Friday, December 30, 2011

23 Pesos

This day is definitely a holiday.

Yeah.




Today, we celebrate our national hero’s 115th death anniversary. Since I already took up the course on Jose Rizal, I already knew what really happened on his last days and what happened on this very day on the year 1896 at Bagumbayan. And since today is his death anniversary, it is just right for us to commemorate his martyrdom for the sake of our country’s freedom. This morning, our city had its own share of celebration.

With some rituals and some thingamajigs, we performed a patriotic song in front of the audience of less than 50 persons. A choir made of four, we sang a classic song by Freddie Aguilar entitled, “Bayan Ko.” With only two days of practice, expect a performance with many mistakes. During the performance proper, we had a technical problem due to the CD. ‘Twas social suicide to be standing there for five minutes while the CD was being fixed. Tsk. However, we  kinda pulled off when we sang. Others said that we performed well. The blending, they said, was very nice and they felt the performance so much. The truth behind that? We had so much mistakes. Some of us were singing another tune. Some of us forgot some of the tunes – I being guilty to both of them. Since they said that we were good, okay, good.

Rizal really contributed a lot to our country’s liberation – in my opinion though. Through his death, Bonifacio was filled with anger and thus, he founded Katipunan, the group that eventually sparked some revolts in the entire Philippines. Rizal never approved this during his entire lifetime for he wished of a peace revolution. Rizal fought through his pen and paper. Though he lacked funds, he was able to publish two novels that caused the anger of the Spanish friars in the Philippines during the colonial era. His articles on newspapers and his other writings gave Filipinos more hope and might in fighting against the Spaniards.

His articles attacked the colonizers directly, so he used pseudonyms such as Dimasalang, Laong Laan, and the like. However, he still got arrested and killed this day, December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan in which is now called Luneta Park.

He was more of a writer and a hero. According to our subject, he was also a sculptor, a musician, a scientist, anthropologist, linguist, architect, teacher, magician, name them all! He was an extraordinary man.

But what is also extraordinary is this other celebration we celebrate today. I never knew that it was the Feast of the Holy Family today. It was out of my mind until I saw it on our calendar. It was totally not known by many that it was the feast of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. Today, we must put in mind and make the Holy Family as the model for all the families in the world. As it is popularly said, “the family that prays together, stays together.” Look at the Holy Family. They stayed together, in sickness and in health, till death, they still stayed together – in Heaven.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Mary our mother, pray for us.

Baby Jesus, have mercy on us.

Anyways, after that performance of ours, we went to McDonald’s for a breakfast.  While others were ordering, I saw a box filled with money. Beside it were some clothes in plastic bags. I then knew what was all those. Those were for the victims of typhoon Sendong which hit the southern Philippines killing many Filipinos. Since I wanted to help because I haven’t helped them yet, I took my 20PHP and put it inside the box. I know it’s quite small but, hey, at least I helped.

While ordering, I saw another box. It says it was for the grade schools of the city and the nearby towns. I was deeply touched by what it said so I took my all the coins I had – 3php and put them inside the box. It’s quite small, I mean really. But, I know I can help in other ways.

So those 23Php were gone. 23Php is really a small amount of money when it pertains to giving to others. But, I wanted to live by my principle. It’s not in the amount that counts, but the thought itself. It’s not about how many points garnered but how to help in many different ways. Yes. It would already contribute a lot with those money I gave. Besides, I received 22Php from carolling from teachers a while ago.

Other things also happened this day.
  • The Alumni Homecoming at School.
  •  The 22Php.
  •  The Dream that Gloria Arroyo was killed and the Philippines rejoiced. (Though I do not know why I dreamt of this. She was never in my mind the whole time)
  •  The inception which I experienced. (In my dream, I had a dream and when I woke up from that dream, I thought I was really awake but it turned out, I was really dreaming.)
  • The Bubble Gang experience (Epic Music Videos are Epic!)


Yeah.

This day is a definite holiday.


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