Life is like a book. The inception at the mother’s womb is like the prologue briefly discussing and anticipating the would-be role of the main character. Then the entire lifetime would be filled with dialogues to make the readers fully understand the whys and why nots of all the events in a man’s life. The concluding chapter is presented with an epilogue usually coated with “the icy sting of death which cannot escape through the satin lining of the wooden casket.” Morbid but true.
Life is also a cycle. From the time of Creation up to the present time, all living things seem to evolve following a certain pattern which humans can only modify and alter a bit but cannot exactly replicate. Thanks to science and modern technology, we can have the best of what this life can offer – cars, gadgets, home appliances, clothing of sorts, etc.
In the olden times, people needed firewood for cooking and they had to dig a deep well or gather water from a spring for their daily use. At night, they lit their homes with improvised lamps fueled by oil (tinghoy) and they walked using native torches (sulo) to brighten their way. Though naïve and ignorant in many things, people back then were polite, gracious, respectful, humble and kind. They practiced ‘bayanihan’ and shared their harvest with their neighbors. They did not spare the rod to spoil a child. I am a living witness to all these.
I consider myself lucky to have witnessed how the lives of Filipinos transformed from scarcity in terms of many things to complete awareness of what’s happening around the world. With the advent of internet and the many apps we can find in our cell phones, we can see the world at its best and at its worst. We can now order food, garments, accessories, even “bride” online.
The convenience brought by modern science in these contemporary times may be beneficial to us in many aspects but it has its disadvantages too. The younger generation seem to be more demanding, less polite, lazy at home, feeling privileged, disrespectful of the rights of others and too eager to change the world the way they wanted it to be. Just look and notice how the student-activists behave during rallies, screaming scurrilous language against the government of which they are part. Later if they survive, they would realize that a large part of their lives is wasted and there’s no way they can turn back the hands of time.
Then the epilogue of their books of life shall read “Thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return.” What have you done?
Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
I was born to write and I believe that’s my calling. I love writing because it brings me to the realm exclusively of mine. It is also my opinion that “immortality” can be achieved not by searching for the Holy Grail and drinking from it but by living your life worth-writing or writing something worth-reading. Since I cannot promise you a life worth-writing, I keep myself busy writing something worth-reading. I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and skill to see life in different perspectives not seen by many and the courage to share it to my readers. This first ever Tutubi Digital News Magazine is a perfect avenue to bring you the many facets of life that you can ponder upon in this time of the pandemic. Enjoy reading all the articles.
