Growing-up can be FUN

This last semestral break served as a long delayed respite for me from a rather busy semester, filled with responsibilities that must be attended, situations that must be addressed. It was a desired space away from the hurly burly of religious life, a chance to experience the festivities in Bacolod.

The tedious activities behind the walls of the seminary are often tempting to see this chosen life as a sort of routine of chores, checklist and schedule, that gain modifications by merely interchanging their positions and duration  But life is not such, though sometimes it may appear to be such.

Before I entered the religious life, life and the world are joy and fun for me, a play place where one can simply be happy without any worries, without any pain to endure, just being happy the whole time.  Religious life did destroy such notion of life and the world. From the broken pieces, it did gave a whole new meaning to life and the world, decorated by purpose and direction in life, fur from the happy go lucky mentality of my childhood years.

 In the midst of wild revelries and explosion of colors in the Masskara festival in Bacolod, I had a chance to reflect on life, on some truths about it.

People dance to the lively tune of songs blending harmoniously with both ethnic and modern elements, a mixture of old and new that soothe those who are willing to feel the bit, be embraced by the world, be in the world, simply be themselves.

The strong pour down of rain did not hinder us to witness and experience joy, to be joyful, all the more be joy to others. Wet clothes and the coldness brought forth by the gentle breeze of south winds failed to put off the flame of joy in us. The feast continued, after all such things can be easily remedied by the warm smiles of fellow seekers, seekers of love, of rest, of life.

Life is good in Bacolod, they chant in unison. Life is good, I whispered to myself, anywhere, indeed. Happiness and goodness are often choices we make. Many chose to be happy while others chose to be otherwise, despite the smiles and priceless treasures surrounding them. It is a disposition one must own, can call his/her, a disposition one must re-acquire, lost along the road to adulthood and maturity. It seemed to me to be an adult is to wear an institutional face devoid of joy and smile and any other manifestation of happiness.

In Bacolod, people wear masks and bwala!!! they looked happy, indeed, are happy for melancholy finds no place in that corner of the archipelago, in that time of the year. In that very place, I unmasked myself from the institutional face I tried to wear, the serious face devoid of any emotions. I tried to smile for little reasons or even for no reason at all. I tried to look happy, and before I knew it, I was indeed happy for reasons unknown to me. I was reminded by my childhood days when all joy and laughter adorn my face. I missed such face, such feeling. I thought I missed the smiling me.

Growing-up and entering adulthood, maturity and embracing commitment need not be devoid of happiness, cheers in one’s cheeks and mighty smiles in our hearts. In fact, all joy we possess must be double with wonder for the responsibilities and commitment are sure signs that we had found the meaning of our life, our reason to be happy, the cause of our joy.