By Philip Suzara
Pondering… as I sit here at the edge of my mythical life pond.
One can see many things happening at the edge of life’s pond, as in any pond. Decisions are made there, life changing decisions, defining moments… to get in the pond, or not. The pond is encircled by its edges in different forms and kinds: straight, jagged, rough, rocks, pebbles, sand, soil, or mud. Very much like people. No matter the differences we have, we all belong there… around the life pond, inside, outside, at the edge, but there.
It’s my life!
I think about the many moments when some things just have to be said, and some lines, too, have to be drawn.
Standing up for what one feels to be morally right does not make one a dilawan, and neither is one necessarily partisan.
You cannot just simplify matters of opinion into a simple duality by reducing and branding it as simply being either dutertard or dilawan. It is not a simple difference of choices made; like a clothing style and colour, it is not even partisan politics especially when many lives are affected, it is a continuing battle between good and evil.
I am reminded of words from Bon Jovi’s song, It’s my life.
“This is for the ones who stood their ground
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)”
Critical thinking requires us to be circumspect.
Let me share a crucial discussion I had with a purported “friend” who turns out to be a rabid and blind follower of the old man from that southern island. Those loyal and blind followers have lost all objectivity in the sense that one cannot carry on anymore a decent debate and discussion of issues that may either emanate from poor governance, comportment, and/or whiffs of corruption.
Calling out infractions -- yung mga umaangal sa mga kabastusan ni duterte ay hindi kaagad nangangahulugang gusto nila siyang alisin sa pwesto - yan ang iniisip niya at ganyan din ang iniisip mo. Hindi ko rin sasabihing ikaw ay isang dutertard dahil sa naniniwala ka sa kanya at hindi mo inaangal ang walang pasubali at walang humpay na pang-aalipusta sa damdamin, kalayaan, at kapakanan ng kapwa mong pilipino. Ang mali ay mananatiling mali at ang wasto ay mananatiling wasto - yun ang simple duality... good is good and evil is evil - di magbabago yan maski kailan.
Namamanhid na lamang ang ibang tao at tinatanggap o nilululon ang katiwalian at ang pang-aalipusta niya dahil di sila apektado o kaya ay nabubulagan sila dahil sa kanilang kahibangan sa paghanga sa kanya. Ngunit pagdating sa dulo, di pa rin nagiging wasto ang mali. At yan ay totoo!
Di ko siya binoto ngunit siya ang nanalo; at dahil naniniwala ako sa demokrasya ay ginalang ko ang pasiya ng eleksiyon. Siya na ang pangulo - sa ayaw natin o gusto at tama ka diyan sa sinasabi mong yan! Ngunit sa kanyang pamumuno, di ko siya binibigyan ng pahintulot na yurakan ang aking mga karapatan, kalayaan, karangalan at dignidad ng aking pagkatao.
Di rin niya kaharian at pag-aari ang ating bayan. Patuloy kang maniwala sa iyong mga paniniwala at mga pinahahalagahan - karapatan mo yan at walang maaaring magbago niyan para sa iyo kundi ikaw lamang. Maniwala ka sa akin na ipagtatanggol ko iyang karapatan mong iyan!
I just cannot relate with anyone with whom I do not seem to have shared values with. Di kita kadiwa at kapanalig. Magtutuldok ako at dito nagtatapos ang huntahan na ito pati na ang ating "pagkakaibigan". Kung sakali namang maging mali na ang mali, at wasto na ang wasto sa iyo, mananatiling bukas ang pintuan ko para sa iyo para manumbalik ang ating pagkakaibigan. Gayun ka rin naman sa akin - kung di mo mayakap ang aking mga pinahahalagahan ay humayo ka na lamang. Just walk away and try to live a life that’s full.
Goodbye, bunot. Paalam.
Pondering… as I sit here at the edge of life’s pond.
n.b.
"Goodbye bunot" is a take on an old tv ad for a floorwax. Tinapon na niya ang madalas niyang gamiting bunot dahil sa magaling na bagong wax, na kung saan ang mop o basahan na lamang ang kakailanganing pamunas at di na ang nakagawiang bunot - kailan man.
Parang unang kwento on moving on!
Philip Suzara
Creature of God. Child of the Universe. Global Citizen. Lover of Life. Freedom Fighter. Agent of Change. Lone Wolf. Occasional Consultant for Strategic Communications.
