Mabuti pa ang bata

Yesterday, I went out of town to visit my sister in Hinigaran and to attend in my high school’s silver anniversary. It was fun to meet familiar faces and exchange reassuring statements about each other. Whipped by the many stressors and unhealthy habits here in the city, it was also invigorating for me to come back and experience, even for a while, the simplicity of rural life and the authenticity of the people I personally know and love. I ate oysters, boiled peanuts, and walked quite a distance to look around the town I have loved and the sceneries that are intertwined with its existence in my memory– the old, dusty bell tower of the cathedral, the dark plaza, the “manokan,” the smile of my suki who sells balut pinoy and mani, the swings, the slides, the basketball court and the familiar breeze of cold air.

I ate dinner with my only high school classmate who was in town and, after such a worthwhile conversation, went home, watched KC (hehe) in MMK, and went to bed at around 1 o clock.

The next day, I spent half of the day playing with my sister’s children. One thing I could never forget is that my nephew Summer, a six year old, made such a great realization to me when she told a visitor to take off her shoe since she is inside their house. She said in vernacular “Ubaha ang imo sapatos” (Take of your shoes) in such a sincere and innocent tone. The visitor hurriedly attempted to remove her shoes, but my sis was quick to say that it’s OK. She then told Summer that it’s okay for people to wear shoes even inside the house. Upon reflection, I realized that a child is an honest soul and is very conscious to the idea of what is right and what is wrong. Her mom has always been very particular with the arrangement of things inside their house (I think, one of few people I know, who makes house-keeping and art and calling). This same attitude she has unconsciously imparted to the child’s perceptions. To wear your shoes inside the house is bad, and to do the opposite is good. She is very much meticulous with this idea that she is quick to inform the visitor about this. One thing I learned: no matter what the circumstances are, it’s always the right to be honest and true.

This leads me to ask: what if all the politicians in our country would have this same moral consistency? This country would have never become as worse as what we are right now. The system that rules us may have not come to a point where everything and everyone is hopeless and that moral bankruptcy is not an issue.

And what if every, single Filipino has the same value as that of a six-year-old child? The world and this country could have been a better place for all of us.