LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

To know Marijuana is significant because we will be able to know the importance of medical marijuana, the side effects and the advantages/disadvantages.  Marijuana is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa.  The term Marijuana is oftentimes interchangeably with Cannabis, which is the plant genus that is used as a drug.  If Marijuana is from Cannabis sativa which is used as drugs, therefore Marijuana is a drug.  However, Marijuana is not legally used as drugs in many countries like the Philippines because it is dangerous and has highly addictive effects.  Strict prescription is restricted in other countries.  The use of medical marijuana is to relieve serious and chronic symptoms.  Studies report that medical Cannabis/Marijuana is used for depression and anxiety disorder.  It has more than cannabinoid chemicals including cannabidiol and tetrahydorocannabinol which help to manage the stress.  Cannabis also helps seizures, sleep issues, chronic pain, nausea, vomiting caused by cancer treatment like chemotherapy, weight loss, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy to name some.  Because of Cannabis effects like euphoria, mood changes, relaxation, increased appetite, Marijuana is used recreationally.  But since it is not widely approved (but in few countries only) as drug, therefore it is classified as illegal.

Marijuana is considered an herbal medicine.  But because it is not yet approved by BFAD in the Philippines, it is consider illegal that is why it is not openly available in the market, and anything found of using it is considered crime, and nobody wants to be outlaw.  The pending studies are still ongoing whether or not it should legalize.  There is a very long and old debate about Marijuana – the argument is that should it be legalized? And it can be abused if it will legalize.   By late 1800’s, cannabis extracts were sold in pharmacies and doctors offices in Europe and United States to treat stomach problems and other ailment. Dr. Jose P. Rizal even mentioned the illegal opium in Noli Me Tangere, like marijuana, to have the sense of calm and releif of pain  In early 1900S, the United State made the drug illegal due to fear to cause serious threat to public health, and other countries followed.  We are in 2024 now, and with several studies that have made about the use of Marijuana, medical marijuana should be now legalized so that we can serve many patients who badly need the benefits of Marijuana.  Since the early 20^th century, how many people had been suffered in the illness that actually curable/ but we deprived because of illegalization of Marijuana?  And how many more patients will we deprive their suffering and their pains?  And how many suffering patients have died in pain just because we cannot give the cure?  Why we prolong their pain and suffering?  It is more humane to ease the pain rather than worry the abuse of it that we can actually control.  I believe the control can be still imposed by following the pharmacy’s restriction and buy chasing those illegally use it.

Coming up with this discussion is timely and important.  After the COVID-19 pandemic, we became informed and well alert about mental health.  Mental health like anxiety, panic disorder, and depression are difficult to deal with and are not to be ignored.  With the stress management benefits that can get from Cannabis/Marijuana, we should use this to address the serious battle of mental health.  Although it could abuse but then again, that is the reason of strict guidance from medical experts.  Therefore it is essential to disclose that you’re using cannabis to your psychiatrist, primary care physician, and any doctor who prescribes medication to you.  Catriona Grey, a famous Filipina commercial model who clinched the title of a prestigious beauty contest in 2018 said “am for it being used in a medical used but not so for recreational use” when asked her opinion about the legalization of marijuana.  She added that everything is good but in moderation, and I totally agree with her.  Why don’t we give medical marijuana the chance to legally use specially those who have stage-4 cancer?  There are so many people we deprived to live just because Marijuana is illegal.  Why we prolong the suffering of the patients if there is actually cure that is already scientifically proven?  If there are medical studies that say Marijuana cures, then I would be in favor of legalizing medical Marijuana but we should have strict regulation.

