Imprints

                                             

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

                    - Imagine Dragons (Radioactive)

There was a heaviness in my heart as the names and ranks of the fallen soldiers were mentioned on national television one by one. As the faces were flashed onscreen, I felt the pain and loss of the children, wives and parents of the heroes. Why is it that they have to die for the sake of ideals? Are these beliefs more important than lives of human beings?

The blitz of the state-of-the-art mall seemed to become jaded as the news that Marawi was under siege was announced. The president then proclaimed martial law in Mindanao that I fumbled for my phone to alarm my brother who went home ahead of me. Did he brought with him his ID? Things like these covered the mind even if I was surrounded with happy faces.

Then, images on TV started to be aired. People scurrying around like terrified rats and the escalating number of fatalities were newscast... Social media sites were then flooded with a myriad of emotions and reactions. But blaming the authorities and posting stupendous comments won't solve anything. They could not even heal the pained hearts of those people who lost their loved ones.

Maute, a terrorist group claiming to be affiliated to the Isis, raised hell against the Christians to invade and proclaim their religious convictions. One would then try finding answers on this ideological askew. Their highest "being" is glorified through death and oppression? The sight of debris and the sounds of bombs and gunshots are beautiful to their aesthetically-deprived minds? Where could one situate himself in such chaos?

This situation should allow us to go deeper in reflection. If such scenarios prevail, what is the use of the education that we toiled so much? Would the moisturizers we dab on our skins, the hair serum, the multi-vitamins count? You see, we are doing the minute things in our daily existence count since we see meaning in our lives. The services that we could offer to our small communities like our families and work place are things we see as essential things in our different journeys. So, why should our freedom be curtailed by ideologies which could not be considered as universal?

Bigotry is not welcomed by me. I adhere to the belief that each of us is free to believe in things we find authentic and meaningful. But such beliefs must not be insisted on others since adults have their own ways of learning based on their convictions. Besides, democracy is in the air that we breathe. But then again, these convictions must not violate universal values like respect and human dignity. The rotting bodies on the streets of Marawi had spirits in them nourished by love and affection from their loved ones yet the extremists allowed this reality to be placed under the barrels of their guns and glorified their god.

So what then? Deep in me there is an urge to tell my friends and those who understand me that our concerted efforts to strengthen the inner person is important. We could be instruments in cascading these strengths to the small communities that we belong. Our influence could be small but the belief that love, affection, respect and inner peace could be radiated to others which could make ripples of such outcomes will probably leave positive imprints.

Inside my bedroom is silent. Save for the usual hum of the old air-conditioning system, the thought of trembling and cowering in fear due to the impending threats of an air strike is unnerving. Let me then proceed to the next town and allow that undernourished kid to eat pizza which is alien to him. This power, I think, has more meaning than the power I would feel when I smash the religious images inside a church to smithereens.


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