I wrote this when I was 19. Reading it again now, I feel renewed. Youth are indeed idealistic and it makes me feel like I am back in those days when everything seems to be easy.And when you’re done with your lessons of this world’s absurdities, when you’re fully equipped with armor against imperfections; when you’re back from your travel to the abyss, then you have explored reality. But if in your journey to reality you have recognized and chose forgiveness over pride, honesty from pretensions, being productive from being idle and being pro active from being too reactive, then you have had a glimpse of eternity.
Philosophical as it may sound but I’m glad that this time, I finally had the courage to share what is inside of me. I don’t even think that this is still a part of my craft, which is weaving ideas from a world of million words. I have this feeling that I am too young for these realizations.
However, this is a reality which the world never dared to understand. Why can’t we be the people and the nation that we should be? I was only 10 years old when I was separated from my family. As young as I was, I learned to be independent and at the same time, I learned what emptiness means. I tried to be strong but I realized that being strong is not enough to ease the pain. And it was during those times that I created a different concept of life. A concept contrary to what I used to believe when I was still that carefree and outspoken child. For years, I drew a line between me and this world.
Believe me, I, just like anybody else has seen and experienced the cruelty of fate. But it is only now that I am beginning to unfold the mysteries behind those tears. I know now that God had a purpose for me. So you see, life isn’t bitter after all. One reflection that I had is that the problem with me and the people in general is that, we know that life has something good to offer yet we always choose to remember only the hurts. We linger on the grim scenarios without even trying to negate the feeling or the situation. We demand without the intention of giving; we look at others’ mistakes without even trying to simply review ourselves. The product? A heart unable to love and appreciate.
I can say that I am a woman crafted by the twists and turns of life. I am who I am right now because I dared to detach myself from the intricacies of my existence and started to view this world with a hope - a hope that someday, in God’s perfect time, we, the people will learn the unspoken language of love. A dream that one day, the leaders will finally comprehend the simple meaning of leadership and service.
I remember my teacher asking me when I was in high school. She asked me why I write. Now, I know. I write because I want to touch lives. I know that what I am saying right now is very common. Yet I find it ironic that despite of its commonness, we still don’t get the point. Or perhaps we know the point yet we continue to hate corrections. People may question me for these ideals but this is what a young mind speaks of. The nation would like to hear the sentiments of the youth? Then right now, I say that we need people of action and not of rambles. The youth need to see a changing Philippines not just in terms of economy but more over, in the characters of the people whom we look up to.
Do not be content with what you have explored. Dig deeper, swim deeper or even climb higher. There is more to the realities of this world. If only we allow ourselves to penetrate the sanctity of all the heartaches we have undergone, we can see diamonds in our tears. If only we allow our eyes to see different perspectives, we can see a rose still in bloom despite of the many thorns. Learn to determine where you are before, where you are today and then decide where you will be tomorrow. I say this though I am young. Everybody has been a captive of frustration but not everybody has been wise enough to recognize the way out of this slavery. They die without even experiencing peace and without tasting heaven on earth. I remember Uleng who was featured in MMK. He is a living testimony of a young man who dared to make a difference when everybody around him chose to surrender. I know that despite of all the things he went through, he has found the key to the glory of living. It is because he has learned how to deal with life’s circumstances in the right way.
I don’t know where this life would take me in the future. I don’t even know if this article will be published or if it will somehow affect the people if ever it will be. People may even question me or may reject my insights but this is the reflection of who I am. If I write something that is against my belief, then I become a traitor to myself.
Philosophical as it may sound but I’m glad that this time, I finally had the courage to share what is inside of me. I don’t even think that this is still a part of my craft, which is weaving ideas from a world of million words. I have this feeling that I am too young for these realizations.
However, this is a reality which the world never dared to understand. Why can’t we be the people and the nation that we should be? I was only 10 years old when I was separated from my family. As young as I was, I learned to be independent and at the same time, I learned what emptiness means. I tried to be strong but I realized that being strong is not enough to ease the pain. And it was during those times that I created a different concept of life. A concept contrary to what I used to believe when I was still that carefree and outspoken child. For years, I drew a line between me and this world.
Believe me, I, just like anybody else has seen and experienced the cruelty of fate. But it is only now that I am beginning to unfold the mysteries behind those tears. I know now that God had a purpose for me. So you see, life isn’t bitter after all. One reflection that I had is that the problem with me and the people in general is that, we know that life has something good to offer yet we always choose to remember only the hurts. We linger on the grim scenarios without even trying to negate the feeling or the situation. We demand without the intention of giving; we look at others’ mistakes without even trying to simply review ourselves. The product? A heart unable to love and appreciate.
I can say that I am a woman crafted by the twists and turns of life. I am who I am right now because I dared to detach myself from the intricacies of my existence and started to view this world with a hope - a hope that someday, in God’s perfect time, we, the people will learn the unspoken language of love. A dream that one day, the leaders will finally comprehend the simple meaning of leadership and service.
I remember my teacher asking me when I was in high school. She asked me why I write. Now, I know. I write because I want to touch lives. I know that what I am saying right now is very common. Yet I find it ironic that despite of its commonness, we still don’t get the point. Or perhaps we know the point yet we continue to hate corrections. People may question me for these ideals but this is what a young mind speaks of. The nation would like to hear the sentiments of the youth? Then right now, I say that we need people of action and not of rambles. The youth need to see a changing Philippines not just in terms of economy but more over, in the characters of the people whom we look up to.
Do not be content with what you have explored. Dig deeper, swim deeper or even climb higher. There is more to the realities of this world. If only we allow ourselves to penetrate the sanctity of all the heartaches we have undergone, we can see diamonds in our tears. If only we allow our eyes to see different perspectives, we can see a rose still in bloom despite of the many thorns. Learn to determine where you are before, where you are today and then decide where you will be tomorrow. I say this though I am young. Everybody has been a captive of frustration but not everybody has been wise enough to recognize the way out of this slavery. They die without even experiencing peace and without tasting heaven on earth. I remember Uleng who was featured in MMK. He is a living testimony of a young man who dared to make a difference when everybody around him chose to surrender. I know that despite of all the things he went through, he has found the key to the glory of living. It is because he has learned how to deal with life’s circumstances in the right way.
I don’t know where this life would take me in the future. I don’t even know if this article will be published or if it will somehow affect the people if ever it will be. People may even question me or may reject my insights but this is the reflection of who I am. If I write something that is against my belief, then I become a traitor to myself.
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