GULONG NG BUHAY

Obligasyon, tungkulin at responsibilidad ng mga magulang na pakainin, alagaan, turuan, palakihin, at buhayin ang kanilang mga anak.  Pero ang tanong, obligasyon o responsibilidad ba ng mga anak na tulungan o alagaan ang kanilang mga magulang kapag sila ay matatanda na?  Ang sagot – oo na may mga “kung” at “pero”.  Oo kung kinakailangan, oo pero hindi ipinagpipilitan.  Mayroon bang responsibilidad na boluntaryo lamang?  Meron kasi kung tama ang pag-aalaga at pagpapalaki mo sa kanila, kung ang naituro mo sa kanila ay ung gusto mong ituro, magiging boluntaryo ang kanilang pagtrato sa iyo.  Hindi na ito magiging katanungan kung dapat ba o  hindi kundi kagustuhan, pag-galang at pagmamahal na kaya gagawin nila ang pagtulong/pag-aalaga. Sa totoo lang, depende talaga sa sitwasyon at sa relasyon ng mga anak at magulang.

Bilang magulang, hindi ka nag-asawa at nag-anak para mayroong mag-alaga sa pagtanda mo.  Hindi ka nag-pamilya para sa seguridad mo.  At hindi mo dapat iutos o iobliga ang pagtanaw ng utang ng loob ng iyong mga anak, at huwag mong isumbat ang mga ginawa mo sa kanila dahil unang-una ay trabaho mo iyun, iyun ang dapat mong gawin, at pinili mong iyun ang iyong gawin.  Kasi kung panumumbat din lang naman ay pareho din naman kayong may utang ng loob sa isat-isa.  Hindi mababayaran ang utang ng loob, tulad din ng hindi mo kayang bayaraan ang utang ng loob na ginawa nila nang maging kumpleto ka dahil sila ang bumuo ng iyong pagkatao nang isilang sila.  Ang ipanganak ay hindi utang ng loob sa magulang dahil hindi naman hiniling ng mga bata na ipanganak sila bagkus ay ang mga magulang ang may gusto na magkaroon ng mga anak upang masabing magulang sila.  Kaya nag-aasawa ang mga tao at nag-kakaanak ay upang ituloy ang kabuuan ng ikot ng buhay kaya dapat lang na buhayin nila ang kanilang mga anak.  Nang ikaw ay mag-asawa ay nilisan mo na ang iyong mga magulang para bumuo ng sarili mong pamilya, at ganun din ang dapat mong asahan sa pag-aasawa ng iyong mga anak.  Tayo at tayo din ang magaalaga sa ating mga sarili. Hindi man obligado pero kung kaligayahan ng mga anak mo ang tulungan ka, lingunin ang mga ginawa mong paghihirap, pahalagahan ang mga ginawa mo sa kanila, sa kabila ng nahihirapan man sila sa buhay – iyun ay suwerte na lamang.

Bilang anak, responsibilidad mo ang iyong magulang kasi sino ang mag-aalaga sa mga magulang mo kung ang magulang ng iyong mga magulang ay wala na?  Ikaw na siyang pinakamalapit nilang kamag-anak ang siyang may responsibilidad.  Dito pumapasok ang kagandahang asal at ugali na itinuro sa iyo ng iyong mga magulang.  Bilang ganti at nilalaman ng puso mo, aalagaan at tutulungan mo sila.  Pinalaki ka sa abot ng makakayanan ng iyong mga magulang – yun lang ay dapat mo ng tanawin ng utang na loob at bukas sa loob na pagtulong.  Hindi man dapat isapilitang obligahin ang mga anak na alagaan o tulungan ang kanilang mga magulang  ngunit bilang isang anak ay kailangan mong igalang at kilalanin ang iyong magulang, at bilang isang tao ay tungkulin mo na tulungan ang mga nangangailangan.  Kung iisipin ay hindi na ito dapat umabot sa tanungan kung responsibilidad ba ito dahil hindi na responsibilidad kundi kagustuhan mo na ito kasi umiiral na dito iyung bilang-ganti, paggalang at PAGMAMAHAL kaya gagawin mo ang nararamdaman mo.

