It’s OK to be different now

Mrs. Saldo’s chef and owner Rhea Rizzo, who joins our forum on why life is better on the occasion of Manila Bulletin’s 125th anniversary, reflects on our journey toward a more inclusive, accepting time

When I reflect on whether life is better now, I think about this man in his 30s on the autism spectrum who shared how grateful he was that there was finally a diagnosis—a term to explain what made him “different.” 

Even though it’s a label that parents like me, with a child on the spectrum, sometimes feel a recurring wave of sadness about, it also brings clarity and resolution. It’s a kind of release or solace, especially when you consider that 40 years ago, people like him were often simply labeled “crazy” and institutionalized. While there’s no actual cure, at least now, with greater awareness and information, parents like me and children like mine can better navigate the challenges that come with the diagnosis. 

In the past, a woman’s worth was narrowly defined by the gender she was born into, her role dictated by stringent expectations.

I also think about my place in the world as a woman. In the past, a woman’s worth was narrowly defined by the gender she was born into, her role dictated by stringent expectations. 

I hope we’ve broken through that ceiling—shattering the limits of what we were once told we could be. Now, I’m grateful to be so much more, a mother, a wife, a partner, a business owner, a mentor. I’m grateful that I can embrace all these roles, not be judged for them, but celebrated. 

So yes, life is indeed better.