In Thr Midst of The Street Children

While I was walking along Colon street, something suddenly caught my attention. As I turned around, I saw two children in worn out clothes tugging my shirt, begging. But since what I have then was just enough money for my fare going home, I shook my head and so they left.

That was just one of my few encounters with the indigent children who were compelled to be drawn far too away from their comfort zones into the streets. Yes, street children are now common sight in our urban societies. You see them in conspicuous places where they situate themselves as puny beggars with ragged look, arousing pity from strangers passing by. But as beggars, they would have to swarm some jeeps and vehicles which come to halt, asking alms. Their gaunt appearance is highly an evident of less nourishment they get but still they endure the scorching heat of the sun at daytime and the chills a night. They would be on high hopes of getting income from the usual sampaguitas, candies, and rags they sell as they plod the streets.

Poverty has deprived these children of the greatest privilege they ought to have the most…education. It is in every child’s dream to me in a scholastic atmosphere of learning wherein he submits himself/herself to a teacher. But for these street children, instead of studying at schools and getting busy with assignments and lessons, they wander around crossing the streets with high risks of meeting accidents by passing vehicles.

In the eyes of onlookers, these children appeared like some flies or dogs in their midst. They simply shoo them away, disgust at the sight of their untidy looks.

Life in the streets arises from social and economic reasons. There are children and juveniles who opt to live in the streets to stay away from the violence and lack of attention from their families. But poverty tops most the majority or reasons why these kids abound in the streets. In some reports, the unjust economic policies, high debt of the state, corruption and low prices of the world market for export goods contribute much to the impoverishment of the masses.

In worst scenarios, you would see them resorting to “sniffing rugby or paint thinners” just to suppress the hunger they feel every moment. Not only that, in such cases they face the danger of falling victims of illegal drugs, crimes, sexual exploitation and other abuses. However, not only they have become victims but also, they have too have turned out to be perpetrators themselves. Some join gangs and turn tom crimes like petty thefts.

Life in the streets was not the king of fate meant for these children. But what can they do when it is the only choice they got in order for them and their family to survive. They should belong to where they could develop the total aspect of their growth, a place away from the perils of the streets where begging and vending will not be anymore their problem

But above all the difficulties they have been through, you can still see their innocent radiant smiles and laughter in the face of poverty, the clear marks of the childhood that have remained in them.

Variety: A Spice No More

Sitting next to each other in the sand, he reached for your hand. You looked into his eyes- amber amidst the setting sun. Time stopped as he drew closer… and closer… then gone! You realize you’re daydreaming again.
I have a word for that: the fairytale syndrome. Being innately hopeless romantics, we easily fall in love with the thought of falling in love. We have varied visions of how we’re going to meet our one true love, easily getting blurry-eyed at the thought of all those jittery, mushy stuffs we have in our mind right now. Thumbing through our old fairytale books would give us an idea of how far our illusions had gone. Consider also counting all those movies devoted to romantic love and all its whims, you’ll get what I me

Friends, love does not need to be a fairytale so you could call it love. There is no such thing as soulmate unless you fit yourself to be one. Nor could you just sit in one corner and wait for The One to find you. For all you know, the very person who could have made your life complete had already passed your way and you completely missed out on it because you were too stubborn not to conform to what’s typical. Especially in a society where any kind of infidelity is quickly frowned upon, you have to have good reasons not to conform-or else...

It has been a century-old argument whether or not a person must solely commit himself/herself to a dating partner and I dare say NO! Dating is one thing and a committed relationship is another. What is dating in the first place and what makes it any different from a serious commitment? The very context of dating is to get to know people. On the book “Boundaries of Dating”, the author wrote that dating allows one to learn about themselves, others and relationships in a safe context-meaning without the risk of cursed marriages. What have you got to lose? There’s no commitment at risk and no vows to break. If the couple have decided to tie the knot, only there could you demand of commitment and of fidelity. Thats what sets apart the married from the single.

Others may see it as widening their options but if you see a lot of fishes in the sea, why not? It would be hypocrite for us to deny the obvious! Dating has value in and of itself. It allows us to discover exactly what we’re looking for in a relationship before we actually say “I do”. We only get one shot at life and at marriage, don’t we get to have the right to carefully choose what and who’s best for us before we’d actually take the plunge? I personally would rather have multiple dating partners now while I’m still single rather than having many ex-husbands later on. Playing the fields and exploring on your options may not please the prudent, neither would they be able to give you a Nobel Prize for playing modest.

Variety, for your information ladies and gentlemen, is not just there to spice up our terribly boooring lives. It exists to tell us that in life, despite its uncertainties, we have a choice. Relish everything that variety brings to your table so that when time comes that you’re ready to choose, you are sure that your choice would fill your brim.