Ang lahat ay nasa sitwasyon.  May mga tao na nasasabi nila ngayon na hindi sila aasa sa kanilang mga anak kasi ay may trabaho sila o may pera sila, paano yung mga walang pera at hirap na hirap sa buhay?  Kahit alam na natin sa umpisa pa lamang na hindi natin dapat iasa sa ating mga anak ang ating buhay at paghandaan natin ang ating buhay sa pagtanda natin, paano kung ang lahat ng oras, lakas, at yaman ay naubos para sa mga anak kaya hindi napaghandaan ang kanilang pagtanda?  Paaano naman kung ang kalagayan ng anak ay isa ring hikahos dahil sa pagpapakain, pagpapaaral at pagpapalaki ng sariling mga anak kaya walang kakayahang tumulong?  Tungkulin sana ng pamahalaan na arugain nito ang kanyang mga mamamayan na walang kakayahang alagaan ang mga sarili pero nakakalungkot na hindi ito ramdam sa ating bayan.  Kaya sa bandang huli ay sino pa ba ang magtutulungan kundi tayo-tayo rin mismo.  Hindi na dapat tanungin kung dapat bang tumanaw ng utang ng loob, obligasyon ba o hindi, basta kung may kakayahang makatulong ay gawin na lamang kung ano ang nararapat.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND (As Narrated by Alex Villamayor)

A 2024 Maundy Thursday and Good Friday message:

The message of "Footprints in the Sand" is a personal experience that moved me really big. Years 1998 and prior to 2000 were my lowest and saddest point of my life to the point I planned to change my religion. Jobless, negative savings, friend denied me, family was financially short…. Going to church, praying so hard, and attending some worships but I was still undergoing these difficulties – so I thought of going to other religion because I thought maybe I was addressing my prayers to wrong God.

But I was answered. I was answered in a way that was for me. I like reading short stories and messages, and so God gave me a reading material. I found this short article in a journal that when I saw it, the first sentences I read were exactly written like these: “why are you still looking for me? In times when you are in difficulties, in times when you are in pain, those are the times that I am with you, because I am with you who are crucified on the cross".

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE?

Maybe not mistake but my biggest lesson in life is we should live life to the fullest while still young because while we are getting older, our chance to live it to the fullest becomes slim.  I will not say what I chose to live was a mistake, it was just not the practical and witty choice.  I did not choose the popular choice.   This is the reason I think why I still do not feel I am complete.  Doing to live life to full while we are young, we are learning in life, becoming prudent, and earning wisdom and experiences.  And by the time we are old, we are happy in whatever field we have taken because we are made and happy.  If I pursued what I really wanted when I was young, I think I could have a better, happier and more contented life today.

I was so timid, hesitated, and aloof back in the days.  I was always concerned to considering the other people before I make move or decision.  Will the people like it, or will they be affected?  Will they see my flaws, weaknesses, shortcomings and defects?  Will it hit my personality and me as a whole?  And so I deprived myself to feel free, and I suffered self-esteem.  But as I get older, I have realized I don’t need to always consider the others but love myself first as long as no harming others.  I have learned that I am living for myself and not for the others, that I don’t need their validation, to please everybody, and that the more I get older, the less I become uninterested in proving myself.  But the sad thing is, it’s now quite late doing it.  I should have done it long before.

The older you become, the more likely you cannot do what you want.  At my age now, it looks like I cannot go on all the things I used to do and go into bigger and wider lifestyle.  In attempt now to make my life full and big, I want to catch up the lost chances but the time limits my capacity.  I want to enjoy what life can offer like watching concerts, joining rallies, experiencing competitions, and building great bonding with friends and family but the times and resources are practically running out.  I still want to visit at least ten more destinations on my bucket list because I still cannot get enough but the times tell me to slow down.  I travelled to places during late part of my life because back in younger days I chose to set it aside and instead prioritized to get rich, which apparently did not come true because of circumstances.  I still want to work to earn more but my time now is near to retirement and my adrenalin is exhausting, falling, disappearing.  I still want to acquire assets but how can I bravely pay them if having a decent job is no longer on my side? There is no more time, there is no more chance.

