(Photo taken by Dr. Maia Montebon)
***Jorvelyn, or Jorvy to friends, represents the energy of the powerful contemporary woman. Maintaining a balanced mind, body, and spirit in two cities in the Philippines, Jorvy is committed to the wellbeing of her family, herself, and her community. As stage performer, community leader, founder and owner of a Steiner school for young children, and wife of a coach for a national basketball team, Jorvy’s lifestyle mirrors her worldviews:
“The beautiful changes I am seeing in the world right now are the connections that have brought us all together to be in constant motion with one another from wherever we are. The world in general and its advancements have brought us all in that sphere where we can be aware of what's happening to all of us from all around the world. I am also seeing people who care a lot, people who go beyond pity and are actually compassionate.”
This connectedness is essential to Jorvy’s current advocacy on traffic education. She writes:
“Iloilo Road Safety Movement was initially known as Iloilo City Traffic Education Advocacy Movement, a group on Facebook. At the outset, the name spoke for itself. The group was zeroed-in on traffic education as a way to solve traffic problems in Iloilo City. The current problems on road safety besetting the country in general can actually be pinpointed to one overarching gap - lack of education in traffic and road rules and regulations. This lack of education translates to a lack of discipline. Both pedestrians and drivers just do not know how to traverse the roads, share them, what to make of road signs and symbols, if there was any, resulting in chaos, road rages, accidents, and death. Not to belittle the government's efforts in handling the traffic crisis that we are in, but more often than not, government officials have to deal with bureaucracy and can be waylaid from their plans and solutions. This is where the private sector comes in. We see the problem, we are frustrated, and we offer to be a part of the solution. Gone are the days of just ranting and complaining and blaming it on everyone. We rise and take up arms, so to speak.
Slowly but surely, the FB group attracted people from all over the city - professionals who have been indirectly working to solve the crisis in their different capacities. We have urban planners, professors, architects, members of the media, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other Ilonggos who share the same passion and end-goal as we have - road safety.”
From where one stands, so one sees. Because Jorvy is seeing caring and compassionate people, it stands to reason that she acquired this perspective from significant people. One such person is Injap Sia, her cousin. Says Jorvy:
“Injap Sia’s success is no secret to everyone here in the Philippines. I have known him since birth and if there’s one thing that is truly admirable about Injap is that he’s a risk-taker – the true mark of an entrepreneur. He’s not afraid to try out new things and if his gut feeling tells him to go for it, he goes for it. He thinks out of the box and pursues ‘crazy ideas’ as the start of a great idea.”
Another is Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. “It’s hard to choose a woman inspiration because I do have a lot especially from the royalty of England. I have always been fascinated with princesses and how they can maintain composure and grace amid pressure. But Jackie O was different. She spoke her mind. She was intelligent. She was ahead of her time and didn’t succumb to pressure from the public as to how she should live her life. She was the epitome of beauty and brains, with a very good fashion sense.”
Jorvy’s parents are of course her most influential models.
“I learned from my mother to always find the time to be with your loved ones. She's the epitome of being there in all our special occasions since day one. She will never miss it. She will drop everything for her children. She was like that to all my siblings and myself. No special treatments. And even when I was married and my husband Wewin couldn't make it to my postgraduate graduation, she was there from start to finish and endured the summer heat just to lend support.
Tatay also ingrained in us to love one another as brothers and sisters, to be there for each other, and to take care of the family name. And I learned from my father to value hard work. He has a strong sense of work ethics that he tried to instill in all of us. Although not all of us in the family ventured into the same family business, the one that he grew since he started a family (construction industry), he still had that overarching influence in all of us in our chosen field of endeavor.”
Jorvy’s chosen field of endeavor is Maya Playgarden. She explains that, “learning the life and works of Rudolf Steiner after I was married has opened my mind to a lot of things. It has showed me a way how to raise my own child even before I had one. And not only was I able to raise my child under the Steiner impulse; I was able to educate more parents to raise their children the Steiner way as well through the birth of Maya Playgarden. Steiner’s teaching has opened my heart and soul to a different kind of ‘teaching.’ It all stems from love. Everything that we do is based on that love. We should always consider the paramount interests of the children, that we should guide them and nurture their growing up years, and make sure that theirs is a childhood worth remembering, filled with fun, good thoughts, and acceptance for what they are and what they can do. No harsh expectations. No rush. In time, they will be ready for more challenges and it is but our firm belief that they will grow up confident to take on those challenges under their own terms. The best lesson that I have learned from Steiner is actually from one of his famous quotes: ‘Accept the child with gratitude, teach the child with love, send forth the child in freedom.’”
Maya Playgarden is just one of Jorvy’s many successes in life. The top two are “marrying the man I love and being blessed with a child.”
How does she take care of herself in the midst of her busyness?
“I take care of myself quite well especially now that I am in my peri-menopause stage. I have been exhibiting some menopausal symptoms, causing my hormones to go haywire. I visited a psychiatrist when I couldn't pinpoint what's really happening with me. I followed her advice, read books on menopause, consulted with obstetricians/gynecologists, and have since complemented my physical exercises to address my emotional needs. Physically, I do regular yoga practice (Ashtanga/Vinyasa) and Zumba. Lately, I have added Muay Thai in my repertoire. If I have the opportunity, I dabble in new things and check them out, like the Aerial Silk; it was mind-boggling and worked up some of my muscle groups that were asleep for a long time. So, no meds save for some vitamins that the doctor prescribed, like fish oil. I drink tea to calm my nerves. What a simple delight it is to just be able to sleep well through the night.
I still keep my mind working by constantly reading. I always bring a book with me wherever I go. I also keep a journal so I always write down thoughts. I sometimes feel I have a very overactive mind and I need a place to contain it. I am also quite religious in my Catholic faith, having served two parish churches in different capacities. I write articles for Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (La Paz) and I sing in a choir at Our Lady of China (Santa Maria). My being religious has helped in my spiritual journey because I grow with the faith. I also have a keen interest in Zen Buddhism, so I transcend religions, so to speak, and explore other ways of being in that zone with my God.”
What would be Jorvy’s encouragement to her family and friends?
“If you want something, go for it and don't be afraid of failure. I've had so many failures in life but I am still here, alive and working on my dreams coming true. They may or may not come true in this lifetime but I just want to put them out there anyway. I just want to try and see. No harm done. I hope that I have made a significant difference in people's lives. I pray that because of that significant difference, the world will be a better place after I am gone.”
Very well-said, Mrs. Jorvelyn Jaruda-Espinosa.
More of Jorvy’s thoughts can be found in her blog and websites, http://geishaincarnate.blogspot.com/ and facebook.com/MayaPlaygarden.
Thank you, Dot, for that special space for friends. Kinship. :)
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