Of all the months in the calendar, APRIL is extra special to me? Let me count the reasons.
Firstly, the first day of April makes a noise through the April Fool’s Day hogging the limelight. Fun, laughter, and endless guffaws mark the day. A person who frowns, shouts obscenities and gets red with anger if victimized by the April foolers is a loser. April Fool’s day encourages everyone to loosen up and be jolly even if people make fun of you and in extreme cases, plays a practical joke on you. This is a day for everyone to remember that life is too short to take it so seriously. Who and where did the April Fool’s Day start, I have no idea, but it sure is a good way to greet the coming of the fourth month.
Secondly, the Filipinos commemorate and celebrate the red-letter day which is April 9, so called, “Araw ng Kagitingan,” (Day of Valor). I think, a trait, people born in this month, possess. “Magigiting” (valorous/courageous) is what they are. In deference to this official Philippine holiday, Araw ng Kagitingan aptly described the courageous march of the Filipino war veterans together with the 12,000 Americans from Bataan to Tarlac under the Japanese occupation, a posthumous recognition of their valor is given to them. They were prisoners of war who suffered debasement and inhumane treatment in the hands of the Japanese by inflicting barbaric acts thru psychological, emotional and physical torture. Who would ever forget the infamous, “Death March.” Brushing up on our Philippine history will enable us to vividly recollect the hardships they went through. The survivors of this saga, who are the war veterans, cannot be just compensated with any amount of money. They deserve our commendation with the highest respect. So, you see, April has become an important event in the history of the Philippines. An event worth remembering, by emulating the spirit of the valourous Filipino soldiers who fought till the end all for love of country.
Thirdly, April may be the hottest month and the humid climate presents a challenge to one’s physical ability to withstand the scorching heat. Why is that? April is the peak of the summer month. The lure of beaches to get a refreshing cool is hard to resist. Schooldays are over and students find all sorts of activities to stamp out boredom. All you have in mind during this time is to have some fun and more fun by engaging in the activities you so long for.
Another reason to be happy about is that April is a holy month, too. Holy Week either falls in the month of March or April. Holy Week is about reliving the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. April is not just about having fun, but also an opportunity to meditate, reflect and discover the greatness and goodness of God. Holy Week is like a food for the soul, an opportunity to nourish our spirituality and purge ourselves of the toxicity of our wicked ways. What gives me the high most is the possibility that Jesus Christ, our God was born in the month of April. Consider these assumptions, historians say, Jesus couldn’t possibly be born in December because the month following the old calendar system is a winter month. If the climate during that month was cold, there wouldn’t be any shepherds tending the herds. Being outside in that month would be unbearable because of the biting coldness. The shepherds and the herds were said to be the first visitors of Jesus when he was born. Further, if it was cold then, Jesus wouldn’t be wrapped in just a skimpy clothing exposing his fragile body to the extreme cold climate. Furthermore, during wintertime, stars are rarely visible. The shining star that the 3 magi/wise men saw and followed to locate the baby Jesus was probably seen during the hot season or summertime. Well, the possibility of Jesus being an April person is just so overwhelming. I am riding high in the assumption that the Greatest Person in the world and the son of God was born in April. Believe it or not.
Next, April is a month to rejoice for I have friends and family members who were born in this exciting month. People, you know who you are; my heartfelt greeting of a HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you. May the good Lord shower you with more blessings. You are all intelligent, talented, creative, generous kind and with a great sense of humor. May your tribe increase. You are all gifted people, therefore share your talents, skills, knowledge and material successes.
Finally, why is April extra special to me? I was born in April, too. Truly, April is loaded with various activities and facts (or stories) and these are reasons to be happy about. Pardon my biases, but that’s the way it is.
Happy Birthday to me.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
INDIFFERENCE
Two months ago, while lying idly in the sofa I overheard Kris (Aquino) over a television program in her nightly showbiz news called SNN giving away a bit of a trivia as to who was the popular actress who bought a P3M bag. Rarely do I watch celebrity shows. I find it a waste of time peeking at other people’s lives and delving into their private affairs digging about their interesting sometimes shocking love affairs, love escapades and such other superficial information about their showbiz careers. There are stars who wantonly display their prized possessions bought in megabucks. The ostentatiousness that go with being a celebrity without regard to the wide margin of poverty this country is confronted with is for me the height of insensitivity and indifference to the hapless plight of others. As Madonna quipped in her song, “it’s a material world,” and materialism rules in this kind of profession. Yes, being in a celluloid world, makes one living in a grand fantasy. Who could resist the lure of becoming famous, rich and pampered. On the other hand, my admiration goes to a few celebrity stars who are passionate on their chosen advocacies despite their busy schedules. Advocacies that they adhere to, to inform, reform and initiate change.