But on the other hand when I look back, how can I live the life to the full if I was unequipped then.  Maybe what it meant to live it to the fullest is to be courageous which I was not.  In life you have to be brave – in the sense of confidence to make the move to change your life.  Be brave to loan if it is good credit.  Be brave to meet strange people and be friend. Be brave to speak with veteran and erudite people to gain knowledge.  Be brave to fall in love again and again.  Be brave to take the risk of leading a group of people. Be brave to commit mistakes to learn the lessons.  Be brave to do what makes you happy, complete, and productive – in a fair way.  Life is short and quick to never leave till tomorrow what you can do today so follow your heart and enjoy life to the fullest.  Do it now, because time will come you will feel uninterested in doing these things that you are keen of doing today, or no matter how much you want it but you have no more time and no longer have the strength to do it.  And no matter what we do, we cannot really go back to the past and redo, correct and restart our life.  There is no rewind, there is no take-two.

Time is always our enemy.  The older we get, the lesser times we can do what we want to do.  We get tired while taking our life’s journey until we get old.  By the time we are old, we’re unable to complete what we have missed to do when we’re young.  Be brave to live life to the fullest responsibly.

LETTING GO

At times when we need to let go of things we have held for a long time.  They could be personal old stuffs that become pile up already, or sentimental things with value that have lost the meaning, let them go for someone may need them more than we do.  Sometimes the meaning of sentimental value becomes deceiving when the very purpose of it doesn’t serve the correct feelings.  Maybe we really don’t need them and we are just on the material than the nostalgic value.

 

Letting go is for immaterial too – emotion, behavior, character.  It could be the feelings of fear, guilt, envy, pessimism, holding grudges that become burden, let them go for our mental heath’s sake.  It could be the unrealistic goals, remorse, trauma or bad memories, and unforgiving that hold us back, let them go for our peace of mind. Get rid of being crazy, unload those personalities and experiences for your fresh start and moving on.

 

And letting go could be a person that needs to let go for good sake.  Family, friendship, colleague; we could be in five, ten, thirteen years together but if the circumstances tell, so be it.  Sometimes even we are in good term with each other for that long, even there is actually no issue between us, we need to accept one of us has to go for the good and we need to be apart because this is what it is called for.

 

It doesn’t mean that we have issue or conflict with the person, and it doesn’t mean we do not care but if it is for betterment and possible good opportunities ahead, that is indeed more than caring so why preempt either anyone or both of us?  It is better let us go because there are opportunities come that we can seize up if we are on our own.  And some people do come and go in our life to shape us and give something to make us better person.

 

Letting each one of us goes doesn’t mean that we will not be in touch anymore.  We are just at a distance and not seeing each other but in reality, there will be continued connection and open communication in between.  To sum these up, it doesn’t mean to let go per se is goodbye, but the beginning of something that needs.

 

And for those relationships that are going through difficult times and still trying to fixing the irresolvable differences, learn the art of letting go.  In relationships that are on the rock, there are things better off if separately.  There are things you can do better if you are on your own.  You are pulling each other down when you are always in contrast and this makes you both preempting your growth.  This is the realization that some people are meant to meet and know each other to be part of their life story but not their destiny.

 

Letting go someone or something you don’t have favorable feeling is easy but on the things you really want to the moon and back is a hard effort. Letting it go is always sad, accepting it is always difficult.  Change is never easy.  We need to learn acceptance.  To accept, we need to understand and understanding is not just knowing what is going on but more than that is agreeing to why it is happening.  Look at the other sides of the story and always put yourself in other’s shoe to come up a fair judgment.  True enough, letting go will make you feel better and easier.  I think this is the art of letting go.  

 

29

Ang kwentong ito ay may tema at lengwahe na maaaring hindi angkop sa mga bata na nangangailangan ng matinding patnubay ng mga nakatatanda.  Ito ay halaw sa totoong buhay ng isang lalaki tungkol sa kanyang masayang pamumuhay dahil sa kanyang misteryo at nagulo ang buhay dahil sa nasabing misteryo.

