Monday, May 10, 2010

A place where no one suffers, no corruption, no deprivation and no dominion over others. What a wonderful life indeed, living in a world where everything is at peace, both the mind and soul.

We have been dreaming of this, an ideal society, an ideal government, state and country. Idealism is the thing that many of us including me, long and hope for. Your imagination could be different from mine. You may have different images of a better place for everyone. Some of us may think that perfection could never be achieved. Maybe yes, maybe not. However, we could at least strive to become one, perfect.

Young men and women often think of what is best for today and for the future. Sweet words come out from those great ideals. Upon this stage of their lives, they often wonder what things could be best done in a particular situation. But look at the reality. As soon as these people grow, they undergo some changes. They become stronger, wiser or otherwise. Slowly, they would later on wake up that they have changed in a deteriorating fashion much to their astonishment. A common trend nowadays is moral degeneration. Things change in a way that sometimes we don't anymore feel it is already happening to ourselves.

Before, you have high solid principles. You envision the future to be good or perhaps, better through your efforts. But what is happening to you now? As you hurdle each stage of your life, you started to wield power and authority. Along with this, you also began to feel your self worth and began valuing self-dignity. You won't any longer allow anybody to trample upon your rights. Then, you develop that ego which we regarded as the sweetest word that is the hardest to swallow. Unconsciously, we become the very people whom we hated the most. Because now, I can see the tendency of a man. As he becomes greater and powerful, he forgets his roots. He forgets where he came from completely disregarding the past. He soon realizes that he is slowly losing his own self.

What then is your perception of power? Why are we often blinded by its brilliance? You may have levitated too high already such that there's no more enough space for you to think soberly. You may have become great and popular but in the eyes of others, you are just a wasted life. Where are your ethics now? Were they overshadowed by your thirst and greed for power? Were they engulfed by the manipulating authority that you now have? I can feel it as a sorry decay. It is calling out loud for some miracle to wake you up from that nightmarish thing and make you realize once more the purpose of your life. You were enslaved by power which you find hard to resist in the long run. Instead of you in control, your power begins to control you. Eventually, you just wake up that you are already falling flat to the ground. Then, wrenching pain started to bite and you are ushered onto reality.

I seem too nostalgic, even tragic to some extent. But, this is reality. I have no intention to offend any party. The truth is, you could hardly find few who may be exempted from the predicaments I am talking about. Take a good look around us. Feel our society, feel its agony. I fervently hope that our hearts and minds will be enlightened.

For today's generation, men and women lay a promising future. Most of us want change. It should then start from within us. We should allow power and self-gratification to consume our character. This is a challenge for us. When our time comes to cross the bridge and assume command, may we not be mislead by the power's ugly side.
I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, let me not refuse to do the something I can do." - Edward Hale (1822-1909)