Most animals have skeletal structures made of bones. But there are some animals that have cartilage instead of bones.
An example of those animals would be sharks, rays, and a few others. They are not, however, called ‘boneless’ because they still have cartilage that gives them shape.
If people didn’t have bones, we wouldn’t look like people at all, and wouldn’t even be alive as all our nerves, blood vessels, internal organs, muscles, and brain would be squished, and would just be like jelly.
And, even if we were able to live without bones, we wouldn’t be able to move. So what would be the point then?
Even sharks and rays had ancestors that had bones, but because of where they lived, those bones eventually evolved into cartilage.
That only makes sense, considering that to be able to move efficiently in water, a creature has to be flexible, and have the ability to be negatively-buoyant. Oh, boneless bangus is not really a boneless fish! Well, I guess you know what I mean.
What about boneless pride? Is that a fish, too? No, but it is something that wants so much to stand on its own.
In the simplest of terms, the pride I’m talking about is that very same pride that you feel inside of you for your country, your heritage, your culture, your being a Filipino. Yes, it is that pride that, at the moment, could not jump out of your otherwise-bursting with-pride chest because of a lack of bones.
But it didn’t start out boneless. It once was able to stand right beside you as you felt it, and declared it.
That was up until it was deboned by those who shame your country, your government, your way of life; those who betray your trust in them; those who rape your country every single day without remorse; those who steal your money even while they kiss your innocent little children!
Don’t you just hate it when there really is not much conviction (just be honest) when you say you’re proud of your country?
I say this because in the middle of saying it, you must realize it would be just like saying you’re proud of being a citizen of a country that has seemingly devolved into something worse than it ever was before its independence — like saying that Filipinos have not yet learned to govern themselves, after all.
By our nature, we want to get better, and by the same token, become part of development—of something that has, for its own sake, moved forward from the past.
By our nature, we want to get better, and by the same token, become part of development—of something that has, for its own sake, moved forward from the past.
Seriously, is there someone out there who wants his country to regress? Do you realize that if you just give up, and be mum — because you think you can’t change anything — you are adding to the problem? No, you are the problem!
Just know that without your involvement, your leaders could run this country to the ground. It could very well be like a fish that rots from the head down.
With that in mind, wouldn’t there be pride in seeing the Philippines move up, develop, and be able to comfortably cater to the needs of its burgeoning population?
Nowadays, the country is not only faced with economic problems; it is also being gutted from the inside out by rampant corruption. The country is bleeding profusely!
And then there’s the threat to its security from the Chinese who, even as we speak, are casting an ominous cloud over our domain in the South China Sea.
And how is the country’s ability to defend itself, if hostilities were to break out today? Non-existent, without America and other allied nations! That’s the sorry state of the Philippines.
It is not surprising, though, that it is in such a state of unreadiness because for so long, its capacity to build a viable armed force has been stifled by the corruption within.
Now the government has realized, albeit late, that it needs to shore up its defense capabilities. But that is a really tall order with the time available, considering that the threat is at hand.
With the clear and present Chinese threat, every Filipino has a stake in ensuring that the government runs straight, putting nothing but the nation’s interest and security ahead of everything else. In a hurry!
Progress makes for pride. When your kid graduates, don’t you feel proud? Isn’t that progress? When you get promoted, isn’t that progress, and are you not proud of that achievement? When an athlete from a family of sportspersons finally wins a gold medal at some big meet, wouldn’t the entire family feel proud, and wouldn’t that be progress?
When someone in your family commits a crime, gets arrested, and goes to prison, do you feel pride in that? No! Did that family member progress? No!
So you see, pride is always going to be in something that is good; never in something bad.
Progress may be slow even amidst the most aggressive efforts. Those who achieve it are those who never get tired of believing that success is achievable.
They certainly are not the ones who hold up their hands to heaven and say, “Nothing changes, anyway!” And they are never the ones who, with a shrug of their shoulders, say, “Well, what’s the use? This is the way it is here in the Philippines.”
Filipinos generally have incredibly low standards, and are easily satisfied with the most meager of rewards. They don’t get mad at the status quo nor do they complain; and what complaints they may have could be relegated to fads. They don’t go far, like a locomotive that runs out of steam.
Hardships are treated like gnats—a nuisance at first but something they can live with, after a while. Then amazingly, they find comfort and satisfaction in the misery.
So with that attitude, is progress really important and vital according to the Filipino mind? If they are not willing to invest the time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears, will they ever realize true progress?
I had to revise my opinion of change. I used to say that I hate change—that people hate change. Then I noticed, as you probably have, too, that change doesn’t bother us at all, as long as it wasn’t happening to us.
If your friend complains that his job was made harder by some changes at work, it wouldn’t bother you since you don’t work at the same place. Change only bothers those affected by it.
For a nation, however, any change, good or bad, will likely be for every citizen. No one is left unaffected by it. So then it is important for everyone to be involved in the affairs of government because good and favorable changes are not always guaranteed.
The government is run by so many people, many having the power to initiate changes, many of which would favor them, and their sinister agendas.
It is important to be aware of what’s going on in the country, and to know that your voice will always be heard through your vote.
With the way it is now, it is imperative that we give our pride the skeletal structure that it deserves. By doing so, we can proudly display it, freestanding, representing all the good in us. It will announce that we are doing the right thing.
Our pride will demonstrate to the world that we are not a lackluster people but rather, a people who are united, serious, brilliant, truly proud of our heritage and accomplishments.
It will be a confirmation that we are strong and assertive, and cannot be bullied or belittled by anyone.
It will be our morale patch, serving to warn all to tread lightly in our presence. Let us become a small but terrible nation to mess with!
_______________________________
Author’s email: [email protected]
