Quaint Modernity

"Fuego!" And the bang that followed reverberated into the psyche of every Filipino.

Heroism…a ubiquitous term found in every page of history books; a word used to describe an act that shows remarkable courage. It is a simple word yet perceived vaguely by many people. For the youths, heroism is when someone rescues them from the taunting of their playmates. For the workers, it means searching for greener pastures to provide for their loved ones. For elder people, it symbolizes the dedication of one's life for the good of the many. But for me, heroism is when someone dreams, aspires and achieves.

That definition was inspired by a man whose name has survived the march of times in the pedestal for great men. He is a great man who used the might of his pen to fight the sound of silence that is enveloping the hearts of his fellowmen. In pursuit of national solidarity, he authored two great novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, to expose the colonial fallacies and to awaken the lethargic sense of nationalism within us. We all know this eminent person whose works speak of the cure for the social cancer that was deteriorating the backbone of our society. He is our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

"I want to be…" Every child has his own dream, may it be fictitious or realistic. Even people revered today as the world's brilliant men started with those lines. Our national hero also spoke those lines in the same way we do- with hope and determination flaming into our eyes promising a bright future. I am part of the youth referred to as the hope of our nation. I am part of the people who will continue growing the immortal seed of our heroes and will fulfill dreams that were thought to be lofty. With education as our armor against ignorance and freedom as our weapon, we are able to battle the problems faced to us by the present era known as globalization. Unlike more than a century ago, the youths were not equipped with these weapons. They did not enjoy the right to fully express their emotions, discover new things, unveil opportunities and possibilities, understand dilemmas, and find the cure to the sickness of our nation. Only few who are courageous enough dared to seek for these weapons which were later inherited by our parents and passed on to us. With our sincerest thanks to them, we are now enjoying the freedom to speak our ideas and emotions without being exiled; we are free to develop ourselves to our fullest capacity without being deprived of our rights as a citizen. We are no longer hostages to the uncertain future for we are the ones holding the key for a brighter one; a key made of our hopes, ambitions and goals...a key which will unlock a door of opportunities, possibilities and achievements. We, the product of courage and wisdom, are the therapy to the social cancer. We are also dreamers, aspirants and achievers in every aspect of life, just like Dr. Jose Rizal.

In the same way, our parents are also like us. In their vein runs the blood of our heroes which inspires them to dream, to aspire and to achieve. That is why most of them are known as the modern-day heroes or the OFWs. They share the same experience with Dr. Jose Rizal being away from his loved ones for a noble cause. These modern-day heroes endure the homesickness brought by distance for they know that through what they are doing, they are able to fulfill their dreams for their families. Every single day, no less than 3200 Filipinos are leaving their native land in pursuit of greener pastures. It might be a bad news for some but I do believe it is essential to the fulfillment of our hero's dream. Being exposed to different cultures means being open-minded, being flexible…being modern. We are no longer contained in a box where one would dictate us about what we are to do. Globalization makes it easy for us to build bridges instead of walls, to extend our hands instead of pulling them back, to go beyond the borders instead of containing ourselves. We are the children of a rich past and a colorful present. We are modern Filipinos living in a modern world.

Filipino Diaspora…a controversy that triggers many positive and negative comments. I, myself, used to disagree with people leaving their native land. I thought that once they leave, they'll forget. They'll be different. They'll be a stranger to their motherland. But I was enlightened as I experience the same situation most of us used to question before. Living in a foreign land for more than a year makes us different. Different in the sense that: we become competitive in a wider scope. Our knowledge about the world isn't only bound in books but we also encounter the world face to face each day. We understand the world better. We come to love our Motherland more. These things are what make us proud as a Filipino. Most are offered with the opportunity to go out of the country but that doesn’t mean leaving our identity behind. A borderless world makes it possible to build nations within a nation. Dr. Jose Rizal also traveled to places to learn more about the world, its people and his own country, but he went there carrying the brown skin and black hair, just like us. We are to show the world that we sprung from a hardy race, of brown skinned men whose courage shines as bright as the sun, whose hopes soar to the sky and whose love for their country reaches the heavens. We are Filipinos and we will always be one. Rizal is living in each and every one of us. He lives in every kid who dreams big, in every youth who equips himself with education, in every father who pours every sweat and blood for the welfare of his family, in every mother who smiles genuinely for every family's satisfaction, in every teacher who patiently imparts knowledge and the lessons in life, in every OFW who chooses to gamble with fate in the hope of providing a better future for their families, in every Filipino who dreams, aspires and achieve.

As he falls to the ground, his blood heals the land and his spirit blesses his fellowmen. And forever he lives.

It was last night when I saw the words that made my world stop. I could feel the coldness seeping through my soul and conquering it as I watch my nightmare become a reality.

I was expecting it to happen. While I was in the bus, he called me to tell that we got to have a serious talk. I was really worried but I couldn’t do anything but pray that it was just a bad feeling, a negative thought that would later disappear. I tried to comfort myself because I've always trusted his words. I've always trusted him whenever he said he'd never leave me.