Ang mga tao sa kanugnugang lugar ay mayroon mga makalumang gawi at paniniwala sa buhay na sinusunod pa rin hanggang ngayon, lalo na iyung mga naninirahan sa kabundukan at mga isla.  Bagamat nasa makabagong panahon na tayo, malakas pa rin ang kanilang paniniwala sa mga pamahiin, engkanto, aswang, kababalaghan, pampasuwerte, agimat o anting-anting, at iba pa.  Isa na dito ang lalaking ito na naniniwalang mayroon siyang agimat mula sa buwan.  May sikreto ang lalaki, may hatid daw na hiwaga ang kabilugan ng buwan.  Ang lalaki na naniniwalang may misteryong nangayayari sa kanya na pinagdaraanan at nararanasan niya tuwing bilog ang buwan, ay ang tungkol sa kanyang pagnanasa at pagkalalaki.  Anuba’t sa kung anomang dahilan ay nakakaramdam siya ng matinding pagkasabik sa mga bagay na erotika, kagalingan sa pakikipagtalik, at ang palagay sa sarili na ang kanyang pagkakalalaki ay nasa pinakamagaling nitong hitsura na maaari niyang ipagmamalaki.  Kaya palagi iyang hinihintay ang kabilugan ng buwan.

Humigit-kumulang dalawampu’t siyam na mga araw upang ang buwan ay maging ganap na bilog na nagsasabing ang paniniwala ng lalaki na may kakaibang nangyayari sa kanya.  At pagsapit nito ay muli na naman siyang magiging malakas at matipunong mandirigma.  Maganda ang naidudulot ng pagbilog ng buwan dahil nagagampanan niya ang kanyang obligasyon bilang lalaki sa pangangailangan ng kanyang asawa.  Bukod sa isang mabuting ama sa tatlong anak, mahal na mahal ng lalaki ang kanyang asawa, ang lahat ng maibibigay niya sa kanyang makakayanan ay gagawin niya.  Lalo na ang ugnayan nilang lalaki at babae bilang mag-asawa, ang bilog na buwan ay nagsisilbing katuwang niya ngunit ito rin ang magiging sanhi ng kanyang pagdaraanang pagsubok sa kanilang matrimonyo.  Sinukat ang kanyang katapatan ng ang ng dati niyang kababaryo na kanyang kumare na tuksong hindi niya maiwasang hindi pansinin lalo na sa panahon na ang pagnanasa ng kanyang katawang-lupa ay mataas. Dahil dito ay hindi niya napigilan na magpakupkop sa ibang kandungan.  Ang lalaki na isang mabait na asawa ay dumating sa punto na nakapagtaksil dahil sa masidhing damdamin sa pagtatalik nang kabilugan ng buwan, isang malaking pagsubok sa kanyang buhay may-asawa ang nangyari dahil masisira ang kanyang pamilya.

Sa makabagong teknolohiya ng pag-uusap hanggang dumating sa punto na umabot sa pagkikita at gawin sa totoo ang gingawa nila sa pag-uusap.  Siya’y nagutom, nanghina, at nagnakaw ng ipinagbabawal na pagkain. Ngunit sa kanyang pagkabusog ay pinagsawaan ang sarap ng pagkain na naging pamatid-gutom niya nang sandali.  Nang matapos ang makamundong gawa ay tila siya’y binuhusan ng malamig na tubig na natauhan na maling-mali ang kanyang ginawa.  Tinapos niya ang ugnayan sa dating kababaryo at itinuon ang lahat ng kanyang oras at sarili sa kanyang asawa, ngunit ang tadhana ay gumagawa ng paraan upang ang lihim ay mabunyag.  Ang asawa ay naging mabangis, siya ay sinampal sa labis na galit, sumambulat ang masasakit na salita, at dinala ang mga anak para ang lalaki ay iwanan.  Hinabol ang asawa pilit hinihingi ang kapatawaran ngunit nahirapan siyang mapa-amo at suyuin ito.  Ang lalaki ay umiiyak, nagmamakaawa, matinding nagisisi.  Labis na kalungkutan ang umusig sa kanya.  Sa madilim na kuwarto ang nag-iisang iniwan ng mag-iina, sising-sisi na nagpatalo sa tukso ng sandaling sarap.  Humagulhol ng iyak, sising-sisi siya sa mga nangyari at sa nagawa niya.  Isang suntok ang pinakawalan niya, sinuntok niya ang dingding na simentong sumugat sa kamao niya at nagdugo.  Bumunghalit ulit ng iyak, tuloy-tuloy ang kanyang iyak, maraming luha – luha ng pagsisisi, pagkalungkot, at pagkabigo.

