Of Bubbles and State of National Emergency

As I write this web log, the situation in Fort Bonifacio has - well, at least for the moment - normalized. Now, we can sleep a little bit soundly. But not so yet.

The situation has been critical for the past - I don't know, 48hours? - after the proclamation 1017.

I have not left the house for two days. I was glued all over the TV and the internet for the news. On a chat with my cousin Jennifer, she asked me about the happenings here. I told her about the coup attempt and all - that was yesterday - and this is what she had to say:

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Jennifer: So you're used to it. There's always chaos there.

Godfather: That's how people from other countries would view us here. That we are a people without rules and patriotism. That there is much chaos in our land. And they may be speaking the truth. We can't hide our apparent ineptitude, especially in the field of governance, management and even love for our own country and its rules

Jennifer: Wow! you just slap me in the face!

Godfather: what do you mean "slap me in the face"?

... Jennifer: I mean that I made a comment about our country, saying negative comments but I'm also a filipina. U know what I mean.

Godfather: Oh, I am not commenting against you. I was saying that that word "chaos" might be indeed in the mouths of millions around the world - especially the other countries. That's how they view our country.

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What is happening in our country now is a cause for great alarm. Our economy - almost near four year highs considering the peso and stock market strengths - is being rocked again from its lofty position (a position of climbing, anyways). And all because of our poor governance.

If there was really a coup plot, then the government should immediately lay everything in the open. The people are afraid. The foreigners are horrified. Again.

And my daughter....well, she just plays with her bubbles - the last one. I overheard her lola, my mother, saying to her that it was the last one in the store so she has to make it last longer. And Andrea would say, "E di, bili...bili tayo bubbles!" And she would repeat the same over and over. Sometimes to my ears as I surf the inq7.net website (my favorite news site) and listen to my yahoo station (Steve Vai, Satriani, Eric Johnson, Eric Clapton, Tbone Walker, John Lee Hooker etc.)

"Bili tayo bubbles!!!"

How I wish we are like children. I mean, it is so easy to please them. We always try to complicate things with our intelligence. They would look at the clouds and be extremely happy if an airplane shows up. Or if blowing produces many bubbles. "So many!" Gosh, Andrea would even laugh so loud - when her blowing did not produce any bubbles!

And that made me think.

I mean, look at us. With all our intelligence, experience and knowledge. Nothing makes us happy. Nothing ever did. Whoever seats in Malacañang will realize it the hard way. No one is a friend to the people forever. St. Thomas warned about this in Summa Contra Gentiles, III. He said, happiness does not lie in fame... since the people's feelings are most susceptible to change - to that effect.

Happiness lies in being... "in Being (God is Supreme Act-of-Being)".

...in being happy with the people you love

...in laughing at your own imperfections

...in blowing bubbles while the Marines are settling a political and administrative issue among them

...and yes, in seeing to it that my future will be a little brighter through the influence I made to people I know...

...and in writing blogs like this one...

while Andrea now lies asleep... holding her bubble maker.

Tomorrow I will find her a bubble...

To forever remind us that life is like a bubble. We don't stay forever. We simply make other people happy for a while.

Yes, while they look at our own bubbles.