Month: June 2015

To the older generation,

Thank you for going before us. Thank you for paving the way, for giving us a platform to stand on. Thank you for your words of wisdom, for your well intended advice, even, well, for your reprimands. We acknowledge you because even though we blame you a lot of times, we won’t be where we are if it weren’t for you.

I suppose the next few paragraphs will make this letter sound like a graduation speech:

To our teachers, thank you for teaching us what we know now. I still don’t know how Math 17 and CMSC 150 is applicable in my life, but oh well papel, CMSC 2 and CMSC 100 is very useful to me know. CMSC 128, too.

To our parents, thank you for loving us, for doing your best to provide for us, for raising us, and even for releasing us to do what we have to do. I hope we never tire of telling you how much we love you.

To our leaders, we believe in you. Yes, each one of you. Leaders in our workplace, leaders in our church, leaders in (let me brace myself for all the rotten eggs and tomatoes) our country. Forgive us for being harsh, for being critical, for feeling that we are so much better than you – we don’t realize how difficult it is to truly lead. We will simply continue praying for you, supporting you in whatever way we can.

And to all whose ages are a month or a year higher than ours – we simply honor you. You have been on this planet longer than us. I hope we can glean a nugget of wisdom or two from you.

From,

Me and the younger ones

Dear Youth,

I’m reading this book, “Can’t be Arsed: 101 things not to do before you die”. It’s a humorous counter to all the YOLO things we like to do nowadays. You know, bucket lists and all that. I don’t think it’s meant to be taken seriously (the book, I mean). Because if there’s one thing I can tell you, youth, don’t be afraid to live a life of adventure. A life or risks. A life or purpose. A life of meaning. A life of love. Go out and live life, living for yourself, pouring out to others, pouring out most of all to God, too.

LIVE. For yourself. I mean, be you. We tend to fall into two extremes. You care too much about yourself (hello narcissistic youth), or you don’t care at all. But you can’t love others if you don’t really love yourself. So live. I tell you again, LIVE.

Pour out to others. Because there are other people aside from you. Everyone is fighting a battle. It wouldn’t hurt to move out of your bubble and bring some joy in other people’s bubble’s, too.

Most of all, pour out to God. Some of you might believe in the concept of a supreme being. Some of you might not. But since I believe in Him, this is my conviction: every breath you breathe in this life is a song being sung out to Him. Will you belt out cacophony of sounds like those of clanging cymbals or will you sing a sound of worship instead?

Youth, there are probably a lot more I should tell you. But for now, these will have to do.

Go, Youth. I believe in you.