Leaving our country is a very painful process the second time around. Whether for a job or to attend a conference, it is very difficult seeing from the airplane those little islands that become dots later on as the plane zooms up into the skies. I feel so much loss, so much pain knowing that those kids waving goodbye from the barbed-wire fences surrounding the airport would not see us again, or me again for a few weeks or days or so.
Why is this so? The Philippines remains in a tender spot in our hearts. She is Inang Bayan, barefooted, a woman in flag-draped clothes with long hair, and sad eyes looking at a man in Katipunero uniform with the sambalilo on his hand kneeling before her with one knee as if asking for her blessings.
We could be in pain knowing how our kababayan will be left behind in the care of a government that is not that totally sincere in bringing about changes, from poverty to prosperity, from injustice to justice, from inequalities to equalities. And we feel powerless in the face of forces that seem to get petrified in the pedestals they are in.
Yet we also know that deep inside we must discard certain values like those feudal ones of being too polite in the face of oppression, of being too accommodating of friends who exhibit intolerance or even are manipulative of political processes in organizations. We need to be broadminded and carry on changes within ourselves so that we come out assertive in the face of these forces that could spell a difference in the way we participate in our society.
Also, we must look at religion as not merel a ritual of saying prayers or attending masses but a way to renew our spiritual energies so that we will be able to face those forces again and again and not feel defeat everytime we meet them. Our prayers have to be changed too, not all the time saying "mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa," as soon as we reach the steps of the church. No we must say, "I come my God to pray and be nurtured. Bring your blessings please so that I may love my life and be strong to face those who wish to bring evil to me and to my country. Give us your caring hands that we may not feel down when so many problems seem to overwhelm us." Yes, I believe that the Church has to constantly re-invent itself, to revise those prayers that bring about a slavish mentality to unnatural forces. The Church must not only preach humility but also strength to overcome those proud and arrogant powerful forces that refuse to see the handwriting on the wall.
Noli me tangere. Touch me not, said Rizal. Why because the wounds are so deep and to touch them is to bring about more pain. Let us all heal that pain.
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A new war is on between the Israelites and the Palestinians, an age-old war for dominance and supremacy. Why can’t these two people shake hands and be friends? Is it really difficult being a friend to an armed person? What makes arms drive people to kill and massacre communities? Why is there no respect for life at all?
There could be cold war, not anyone moving at all to help on anything. There could be ostracism of each other, or simply dislike without having to want to demolish and/or to act on obliterating the other from this earth. Or am I just being pollyanesque? Is it being a cock-eyed optimist to want peace, to desire simple co-existence for each other?
Yet if we will examine it, Israel purports to be the home of the chosen people. They have even been granted land to have a home to call as home. It should act primarily as a peacekeeper, not as a warmonger or war hawk. Israel is the home of the Bible, the home of course where also Jesus was nailed and had died on the cross. My goodness a lot of contradictions in life.
I wonder how these events will end. I can think of children all over the world, holding hands in the streets from one end of the country to the other in all the countries and wanting peace all over, to stop all forms of war, and their mothers, grandmothers and all grandparents (whether true or surrogate) carrying placards, with captions like “give us breathing space, save our lives – human and all living things, stop aggression, peace, peace, peace.”
But right here in our community, the spies don’t let up in harassing me. The dogs next door are barking as I am writing this, seemingly wanting to stop my writing. Why what’s wrong about writing about peace? What’s wrong about wanting to save lives? Is this already passé? Is this antiquated thinking?
The world has to stand on its feet, no longer on its head. When you stand on your head, you cannot see the world as it is, but upside down, with all your perspectives awry. But when you stand on your feet, you see it as it is, with all its imperfections and perfections that need to be aligned.
Is it asking for heaven, for utopia if we say we want peace? Sick, the world is very sick and some people really want to make it a crazy world, from the media – the radio, to the neighborhood, to all those who hold the keys to power. What mad power.
i can't open my account and post a new blog. someone is controlling my email address, what brazen authoritarian posture
i can't open my account and post a new blog. someone is controlling my email address, what brazen authoritarian posture
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