El Cid is a legendary tale on warriors and kings.

Although it seems like a work of fiction,

this is based on the actual life of a real man, Rodrigo Diaz De Vivar. He was loyal to the royal

family, particularly to King Sancho II, and was later rewarded to become a commander for the

Royal Military. He became a powerful man. However, due to the events of religious wars

between Islam and Christianity, he loses his King’s favor and he was banished from the

kingdom. In his exile, he was not allowed to take his family or his possessions and nobody was

allowed to come to his aid.

The topic of religious war comes up again in this yet another tale as old as time. Even

until this day, we still fight over our spiritual differences. This has become an never-ending feat

that we are unable to put aside our differences for peace and unity. As humans evolved, we have

become a global community yet racial and cultural conflicts still exists. More often this is about

controlling territory for political or economic power rather than religious beliefs. In regards to El

Cid, his power and status did not matter. His loyalty to the royal kingdom also had no bearing or

exemption. He was caught in between the war and sadly just a single mistake caused him his

entire life. As sad as it may seems, sometimes no matter how loyal we are or no matter what we

do we are never understood. This is an unpleasant truth that we have to face from time to time.

We feel betrayed and we have a hard time accepting this.

Despite this, he did everything he can to regain back his nobility, his beloved wife and

daughters and his dignity. He kept his belief in God and devoted his entire life to his faith. Even

in his lowest moment, he still had the humility to praise God and thank him. Most people would

have turned away from their faith. Humans often blame others for their own problems and when

they can’t find anyone, they start attributing God. We often pass the fault to Him who we

believe makes everything in this world happen. We would ask “Why did you let this happen?” or
“Why me?”. In another point of view, is there someone above us that keeps everything in order

and sets the events in our lives? Or are we responsible for our own actions and wrong doings? El

Cid, on the other hand, kept himself in check. Instead of passing the blame, he wasted no time to

make his own destiny. He must have realized that he can’t rely on anyone else but himself and if

he prays hard enough then God will guide him. His faith became his source of strength.

As a leader, he always looked out for his men’s best interest. He did not act as a dictator.

When he won battles, he was more than happy to share the treasures with his men. This gained

him more followers and to receive even more praise. A good leader takes the lead, has courage

and must have the right amount of humility. With this, he continued to win many battles with his

men willing to die and fight for him. To be this kind of leader is not that easy. We have been

used to leaders that are abusive, corrupt and incompetent. With the right kind of leadership, he

was able to restore his honor and pride. Even after everything that has happened to him, he still

showed respect for his former king and even sent him a share of his riches. This is such a good

example to the people and his men who look up to him. Respect and leadership go hand in hand

but being a leader does not automatically grant you respect from your people. This needs to be

earned by demonstrating exemplary values. It has the power to invoke moral standards and

principles. Also, it is important in bringing people together towards a common goal. El Cid was

able to earn the confidence and trust of his people thus also garnering their respect.

El Cid is an inspirational tale of overcoming all odds and obstacles. He was done an

incredible amount of injustice throughout his life but he kept on pushing himself to do good and

to be brave. This quality of resilience is rare. Most of the times, when we are wronged, all we

want to do is just take revenge. It would be the first thing that we would prioritize in the event

that we are hurt or violated. The most common type of vengeance we hear is “If I get rich, I
would….”. Most teleseryes would have this kind of scene. The rags to riches story. A poor girl

gets beaten and outcasted by a rich character, forbids a love between two worlds and deprived of

self-worth. This seems to be a similar case to El Cid but we don’t see him taking revenge on his

former bosses or society. Instead, he showers them with respect, gratitude and love. This what

truly makes him a hero.

A hero does not only save lives or sacrifice his or her own life. He or she can just be

selfless and just an overall good example. He or she must have the distinguished courage to do

what is right and good for everyone. Nevertheless, a hero is not perfect. Just like El Cid, he made

a mistake and he did not let it define his life. We also have modern day heroes to look up to such

as our brave front liner who give their best and risk their lives everyday to help our country and

the world. These are our nurses, doctors, hospital workers, delivery personnel, store personnel

and so much more who brace this virus infected world with courage and strength to help keep

everyone going. As El Cid, they do not live perfect lives. However, they dedicate their time and

effort for others through their selfless act.