LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

 

Morning of cold December is freezing me to death

As I prepare myself to continue my journey

And what startled me is your face

Staring blankly in the street on the jeepney

 

The awkward time was terrifying

As I sit beside the little boy beside you

The noise of horn failed to interrupt my shattered thoughts

How I wish that this boy is absence in this journey

 

My chest is so heavy

As my heart continues drumroll inside me

I keep staring in your angelic face

As you fall sleep with both hands on the trail

 

The jeepney came into the expected halt in a school

And the boy between us clamber out

I was electrified when I see the distance between us

And shouted inside me when you move several inches to me

 

The jeepney came in the halt of my destination

When I mumbled furiously the word stop

I never looked back or even glance in your face

It was just a coincidence and an enjoyment of a heart

SHE IN MY IMAGINATION

 On the winter day she left, not leaving any traits

She promises me to stay ‘til old age

And instead of bracing me with the warmth of her love

She sent chills creeping me under my blanket at night

 

She and painful reality that she left before we met

And I don’t know what I’ve done in this universe

Not even knowing what I lost

Or what I could possibly have had with her

 

The sketch of his face on my wall

And her eyes inviting me to wishfully think

That she could sing me a classic song

Or walk with me in the seashore all night long

 

I wish I had known you

I wish the moment of patting me in the back

For there never to leave me

And stole a picture of you in my memory

 

I want to meet you in this world

I don’t know what I have done

But my love for will never change

And she will stay on my imagination

MARIA

 You were my love, my sweetest euphoria

You’re the brightest star in the darkest night

You we my love, my soul calm Maria

You’re my only charm in those fearful plights

 

You were my love, my stamina for bliss

You’re the reason why I kept breathing

You were my love, that I will miss

You’re the one who help me loving

 

You were my love, best of my possession

You are my miracle in my life

You were my love, cause of my obsession

You’re the medicine in my lifeless life

 

You were my love, my only happiness

You’re the only one, Maria my tenderness

My Dream vs. My Parents’ Dream

 

        All I want is to be free—free to make my own choices, free to chase the dream that has been burning inside me for as long as I can remember. All I want is to be a doctor, to save lives, to feel purpose in every heartbeat I touch. But here I am, constantly being told what my next step should be. You decide everything: the dorm I live in, the school I attend, the course I take. I obey, every time, because the thought of disappointing you is unbearable. And it hurts.

        I dream of wearing the lab coat, of standing in the operating room, of healing with my own hands. But instead, I wear a suit, defending people in court—because that’s what our family does. We are a family of lawyers, and I’m expected to carry that legacy forward, to pass it on to the next generation. You say it’s tradition, but to me, it feels like a prison, one that suffocates me more each day.

        A year goes by, and I’m at the school you chose, taking the course you wanted. And then, I pass the bar exam. You are proud. So proud. I top the exam, I become the lawyer you always envisioned. The world sees me as a success. My name becomes known throughout the country, and I win cases that make headlines. People look at me with admiration. They see the achievements, the victories. But they don’t see me.

        In the quiet of my room, I lie down, ready to sleep—not just for rest, but to escape. Because in my dreams, I’m not a lawyer. In my dreams, I am a doctor, performing surgeries, saving lives. In my dreams, I am everything I wanted to be. I don’t want to wake up, because when I do, the dream dies. It’s the only time I get to live the life I wish I could have.

        I regret obeying you, but I didn’t have a choice. Every day I wake up as a lawyer, I feel the weight of that regret. The years I’ve spent in this role are not what I wanted. They’re not me. My dream was to become a doctor, and now it’s nothing more than a daydream I’ll never fulfill.

UNKNOWN BEAUTY: I AM A BUTTERFLY

        

        Butterflies don’t see their own beauty, but the world does. We are all beautiful in our own way; we just need to learn to appreciate ourselves.

        Butterflies, with their vibrant wings and graceful flight, stand out among insects. I envy them the most. Their colorful wings make them the envy of all other creatures. Butterflies inspire others to be better, but they can’t see their own beauty—just like me. People often say I’m like a butterfly, beautiful inside and out. But deep down, I feel like a broken butterfly—a butterfly with a damaged wing. They want me to fly high, to soar like a butterfly, but I can’t because of that broken wing. I know I have the potential to be the best, but my past holds me back, crumbling everything inside me.

        I remember when I came second in class rankings. My classmates congratulated me, and I felt proud. But when my parents found out I wasn’t first, that I had lost to someone they thought less capable, I saw the disappointment in their faces. That expression pierced my heart. Like a butterfly with a damaged wing, I couldn’t fly. This memory clings to me, haunting every step I take. Even my own blood criticizes me. I often think of fading away, like a butterfly that only lives for a short time—a month—and then disappears.

