August and September have not been friendly months, what with weather acting up and politics becoming more confrontational. It is hard to imagine waking up in the morning and feeling very upbeat about going through the whole day. One famous question often referred to in many feel-good ads is “What do you wake up for?” I wonder how many of us still manage to ask ourselves that same question today.
As an opinion writer, I try to stay attuned to interesting events and developments that are relevant to our daily lives as Filipinos. At the same time, I also try to avoid chismis, even if I must write about what many people are gossiping about. It is seeking redeeming value in the most ordinary or the most controversial topics that concerns me more, and that I want to share with the reading public.
Unfortunately, the hottest topics are mostly negative in nature. They revolve around scandals, controversies, criminality, thievery, and the endless lies deliberately propagated to distort the truth. While writing about these topics attracts many curious readers, I struggle with staying immersed in negativity. What I, and I believe most Filipinos, truly desire is a better and brighter life.
What frequently grabs our attention, however, are the sensational and spectacular stories, which often happen to be the most controversial. Although they may be factual and riveting, they distract us from more important tasks at hand—actions that can genuinely improve our daily lives. Instead of focusing our thoughts and efforts on producing more, earning more, and living better, our minds and attention are drawn towards the non-essentials.
Achieving what we should focus on requires a determined attitude or, sometimes, difficult circumstances that push us toward our goals—steering us away from what might be more entertaining and interesting. Diversions only ease our fears and challenges temporarily; at the end of the day, rent needs to be paid, food must be bought, cooked, and served to the family, and we need to prepare the kids for the next day. All of these come with their corresponding costs, and we must find ways to earn the money necessary to fund everything.
The real challenge lies in how to be productive: generating the right energy, cultivating the right thinking, employing the best methods, contributing effectively to our work, and earning sufficient income to hopefully do more than just survive. Every day, when we wake up, we need to ask ourselves that same question, “What do I wake up for?”
When we take the time to reflect, as we should, we might be surprised to realize that we don’t wake up every day to watch our favorite TV series, listen to the radio, catch the latest scandal or controversy on YouTube, or follow the lives of movie stars or influencers. Instead, our thoughts revolve around ensuring the kids make it to school on time with enough food or money, managing our own work schedules while navigating traffic, meeting work assignments or quotas, and saving up for the month’s expenses. Life is not easy, and distractions only make it more challenging.
In addition to our daily routines, we also need to remember to pursue our dreams, plan and work for a better tomorrow, and strive to build a society capable of offering a brighter future for our children. More than entertainment or scandals, we need inspiration. We need to wake up each day with a sense of purpose, something worth living, working, and even fighting for. In essence, we need to be inspired.
We have different paths but share common aspirations. I write, you read, but we both seek inspiration. We need to earn our daily bread and contribute to the well-being of our nation. It is evident that we do not live for ourselves alone, but we must recognize those we are meant to live alongside. Without a sense of nationhood and unity, we cannot have common dreams—only selfish ones.
While trying to keep abreast of current events and our future direction, I became absorbed in the perilous power struggles among our leaders as they vie for authority and privilege. I needed a break. I needed to clear my mind of the salacious and distracting, to refocus on the essential values being neglected. It felt as though our dreams were being set aside, sacrificed at the altar of money and power, and I needed to be inspired.
I realize that if I cannot find inspiration in the theatrics and political battles that occupy our leaders, I must seek it from fellow Filipinos who continue to pursue beautiful dreams. I discover these inspiring individuals by recognizing the good they do and the accomplishments they share for the betterment of all. If we look for them, we will find them—and in them, we will find our inspiration.
This week, my goal is to seek inspiration from Filipinos who are dedicated to doing what is right and sharing the fruits of their labor, serving as shining examples for others. My week has started well, and I have found many such individuals, young and old, all passionate and patriotic. As I walk among them, I find that I wake up each day with fewer questions and more answers.
All too soon, I know even I will be tempted to ride on details rather than essentials. I know as well that I will give somewhat in if only to have an easier entry point to my readers. What is important is that I will not miss the forest for the trees, the crucial for the superficial. My writing must be food for my soul, too, and not only for the public I wish to reach.