Life as They See It

The Ultimate Question by Dan Christian Z. Avila & Grace E. Andoyo

 Shall I follow the stream

Or cross the sea,

Strive for a dream

Or let life be?

Shall it be neon lights

That spell success,

Or flickering lamplight

For happiness?

Follow the thunder?

Follow the storm?

Follow the whisper?

That breeze and leaves form?

Follow my heartbeat?

Follow my head?

What shall each bring me?

Where shall each lead?

-          Crossroads (Anonymous)

(We were scanning through the pages of an English book when we saw the poem. Times have changed but not the age-old veracity of such lines. )

Choices are basic truths in life. Wherever life exists, choices are there.  We are our own parents and what persons we will be tomorrow depends on how we play our cards today. It is either you pursue your dreams or stop at the middle; either follow your heart or follow your mind. But a man should not rely on escapism. If he does, he would betray himself. We all have the Hobson’s choice --- choose to live or nothing. Life is not about serendipity or luck; it is purely choices.

 There comes a time when a man’s soliloquy becomes the defining moment of his happiness.  Innumerable choices may be… money, fame, education, love, gadgets, car, house, and all things imaginable… but we cannot be naïve, or cynical. Choices after all, can lead to our Hades or our Elysium.  Either way is our call.

 Young as we are, we have to be careful in every choice we make. Choices are sometimes deceiving. Choices affect every part of the whole. Every mistake is a stone that is thrown by a catapult and every hit may result to destruction of the wall.  Choices are not anathema or monsters that would eat you alive.

The trick is how to choose the one which we think is good. If we fail, we can make another choice. The Arcanum of life is only visible to those who can see. And as the unfolding continues, we can only wonder what really the ultimate question is.

On Ignorance by Theo Renz Pasion

“Silence does not always mean YES; sometimes it is a sign of Ignorance.”

(I have given this to my cousin when she asked me yesterday for a quote she will be using for introducing herself in our barangay’s annual pageant. The theme is about Ignorance.)

Silence is a powerful weapon—it cools down rising conflicts, it eases the pain of a bleeding heart and it makes each one pleased and free. On the other hand, when silence starts to blow in any assembly and debates, ignorance depicts and merely results to prejudices and preconceived notion.

The hardest thing about being ignorant is that you cannot distinguish the accurate from the erroneous. You can never experience bliss when you are not informed. However, why we let ourselves lay into silence when we can speak?

Ignorance has spread rampantly; people are unaware of this incapacity, the most awful thing is that they do not take actions to feed themselves a little knowledge. People looked down on your feelings. People who had contributed nothing to the society believe that society owe them something—how ignorant right? Society does not mind at all, they do have their own intentions.

Ignorance is too much of stupidity: too much of a crime, too much of a suicide. Always be knowledgeable on the phenomenon around. More prominently, the greatest ignorance is when you ignore God’s law....

The Walk by Jayson Salida

“Life will take you to high and low.

You got to learn how to walk, then which way to go.

Every choice you make has its cost.

Every step you take has its cause.”

 (These are lyrics from the song “Someday It’s Gonna Make Sense” by Michael Learns to Rock – one of my favorites.)

Life is never constant. It is a romantic ride where the best things in life take us up. Failures and frustrations drag us down. The ups and downs in life are the measurement of how strong we are as a person.

Life is a man’s journey. It is a walk wherein he should know. Sometimes it is a venture and sometimes it is a joyride. We should be aware of what journey to seize.

Choices in life are very important. Everything is affected in every choice we make. Life is more of choices than chances. It should not be taken for granted.

The actions and steps we do in life have motivations and reasons. We set goals, and draw plans and put it into actions. In every action, there are consequences. We are ought to be ready to face whatever the consequences are.

Life is a long walk. It goes up and down. Our actions lead us places where we are destined to be in. Choices affect our action. Therefore, it affects everything.

"I am" by Theo Renz Pasion

Every individual embodies genuine traits and behaviors. That’s what makes us different from others. What is true to me may not true to you. I am because I am. This world rotates because of me.

I live with my philosophies. I do what I weep. I act as if everything’s fine. I attest others glory. I run through the edge of the waters. I lie. I say truth sometimes. I flirt. I gossip. I share foolishness. I criticize. But no has dared slap my face. My business isn’t theirs. They are just costumers.

My blood is of diamonds. My heart is of Jade. My tears are of silver. My smile is of gold.

I reminisce. I hoard memoirs. My mistakes are my signal lights. My teachers are my potters. My God is great. I have evil in me. I live by the moment and make the most. The ones who make their life miserable are trash.

I care about my peers. I love those who embrace me. I expect. I hope but I never assume.

I chase. I grapple. I find for my urge but never detest.

I rest. I procrastinate. I gazed upon the stars. I ride with the moon. But I never let contender’s outcast me. I don’t mind being misunderstood by others. It just proves that my life is great and theirs is of ill-favored.

