The Endangered Specie: Singles

Ang mga Single, especially yung nasa kategoryang No Boyfriend/Girlfriend Since Birth na kabataan ay kabilang sa mga endangered species. Konti na lamang sila at under protection. May mga taong pine-preserve sila at pinapadami. Sa kabila nito, hindi madaling mag preserve ng singles. Wastong pag-aalaga ang ginagawa sa mga ito at kapag handa nang makipagsapalaran, pinapakawalan na sila sa wild. Ang wild  ay puno ng mga Mangangaso na walang tigil sa pagsilo sa kanila, isama pa dito ang nagkalat na patibong; lantaran at patago. Yung mga lantarang patibong ay yung mga mapang-akit at tipong maa-attract yung mga singles gaya ng magandang postura at itsura; yung iba namang patibong ay lantarang panlilinlang, akala mo pasok sa standard na itinakda pero may lahi palang hunyango! Dinaig ang pinakamagaling na impersonator sa bansa. Bukod sa lantarang patibong ay yung patagong patibong, ito yung hindi mo napapansin nasisilo ka na pala at mabibigla ka nalang na nahulog kana sa patibong na ito.

Hindi madali maging single, ang daming temptation at mga maling perspectives. Nineteen years and counting na akong Single, hindi ko ito sinadya NOON pero ngayon, sinasadya ko na. Nais kong i-preserve ang sarili ko para sa Panginoon. At ngayon nagdadaan ako sa wild at nakaka encounter ng iba't ibang patibong. Ang pag hihintay ay malaking hamon sa mga single na gaya ko. Ang hamon na ito ay mahirap kung mali ang pagtingin dito.

Sa totoo lang, biktima ako ng maling pagtingin sa salitang "paghihintay". Noong fourth year high school, akala ko tapos na ang pag hihintay, akala ko sapat na ang apat na taon sa high school para ma-preserve ako, akala ko handa na ako para makipag relasyon. Binago yun nga Diyos at sinabi nyang "Anak extend pa!", kaya hindi pa doon natatapos ang lahat, along the process of waiting, somebody came along unexpectedly (parang kanta to ah!). Parang kidlat ito na tumama sa puno at nag-iwan ng marka. Dumating yung punto na napapanaginipan ko itong taong ito kahit di ko sya iniisip, sabi ko tuloy, "Lord, sya po ba?"

Nalihis ng konti ang pagtingin ko sa Paghihintay, nabahidan ito ng pagnanais sa isang tao. Habang tumatagal, nagkakaroon ako ng desire na sabihin na sa kanya. Pero may pumipigil sa akin, ang Lord. Sa aking pagbubulay bulay, natagpuan ko ang sarili kong nahihintay sa specific guy at hindi na sa Panginoon. Dali-dali akong humingi ng tawad at kahit masakit, I surrendered it all to the Lord. God made me broken, He wants to preserve me and to wait patiently on him alone. God wants my heart and He wants me to be faithful to him. Akala ko yung mga in-a-relationship lang yung nasasaktan, uso na din mag move on kahit Single ka pa. Sa paghihintay, napagtanto kong kasama ko ang Panginoon, sya ang Greatest Preserver ng ating buhay, Siya din ang magtatakda ng panahon kung kailan ka maaring humayo at magparami.

Song of Songs 3:4"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by does of the field; Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."

Isang araw, tinanong ako ng isang youth sa church, "Ate, papaano mo po kinakaya maging Single? Di ka po ba nakakaramdam?" Simple lang ang sagot ko, "sa tuwing nakakaramdam ako ng desire, nanalangin akong patulugin ni God yung gumising kong desire at itago nya ang puso ko."

The Epic Fail Scenario

Education, according to my professor in Political Governance and Politics, is a privilege that must be seized. It is absolutely important for everyone since it makes our lives better. A tweet from Bob Ong Quotes says that “dalawang dekada ka nalang papasok sa eskwela, kung di mo pa pagtatyagaan, limang dekada kang maghihirap at magdurusa. Kung alam lang ito ng bawat estudyante sa Pilipinas, lulubusin nilang mag aral”. It did make a strong point of view in education and how should we take it in life; hence, it is the key for success.

People get to school for the main purpose of learning, passing and achieving, in like manner. Who on earth will spend his time to go in an institution like school with no intention as such as these, or if not, will purposely fail all his subjects. Well that my friend, is insanity. A pre-school student may not understand deeply the essence of education, but the child may think of it as a place where he could have fun and enjoy his life. A child gets excited of getting to school, but it changes as he grows. School more becomes a place to acquire friends, heart partners or enemies. Inside a classroom, ambiance depends on how the students perceive the quintessence of that institution. I personally experience a situation where I myself want to set an atmosphere inside the class. For GCs or also known as grade conscious, the competitive spirit must be the thing that makes us alive, a drug that keep us  going towards an extra mile, even go beyond our limitation and might step on someone else’s territory. For every class with GCs, the atmosphere is war and downgrade syndrome; however, for every class with IDCs or I Don’t Care students, their means of passing and learning are cheating and dropping. This is school, an establishment, a place where there is team work, consumerism of test answers, friends with profit and individualism etc.

Studying is hard even for a pre-school or a grade school student. It just becomes easy for us when we have a deep understanding on our lessons we had before. At this point where age can be a license for a deeper perceptive of insights, they would be able to handle more difficult situations in life, especially for college students, whereas, school is like a tenebrous park with supernatural creatures around. This park is full of pressures and stress; these things compel the student to see the supernatural creatures that give out fear. But it’s not just the negative side alone, students moreover need to view college as a door that opens greater opportunities in life. On the contrary getting to that door is not as easy as it looks, the map may show a short cut, yet it could be dangerous, likewise in tertiary education.

Some professors are like rose, pretty yet thorny and when you tried to get in touch with it you’ll get yourself hurt. Inside the classroom, professor changes attitude. He could be cool and friendly, and could also be your furious enemy. His magical marker can change your life.  Once he entered class, it’s like an angel had descended from heaven came in to teach them lessons, either in good or hard way. Everyone’s silent and trying to catch up with that he is telling. He teaches not only his subject, but as well as life principles. He’s unpredictable and a good man at the moment. Every semester is a challenge to get the heart of every professor to avoid violence and conflict and the class effort to retain that peace is a very amusing. But crisis always takes picture in every story, a gloomy and dark atmosphere covers the whole class as he changes the mood, seriousness and sadness is there, reclining on chair becomes a sin, heads should be all down to make him relent his anger. Education is not just about reading books and reviewing notes, sometimes reading and reviewing the professor is a safety precautionary measure not to fail.  After countless days, judgments must takes place. Pass or fail is the magical and intriguing question that captures every soul. But, remember that even at the end, twists are never new to everyone. “I am holding your grades, see you next semester!”

No one plan to not make the grade, yet Epic fail! Education indeed is a privilege, never take it for granted, likewise, work is a privilege, never ever abuse it. Make rooms for second chance, education are not meant for failure, but for every failure comes new and improve individuals that will seize every moment inside this institution.


*This article was written last year as a sample article for our community magazine. This is not that good but for the sake of those who wants to read this, I'm posting it. :)