The Forgotten 14th of February

Many people know that February 14th is the death anniversary of St. Valentine of Terni, but less people  are sensitive on this fact. He was beheaded and martyred in Africa with the other companions ansdburied in Via Flaminia. And this day is actually accounted by many historian as: a pagan festival in February that probably occurred and started around A.D. 270. 

In my own cynic opinion, February 14th is overrated and this should only be celebrated by the Christian followers and saint-believers. And the love, hearts and, romantic day is ought to be every day or must be scheduled according to individuals' chosen love, hearts and, romantic day. 

Every February 14th we commonly hear many declaration of love, complaints about love, cliche cry of relationship-less people, see actualization of love, bravery of people who are scared to declare love, and rejection of people who don't want love. But we don't hear declaration of love to the people we hate and forgotten, sympathy to the deprived and oppressed, paying tribute who sacrificed their lives for a certain historical/social/political cause, pushing through advocacy for social development and remembering historical events. 

There are many events and things that happened and is happening that we overlooked. (You can google the list if you are interested to know, and some are posted in the picture above)

Most of us only know one way to deal with "the 14th day of February", and it is undeniably selfish and self-centered way. What is the scope of the love you give? How do you show your love? and there goes the  question from the Bee Gees' song How deep is your love? Do a reality check.

I am not condemning people who only focus their attention and love to the people they only care, but I am writing this as a petition that we can give more love and attention to people and other things beyond our present ability to give. Being socially, politically, historically and sensitively aware on this "love day" is much more fulfilling because you'll try to open your heart for others, show how you grew wisely, responsibly and maturely, and feeling the self-contentment that you can only get by being socially aware and responsible on your own little ways. 

We should not be overwhelmed of the cruelty of society, perceived limitations of ourselves', and doubts to others. 

We should open our minds together with our hearts, for us to say we've done our best to share love.

We should celebrate love everyday, for love is a basic need for us to live.

PS:

It is sociology that inspired me to perceived things this way. The petition and ideas are my own and other facts are researched. And I am still on the process of achieving what I've written above.

Truthfully/Respectfully/Sincerely,

the Social Ninja/Shinobi 

Music Legend: Nesta Robert Marley

Photo Credits: http://djsbag.com/

Today, people who have listened and still listening to his music celebrates his name day. He made the world listen to reggae and social issues he encrypted in his songs. Surely, he isn't the best model for us to follow because we all know what was his lifestyle like but his love to music, and being socially and politically aware is outstanding.

Every song he made and sang along with his band, The Wailers, never failed to echo the message of social inequality and deprivation, and truthful optimism. As the Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga  said "His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation."

May 11, 1981 marked the end of Bob Marley's life, but despite of his death his music still resonates today. 

Personally, he is one of the people I look up to. His music was one of the things I most appreciated during the times I don't know what I want and what to care about. Bob Marley then was an unusual thing to discover and like, for he is not so popular icon during my teenage days (Britney Spears and Westlife dominates the music industry that time), but with its appealing reggae music I learned to appreciate songs beyond its lyrics and rhythm. It made me listen to music beyond the superficial things offers. 

Many raises they eyebrows and give my oh-really-seriously look when I say I love reggae music especially Bob Marley's songs. They just don't know what they're missing not to know what reggae music offers and its astounding social-outcry lyrics all about.

Long live reggae music! Long live Bob Marley and The Wailers' music!

Here's some of the phrases Bob Marley shared to people:

"The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and ability to affect those around him positively."

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold."

"Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life."

"Say you just can't live that negative way, If you know what I mean; Make way for the positive day."

"The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman with no intentions of loving her."

"Truth is, everyone is going to hurt you; you just have to find the one's worth suffering for."

"Live the life you love. Love the life you live."

His final words: "Money can't but life" 

Photo credits: wwwfavimages.com

5th Day of the Month

Sometimes the 5th of the month passes without me noticing it, nonetheless its significance remains. It's essence would never fade as it brightens every other 5th of the month that passes by.

Doubts, insecurities, friendship problems, family problems, school problems, selfishness, pride, miscommunications, distance, financial problems, sickness, emotional strain, mood swings, depression and failures -- none of these succeeded to break the bind that the 5th-of-the-month created.

I guess what has been develop by the 5th-of-the-month is much more stronger as it was meant and imagined by us since we started it. This is one of the things that make me still believe in promises and faith. Of course, there were many promises we made that were broken. Though there's this particular promise that hasn't been broken and I wish that would never be broken -- walang iwanan.


Thank you my brother, my rival, my alter ego, my critic, my colleague, my teacher, my father, my guide, my motivator, my shock-absorber, my child, my special stranger, my super-duper-over-over-best friend, my partner in crime, my angel and my love.

You, the 5th-of-the-month, mean so much to me more than you could imagine.

Complexity of Life

This is one of my blog posts in my multiply. What is special about this is that I can still remember what I experienced and felt when wrote this.

I am back with my new perspective.

It took me some time to replenish and collect all my thoughts.

I was once wretch because of confusing theories and issues.  

I am back with my irreversible standpoint. 

I am enlightened that I should not be overwhelmed by the complexity of life.

Though, reality and facts are the mortal enemies of human but it is unavoidable.

And one thing I do know, and that is, that neither hope, nor fear, belief, nor denial, can change the fact. It is as it is, and it will be as it must be.

This was the time when I had too much of internalization of sociology and life. I became confused on what I was believing then because I was learning things that challenged and shaken my system of beliefs. There were no definite concepts and things that I can pinpoint to explain my disarray.

Now, I continue to accept changes and new ideas that could challenged my perspective in life again.
I hope this is the right road map to take for me to grow up.

Paying Tribute to Farmers

Photo Credits: http://www.facebook.com/NationalYearOfRice2013

Farmers' contribution to society are often overlooked and even unacknowledged by many. It pains me and my other sociologists and social science colleagues to see how social stratification marginalize farmers and other sector in our society.

With this, I remembered that thesis we made dedicated for farmers.

I was with my co-majors, Jovelyn and Ronnie, when we pursued the latter's thesis proposal about the Sumilao farmers of Bukidnon Province that have been fighting for their landownership for almost two decades.
It was an eye-opener experience and gave us the honor to write the socio-historical story of their two-generation struggle for the land they till.

There are many stories to tell from that experience.
And it has been a start of our advocacy to always look up and support farmers in all possible way we could.

Thank you is never enough, support and respect is what is needed.