The Ionic Bonds of Gamman Brotherhood
Tomorrow, September 20, 2009, our fraternity, the Gamma Beta Epsilon will be celebrating its 39th year of existence. Being a Gamman brod in 21 of those 39 years, I look back with both joy and pride of that day when I made that fateful decision of joining a fraternity, of joining GBE.
Everybody has his reasons in joining a fraternity or not. At first thought, I knew that a fraternity was not for me nor was I for a fraternity.
When I was a medical student two decades back, I looked at fraternties in the wrong way. I saw them from the not-so-selfless view of what I could get and how it would benefit me in my quest to be a doctor. I concentrated on what I would gain in joining such a group, if ever. If I would have to undergo such an uncertain (and what i heard, hard) initiation process, it should be for a good cause. It must be worth it.
But I was wrong. Dead wrong.
It was not until an elder Gamman talked to me and changed my perspective. He told me simply that a fraternity was not for anyone who was joining to gain something, but for someone who was willing to give and share. Something akin to medicine – for then, and until now, I believed that being a doctor is not the business of getting, but of giving – one’s talent, time and if needed, treasure.
Right there and then, I signified my intention and underwent the process. At that time, I was already a third year medical student. It did not mater then that it seemed late in a day for a third year med student to be joining a fraternity. I got some sneers, jeers. Some supported, others shook their heads and saw madness.
Why GBE? Why Not?
Everybody has his reasons in joining a fraternity or not. At first thought, I knew that a fraternity was not for me nor was I for a fraternity.
However, I looked at fraternties in the wrong way. I looked at them from the view on what i could get and how it would benefit me in my quest to be a doctor. I looked at what I would gain in joining such a group, if ever. If I would have to undergo such an uncertain (and what i heard, hard) initiation process, it should be for a good cause. It must be worth it.
It was not until an elder Gamman talked to me and changed my perspective. He told me simply that a fraternity is not for anyone who is looking to gain something, but for someone who is willing to give. Something very similar to medicine – being a doctor is not the business of getting, but of giving – one’s talent, time and if needed, treasure. Read more