It's been 17 months since we confessed our feelings for each other. And within those months, we've experienced many things; things that we thought to have only exist in movies. I never thought that it is the kind of love story I'd have. There is too much twists and turns which are even more than that in movies. I hate to make it sound exaggerated but that's just how our story goes.

He was and is always special for me. There is something about him that made me fall in love this much. But until now, I can't find what that something is. It's probably because that something is every little thing about him. It was with him that I experienced the greatest feeling I've ever had – falling in love. I can't exactly explain how it feels. But I know it had always been great. The pains brought by our problems were never a pain for us. They served as challenges that we have to overcome; opportunities for us to be one. It used to be like that. We used to see hope in every circumstances. But now, as the nightmare continues to play, I watch our memories turn gray; I watch myself feel helpless.

He'd be sent back to his country to study. There was nothing wrong about that. I didn't find anything wrong with that. But he was worried he'd be there for good and he couldn't be with me anymore. He's afraid he'd be stuck in there forever. And as he continued, he stabbed me with words that tore me apart. He was asking me to forget him. The world seemed to close down on me. I remembered the bad feeling I had while I was in the bus. I remembered my prayers. I realized that they weren't heard. I stared blankly and thought about what he said. He was making a point when he asked me what if he was just wasting my time. My heart disagreed. He was never a waste of time and he will never be. I've always known that every single moment with him was a treasure. I admired him for his guts. I made him a strong person, so now I guess he won't be needing me anymore. There was never a problem that we've never solved before. But this time, I felt as though we're going to fail this one, and the consequence would be putting an x mark on forever.

My sickness got in the way while we were chatting, but I was thankful for it because it made him calm me even for a while. I know everything he said was uncertain, but I know I have to believe them. I have to put my trust in him when he told me he won't leave me, even though I know he was just saying that so my situation won't be grave. He realized he's messing with my health now so he has to stop with all his bullshit and make promises that I know would be broken.

It's the first time he hurt me so much that it was to the point that I found my existence inessential; to the point that I questioned why God is doing this to me. But behind all those, I thank my parents for raising me to be strong. I know I have some strength left, and if needed, I'm going to be exhausting it just to save our relationship.

I remembered something while I was in the bus; it was something I couldn’t explain but it was as though God made me think that He would never put us to a test where He knows we can't surpass. As I realize God's purpose, the coldness was melted. I became a stronger person.

I will always believe that we are meant for each other. After all, things will change. And with God's help, we'll be together in time. I don't believe in letting go. It was never an option, and even if it was, I would never choose it. I would rather believe the unbelievable and do the impossible rather than to let go and regret it in the end. What matters now is that we still both love each other, and with God, our love can conquer everything.

Quaint Modernity

"Fuego!" And the bang that followed reverberated into the psyche of every Filipino.

Heroism…a ubiquitous term found in every page of history books; a word used to describe an act that shows remarkable courage. It is a simple word yet perceived vaguely by many people. For the youths, heroism is when someone rescues them from the taunting of their playmates. For the workers, it means searching for greener pastures to provide for their loved ones. For elder people, it symbolizes the dedication of one's life for the good of the many. But for me, heroism is when someone dreams, aspires and achieves.

That definition was inspired by a man whose name has survived the march of times in the pedestal for great men. He is a great man who used the might of his pen to fight the sound of silence that is enveloping the hearts of his fellowmen. In pursuit of national solidarity, he authored two great novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, to expose the colonial fallacies and to awaken the lethargic sense of nationalism within us. We all know this eminent person whose works speak of the cure for the social cancer that was deteriorating the backbone of our society. He is our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

"I want to be…" Every child has his own dream, may it be fictitious or realistic. Even people revered today as the world's brilliant men started with those lines. Our national hero also spoke those lines in the same way we do- with hope and determination flaming into our eyes promising a bright future. I am part of the youth referred to as the hope of our nation. I am part of the people who will continue growing the immortal seed of our heroes and will fulfill dreams that were thought to be lofty. With education as our armor against ignorance and freedom as our weapon, we are able to battle the problems faced to us by the present era known as globalization. Unlike more than a century ago, the youths were not equipped with these weapons. They did not enjoy the right to fully express their emotions, discover new things, unveil opportunities and possibilities, understand dilemmas, and find the cure to the sickness of our nation. Only few who are courageous enough dared to seek for these weapons which were later inherited by our parents and passed on to us. With our sincerest thanks to them, we are now enjoying the freedom to speak our ideas and emotions without being exiled; we are free to develop ourselves to our fullest capacity without being deprived of our rights as a citizen. We are no longer hostages to the uncertain future for we are the ones holding the key for a brighter one; a key made of our hopes, ambitions and goals...a key which will unlock a door of opportunities, possibilities and achievements. We, the product of courage and wisdom, are the therapy to the social cancer. We are also dreamers, aspirants and achievers in every aspect of life, just like Dr. Jose Rizal.

