| Photo: flicker.com |
This morning, as I
was preparing to keep my laptop, I was surprised to find a 5 peso coin
underneath it. I could not remember how I left it there or if it even belonged
to me. But who else would it belong to? I’m the only one who has that annoying
habit of putting change anywhere. Without thinking much, I took the coin, slip
it into my jeans pocket and went about my business. I thought, let’s see where
this coin will lead me.
| Photo:leafjournals.com |
Riding in a public
transportation is always a challenge to me. Every time I take a bus, ride the
Metro Train or the jeepney, it is always an adventure. I am an observant
person, and I have another annoying habit of profiling the people I am taking
the ride with. Call it OCD, or whatever it is, but I take is as a precautionary
practice, because I thought that whatever happens, if ever I get mugged inside
the bus, or held-up in a jeep, I would be able to describe the people I was
with. Maybe a bad case of paranoia? Hey, this is Manila. Even though how much I
love Manila, I can’t deny the fact that these incidents do happen.
So, as I stood in
line together with about a hundred more commuters waiting for the bus, I
started my habit of observing the people. There was a slight drizzle of rain,
but I didn’t mind , I was lazy to bring out my umbrella. A little rain won’t
hurt, I thought.
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| Photo: raindance.org |
A boy, about 9 or
10 was asking for alms from the people in the line. I knew what he was saying
to them although I could not hear him. I know, he was telling them the same sob
story over and over again, why he was begging for money, why he isn’t in
school.
I was in a jolly
mood today and I thought of “tripping” with the little boy, see where he would
take me with his story. I was already forming the questions to ask him in my
mind.
When he reached me,
before he could say a word, I asked him what the envelope was for. Like a
reporter or an investigator, I fired questions at him that I already knew how
he would answer. I asked him where he got the envelopes, the props he uses when
begging.
I guess he must
have answered the same questions a hundred times because he was so articulate,
probably memorized every line through constant repetition. Except when I told
him something about trying to become a better person, and that he ought to go
to school so that he would be able to help his parents, that’s when he started
to keep quiet.
Only then did I
started to talk to him about the importance of education, of earning money the
right way. In the end, I gave him the five-peso coin I slipped inside my pocket
earlier. Maybe he thought I was a penny pincher because I have to give him a
speech before giving him that small amount of money.
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| Photo: shutterstock.com |
Aside from the fact
that I didn’t have any extra cash with me, it really was just the amount that I
can afford to give him. Not because I don’t have money ( well, could be
considered an excuse), but because I think that in giving him more, I would
just reinforce his wrong thinking about money, and that will drive him to
become lazy. Asking for money is easier than working for it anyway.
As I sit in the
bus, some thoughts started to bug me. I have an hour and a half to ponder and
reflect on that and so I let my thoughts flow typing away with my forefingers
significant thoughts that came up, in my phone. (This is another annoying habit
I do, but I do it anyway, it helps me keep up with my thoughts, because if I
don’t do this, I would totally lose every word that came to mind.)
And so I pondered..
What is the
difference between me and the boy asking for alms? How did I become different
from him? At first, we’d think that the difference is more of the dreams, the
willpower and the effort we exert to make our lives better with the principles
of life that we live by. But then, thinking deeper about it, I realized, there
really isn’t much.
Because in reality,
we are all beggars. At some point in life, we have begged for something. Maybe
we just change the terminology we use, have a different purpose for begging,
but it is still begging. Solicitation, sponsorship, donation. We are asking for
something that is dependent on other people’s mercy.
I have asked for
sponsorship. I have begged someone not to leave me. I begged for God to listen
to my prayers. I know at some point you have begged at someone to love you. You
have begged for a special place in someone’s heart.
We are all beggars
asking for something that would satisfy a want or a need in us. I realized that
since I am no different than that little beggar boy , I have no right to feel
superior among any of our brethren.
And as for the
little boy, I really hoped that my words fired a light of hope in his heart, to
inspire, to start building dreams, and to continue fighting for his mark in
this world.
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| Photo:fffound.com |
I really thought
that I was the one teaching him lessons in life, but the more I thought about
it, I realized that the one who gained more was me. I was the one who got
rescued. I was the one who understood more about where I stand in life right
now.
My five peso coin
gave me more than what I bargained for. My five peso coin has finally reached
its destination.
Keep the faith,
Mei
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