The bus ride to Pasay, Rotonda.
I'm a huge fan of Paulo Coelho and maybe a nicer name of a place would sound better with "The bus ride to...." but then again, not everything in life is THAT nice, right?
***
Yesterday noon, while my family and I were on our way to Ayala Westgrove Heights in Laguna, my Dad started talking about the life of the rich people, the poor people, then our life. To be perfectly honest, my greatest fear in life is to lose everything I have right now and yes, I'm talking about finance here so when he opened up the topic, I went completely rigid...
"Sometimes it's better if you came all the way down (or in other terms, if you started out as a poor person) and etch your way to the top rather than coming all the way up there, then dropping down under", he started. "Kasi ang mayaman, hindi yan sanay sa hirap. Ang mahirap naman, mapa-angat man yan o mapa-baba, kaya niya eh. Bukas kasi mata niya sa hirap ng buhay. Alam niya ang totoong buhay. Hindi yung magaganda lang bagay sa buhay."And I agree with that. It's true anyway.
I didn't come from a poor family nor did I come from a rich family. I came from a family who could afford the luxuries in life. We have more than enough and I could also say that we are indeed financially stable. But then, I couldn't help but think, what if I lose everything I have right now and be left alone as a poor person. The type who couldn't even eat 3 times a day, the type who has to sleep in a small room, the type who has to work almost 24 hours a day just to earn a living, the type who couldn't gain the privilege of getting a good education, etc.
Money, money, money. The one thing in life everyone needs. Some say, they could survive without love, happiness and all the things we know are essential, just as long as they have money to get through each bill. Hm..
After everything that I realized, I decided to try to do one thing: TO PUT MYSELF IN AN ORDINARY MAN'S SHOES.
After class, I rode a bus going to Pasay, Rotonda with my best friend, Ysa. The bus ride was more of a rollercoaster ride, actually. A rollercoaster ride of reality. In the 20 minute-time that I sat there riding that bus, a few more realizations came to me. And this time they are those of which I could get and learn something from. :)
But although the span of 20 minutes was actually short in a man's measure, there is something about the 'bus ride' that made each nano-second stretch with each thought and each lesson I learned.
***
After going down to Pasay Rotonda, we rode a jeep going to Cabrera then I walked from one kanto to another until I reached my house in Makati. The walk would've been really tiring, if I wasn't thinking of so many things. Grabe, I didn't realize that poverty means poorer than poor until I experienced it partly today.
Sobrang kadiri ung streets 'cause if you'd really take time to walk by the streets of Pasay or some place else, you'd pass by dog poop along the way. It was so bad to the extent that I gagged! The walk would've been fine if it weren't for the jeepneys who were puffing out polluted gas or whatever you call it. But still, it's half as bad...
***
After that experience, I realize that I am THAT lucky. I've got everything I need and even more. Money isn't everything though, for even if I may have all the material things I could ask for, not having my family and my good set of friends makes me just as poor, too.
***
Yesterday noon, while my family and I were on our way to Ayala Westgrove Heights in Laguna, my Dad started talking about the life of the rich people, the poor people, then our life. To be perfectly honest, my greatest fear in life is to lose everything I have right now and yes, I'm talking about finance here so when he opened up the topic, I went completely rigid...
"Sometimes it's better if you came all the way down (or in other terms, if you started out as a poor person) and etch your way to the top rather than coming all the way up there, then dropping down under", he started. "Kasi ang mayaman, hindi yan sanay sa hirap. Ang mahirap naman, mapa-angat man yan o mapa-baba, kaya niya eh. Bukas kasi mata niya sa hirap ng buhay. Alam niya ang totoong buhay. Hindi yung magaganda lang bagay sa buhay."And I agree with that. It's true anyway.
I didn't come from a poor family nor did I come from a rich family. I came from a family who could afford the luxuries in life. We have more than enough and I could also say that we are indeed financially stable. But then, I couldn't help but think, what if I lose everything I have right now and be left alone as a poor person. The type who couldn't even eat 3 times a day, the type who has to sleep in a small room, the type who has to work almost 24 hours a day just to earn a living, the type who couldn't gain the privilege of getting a good education, etc.
Money, money, money. The one thing in life everyone needs. Some say, they could survive without love, happiness and all the things we know are essential, just as long as they have money to get through each bill. Hm..
After everything that I realized, I decided to try to do one thing: TO PUT MYSELF IN AN ORDINARY MAN'S SHOES.
After class, I rode a bus going to Pasay, Rotonda with my best friend, Ysa. The bus ride was more of a rollercoaster ride, actually. A rollercoaster ride of reality. In the 20 minute-time that I sat there riding that bus, a few more realizations came to me. And this time they are those of which I could get and learn something from. :)
But although the span of 20 minutes was actually short in a man's measure, there is something about the 'bus ride' that made each nano-second stretch with each thought and each lesson I learned.
***
After going down to Pasay Rotonda, we rode a jeep going to Cabrera then I walked from one kanto to another until I reached my house in Makati. The walk would've been really tiring, if I wasn't thinking of so many things. Grabe, I didn't realize that poverty means poorer than poor until I experienced it partly today.
Sobrang kadiri ung streets 'cause if you'd really take time to walk by the streets of Pasay or some place else, you'd pass by dog poop along the way. It was so bad to the extent that I gagged! The walk would've been fine if it weren't for the jeepneys who were puffing out polluted gas or whatever you call it. But still, it's half as bad...
***
After that experience, I realize that I am THAT lucky. I've got everything I need and even more. Money isn't everything though, for even if I may have all the material things I could ask for, not having my family and my good set of friends makes me just as poor, too.
posted by retrohotness at
2:20 AM
2 Comments:
it's surprising how small experiences like these can make us see life in a whole different level. sometimes i wake up and just feel like i want to spend my money on things i really wouldn't use.. i feel so guilty when i see the poor people who cannot even think about this because they have no money to spend.. haaay.. and yes, money isn't everything but it's sad that to some people, it is.
we really are lucky. :)
hey, karla :) yes, it is not only surprising but sad, too 'cause most people always think about themselves, how they want to get this and that and how they can't seem to realize and see how lucky they are. it's ironic, really---how all the good things in life hit us between the eyes and how we stay blind 'cause we choose to close our eyes on the good things we already have and open it to those we want to have.
***
it feels nice to know that there is someone else who has an open-mind when it comes to things like this. :)
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