Nagbalik ang mag-iina sa bahay.  Muli siyang nagmakaawa na huwag siyang iwanan at humingi ng tawad sa asawa. Ang kapatawaran ay kailangan upang magsimula sila ulit mula sa lima papunta sa anim sa pamilya.  Bukod sa pagmamahal, napakahalagang bahagi ng anak sa pagsasama ng mag-asawa, lalong-lalo na ang nasa sinapupunan.  Kahit anong kabutihan natin ay may mga kasalanan pa rin tayong magagawa.  Hindi perpekto ang tao, magkakamali at magkakamali pa rin tayo pero ang mahalaga ay may natututunan sa bawat pagkakamali at hindi inuulit ang ginawang pagkakamali.  Sa bandang huli ay matututunan niya na ang biyaya sa kanya ng bilog na buwan ay nagiging mabisa lamang kung ito ay ginagamit sa kabutihan.  Dahil nang ito ay abusuhin niya at ginamit sa mali ay nagmistulang mitsa ito ng halos pagkawasak ng kanyang pinakamamahal na pamilya.  Sa pamamag-itan ng tapat na pagsisisi at tunay na pagmamahal, ang pagsubok ay kayang pagtagumpayan.  Sa bandang huli, ang pinapaniwalaan niyang bisa ng bilog na buwan ay mistulang mawawalan ng bisa sa kanya at tuluyan na niyang aalisin sa kanyang buhay.

BIYAHE

Sa pagbisita ko sa dakong timog sa isang probinsiya na napakalayo, habang lulan ng bus na pampubliko sa biyaheng higit siyam na oras na itinakbo, sa isip ay nagkaroon ako ng mga kwento, kuro-kuro, at mga pagkatuto.  Ang daan na binabaybay ay parang telon sa pinilakang-tabing na nakikita ko ang iba-t-ibang tagpo sa lugar na tinatakbo.  Maliwanag ang ala-una sa tirik na sikat ng araw ng alas-dos ng hapon, para akong inihehele sa mahabang daan na di matapos-tapos subalit hindi ako makatulog dahil sa pangangalay sa pagkaka-upo.  Malawak ang luntiang palayan, minsan ay maalon na pampang, malawak na ilog sa ilalim ng mataas na tulay, makapal na puno sa paanan ng bundok, kumpol ng mga bahay sa tabi ng kalsada malawak na bakanteng lupa ang susunod na kumpol ng mga bahay, at mga palay na nakabilad sa kalsada – ito ang mga tagpo sa dinadaaanan ng bus.  Ang taon ngayon ay dalawang libo at dalawampu’t tatlo, ngunit bumabalik sa aking alaaala ang mga tagpo nang ako ay bata pa nuong dekada-sitenta dahil nahahawig ang mga tanawing ito sa aking kinagisnang kapaligiran, na ngayon ay naglaho na dahil sa urbanisasyon tulad ng kabiserang Maynila. Ang nakakantok na kulay ng tanghali kapag kaming mga bata ay pinapatulog, mga kawayan o halamang-bakod at nasa tatlong talampakang simento kung nakakaangat sa buhay, bakurang may tanim ng San Francisco o Santan at mga halamang nakatanim sa lata, puno ng kaimito: ganito ang mga nakikita ko nang ako ay bata pa.