Going back to the P3M bag, the mere mention of it kept me into thinking who that celebrity was. Somehow, the news piqued me. I asked,” can’t they do any better aside from living lavishly right in the very eyes of a million poor people. This country is poverty stricken, how callous is she to buy a P3M bag and let the whole world know she is in possession of the most expensive bag. She maybe overflowing with money and honey but is it imperative for her to brag about it? Her daughter , a budding starlet quickly came to her defense, justifying the act by telling that her mother gives a lot to charity work. Good defense, but her being charitable isn’t the crux of the matter. The celebrity who bought a P3M bag is even the wife of a senator of the Philippines. The senator who confesses that his heart goes for the poor people, for the ordinary people, for the have nots. The senator who supports austerity programs of the government to be able to deliver basic services to the underprivileged. I do not question where the celebrity got the money to purchase the bag, she’s famous and rich, and she can very well avail of an expensive stuff that only the moneyed can afford. Definitely, government money is not involved in this controversial purchase.
My take on this, is that I am not green with envy as to the million peso bag, that I have to make a big deal about this. That superstar was born with a silver spoon, she’s wealthy, famous and loved and respected by her legions of fans. Her only fault, if you could call it that, is that she resides in one of the poorest countries in the world. A developing country, a euphemism for a third world country, comprising of millions of starving poor, living a hand to mouth existence, which every peso earned is already a blessing to them, and here she is, the superstar, rich and famous, with her head turned to the other side evading the cruel and harsh reality of poverty in her country, squandered her own money to buy a P3M bag. Yes, she possesses such enormous amount of money, it was a hard-earned money, earned thru hardwork being a bankable star in the movie industry, but I only plead that she be discreet with what she purchase with her money because while she’s living outrageously and pompously, a lot of people in the lower strata of our society struggle to survive by all means to keep them afloat.
In these times of worldwide recession, let us not be immune and indifferent to other people’s misfortune, despair and the scant resources they have, let’s be sensitive to the sufferings of others.
This piece of words of wisdom is worth remembering, “COMFORT THE AFFLICTED, AFFLICT THE COMFORTED.”
Going back to the P3M bag, the mere mention of it kept me into thinking who that celebrity was. Somehow, the news piqued me. I asked,” can’t they do any better aside from living lavishly right in the very eyes of a million poor people. This country is poverty stricken, how callous is she to buy a P3M bag and let the whole world know she is in possession of the most expensive bag. She maybe overflowing with money and honey but is it imperative for her to brag about it? Her daughter , a budding starlet quickly came to her defense, justifying the act by telling that her mother gives a lot to charity work. Good defense, but her being charitable isn’t the crux of the matter. The celebrity who bought a P3M bag is even the wife of a senator of the Philippines. The senator who confesses that his heart goes for the poor people, for the ordinary people, for the have nots. The senator who supports austerity programs of the government to be able to deliver basic services to the underprivileged. I do not question where the celebrity got the money to purchase the bag, she’s famous and rich, and she can very well avail of an expensive stuff that only the moneyed can afford. Definitely, government money is not involved in this controversial purchase.
My take on this, is that I am not green with envy as to the million peso bag, that I have to make a big deal about this. That superstar was born with a silver spoon, she’s wealthy, famous and loved and respected by her legions of fans. Her only fault, if you could call it that, is that she resides in one of the poorest countries in the world. A developing country, a euphemism for a third world country, comprising of millions of starving poor, living a hand to mouth existence, which every peso earned is already a blessing to them, and here she is, the superstar, rich and famous, with her head turned to the other side evading the cruel and harsh reality of poverty in her country, squandered her own money to buy a P3M bag. Yes, she possesses such enormous amount of money, it was a hard-earned money, earned thru hardwork being a bankable star in the movie industry, but I only plead that she be discreet with what she purchase with her money because while she’s living outrageously and pompously, a lot of people in the lower strata of our society struggle to survive by all means to keep them afloat.
In these times of worldwide recession, let us not be immune and indifferent to other people’s misfortune, despair and the scant resources they have, let’s be sensitive to the sufferings of others.
This piece of words of wisdom is worth remembering, “COMFORT THE AFFLICTED, AFFLICT THE COMFORTED.”
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