WHEN LIFE BECOMES A CHALLENGE

I lost interest in politics for a time. I could not find my political bearings right after the elections. It had seemed as if we were going through one political exercise after another without any light at the end of the tunnel. So after electing PNoy what’s next? Sure the hello Garci was going to become history but then there are still things to be ironed out, truths to be uncovered and punishments to be meted out to the many crimes against the people. Everything seemed so gargantuan that starting from anywhere was like a shot in the dark. We could shoot down the issues one by one but new ones crop up.

So here we are, crawling, creeping through with the new administration, which has a lot of new faces except for a few known to have been part of the non-governmental organizational movement. But where are we really in? Are we moving on or are we stepping back and laying the groundwork for another lackadaisical regime to repeat the mistakes of the past, or to just maintain the status quo and hope for the changes to happen, come what may?

As citizens of this country, I believe that we must creatively seek what we can do to strengthen our democratic processes. That should be our main contribution, not any kind of movement that will topple this regime into oblivion. Rather we must find ways and means to make meaningful acts that will redound to the bright future of all generations.

I believe that we must not preach cynicism nor frustration among the people, but rather help them shape values that will be helpful to them and to the country. We can share with them our own ways of moving about to make changes in our lives and society. We can start with doing meditation, which in a way makes us start with a blank mind and then go on to concentrate on breathing in and out.

Then we must make them dig deep into their past and find out what strengths their parents and grandparents have from which they can learn and possibly ape in order to face their present lives.

Thirdly, we can share with them artistic skills – photography, arts and crafts, and even filmmaking in order to make them value cultural work, artworks, which bring out our greatest fears, urges and dreams of a better life.

Lastly, or so at this time, let us create prayers that they can recite in solitude or with others and which will inspire them to continue living, to seek spiritual guidance as they face life’s ups and downs. We need to emphasize to them to always bear in mind that they do not live alone, that the unexamined life is not worth living as Socrates had said, and always to hold on to a dream which they could work for to realize no matter what the odds are.
(This write-up came about because of a news itemabout two days ago that a 15-year old girl in Negros Occ. committed suicide after her grade in Math went down to 78% after reaching the 90's. She had been living with her grandparents.)