Heroes (3)

Indeed, great sacrifices were required of these heroes. Hardship and deprivation, fear and anxiety, were all unavoidable circumstances in their lofty aspirations to fight for what is right. Threats of execution were living realities for them, and which fructified in the cases of Rizal, Bonifacio, Aquino and many more. But these images of heroism were accompanied by an enduring spirit even in the face of death.

To embody courage under the most gruesome circumstance, and many of them were tortured, they had to repress their fears of pain and death. To embody toughness, they had to repress their feelings of vulnerability and sacrifice their time with, and emotions for, their families. To embody toughness, they had to repress their sensitivities. To fight the demons of the times, they had to repress compassion for their adversaries.

But the greed and megalomania of tyrants, whom these heroes have confronted, will keep on re-emerging as evil has a tenacious conduct that cannot be banished from the world. Even laws will not suffice to prohibit such conduct as even lawmakers become privy to the evil, the greed, and the contempt for the suffering masses of our people.

But the lessons of history are clear and the lives of our heroes are sufficiently tactile in making us aware of ourselves in the shaping of our destiny. Awareness reduces the chances of being manipulated by plunderers. When we finally take action on our awareness, it is when the hero within ourselves blossoms. And when collective action takes place, it is when the demons of greed, plunder, and corruption, start quaking in their steps. ericfmallonga@yahoo.com

A diamond for the youth - 2

We all get to a point in our lives where our vibrant dreams suddenly turn into a dismal blur. Some would instruct us to do our part then leave it all to God. On the other hand, some would insist that your human abilities are just not enough. So which is it, really? Is it because you lack the faith and fervent prayers to back your aspirations, or are you really not capable of receiving what you long for because of your lack of skills, patience or education? I guess that certain elements will always come to play when it comes to the achievement of things that we hope for. The first is your actual qualifications.

Ask yourself, are your credentials, training and experience sufficient for whatever goal you want to achieve? You cannot be the CEO of a large, multinational firm if you didn’t even finish college. Some may argue that there are still some people who make it big even without the necessary education, as seen in the success stories of dropouts who have become tech magnates or street children who have metamorphosed into boxing superstars. But this is simply a myth; one way or another, these people have paved their way to get there. They did not simply wake up one day with the hand of God casting them from the slums to the big time. They had to work long hours, developed virtues and self-studied to know how to get to where they are now.

And now you wonder why you have all it takes and you’re even overqualified, but you still don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Here’s where life’s most important aspect comes into play—making a huge effort where it matters most. There are those who might not be as talented, but they have excelled more because of their perseverance. After all, diamonds are simply bits of coal that stuck to their jobs. I admit that I am one of the many people who are guilty of the lack of this—I allowed myself to drift from one job to another, not focusing on just one thing because I thought that I could do everything. I also confess that I’ve considered immediate gratification rather than knowing the ropes and then earning my wings to orchestrate the show. Like most of the young people, I’ve sought acceptance, popularity and easy money. We all forget top build up on the essentials and never run out of excuses for not sowing yesterday what we could be reaping today.

Forgiving our mistakes and pledging to get better is the first way to get somewhere right. There’s a fine line between keeping your mess and fixing up straight. Your decision today will determine your tomorrow.

ref: inquirer.net