Mula pagbabalik-tanaw nuon balik sa ngayon, naturingan akong nasa sarili kong bayan ngunit pakiramdam ko ay estranghero dahil hindi ko maintindihan sa kanilang dayalekto ang mga tao sa loob ng bus, sa bawat estasyon na pinagbababaan at pinag-aakyatan ng mga pasahero, at sa mga naglalakad sa bangketa.  Sa aking mga nakikita, sila ay mga manggagawa, may ilang mga nakasuot ng panglabas ng bahay na bumibiyahi sa karatig-baryo, at ang ilan ay lumuluwas sa susunod na bayan ngunit hindi ko maintindihan ang usapan nila kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang mga ginagawa nila ng araw na iyon.  Bawat istasyon ay may kuwento. Mga manggagawa na umuwi upang mananghalian, bumibisita sa kamag-anak, taga-suri ng tiket ng bus bawat pagka-ilang metro, mga batang hindi pa nag-aaral na naglalaro sa tapat ng kanilang bahay.  Alas tres ng hapon ay medyo kumakapal na ang mga tao.  Nadagdag ang mga mag-aaral.  Habang tumatakbo ang bus na aking sinasakyan ay nabuo sa aking isipan na ang mga tao dito ay may sariling buhay na ginagawa.  Mayrooon silang sariling kwento dito na isinusulat.  Habang sa Maynila na aking nasusubaybayan ay may buhay na nagaganap, dito sa probinsiya ay binubuo nila ang kanilang sariling buhay.  Alas-sais ng hapon ay madalang na ang mga naglalakad.  Madalang na rin ang mga nakakasalubong kong bus dahil sa mga oras na ito ang direksiyon ng transportrasyon ay pabalik na sa pinanggalingan ng mas nakararaming pasahero.  Sa ilang sentro ng bayan ay may mga ilaw pa ang mga naglalakihang pamilihan na dinadagsa ng mga tao upang mamili o magliwaliw lamang.  Bakit ang pakiramdam ko ay iba ang kulay ng dapit-hapon sa lugar na ito? Hanggang inabot na ako ng dilim ng ika-pito ng gabi. Natatanaw ko ang malamlam na ilaw sa mga tahanan, sa pagtakbo ng bus ay alam kong ang mga tao sa kani-kanilang bahay ay nanonood ng telebisyon, may nakita akong kumakain, at mga naghuhuntahan.  Sa kabilang panig ay madilim dahil paanan na iyon ng bundok na walang namamahay.

Ang aking realisasyon sa mahabang biyahe na ito ay; napakaraming nangyayari sa ating lahat nang sabay-sabay, at mas marami ang hindi natin nakikita.  Libo-libong kilometro mula sa atin ay may mga  buhay sa dako duon ang kasalukuyang umiiral, may mga pangyayaring nagaganap, at may kanya-kanyang sariling kuwento na maririnig.  Hindi natin maaaring bale-walain ang nangyayari saan mang napakalayong lupalop o ang nasa kabilang panig ng mundo dahil hindi natin nakikita.  Gulatin man tayo ng isang pambirihang balita ay nangyayari talaga hindi man natin nakita.  Pilit mong isinasalba ang inyong relasyon, dinidibdib mo ang pagkatalo sa negosyo, at nagbabata ka sa trabaho (o pag-aaral) ngunit may mga tao rin sa malayong lugar ang kasalukuyang nahihirapan sa mga pinagdaraanang pagsubok sa buhay.  Ito ang ilan lang sa napakaraming problema na nagpapahirap sa mga tao, tunay na napakahirap lutasin ang mga hinaing at disgusto sa ating mundo.

OF AGE AND AGING

When aged 50’s to 60’s, people start to realize the fast life, and the shortness of life too.  These are the ages you hear the bad news when any of your relatives, the person next to your neighborhood, classmates or school mates, your childhood friends, former co-workers, the celebrities you used to watch have passed away.  These are the years when you often hear about deaths.  You may not be in same age.  Some of them are few years younger than you or little ahead than you but you are in same generation.  Few ones have already gone too soon before reaching 50, it is like you feel it seems you have just seen or talked to them just the other day, and now they have already gone this fast and early.  When you are realizing those you used to be with are now starting to leave, you can really say life is really very short.

You are busy working until you realized life is so fast.  You worked hard for long thirty years or more, and you are now just starting to enjoy your life, and you will realize you will just enjoy your life for maybe ten years?  Sometimes I do ask myself and I wonder if I can use to enjoy to the fullest of what I have worked so hard.  When I heard someone died let say at age 65, I can't help to think that I only have few years left to enjoy the fruits of my hard labor.  I have this feeling that after I got them for long years and will just enjoy them for few years, is it kind of unfair?  There is no guarantee to live another ten, twenty, or thirty years, and I just feel it is unfair living so hard and painful for long years and just enjoy your life for short years only.  There is no guarantee at age 70 if I can still able to walk far, travel long distance, and enjoy what I am enjoying now, so I expect the coming years to enjoy is not that much anymore.  But I believe when I reach there, God has way of redirecting my happiness to different spectrum. I am just hoping I do not cross the existential crisis while I am aging.  I don't want to feel losing all the meaning and purpose of life of an old man.