I Give Life

I am hurt. I am abused and for me, it is injustice. I do believe I deserve care. Why are you doing this to me?

I stand here in this corner quietly all through the day. You need me that is for sure. But you step on me, kick me and spit on me. Like as if it is my fault when thee is drought in my system. You even sometimes shout at me or scold me though you know I could not answer you and as if could not answer you and as if you could hear you in the first place, just for the freedom of expression. Is this what I get for being a drinking fountain?

Here comes this spiky haired, pale guy wearing dark glasses. For goodness’ sake, it’s cloudy outside. I suspect he’s been into running from the ground floor because he is catching his breath. The second bell is going to ring soon. He reaches for the pedal but unfortunately my bubbler head has not spit water these past few days. My fellows form the other floors may have water but they might as well get hit for letting out “hot water: because the refrigeration system is malfunctioning.

Sometimes my water running without even having to step on the pedal but when drinkers do, I could let my water out in the same projectile fashion as before.

Ouch! I get a kick again, I just wish my internal parts are still in tact. Since this morning, this has been probably the 20^th kick I got. Am I the one to be blamed if my maintenance and repair are not given attention yet? Well, my manufacturer do check my condition here upon the request of the Campus Planning and Site Development Office or when I needed to be fixed. The problem is, that does not happen very often. Tsk tsk tsk….. Doesn’t this spike guy realize that he’s adding insult to the injury? If he does this regularly, sooner or later I might break down eternally and give up. Or is that what he wants? To get rid of me and new models of drinking fountains might come. Is he not anymore satisfied of me? Don’t I quench his thirst anymore?

Now, a tall gentleman wearing a huge silver earring approaches me and before he bends to turn me on, he sticks gum on the surface of my tarnished sink. I could not get the logic of doing that! It would only drive other drinkers away and give the impression that everyone and everything in this school is dirty. Does he like that? There are many trash cans standing on different parts of the campus and I certainly do not like one. Or is it hard for him to determine where to throw the gum, in the red or yellow garbage container?

And please, I give drinking water, it is definitely not proper to spit sticky, green phlegm on me. “Yaaak!!! The ladies would shout when they get near me. Do you like it when you see the slimy thing while you open your mouth drinking? Comfort room sinks or toilet bowls won’t be clogged if you do the spitting there, just be sure to flush it away because it’s really gross!

Such a nag if I know how to talk, ei? I hope I do not sound like your mothers. It is just that I am still here after 48 year(not literally) and I can still be of use though I have depreciated and have become rusty. If given a chance I would still be an efficient drinking fountain anymore, it would depend on how you treat me here. Please do not neglect me. And if that times comes that my role ends, I shall give way to the new generation. After all, I am just rented.

Letting Go

Have you ever been in love? I suppose the answer is “Certainly!”. Isn't great to in a relationship with someone who sweeps your heart away? Just thinking about it makes me smile, how mush more in the real thing? But little do we know that along with this great and exciting feeling comes pain and misery. We must learn that life isn't only about happiness. God often put trials along our paths to challenge our faith and see how strong the bond of our relationship.

When you’re in love, there are risks involved such as how to maintain a strong and happy relationship, how to keep the passi8on alive and how to sustain love against all odds. But when worse comes to worst, we can no longer feel enough love for our partners. We have no choice left but to end the relationship through break ups. Most relationship fall not because of the absence of love. Lo9ve is always present, it's just that, one love too much and the other loves to many. There's always a possibility that a person can get attracted to another. It's human nature. It's not wrong. But that’s why we are in a recommitment. We must learn to control our emotions.

Breaking up with someone is never easy at all. Especially when you've shared a bond strengthen by time. If you read newspapers daily, then you are familiar with news stories about suicidal cases, on one common reason...having been left behind by someone he/she truly loves. As much as possible before entering a relationship be sure you are willing to work things out and most importantly be sure when you court or accept a suitor you love him/her. Don't take this as a game. When you hurt someone, it's not just the knee that gets hurt, it's the heart. Though we really can't say which one will last. So, when the situation demands it be careful in breaking your lovers heart/in heart breaks, do not be guilty if you're telling him/her the truth. Even if the truth hurt, you have to spill it out. You should be guilty when you broke up. Don't leave your ex hanging in thin air. Give him/her the answers to their question. This will make things clearer and help them understand the situation before actual parting of ways happen. It's never easy to tell someone that you want to dump her/him. We, girls prefer to hear a man's parting words gently but directly. Of course it does hurt, but it's lesser compared to a guy who tells his parting words frankly. Some relationships just end because one fell out of love for certain reasons but not because of another person. Do not say you're sorry unless you are guilty of polygamy. Sorry is a negative word. When you say this, he/she might think, “I've never been a good lover because he's sorry”. Sorry could mean a lot of things too. It could mean, “I'm sorry I met you”, “I'm sorry I wasted time on you” or “I'm sorry for I never loved you”. The most effective words to say is “thank you”. Express your gratitude to that person. After all, he/she made you happy.

