SHORT STORY: “Without a Smile”

THE repercussions of facing challenges can change a person's life for the better or for the worse, depending on one's viewpoint toward the challenges at hand.

 

Francia Cantor, a 56-year-old farmer from Barangay Bolo Sur, Sipocot, Camarines Sur, says that "the injured soldier grows braver."

 

France's smile has faded because of an illness she has endured since she was three years old, but that hasn't stopped her from believing she can achieve the joy and fulfillment her heart truly desires if she continues to pursue her goals.

 

The loss of her father and the pressures that came with it, molded her into an even stronger person.

 

She is the current chairperson of the Bolo Sur Agrarian Reform Cooperative (BSARC) and the past president of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD).