When to defy the cosmos and not to

            After some time, I experienced a Renaissance of sort and an idea popped into my mind like a light bulb you would often see on Sesame Street whenever a character suddenly thinks genius. And here what comes out of thinking Einstein: I decided (finally, after stacking myself on lame excuses) to have a notebook (not that I’ve never have one but since my first year in College, I’ve never bought one. I hate taking down notes, the irony of ironies of my being a writer. I borrow my classmate’s notes and have them page-aliked when examination nears). Call me lazy. I do not really mind. Giggles. The reason was plain -  my memory is falling short. Don’t you suggest buying that Memo Plus Kuya Kim was advertising. I don’t even think it works and if it does, it must be your mind telling you your brain is now a great flashback machine because you took Memo Plus (you know? something psychological). When I suddenly think brilliant, I literally lose it for some time that I hadn’t put it into paper and it happens a jillion times (you could’ve just imagine a thousand pissed-off jiffies I went through).

            My craving for a notebook goes with my yearning for a book. Problem is, I keep on buying and borrowing books without even finishing what I’ve started. So I resolve to finish my backlog on sembreak, which poses another problem. I do not keep my promises to myself. I realized just now that I’m beginning to hate myself except my love for books. Few people read books. Even few read good books (don’t bother looking for my definition of a good book. My mind changes in a matter of split seconds). Point is, where have lovers of books gone? Now that’s a little romanticizing. When strolling ‘round the mall, I figured out that more people would prefer playing video games than actually flocking the book sale. More women would spend bucks on cosmetics than on books, fashion magazines over ‘real’ books. And the scenario is awkwardly pathetic, too-damned pathetic. If you haven’t had read one good book in your life, I pity you with the pity of a passer-by over a beggar who haven’t had a taste of good life. 

            So this world is doomed with shopaholics who wouldn’t spend a penny for a book. And if some divine trance took over me, I suddenly have a mission: to prevent the terrible fate of books to befall on humanity (I love humanity, after all). Imagine if there would be no books or archives to seek after? If suddenly, one forgotten book staged a revolt (like those stories I read on first grade) and successfully convinced their kind to wipe out their pages. What would be left of Sidney Sheldon’s suspense thrillers or J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter? You could just visualize the horror! It’s time to defy the impending doom and I have to do something. So I write on this page and subconsciously hoped, maybe wistfully thought, it would strike a chord. I simply got tired of writing about politics. Besides, books are far more important stuff to talk about than the arse-faced Prospero Nograles and the tight-butt puppet Raul Gonzales, defender of the lost universe named Malacañang. I mull over these people’s destiny and if they’re opposite of what should bloody be their fates, then perhaps I ought to do something. But no thanks. The cosmos have them. May the rain fall when they’re out in the streets with their best suites (a devilish laugh and a curtsy). Now that’s totally un-defying the heavens. Hahaha….

            I am supposed to end this column right after that laugh. But something happened and I ought to pull my heart out of my sleeves. Yesterday, I found out that I have COWARD comrades (well, some of them). I thought we were all warriors. But then again, I guess they ARE warriors, but they’re fighting for the wrong cause. Just because the people around you seem to approve of something, doesn’t mean you just have to keep your butt tight without even the attempt of a squeak. You have voice for you to say your opinion. They may not give a nod but it goes to show that you are a man with a stand. I remember our motto when I was a part of III-1 SHS. “In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock”. And if you are alone in the fight, don’t give up and lose courage. You may lose friends in the process but never yourself. Don’t go with the flow. Never stand in the middle nor always search for the middle ground. As Elijah said in The Fifth Mountain, “Man must choose – NOT accept his fate”. For life is the sum of the choices we make. And even if you lose the fight, you win the respect of those who people who know what ‘principle’ is all about.And there goes another Coelho’s words of wisdom: “All life’s battles teach us something, even those we lose. When you grow up, you’ll discover that you have defended lies, deceived yourself, or suffered for foolishness. If you are a good warrior, you will not blame yourself for this, but neither will you allow yourself to repeat the same mistakes again”.

Now that’s conquering your weakness. Defy the gods. Defy the mob. Defy fate itself…when you know your cause is worth fighting for…when you know that at the end of the day, you will sleep soundly knowing you never betrayed yourself and never even thought of selling your principle for the sake of mere camaraderie.When to defy the cosmos and not to

            After some time, I experienced a Renaissance of sort and an idea popped into my mind like a light bulb you would often see on Sesame Street whenever a character suddenly thinks genius. And here what comes out of thinking Einstein: I decided (finally, after stacking myself on lame excuses) to have a notebook (not that I've never have one but since my first year in College, I've never bought one. I hate taking down notes, the irony of ironies of my being a writer. I borrow my classmate's notes and have them page-aliked when examination nears). Call me lazy. I do not really mind. Giggles. The reason was plain -  my memory is falling short. Don't you suggest buying that Memo Plus Kuya Kim was advertising. I don't even think it works and if it does, it must be your mind telling you your brain is now a great flashback machine because you took Memo Plus (you know? something psychological). When I suddenly think brilliant, I literally lose it for some time that I hadn't put it into paper and it happens a jillion times (you could've just imagine a thousand pissed-off jiffies I went through).

            My craving for a notebook goes with my yearning for a book. Problem is, I keep on buying and borrowing books without even finishing what I've started. So I resolve to finish my backlog on sembreak, which poses another problem. I do not keep my promises to myself. I realized just now that I'm beginning to hate myself except my love for books. Few people read books. Even few read good books (don't bother looking for my definition of a good book. My mind changes in a matter of split seconds). Point is, where have lovers of books gone? Now that's a little romanticizing. When strolling ‘round the mall, I figured out that more people would prefer playing video games than actually flocking the book sale. More women would spend bucks on cosmetics than on books, fashion magazines over ‘real' books. And the scenario is awkwardly pathetic, too-damned pathetic. If you haven't had read one good book in your life, I pity you with the pity of a passer-by over a beggar who haven't had a taste of good life. 

            So this world is doomed with shopaholics who wouldn't spend a penny for a book. And if some divine trance took over me, I suddenly have a mission: to prevent the terrible fate of books to befall on humanity (I love humanity, after all). Imagine if there would be no books or archives to seek after? If suddenly, one forgotten book staged a revolt (like those stories I read on first grade) and successfully convinced their kind to wipe out their pages. What would be left of Sidney Sheldon's suspense thrillers or J.K Rowling's Harry Potter? You could just visualize the horror! It's time to defy the impending doom and I have to do something. So I write on this page and subconsciously hoped, maybe wistfully thought, it would strike a chord. I simply got tired of writing about politics. Besides, books are far more important stuff to talk about than the arse-faced Prospero Nograles and the tight-butt puppet Raul Gonzales, defender of the lost universe named Malacañang. I mull over these people's destiny and if they're opposite of what should bloody be their fates, then perhaps I ought to do something. But no thanks. The cosmos have them. May the rain fall when they're out in the streets with their best suites (a devilish laugh and a curtsy). Now that's totally un-defying the heavens. Hahaha....

            I am supposed to end this column right after that laugh. But something happened and I ought to pull my heart out of my sleeves. Yesterday, I found out that I have COWARD comrades (well, some of them). I thought we were all warriors. But then again, I guess they ARE warriors, but they're fighting for the wrong cause. Just because the people around you seem to approve of something, doesn't mean you just have to keep your butt tight without even the attempt of a squeak. You have voice for you to say your opinion. They may not give a nod but it goes to show that you are a man with a stand. I remember our motto when I was a part of III-1 SHS. "In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock". And if you are alone in the fight, don't give up and lose courage. You may lose friends in the process but never yourself. Don't go with the flow. Never stand in the middle nor always search for the middle ground. As Elijah said in The Fifth Mountain, "Man must choose - NOT accept his fate". For life is the sum of the choices we make. And even if you lose the fight, you win the respect of those who people who know what ‘principle' is all about.And there goes another Coelho's words of wisdom: "All life's battles teach us something, even those we lose. When you grow up, you'll discover that you have defended lies, deceived yourself, or suffered for foolishness. If you are a good warrior, you will not blame yourself for this, but neither will you allow yourself to repeat the same mistakes again".

Now that's conquering your weakness. Defy the gods. Defy the mob. Defy fate itself...when you know your cause is worth fighting for...when you know that at the end of the day, you will sleep soundly knowing you never betrayed yourself and never even thought of selling your principle for the sake of mere camaraderie.