After Fireworks and Shooting Stars

 I have always thought of love like I was watching fireworks or shooting stars in the night sky. Fireworks always make me feel excited and jittery. Anticipating the next spectral design of lights in the sky, it has always left me wide-eyed and open-mouthed in awe of its beauty. Shooting stars make me feel the same. A breath-taking wonder that only happens every not-so-often in a lifetime. It's always unexpected when I see one. And when I do, I often breathe in deeply and smile from cheek to cheek as if I have experienced the most wonderful moment in my life.

But love, as I mature, turns out to be the opposite, however not exactly. Love may start and may be in the show, but real love comes after the show of fireworks and shooting stars. Love shows its true appearance when all I can see is the dark night sky. Love is not all about how good I felt -- that's just the tip of the iceberg -- rather, love sets in just right after the fun and excitement subsides. Love, for me, becomes love when, after the display of fascinating lights, I decide to stay and look at how the stars in the night sky shine brightly until dawn decides to break in.

After the fireworks and shooting stars have burned out, a person can walk away and go home because the attractions have ended. But that's not the way with love. In love, a person, in his sane and respectful self, can not just turn around and walk away when all the happy thoughts and feelings have subsided. In love, a person can not just bow his head down and end his day when the relationship or the partner can not provide the exciting, jittery experience anymore. Love is more than that. Love, just like waiting for the night sky to be clear, holds more wonder than what fireworks and shooting stars can offer. Love requires patience to see the stationary stars that were shining behind all along. Love appreciates even more the tiniest, almost unseen details of life or of a person -- just like how a distant star twinkles from white to yellow to red. Love remains even when darkness and boredom sets in and still sees the beauty in it.

Thus, at this moment, love, for me,is like the big night sky. Behind it's basic, quiet layout, it offers a lot of awe-full and deeper experiences besides fun and excitement. It requires courage, commitment and hope-- a decision to stay put, believing and knowing that some time after, another set of fireworks and shooting stars would come across a person's way again.

On Blind Men and Their Sons, Crutches and How I Can Make a Difference

"Let hope remain."

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It’s not very uncommon how we see lots of beggars wandering along the streets of Metro Manila. After living for four years in the Philippines, I have seen a range of them. On the streets, we have children who go knocking on your car window, mothers who carry their babies on cloths tied around their waists and shoulders, and blind men and women, who feel the flow of the streets just by their sticks. On the sidewalks, on the other hand, we can see crippled men and women sitting on their carton beds, women with hospital bills on their hands for proof that they need money to cure their loved ones or with travel bags with them saying that they have no money left to commute.

As beggars are already common, I, in fact, saw two today. The first one, I assume, was a son-father tandem. A boy, around 8 years of age, was leading his blind father from car to car along Julia Vargas Avenue in Ortigas. It was not a rare racket for beggars, but, even so, I suddenly felt a firing rage inside me. This little boy should have been in school instead of roaming the streets barefooted, with his blind father in hand. This little boy, who has a whole lot of future in front of him, should have been cared for instead of him acting and thinking like an adult for his young age. He should be enjoying his childhood, but he can’t, because of the circumstances given to him – a blind father, a hard life, and a weak “support” system.

The second one was a man literally walking on his four limbs. He seemed to have had polio because of  the features of his thin, weak legs. When I saw him, the first question that popped up my mind was “Why, in the world, does he not have crutches? It’s a basic need for him! It will make him walk – on two legs!”. Anger, frustration, and sadness all covered me at once. Where is the intervention of the department of the government who should be taking care of these kind of people? This crippled person should be given attention and care because the  street is a very dangerous place for him as he is not freely mobile. This crippled man can do more besides begging. He can be way more productive, but he can’t, because of the circumstances given to him – his disability, a hard life, and a weak “support” system.

