By Philip Suzara
Pondering … as I sit here at the edge of my mythical life pond.
One can see many things happening at the edge of life’s pond, as in any pond. Decisions are made there, life changing decisions, defining moments … to get in the pond, or not. The pond is encircled by its edges in different forms and kinds … straight, jagged, rough, rocks, pebbles, sand, soil, or mud. Very much like people. No matter the differences we have, we all belong there … around the life pond, inside, outside, at the edge, but there.
I come to think about our reality as a nation, about how it is not in the best of situations … in many different circumstances and ways. And I see the need to do something about it. I think about change, and the elements and forces that make them happen. There are many elements that contribute to bringing about change. I think about a ham and egg sandwich.
A ham and egg sandwich seems to come from left field, like it pretty much doesn’t belong in this narrative. Yet, there is much interest and valuable discernment to this simple and, at once, delicious and nutritious sandwich.
We look at the sandwich and see that it is composed of a slice of ham, and egg, in between two slices of bread plus some spices and veggies. They are the main characters to our sandwich, the ham and the egg. We know, for a fact, that ham comes from pigs and that eggs come from chickens, but let us go deeper into the essence of what makes a ham and egg sandwich. We think deeper and come to think about commitment and involvement, two powerful forces at play in pursuing a cause. Right now, our cause is the ham and egg sandwich, the pig is committed and the chicken, involved. While the chicken gives an egg as its share, the pig has to give up its life to share a slice of ham. Not one is more important than the other in making this sandwich, they both made it happen.
The whole point of this metaphor is to emphasize the levels and extreme existential difference at stake for all those who take up a cause, any cause.
I think about causes and of the countless struggles for liberation from the dark ages of Martial Law. There are Freedom Fighters from the past, especially those who have been arrested, tortured, and have languished in detention. They were recognized and given appropriate reparations by the government through the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Claims Board. Finally, this is a testament to the reality of Martial Law, its attendant atrocities, and pervasive violation of human rights. These survivors from the dark days of the dictatorship, coming from different walks of life, from different ideological persuasions, from different struggles in different arenas, were all fired up by a noble desire to free our nation from the shackles of a tyrant, each one of them offered the prime of their youth … and very precious blood and life to the altar of freedom. They were those who were committed to the cause of freedom and democracy.
There were countless others, too, who were involved in the advancement of this very same cause … giving their noble share and counterpart to achieve an objective, a goal. Quietly, they have played their chosen roles and tasks in response to the call of duty with the same fire as the freedom fighter, with the same passion, with the same nobility. And we honour them with the same respect and reverence.
Best ham and egg sandwich this side of earth!
Slowly, the pages of our life’s book get flipped, it may take a while to finally close that chapter – if that is possible at all. We have to get healed from all our pains and hurts if we want to move on … and we can only do that if and when we forgive. And it comes so slowly … that road to forgiveness is paved with justice – and slowly, it comes.
In the meantime, we still struggle when the nightmares of the past come to visit.
And forgive, we must.
We now look into our present day circumstances, to our here and now. I am not sure about how the others look at the same situation, but I feel that we are in a far worse predicament than in the Martial Law era of the despot. The lives that were snuffed out by this government are far more, in a much shorter period, the kakistocracy, the kleptocracy, the misogyny, the foreign incursions in our territories, the assaults to our moral compass and civil liberties, are way deplorable for us to just bear in silence. We are being pushed against the wall … and we should push back … push back … PUSH BACK!
And I want a ham and egg sandwich, now!
Pondering … as I sit here at the edge of life’s pond.
Philip Suzara
Creature of God. Child of the Universe. Global Citizen. Lover of Life. Freedom Fighter. Agent of Change. Lone Wolf. Occasional Consultant for Strategic Communications.
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