As a Matter of Fact

Superstition has its roots on ignorance (and foolishness).  It succeeds the lack of precisely accurate understanding.  What is it with people justifying superstition with the rationale that there is nothing to lose when one resorts to it? Better compromise than sorry.  That’s what it is, even when it seems you’re not compromising. As a matter of fact, there is a lot to lose.  We are a Christian nation, so it is said.  But we are also a people who confuse faith with feng shui.  You see altars at home with images of angels and saints and all around you also see figures and figurines for good luck emblazoning the irony of monotheism and idolatry.  Man sure has a way of resolving uncertainty. To put it more simply, how can one say he believes in an absolute God and all other things that come with that belief when he also believes in such things as luck and fortune-telling and magical spells?


Oh yeah, as a matter of fact, there is a lot to lose.  My Sage Dictionary tells me that “faith” is complete confidence. It is a strong belief in a supernatural power that control human destiny.  It’s either/or, people. You know, we can only have faith in one.  I don’t think it’ll work two-way.  We either have faith in Him or have faith in something else.  We cannot claim both.  As illustration, allow me to use a man torn between two lovers – the wife and the mistress.  The mistress, assuming she knows that she is a mistress, would more often than not somehow stomach and tolerate the set-up.  But the wife, upon the knowledge of the cheating lover, wouldn’t allow for that set-up to continue lest she has completely lost her mind and self-worth.  Because the fact of the matter is, they are bound by a supposedly sacred covenant of exclusive partnership.  And let me highlight the EXCLUSIVE right there. Aren’t you hurt when a partner cheats or rejects you? Well, lemme break your ice: God has feelings too. This may not be too good an example but you get the point.  I don’t want to sound accusatory and express some kind of bravado; it’s just mind-boggling really.  People search for some sense of security and they want to optimize every possibility to a point that they believe in a lot of things that can sometimes (or oftentimes) be contradictory.  The opportunity cost of it may not always be tangible, but for a believer of the spiritual, I say we pay a high price for it.


I don’t know what’s worse, being blind or myopic? Blindness is complete ignorance.  You are made to believe something because that’s the only piece of information fed you.  Myopia on the other hand is nearsightedness (aka foolishness).  You can see; you just can’t see that far.  You are clued-up but you just choose idiocy out of sheer insecurity.  Amazingly, I guess the latter is worse.

Defining Desperation

It’s when you do everything to have it. It’s when you do everything for it. It’s when you do everything to be consumed by it. It’s hopelessness without the One you anchor your hope on.  It’s oblivion if otherwise not had. It’s either/or.  It’s life or death.  It’s a cry to the last breath. It’s when you give up your everything for your Everything.  It’s when it’s the only option you consider and you shall ever consider.  It’s when it’s now or never.  It’s your All.  And it is when your All is the only constant in a timeframe that is forever.

The rubbish that is not, actually

What is it with those butterflies fluttering in your tummy? You’re starved and suddenly you could just vomit 3 spoonfuls. Just a glimpse and boom! There goes your appetite. To what can I compare the feeling? When it strikes so ephemerally, I think of thunder. And then there are times you are caught off guard. You think you’re in the comforts of the earth’s crust, and then you are stricken. You think it’s so overrated so you feign un-affection. But I don’t think so. It’s something that I surmise the universe conspires to make happen.

So I’m talking my own gibberish, trying to sound less like what I want to communicate, actually. It’s not suppression. It’s coy. It’s what happens when your cheek goes all red.

The Smell of Home is Oh So Sweet

After what felt like an eon, I’m back home. Nothing beats the feel of stepping in familiar, sugarcane-planted ground. Our dogs gave the best welcome reception, hands-down to them. The moment I stepped out of the car and entered our gate, the two Rotts went berserk. As mom would put it, palagi naman ‘yan excited ‘pag dumating kami pero ngayon yung excitement nila eh yung tipong hindi mapakali. Yes, I’m that superstar. They missed me and their memories were in perfect condition – except for Sweetie who kept sniffing me for some ‘ol familiar smell. I couldn’t blame her though, she was a baby Daschund the last time she saw me. Her mother, my loyalist, on the other hand kept jumping at me and peeing uncontrollably. Now that is what you call EXCITEMENT, baby.

*sigh* I missed them and it feels awesomely good to be home.

On a darker yet optimistic note, I found myself in the hospital as soon as I arrived. A relative Tito of ours was in critical condition at the ICU. I was with his son on the flight back home and we had to rush him to the hospital to see his dad as soon as we got off. Miracles happen and the father-son reunion was a lot of drama but this is not an entry of remorse. My tito was faring better. He was able to give me a thumbs-up sign when it was my turn to see him. Prior that, mom and cousins recounted how they almost lost him. His heart stopped beating thrice. My dad theorized he crossed-over. My tito wrote he saw a white figure (amidst the stark darkness) egging him to fight when he was at the most critical point. Whatever happened, I am thankful. It’s always grace that brings us back to life. The moment we are brought back, we become new. And we fulfill the purpose – the very reason – we have been brought back or “given the second chance” to live.

Some first day that was. I led prayer before meals during dinner. Opportunities are everywhere. I’m in for some grand vacation.