On both of these two situations, I initially felt hopeless that I can’t do anything for the blind man and his son and the cripple without his crutch. I do not have tons of money to buy them a house or provide them with whatever they need. I do not have the same power given to mayors and governors to mobilize their people and implement rehabilitation projects. But if I look at it again, I realized, again – as I have known this fact and I just keep on forgetting, that I actually can do something, however indirectly. I am part of this weak “support” system that I keep on mentioning.

How? As I am currently already employed, I now should pay my share in government taxes diligently. As I already know how to drive, I should abide by driving rules patiently. And even if I’m not driving, I should know how to use the footbridges to reach the other side of the street and not dare cross the busy street where signs shout out “BAWAL TUMAWID. MAY NAMATAY NA DITO”. As I am commuting my way to work, even if the driver mistakenly views me as a student and hands me the wrong amount of change, I should know that this little act of dishonesty will rob them a peso or two which might have been used to buy them a meal.

By the daily practice of values such as patience, obedience, and honesty, together with even the littlest bit of hope, I might transform this weak “support” system into a better system gradually every day. Little acts of these values might influence other people as well. Who knows? Imagine how tiny droplets of water, when put together, can make a huge puddle? This picture can also show how small acts of the said values above acted by a single person, when put together, can then make a huge difference. Who knows? Maybe the next generation of politicians, even politicians seated today, would realize that , by due diligence and acting out such values, they can eventually make every weak aspect of society become strong.

I would like to thank the blind man and his son and the crippled beggar for serving as reminders of how I, in my own little way, can make a positive difference, that would eventually affect them when I look at the bigger picture. If, eventually, beggars are totally eradicated from the streets of the entire Philippines, I hope that even this eradication would continue to inspire me to become a better person and a better Filipino.

P.s. I recommend that you read “The 12 Little Things Filipinos Can Do to Help Our Country” written by Alex Lacson if you want to know more about what simple things you can do to be a droplet of positive change for the Philippines.

Nena's Bibingka - Cubao Experience

I first caught sight of Nena's Bibingka while I was riding on a jeepney on my way to work. Being fond of Japanese cuisine and affordable restos, the small restaurant caught my attention because of its "Pinoy Bento meals for only P65!" banner hanging out under their resto signage. It was located somewhere between Tropical Hut Cubao and Cubao Expo near Aurora Avenue. I did not have the time to try the resto since I was running late for work, but I did promise myself that I would try out the restaurant the next week.

And so I did. I had my dinner in Nena's Bibingka the week after. Near the entrance, there stood a table. On that table was a pot used to cook bibingka over an actual burning charcoal. I didn't know if they were actually cooking bibingkas there or if it was only part of the restaurants design. When I entered, not much customers were there. But that fact did not hinder me to experience the place. The restaurant had a relaxing ambiance. It was clean, had dim lights and the air-conditioning was good. The interior was, sort of, Filipino-inspired --wooden tables and chairs, anito-like sculptures were displayed near the entrance, and the kitchen was separated from the dining area by materials like those used for the walls of nipa huts (I forgot what it was called). But what I liked the most is the soothing instrumental OPM music being played from the radio. Magazines are also available at the side so that customers can read while waiting for their orders to be cooked.

Their menu consisted of Filipino dishes and kakanins at very affordable prices. Meals ranged from P60-P100. Not bad for a middle-class man. I ordered the Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet Bento Meal (which I really eyed for the first time I saw the resto).

The Bento Box I ordered had Plain Rice, Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet, Pinakbet, and a piece of Kutsinta -- not bad for a P65 meal! The taste was also already good for a P65 meal. The Kutsinta was the best! I am not fond of eating that Filipino delicacy, but when I tasted it, I felt like I would want to order more of it. But, then, I did not 'coz I was already tight on budget.

I have yet to try their other dishes here, especially their Special Bibingka. For a first time goer, my experience in Nena's Bibingka was great! It offered me good, affordable food and a very relaxing night before I get myself busy at work. Should you wander around Cubao next time, try to drop by and experience Nena's Bibingka as well!