Change

I was walking along a familiar path back in the province, tracing roads that lead to memorable places I once thread when I was little. To my surprise, it seems that everything I previously consider eternal now slowly fades every day. The big mossy wall doesn’t seemed too tall, the rocky roads doesn’t appeared intimidating anymore and the trees that once jutted beyond my sight seemed reachable now.

Although, the landscape changed with few houses sprouting just everywhere, no doubt that the old feeling of being home is still there.

People, Yes! People, too, changed. My parents, for instance, my fortress when I was a child now a caricature of the strong people they once were—arching backs, slow steps and wrinkled faces; these are now the markings they have traded with Father Time.

Childhood friends also have grown to the adults I barely knew…mature individuals who are now raising kids of their own. Or the little tykes running in the streets before bear no resemblance of the innocence they once have. The teacher with growing smiles took the toll of disciplining rowdy kids by her imminent graying locks.

Yes! Time works its way to get paid.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, however, the child in me fights over to what it sees—growing mustache, prominent brow…stronger jaw lines.

Deep inside, I’m still that awkward little kid, insecure in so many levels and mostly lost in my own little world but my reflection betrays me by presenting the years of experience I have earned. What I see is the man whom I am becoming.

In as much as I would like to hold on to what I sincerely believe is important, time dictates that I should move beyond innocence and face reality as it is.

Maybe that’s how life works, to evolve, to improve, to change…albeit for the better. Each stage, nevertheless, is an offshoot for the next.

As I turned around that familiar path, my heart ached because I know that I cannot fight change. While time is molding me to be the person I should be, it also carries with it memories that I must learn to let go.

And by letting it go, change will now take its course.

So who won?

In as much as I want to shrug politics out of my system...in as much as I want to digress my thoughts from the ever darkening situation in this country, a much bigger part of me cares. I am a Filipino. It's in my blood, Its in my soul. This is the chosen Nation where God have conspired for me to live. I must care!

As the 2007 election march in the drumbeat of political noise, I have come to wonder--who will greatly benefit from this "exercise of freedom: The answer is pretty obvious: Not US!

It is known that the biggest chunk of the voters belongs to the bottom part of our economic ladder. Uneducated and naive to put it bluntly but victims nonetheless. For a brief satisfaction to their grumbling stomachs or for the momentary relief of medicine to their sick, they cave in to the whims of those who can provide the quickest solution… not realizing that they perpetuate the robbery of resources and services which are due them.

If you come to think of it, those scums of the earth, whom we charmingly called Public Officials, desire for this status quo—to preserve whatever agenda they have i.e. they signed the automation of election on the last minute, dilly dally laws that might actually help our economic recovery and prolonged nonsense political bickering.

Senatorial candidates, whom I believe, has the best intentions for this nation trail in last while those who propagate dissentions finished first. This mirrors our degrading perception of right and wrong. Our moral structure is now deeply skewed by decades of deceit and injustice.

We should now realize that we, the people, are always on the loosing end. We suffer the most blows.

Gotta work for now, they need my tax money to reimburse whatever cost they incurred during the campaign period.

***sigh***

life in the city...a snapshots