In recent years, I am starting loosing people.  Those I used to be with, whom in one way or another that in some points of our lives we had been mutually at ease with each other have gone.  I had classmates, co-workers, and some colleagues who have already gone, and of course my mother too.  Now, all I am holding on to is the words to ponder about the value of life.  I think, no matter how long or short your existence in this earth, when you able to perform the roles you opted to play, the life you choose to live, and the ambitions you worked hard to build, the full circle of life is served.  The cycle of life is complete even if you didn’t go through the so called concept of life which is to undergo the series of stages passes from the beginning stage to end and repeat by you r offspring to continue the cycle.  Everybody started from surpassing the miscarriage pregnancy, sad that there are few that did not make it during infancy, toddler years, and childhood.  Another few are not able passed the puberty age, adolescence and adulthood. There are unlucky ones who did not make it to enter the middle age, and blessed are those who reach to senior years.  That is why being golden age is blessing to thank for because not all were blessed to become, especially during these times where life span is really short.  Much more to those who crossed the mark of 80's and centenarian they are truly the  chosen ones to experience such. But my big realization in life is that you don’t have to worry if you will not able to reach to the last, because what really matters most is you served and ended the life you lived right. 

HELLO 2024, THANKS 2023

In a company luncheon gathering just the beginning of the new year, the host asked some of the attendees to say what are you looking forward for new year-2024.  The respondents expressed their gratefulness for the fairness of the company.  Caring, teamwork and feeling at home – these are just some of the thoughts about the company being heard.  Me, while processing the thoughts just in case the mic turns to me, although I am not spontaneous when it comes to impromptu situation like this but I really tried hard to come up with my statement.

I would like to congratulate each and every one of us for completing the year 2023, and it was not just completed just complete it like that but we completed it with flying colors.  And with that being said, I can say we can complete the year 2024 even more flying colors, I mean even better than the year before.  Why? Because we ended the previous year good and it made us to start the year good.

We are in the good position, if we are in good start, then we can deal the coming challenges with belief in ourselves that we can beat them because we are in a good start, we are in a nice position to start the year right and in better position.  We have that opportunity to be smart, to be equipped, to be confident because the good opportunity is on our side.  Because the year 2023 gave us the strength and brought us where we are now.

I think if we will make this as our personal dogma, if we will put it into our life, if we will put in to our heart to end each year good to have a good start in new year, then there is no doubt that we can go up to the highest because we become better year after year, after year.  So, this is my reflection – if we do the year good, then we have that chance to better ourselves until released the best in us.

That was my supposed statement I developed to say if I will be called on but was not.  Looking back to this message, and if I will say it now as not impromptu message, then I want to say that “2023 was a significant year that empowered our position in the industry into a promising beginning.  Starting stronger, bigger, richer, and correctly, there is great opportunity for all of us to make our existence remarkable, powerful, and successful.  We are firmed on the right track, all we need to do is to carefully sustain it if we cannot exceed it.  Because of our fruitful 2023, it makes sense that year 2024 will be better than previous year because that year put us in advantageous position.  We will win over the challenges, we will meet our goals, and we will set the benchmark higher for the next year.  All these is because of ending 2023 gracefully that the year just made us ready, mightier and smarter”.

“In our life, if we have this principle, then undoubtedly sooner or later we will go up on top because we are strong, upgraded, growing, and learning every year”.

2023 was quite good to me.  I cannot say it was best and definitely was not bad.  It was just not remarkable so to speak but there were more good things that I am grateful for than the other way around.  I will make 2024 better than the year was.  I want to strengthen and broaden my goals, appreciate more my family and friends, and deepen my faith in God to make my journey to the dream life in the very near future will be healthy and easy.