING WRITTEN. THERE ARE STILL MANY BLANK PAGES LEFT TO FILL CHARACTERS TO MEET, AND UNEXPECTED PUGT TWISTS TO NAVIGATE. BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I AM COMPLETELY READY TO FACE TOMORROW. ARMED WITH MY EXPERIENCES. THE UN-CONDITIONAL LOVE OF MY FAMILY, ANO MY UNWAVERING FRIGHT, I WILL COURAGEOUSLY CONTINUE TO WRITE MY OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. AFTER ALL, I AM THE AUTHOR OF THIS STORY, AND I WILL MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT IT BECOMES A JOURNEY WORTH READING AND REMEMBERING.

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