Unusual Channel
Doing our share
This article was sent to me by a friend thru email. I found it very interesting and worth publishing especially that we are again approaching the "inevitable" (some would call it) election. Of course, my own opinion about having an election does not matter here (that would be another article) however, this article hopes to open our eyes and perhaps it will somehow influence us when we hold that pencil and write the names of the future leaders of our beloved country. I would like to thank my friend who sent this to me and hope that he will continue to do so, I mean send me articles. And to my friend Palocci... you have a talent keep it coming! Read on...
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It takes people's mind off your wrinkles. So to the sobriquet, "Pearl of the Orient Seas", that our country used to be branded. The chain of pearl that surrounds this beautiful land has succumbed to a sick society with too many flaws and the citizenry that let it all go and contended to be in the receiving end of corruption, wrong governance, lies and diminishing moral fabric. We love to whine, march on the street in protest and complain of the mess that we ourselves have created.
How many of us are vigilant of the things happening around us. Or we still say, "Ask me if I care." It's about time to open up our eyes and see what's happening in our neighborhood, community and around the country as a whole. Do we have the right management, priorities, and attitude and resolve to ameliorate our lives? Before we start the blame game lets revisit our moral and civic foundation for reality check.
The late Pope John Paul II wrote in one of his books, "Family is a community of people, love and life". As we live in this world, we thrive as a community. Expanded social bonding is highly essential to any society to exist. Whatever the era it might be, it's always there. Therefore it's just rather fitting and proper to live our lives in symbiotic relationship with one another. Sometimes our overzealous quest for power, fame and wealth widens the gap between our friends, our community and us.
Some of us are motivated by Greed, Power and recognition. Do we care about the welfare of less fortunate people around us? Do we feed our self-esteem and live with a clean conscience by doing so? These are all because of false and temporal attachment that we think we can't live without.
How many of us are contented and just ignoring the empty promises of our leaders? Have we ever looked around and notice the potholes on the streets and the traffic jams? Do you vote with your feet instead of your head? Or do we believe that election is more of popularity contest rather than public service? Do we take pride to fight for a good cause or zipped our lips if we are given a slice of the pie? Do we think about tomorrow and the years beyond? Do we think about the welfare of other people or just ourselves?
Our country today is often an immense audience, one sole public, gathered about the same cultural, political and religious events. We are glued to all forms of media of any amplified format. For us their service is of uncalculated import. Do we ever try to validate the substance of their materials of its integrity? Or we just enjoy the trigger- happy character assassination of some irresponsible journalists or commentators. There are a lot of lofty values in jeopardy here. Do the media implore proper nourishment of political, social, cultural and religious agenda to the readers and listeners? Do they correct the moral criterion by honest and unbiased views with respect to the truth rather than their personal interest or self-promotion?
If we consider ourselves concerned citizens, there is a big part for us to partake. We can't be too passive on the flaws and roots of all this social cancer and problem of our society. We need to take pride and liberty to raise our voice on all issues that cross our moral boundaries. Do you feel satisfied with the way our local and national government serve its people? How many of us arrange a dialogue with our leaders rather than discuss it over a bottle of beer and end up in a fight? Or we prefer to shout on the streets creating havoc and chaos when all of these can be avoided with a peaceful talk.
Our participation is needed in this noble mission of elevating the social, cultural and economic welfare of our community. Your honest contribution to the goodness of society is highly essential to its equilibrium and development. I know our lawmakers have their own faults that attributes to this deteriorating condition but let's start by getting back to our bases before going after them. Unless we feel obliged by our moral and civic duties we won't see any improvements in our generation.
Have we invested ourselves in ethical principles and engaging our abilities and ourselves in ways that promote life and promise to our community? How many of us have done our share? If we don't, we are part of the problem.
Have you ever been in the concert hall playing with the orchestra and all of a sudden you remember you forgot to lock your car? Will you be able to enjoy the symphony and blend your instrument with the rest of the players? There you have a perfect image of life as we live in our society. We have to make some sacrifices and be a role player instead of serving just our own distractions and noise. If we become too selfish we spoil the rhythm. If we just care about our saxophone and forget how it blends with the organ and the drums then we can't be in harmony with the rest. We are judged by our performance not our individual contribution. The same is to be said to the country we live in.
So there you go. Unless we do our part in our society and clean our acts together, take pride and liberty to play our role in the betterment of our country. Those enchanted pearl of the orient seas will never find its immaculate brightness once again.
"Society is a movement not a condition. It is a journey not a harbor "
(For your kind and inspiring comments please email me at rbuy1028@gmail.com)