Respect begets Respect. Love begets Love. World begets World. God begets no one. You are to seek the mirror first and plunge for Cinderella—me.

This ain’t a lunacy.

"I am" by Dan Christian Avila

I am a philomath. I never cease to learn. I believe learning is a lifetime process. Precious. Eternal. No ending at all. If I do otherwise, I won’t be a human anymore. I can’t tell you what I would look like. But one sure thing is that I would be an ignoramus. There’s no cure for ignorance. No panacea. Nothing.

I am a bibliophile. I value books. Every page is a reflection of mirrors in life. As another chapter ends, a new exordium unfolds---much like of what I experience--- I smile. I say Hi! I bid goodbye. I cry. But memories will always be there.

I am a kin of God. But people would still despise and laugh at me ---alone at this crossroad. They say I’m a tragic flaw of this society. I admit that I’m hurt. But I shouldn't cry. No tears. No frailty. No abuse. No more being butt of all jokes. This has been my life. This is how a gay lives.

I am a silent river that runs deep. Everything in me may not actually be what it seems. My smile can be a hatred. My cry, my happiness. My silence, a fury. It’s only me and God who knows what's within.

I am an imperfect person. Therefore, I lead an erroneous life. But I find it a rewarding experience. I find it worth living.

"I am" by Lovelyn Mante

I am a happy person. The journey I traverse isn't that blissful but I choose laughter over blues. Life is given once and I choose to be happy.

I laugh out loud, for many reasons. Perhaps happiness and sadness are worth expressing. And because I pretend at times, you may find it hard to figure the real deal.

I hide pain. I resolve things solo. I seldom listen to people’s words.

I listen to myself.

I play safe with life. Controversy kills. I love to cry so someone will console me. Tears from joy are always a delight. I love to love people. I experiment on simple things to give simple happiness to others.

I love healthy competitions. I love to perform things that are beyond me. I get self-worth from winning; it makes me feel more of a person. It makes me cling to whatever else life has to offer. As always I ask myself, how far could I go?

I do not close my eyes. I care about how the world turns. I recognize the painful truths in life. I do things with purpose. I’m addicted to being productive. I do not prioritize those that are waste of energies. God is the closest to my heart.

I dream of becoming rich one day. I view world as a bucket of material things to own. I find boredom in perfection. I love being able to turn scratch to something beautiful.

I hate fake people just as I hate animation. Cartoon entertainment sucks! I love showbiz. I easily admire pretty faces that carry a playful fashion statement. I love pink. I’m so girly at heart. My biggest frustration is volleyball. My greatest achievement is being a wife.

I do things when I want to, and I believe that doing things against your heart weakens you.

I do not beg for acceptance. I exist as I am.

"I am" by Jayson Salida

I am simple. Simplicity in its deepest sense is perfection.

I am not extraordinary. What I possess, others do too. I don’t see rareness within me. God created us equally, imperfect yet wonderful.

I am a dreamer. I always dream of a beautiful horizon and for the sunset to pause, but life has no pause. It goes up. It goes down. Life is balance. There is yin to every yang. 

I dream of utopia on Earth.  No worries. No tears. No drawbacks. I guess the life that I dream, despite its simplicity, is too much of a dream.

I am a romantic. I am loved and hated. Sometimes I care. Many times I don’t.

I am invictus. Negative criticisms never drag me down. They push me up.

I am no best. I am no worst. I don’t excel in many things but I strive to be better. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone, for someday I know I could be someone.

I am a sinner. Sometimes, I misjudge and hurt people. But who hasn’t?

I am a pretender. Pretending is the best way of escaping life’s crushing tides without turning our backs from it.

I am no poet, nor a playwright. I don’t write my life story, I just play my drama. I am a marionette. My faith is the string and God’s hands move me. I don’t make my destiny, I just embrace His providence.

What you see is just a part of me. I am a very real thing. I am a never-ending cliché.

"I am" by Christine Faith Cabanes

I am opinionated. I believe only in myself. I fight for what I believe is right. I hate anyone like me. I give advice to people. I don't want to receive any. 

I oppose them but I hate to be opposed. I argue. I just want them to listen. I get pissed when they are noisy but I am noisy. I stir dissension. I manipulate minds.

I test how persuasive I am. I present an argument. I let them embrace it.

My words are sharp and even my jokes hurt. But one thing is for sure I have a soft movable heart that celebrates for someone who comes and cries for someone who goes. I see things differently. I say things openly. I care for my loved ones.

I'll die for them.

My father fears the way I think but he loves how I understand things. My mother appreciates how I deal with problems but hates how I take them for granted.

Inside this beast is a jar of hearts filled with love and acceptance by my friends, family and my God who sees more of the light than of the shade that prevents the light to penetrate causing a shadow that darkens that part of me. But still, I love to live.

I love to learn. I love to laugh. I love who I am.