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 kind: 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 could see a lot of quiet activity around the pond, people moving about connecting with many other people – lots of talking going on, lots of thing happening. And, oh yes, that familiar festive air of the election campaign is, in fact, happening in our midst. Most probable, too, is that you are either closely, or remotely involved in this activity. In the world of our kindred, it will not be strange nor a surprise that our we find many of our friends involved in the various activities in which one may qualify as being political in the electoral sense. While we have those friends who never saw themselves as political animals but now find pride in doing something that may seem like a political activity.
No, I am not saying that politics is not something that we should get into; it is just that it had been the domain of our friends who are “political animals”. They are our friends who enjoy being in the thick of such partisan politics; of course, they root for people who they think fit the tab that needs to be filled up -- these are local, provincial, and even national positions.
Now is a lot different, heart-warmingly different, now is where you find Juan and Juanas, John and Janes, Juanings and Juanitas, Johnnies and Jeanettes, Joes and Jeans involving themselves in this electoral campaign -- I’ve never used such permutations of names to depict people coming from all ages and walks of life. I think it works, though. You’ll get my drift, anyway.
We have, collectively as a people, been short-changed by this current administration. Their noble promises and their “lofty ideals” remained high, but just up in the air -- floating somewhere.
Their interpretation and application of the law is found wanting, to say the least, their Comelec has just provided special treatment to a convicted tax evader, practically absolving him of his acts and their liabilities.
Their governance is high, as in highly attended by corruption and their main man is crossing swords with the senate investigating team in defense of those profiteers of doom, rapaciously ravishing what is left of our dying economy caused by government’s mismanagement of the malady that is Covid.
Damned, too, be the incursions to our sovereign territories with nary an outcry from the powers that be; including the sworn defenders of our lands and seas – they have allowed the intruders to prey on our fisherfolk conducting their trade to bring fish to our tables which provides them their daily bread. We even have to import fish coming from our own fishing grounds.
Assaults to our moral bearings have impacted on the national psyche; a heavy cloud of fear is also over our heads from unsolved EJKs which became an almost daily occurrence as soon as the new dispensation came to power.
Our lives, collectively, have definitely been affected and changed by all of these mishaps, like a phoenix that has been burned and rendered into ashes.
Comes now this opportunity for change; the national elections is presenting its new promise for our people. For our kindred, this is definitely not partisan politics, this is a fight between good and evil -- and it is this very fight that is giving our people HOPE… hope for a better and brighter tomorrow.
You may have noticed the groundswell and the emerging bandwagon, all spontaneous, all people-driven. Headquarters in various strategic areas in different provinces presented to our candidate and her team for inauguration and utility. We have never seen this happen before; this is one campaign that is highly volunteer-driven – from manpower, collateral materials, and interaction, and independent activities. Here is where you see volunteers forking out hard-earned monies selflessly shared for the campaign efforts; this is also where the volunteer groups bridge the gaps not filled by the campaign team’s main reach and coverage.
This is all so promising, so hopeful, so empowering – I could smell victory in all of these hopeful signs.
I can see the phoenix rising from its ashes, and our resurrection is about to happen.
Let me share with you this beautiful, powerful, and hopeful song by Andra Day, written by Cassandra Monique Batie and Jennifer Decilveo about perseverance, courage and confidence.
Ponder on it and feel your victory.
Rise Up
“You're broken down and tired Of living life on a merry go round And you can't find the fighter But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out And move mountains We gonna walk it out And move mountains
And I'll rise up I'll rise like the day I'll rise up I'll rise unafraid I'll rise up And I'll do it a thousand times again And I'll rise up High like the waves I'll rise up In spite of the ache I'll rise up And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you For you For you For you
When the silence isn't quiet And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe And I know you feel like dying But I promise we'll take the world to its feet And move mountains Bring it to its feet And move mountains
And I'll rise up I'll rise like the day I'll rise up I'll rise unafraid I'll rise up And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you For you For you For you
All we need, all we need is hope And for that we have each other And for that we have each other And we will rise We will rise We'll rise, oh, oh We'll rise
I'll rise up Rise like the day I'll rise up In spite of the ache I will rise a thousand times again And we'll rise up High like the waves We'll rise up In spite of the ache We'll rise up And we'll do it a thousand times again
For you For you For you For you
Ah, ah, ah, ah”
The future is very promising and exciting, and we are all so hopeful. We must remain steadfast and resilient, with fortitude in our quest and desire for a better tomorrow.
We will persevere!
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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