The heart of a mango

One version of “The Legend of the Mango” or “Ang Alamat ng Mangga,” tells us the story of a little boy named Ben with a heart of gold. Ben, the son of Aling Maria and Mang Juan, showed compassion to the less fortunate despite his own limitations. His big heart, as the story goes, even at the time of his death, became so abundant that when it turned into a fruit-bearing tree, the fruits were in the shape of a heart.

“Ang Alamat ng Mangga” tells us that the fruits were so sweet and from then till now, people continue to enjoy the benefits of this delicious fruit. Like all Philippine legends, there are valuable lessons one can learn.

The Philippines as we know is tremendously rich in natural resources. Just recently, the province of Guimaras for example, held the “Manggahan Festival” which began its festivities on May 11, celebrating also with an “Eat All You Can” activity showcasing both ripe and green mangoes that you can eat upon registration for a good 30 minutes.

The ingenuity of the Filipino is simply amazing and such events not only promote one’s rich resource but also contribute to the growth of our economy. There is also that sweet sense of pride each time foreigners from different parts of the world warmly express their love for our mangoes while noting that the Philippine Mango is the best in the world.

A fruit that is so abundant in our country brings us back to the story of Ben where a heart of gold benefits so many because a young boy chose to cultivate even the smallest things within his power.

If we look at this from a local perspective, a small town, city, or province, if fully embraced, has the capacity to abundantly provide even up to places we could never imagine. And just like Ben who had a heart of gold, the only requirement is to open one’s heart to be of service to others.