LET THERE BE LIGHT

So, I'm not a religious person. Tho I have faith in something I know nothing about...some great entity that's so powerful and omnipotent that it's unjust to attempt to encapsulate in words, books, churches, synagogues, or whatever. To call it anything or give it any name is egotistical, ignorant and unfair. But, I have a couple credos that go something like this...

Matt Damon (à la Good Will Hunting) is my spiritual leader.  

We’re living the lyrics to Synchronicity II by The Police.

I've been here over a month now with zero solace. There are roosters everywhere, constantly crowing...a tribute to Filipinos' penchant for cockfighting and massive gambling. Children of all ages wander aimlessly making homemade cannons while their parents stand by, assisting by giving them lighters and butane. Kids start gambling in the streets at 6am using coins and rocks. People pray to religious statues everywhere even tho their book clearly abhors idolatry. It's Christmastime so there's a constant cacophony of caroling for money; a sad and sweet sounding reality.       

As the lunacy started getting under my skin through the day I earnestly said to myself "I hope a storm rolls thru tonight with torrential rain so they'll stop with the cannons. I hope there's no power so I can sleep rather than hear the bass of yet another Filipino disco.' And I wondered all day why this place doesn't progress...why it's constantly in a state of regress and decline. Why I can literally watch my people losing any degree of ingenuity each year.  

And tonight, in the midst of handmade cannon fire madness and an eminent disco, I honestly in my heart of hearts prayed to whatever entity controls 'stuff-and-things' in the world, and then low and behold...

At 4pm, a massive storm rolled through and knocked out power from the village of Argao to all points south, including our village. As the storm crept in, it created a magnificent lightning show with beautiful baritone bass pleasant to the ears rather than some maddening artificial disco beat. When the lightning show hit and the town went black, there was an amazing display of fireflies that lit up the sky like infinite twinkling stars. And the light from the sky created a strobe that cast brilliant shadows between thunder. It was, as it should be...on Christmas Eve, people sat in their homes under candlelight, talking to one another. Laughter emanated from bamboo huts while I imagined that people actually paid attention to one another and not the drone resonance of oddly placed techno bass.  

The Philippines is so loud that it can't hear itself think. It is rarely silent. There's always a diversion filled with hysteria or confusion, it's embedded in the culture. From the checkout line in any department store which requires a process of 3 to 4 sales girls to ring one item to the government structure that's so complicated even it's own candidates don't understand it. It's an unrealistic and idealistic world where decision-makers believe a disco is the way to solve problems.    

And so, my contentment was short-lived when the storm passed and power was restored at 3am. Immediately disco lights came on and bass awoke my tinnitus. It was a somber reality but I thanked whatever god exists for the beautiful reminder that this is all on loan. Just a note that we are only temporary residents...