Lawyer Remains Humble, Goes Viral for Riding Tricycle and Not Buying Car as Status Symbol
A lawyer expresses her frustration over the people who kept telling her to buy a car to fit her status or those who think that she’s not earning enough because she just rides a tricycle home. She pointed out that different people have different priorities and different timelines – and buying a flashy car to show her status isn’t something she agrees on, actually.
“A lot of people would usually tell me ‘Atty, bumili ka na ng sasakyan mo. Di bagay sayo ang nagtritricycle. Parang di ka abogado,’ or ‘Atty, bumili ka na ng sasakyan mo, easy na lang yan sayo,’ or ‘Magcar loan ka na, dapat priority mo ang sasakyan,’” wrote Atty. Kathrine Jessica Calano.
“I would respond with a polite smile. All I could do is to politely smile because if I would respond honestly, I would only come out rude especially when I would point out that being a lawyer doesn’t mean that I should look rich or I should be rich for that matter. Plus, my dad would drop me off in the office every morning so a tricycle commute ride home is no big deal.”
It is wonderful that she remains humble despite now being a lawyer – and also quite amazing that she doesn’t mind riding a tricycle to go home.
Indeed, her job as lawyer could probably let her buy a car now or, perhaps, let her take a loan for one. But for Atty. Calano, it’s not really such a great idea to buy a car to flaunt your status or prove to people that you’re intelligent.
“Let me tell you this: you don’t have to prove your professional capacity with the properties you own. I would understand if I am told to consider buying a car for convenience or for safety and security more so if hearings are outside the City. But if I am told to buy one to look like a lawyer? Bro, pass! I don’t need to stage my life just so I can justify my profession. Bibili ako once kaya na ng savings ko,” she explained.
She also added that people are really just so ‘judgy’:
“Uy nagtrtricy lang si Atty oh. Di man lang makabili ng sasakyan. Baka kasi hindi malakas ang kita kasi wala siyang clients. Baka hindi matalino.”
“Uy tignan mo yung bahay ni Engr oh, ang liit. Baka walang clients kasi hindi maganda ang gawa.”
“Uy tignan mo si ma’am oh, matagal na yang teacher pero di pa nakakapundar. Hindi siguro magaling yan, kasi kung magaling yan government teacher na sana yan.”
“Uy tignan mo yang nurse na yan. Ang tagal na niyang nurse pero sa apartment pa rin nakatira. Di kasi tumataas ang sahod kasi hindi napropromote. Hindi siguro magaling yan.”
The humble lawyer reminds everyone to stop judging others based on the things they own. After all, someone who doesn’t have a car or house might be saving money for the future or using his salary to pay for a family member’s medical needs and sending siblings to school.
“Regardless of priorities and of properties, we should stop equating intellect and skills with wealth. Hindi dahil hindi pa siya mayaman, bobo na siya. Malay natin hindi lang siya corrupt. 
Is it lack of ambition? Yes if you are lazy. No if you have other necessary priorities,” she wrote.
She’s right, of course!
Source: Buzzbooks
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