In the same way, our parents are also like us. In their vein runs the blood of our heroes which inspires them to dream, to aspire and to achieve. That is why most of them are known as the modern-day heroes or the OFWs. They share the same experience with Dr. Jose Rizal being away from his loved ones for a noble cause. These modern-day heroes endure the homesickness brought by distance for they know that through what they are doing, they are able to fulfill their dreams for their families. Every single day, no less than 3200 Filipinos are leaving their native land in pursuit of greener pastures. It might be a bad news for some but I do believe it is essential to the fulfillment of our hero's dream. Being exposed to different cultures means being open-minded, being flexible…being modern. We are no longer contained in a box where one would dictate us about what we are to do. Globalization makes it easy for us to build bridges instead of walls, to extend our hands instead of pulling them back, to go beyond the borders instead of containing ourselves. We are the children of a rich past and a colorful present. We are modern Filipinos living in a modern world.

Filipino Diaspora…a controversy that triggers many positive and negative comments. I, myself, used to disagree with people leaving their native land. I thought that once they leave, they'll forget. They'll be different. They'll be a stranger to their motherland. But I was enlightened as I experience the same situation most of us used to question before. Living in a foreign land for more than a year makes us different. Different in the sense that: we become competitive in a wider scope. Our knowledge about the world isn't only bound in books but we also encounter the world face to face each day. We understand the world better. We come to love our Motherland more. These things are what make us proud as a Filipino. Most are offered with the opportunity to go out of the country but that doesn’t mean leaving our identity behind. A borderless world makes it possible to build nations within a nation. Dr. Jose Rizal also traveled to places to learn more about the world, its people and his own country, but he went there carrying the brown skin and black hair, just like us. We are to show the world that we sprung from a hardy race, of brown skinned men whose courage shines as bright as the sun, whose hopes soar to the sky and whose love for their country reaches the heavens. We are Filipinos and we will always be one. Rizal is living in each and every one of us. He lives in every kid who dreams big, in every youth who equips himself with education, in every father who pours every sweat and blood for the welfare of his family, in every mother who smiles genuinely for every family's satisfaction, in every teacher who patiently imparts knowledge and the lessons in life, in every OFW who chooses to gamble with fate in the hope of providing a better future for their families, in every Filipino who dreams, aspires and achieve.

As he falls to the ground, his blood heals the land and his spirit blesses his fellowmen. And forever he lives.

It was last night when I saw the words that made my world stop. I could feel the coldness seeping through my soul and conquering it as I watch my nightmare become a reality.

I was expecting it to happen. While I was in the bus, he called me to tell that we got to have a serious talk. I was really worried but I couldn’t do anything but pray that it was just a bad feeling, a negative thought that would later disappear. I tried to comfort myself because I've always trusted his words. I've always trusted him whenever he said he'd never leave me.

It's been 17 months since we confessed our feelings for each other. And within those months, we've experienced many things; things that we thought to have only exist in movies. I never thought that it is the kind of love story I'd have. There is too much twists and turns which are even more than that in movies. I hate to make it sound exaggerated but that's just how our story goes.

He was and is always special for me. There is something about him that made me fall in love this much. But until now, I can't find what that something is. It's probably because that something is every little thing about him. It was with him that I experienced the greatest feeling I've ever had – falling in love. I can't exactly explain how it feels. But I know it had always been great. The pains brought by our problems were never a pain for us. They served as challenges that we have to overcome; opportunities for us to be one. It used to be like that. We used to see hope in every circumstances. But now, as the nightmare continues to play, I watch our memories turn gray; I watch myself feel helpless.

He'd be sent back to his country to study. There was nothing wrong about that. I didn't find anything wrong with that. But he was worried he'd be there for good and he couldn't be with me anymore. He's afraid he'd be stuck in there forever. And as he continued, he stabbed me with words that tore me apart. He was asking me to forget him. The world seemed to close down on me. I remembered the bad feeling I had while I was in the bus. I remembered my prayers. I realized that they weren't heard. I stared blankly and thought about what he said. He was making a point when he asked me what if he was just wasting my time. My heart disagreed. He was never a waste of time and he will never be. I've always known that every single moment with him was a treasure. I admired him for his guts. I made him a strong person, so now I guess he won't be needing me anymore. There was never a problem that we've never solved before. But this time, I felt as though we're going to fail this one, and the consequence would be putting an x mark on forever.

My sickness got in the way while we were chatting, but I was thankful for it because it made him calm me even for a while. I know everything he said was uncertain, but I know I have to believe them. I have to put my trust in him when he told me he won't leave me, even though I know he was just saying that so my situation won't be grave. He realized he's messing with my health now so he has to stop with all his bullshit and make promises that I know would be broken.

It's the first time he hurt me so much that it was to the point that I found my existence inessential; to the point that I questioned why God is doing this to me. But behind all those, I thank my parents for raising me to be strong. I know I have some strength left, and if needed, I'm going to be exhausting it just to save our relationship.

I remembered something while I was in the bus; it was something I couldn’t explain but it was as though God made me think that He would never put us to a test where He knows we can't surpass. As I realize God's purpose, the coldness was melted. I became a stronger person.

I will always believe that we are meant for each other. After all, things will change. And with God's help, we'll be together in time. I don't believe in letting go. It was never an option, and even if it was, I would never choose it. I would rather believe the unbelievable and do the impossible rather than to let go and regret it in the end. What matters now is that we still both love each other, and with God, our love can conquer everything.