A Simple Jeepney Ride

I love our country, period. I've always believed there's something good we can all get by helping the Pearl of the Orient get the recognition it deserves, and not mainly because I myself am a Filipino by birth and by blood. Perhaps this is what inspires me so much about activists, and activism as a whole - that with all the things going around the country today, it is always them that have the greatest passion in serving the masses and looking after the welfare of the ones in the lower levels of society. Before this post turns into a political issue though, let me just point out that indeed, our country deserves to be loved.

One of the greatest things I see in the Philippine society today is our fellow countrymen and the great joy they can find in simplicity. From the carenderia setting to the everyday routine of going to work, there's always something that would amaze us in our everyday lives, through the joys and smiles from the people we meet everyday. On paper, our country may not be the richest - yes, we are far from dominating that list. But then again, that list only takes into account the material aspect of things. Not that I'm degrading the value of material wealth. But as it seems, our country has what only a few do - wealth in values, and more importantly, wealth in being able to live a simple life and love it at the same time.

This does not mean to say that most of us Filipinos are simple-minded beings that are contented in being one, because for a fact, we aren't. On the sights we see everyday, this may be true, but the fact behind all of this is a heart of a Filipino wanting to see his and her beloved country get the recognition and value it's supposed to have.

One thing that's really a staple of the amazing Filipino simplicity can be read as the title of this post. Jeepney rides can last a long time, especially when you live in a municipality far away from the city. In this case, you'd be one of the few that's going to last the whole trip, and along the way you'd be riding along different personas and varied groups. It's not really normal to just talk to anybody though, but there can be times when you chance upon someone you do already know and you guys delve into a conversation the whole trip through. Then, there are the short trips, which mostly happens in and around the city and it's different locales. (In the case of the UP Cebu student though, the jeep code 04L would surely ring a lot of memories, but that's only for special cases. Especially when you do laag regularly.)

For the general public, a lot of things can happen during a jeepney ride. Some see it as a time for reflection, where they can go deep into their personal selves while waiting to arrive at their destination. For others, it is mainly a routine that prepares one for the tasks of the day ahead, perhaps even go as far as calling it the calm before the storm on a big day ahead. No matter our situations and backgrounds, every Filipino will always have a jeepney ride story to tell. I've had my own few stories, too. But a great friend of mine deserves more recognition here, simply because he is starting out an entire blog dedicated to the staple of riding a jeep and the amazing things that can happen in one. You should check it out over at Plite Palihug!, as I'm sure there will be a lot more fun and interesting things about to be posted over there.

My personal mind has always been awed by the beauty one can find in simplicity. This "beauty" pertains to both the figurative and the physical, and even the best solutions to the most complex problems tend to be more simple than we originally thought they were. Even through coding a lot of lines this summer, I've come to realize that the more complex functions one has to do in order to achieve something so simple, the better. It's simplicity that allows us to actually live life, and at the same time allows us to recognize the beauty that is life.

Here's a cliche for you - kiss it. No, I don't mean you should do the thing that adds spice to a blooming relationship between a male and a female.

Just keep it sweet and simple. Kiss it.

_______________________________________________
jeepney rides can offer the best memories to anyone.