Some people usually end their relati0onship through text messages or letters. That’s a major no no! Cowardice is the best description for someone who breaks up through letters, phone calls or text messages. Think of this, when you courted her, did you do it in the traditional way? Like, you gave flowers, cards and fetch her in school or walk her home? If so, why do you have to break up with him/her through letters when you had the courage to court him/her in person at the very start of the relationship?

After a break up means moving on, it’s never easy. We can’t blame anybody or somebody for the things that is beyond what we expected. We can never change destiny…that you two aren’t meant to be. If we lose love, we lose it for a reason. That reason maybe hard to understand but whatever it is, we just have to believe that God takes away when he has something better to give. What’s hard a bout letting go is the thought that once upon a time there was us.

Blind Vision

I can’t resist gazing at the stars every night and admire them. It would take me a minute or two to be staring at the sky. Stars are too many that it’s ridiculous to count them one by one. But there are still a few that shine the brightest. At times, I would ask myself of beauty is certainly hard to reach like those stars. : How lucky can one person be if he or she is beautiful” I’d remark.

Why is our world so hung up on appearances that sometimes we judge a person right away based on the way he looks? Why do we not bother finding out on what they’re really about? Why do we raise our noses when we pass by someone who is dressed wrong and different from us? Make foul comments like: “…thank God, I don’t look like him.” Why are we so insecure about ourselves that we have to make an outcast of anyone who is different?

God does not judge by outward appearance; He looks at the heart. Why can’t we learn the same thing?

It seems so unreasonable that people will avoid some guy because he is so tall or too skinny or too short or not muscular enough. But it happens a lot. Girls are being discarded because she’s been eating a lot.

But it really gets bad when we start looking for someone to date or even marry. We haven’t even got to know the person a lot better but we evade already. I know appearances do matter somehow. However if you’re going to pass up someone whom is courting you just because he isn’t good looking and given attention to the one who is undeniably handsome, then it’s unfair. Why not give equal attention to both parties?

Of course, I also have my physical insecurities. I’m not mister ramp model/actor. Sometimes, I hate looking at the mirror especially when I comb my hair because it’s not bouncy or attractively straight. I always dreamt of being admired without even making an effort. But when I came to think of it, I don’t want to be admired just like that-just mere good looks. I’d always used because it is true.

It’s hard to accept but the guys tend to pass more judgment based on the person’s looks. I maybe prejudiced with my own kind but I see it happens more with the guys than girls. I know because I honestly am like that- “sometimes”. We guys are more visually oriented and I can’t completely understand why. But if we base our opinions of a girls value solely on the way she looks, we are then being deceived. There are tons of women who can get operations from Dr. Vicky Belo, or starve themselves to death, get their hair dyed and so on. Good looking women aren’t hard to find a woman who truly has heart for God. You cannot go out and buy one of those like Happy Meals at Mc Donalds. If we pass up a girl just because she doesn’t fit our standards then we may end up the looser.

But the ladies do this too! If you’re passing guys off just because they cannot gain weight or they can’t burn those fats, or because they can’t play the guitar or paint your self-portrait, then you’re not only being shallow and superficial, but you may be missing out someone great.

I’m tired of seeing this happen, I am tired of catching myself doing it, and I’m tired of having others do it to me. If appearances are what we value in others, then we might end up playing Barbie dolls. If we only love at surface level, we’ll always have loneliness inside because we’ll never learn to connect with others on a deeper level. The heart sees what the eyes don’t.

I’m not just talking about the way we judge others. Learning to love also means learning to accept ourselves just as we are. If you’re black, then don’t waste money buying all those whitening products and spraying your hair with countless ironing just to get the Lucy Liu hairdo. We have our own edge. We just have to recognize it. I think, rather than being all blue about something we don’t have or we are not. Let’s just be thankful for what we were given and try to enhance it-without any surgeries.

It’s not the end of the world if you’re called Mister Big Nose at school, or you have curly hair because those insecurities sometimes mold you into a better person. Believe me, we need to value our contents as well as our cover and work to be beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.

After all, the person inside me is the person that God loves. He judges our lives by the book, not by the cover.

Those stars that shine the brightest amongst others are like those people who value the contents rather than just the covers.