Beginning of the holidays

This Thursday is Thanksgiving. It’s a special family occasion when we bow our heads with eyes closed to give Him our most profound si yuus maase for all our blessings over the last year. It’s also the beginning of the holiday season.

As I hit the keyboard, there’s a calming soft instrumental of Silent Night echoing from my laptop. It brought vivid memories of yester-years and thoughts of loved ones in far away land.

There’s a second melody O` Little Town of Bethlehem that says in part “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” Remembered the historic simplicity of Christmas Day in Bethlehem where He lay silently in “deep and dreamless sleep” in a manger. Very humbling! Yes, there was a lump in my throat reminiscing of days gone by where time disappeared like morning dew.

Recalled my late brother asking how come I never ran for public office. Told him that I wasn’t about to compromise personal values and faith for temporal stuff. I was assigned to write and this is my lifetime commitment until that day that I sail into the sunset.

I had the opportunity to look briefly into the narrative I’ve drafted, reviewing the changes that have taken place here over the last five decades. There’s something strangely unique about it in the level of civics literacy. In other words, though there’s the accepted idea that power resides in “we the people.” But most are passive how that strength could make a difference in our everyday lives. We’d address this later.

Is there any transformation I find as a real game changer and challenge? It’s the digital age! It’s an issue that requires parental guidance so we re-establish family communication daily. Even my grandkids no longer speak to me, their eyes glued to their iPhone texting or watching games.

Most of us look forward to Christmas Eve to welcome the baby Jesus. After Mass, we gather for some coffee and breakfast, looking forward to the veneration of the Niño Jesus who’d visit our homes at daylight. This tradition has been with us since time immemorial. Let it be a peaceful and joyous felis noche buena with loved ones! On New Year’s Eve, renew personal vows to be of greater help to your fellow man.

Strange silence: Perplexing the rather deafening silence in Republican victory, though understandable why such a seemingly weird reaction.

In short, it must be a stunning victory that poses more questions than anything else. Thus, the reward has sent them quizzing “what now?” I say use it or lose it!

But there’s the empty assertion that it was the result of “organized planning.” Really? Did you mean allegations of ballot stuffing and all expenses paid by your generous sugar daddy?

While your juicy turkey, pumpkin pie, baked potatoes and baked ham leg are delivered by your loyal sugar daddy this Thanksgiving, most of us would make do with food we could buy from whatever is left in family pocket books. What’s the point? Our food may not be sumptuous but it would come from our hard-earned pennies, nickels and dimes!

Anyway, interesting how a unified government under your charge would fare. It would be a test of your ability to lead lest you’d be relegated to the ash heap of wobbly disposition!

Too much talk! Over the last 40-plus years, I’ve heard half-cocked eggheads talk about indigenous rights as though they’ve found some egregious violation of rights.

But it was all shallow “biba” infused with racist agenda to secure more votes. And so the focus is on hollow politics over organizing meaningful programs to help the local people. What perfect recipe—tweaking issues to racism—just to ensure votes on misguided discussion.

Someday we would resolve this issue but it takes the educated and professional locals to move the needle of clarity and understanding forward. I will explain it when we jointly cross the bridge!

Interesting, though, the perceptual importance placed on improving the lot of the indigenous people that died in sound bytes and letters that fell of the pages of newspapers. The airheads have succeeded in a game plan founded on racism. And so it’s the blind leading the blind singing Three Blind Mice!

A closer look into how Article 12 has been desecrated by chancy land deals gives you a perfect view of the lack of respect for its mandate. It limits landownership to the indigenous people. I fail to see where it opens opportunities to serve as surrogates for big firms amassing land in these isles. No worries! This indigenous U.S. citizen would probe the issue for eventual exposure of the willful violation of intended to protect indigenous land.

Chalan iya hame: There was the humble face of a friend singing, I Chalan Iya Hame or the familiar road of home. I’m not particularly fond of the melody, though I relish the meaningful lyrics. I’m sure each of us remembered the road to the old house you walk on daily in your youth.

Whoever wrote the song is asking Him to bless the road for his departure would mean he wouldn’t be returning. It would remain a pleasantry in his memory. A thoughtful piece where our tiny steps once frequented the path a long time ago. Why am I in memory lane?

Yes, I remember that road that led to school, catechism, church and adjoining villages. I’d take quick trips to see if anything has changed drastically. Indeed, old properties have all been leased out to foreign businesses. It just changed the entire neighborhood.

I find it woefully troubling how the old lot was sold, the foundation of our family rich with its own history. But it happens when you’re not tethered to the land where it’s just another commodity! Dumb! It took out the meaning of the song, Chalan Iya Hame.