        But I also long for a rebirth, to rise again with new wings, in the right place at the right time. Just like the butterfly that emerges from its cocoon, I want to shed the weight of the past and awaken as something stronger, something more whole.

NEW CHAPTER: WHY I WANTED TO START AGAIN?

    There’s always something new under the sun. Leaves grow brightly on the branches of bushes. Flowers bloom alongside the sunlight, showing beauty and grace to the world. But as the seasons change, the leaves fall, the flowers wither, hope fades, and love cools down.

        Almost everything in the world goes through a cycle of change. Change happens every second, with every breath we take, and with every grain of sand falling in an hourglass. It’s like an unwritten rule of life. But one thing is clear—change is always close, leading to new beginnings and turning points.

        As the sun sets behind the mountains where they meet the sea, it seems to call the moon and stars to light up the sky. Spring follows winter, and winter chases after fall. Today waits for tomorrow, just like life whispers to death.

        Do you ever wonder if life follows a script? Or maybe the sun and moon communicate without words? Either way, one thing is sure—everything shows us change. Things change because they need to. Change drives life forward, like how the dry ground waits for rain and how we need air to breathe.

        Chance and change go hand in hand. Without chances, there’s no change. And without change, there are no new chances. Change gives us hope and endless possibilities for growth. As the sun rises, great things are waiting to be discovered.

        Every second of our lives is filled with choices. It’s not just about choosing what to eat or what to wear. It’s about making the right choices in life. Change takes time, just like forever feels long. But when we make a choice, change happens.

        That’s why I want to start again. To choose is to change, and I want to change myself for the better. I want to be more of who I truly am. There’s a saying: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

West Philippine Sea: Karagatan ng Karapatan, Laban ng Kalayaan

 

Ang usapin ng West Philippine Sea ay higit pa sa teritoryal na alitan, ito ay isang laban para sa ating karapatan, kapangyarihan, at pambansang dangal. Sa kabila ng positibong desisyon ng Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) noong 2016 na kumikilala sa karapatan ng Pilipinas sa loob ng Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), patuloy pa rin ang panghihimasok at militarisasyon ng China sa mga sakop nating karagatan. Ang pagtatayo ng mga artipisyal na isla, pag-deploy ng mga barkong pandigma, at pagpigil sa ating mga mangingisda ay malinaw na paglabag sa pandaigdigang batas at pagnanakaw sa yaman ng ating bayan. Malaking banta rin ito sa kalikasan, kung saan ang mga coral reefs na tahanan ng iba't ibang uri ng lamang-dagat ay unti-unting nasisira dahil sa walang habas na pagtatayo ng mga estruktura. Hindi ito usaping malayo sa ati, ito ay may direktang epekto sa kabuhayan ng libu-libong Pilipinong umaasa sa yamang-dagat ng ating bansa.

Sa gitna ng hamong ito, mahalaga ang pagkakaisa at pakikiisa ng bawat Pilipino. Hindi dapat tayo manatiling tahimik at walang pakialam sa gitna ng malinaw na pang-aabuso at pananakop sa ating teritoryo. Ipaglaban natin ang ating karapatan at huwag tayong magpaalipin sa mga nagtatangkang agawin ang ating teritoryo. Sa simpleng pakikilahok sa mga diskusyon, pagpapalaganap ng tamang impormasyon, at pagsuporta sa mga proyektong nagtataguyod ng ating karapatan, malaki na ang maiaambag ng bawat isa sa laban na ito. Ipaglaban natin ang ating karagatan para sa pagkain, enerhiya, at kabuhayan ng mga susunod na henerasyon. Panahon na upang ipakita sa mundo na ang ating kalayaan ay hindi basta-bastang isinusuko, ito ay isang laban na hindi natin aatrasan. Ang tapang at pagkakaisa ng bawat Pilipino ang tunay na kalasag laban sa pang-aabuso.

Hinihikayat ang bawat mamamayang Pilipino na makiisa sa laban para sa West Philippine Sea. Hindi ito laban ng iilan. Ito ay laban ng bawat isa sa atin. Nasa ating mga kamay ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan, at sa ating pagkilos, maipapakita natin na hindi natin pababayaan ang ating karapatan. Maging mapagmatyag, magpahayag ng suporta, at makibahagi sa mga paraan kung saan maipapakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa at pagmamahal natin para sa bayan. Sa ating sama-samang pagbangon at paglaban, magagawa nating ipagtanggol ang ating karagatan at ang kinabukasan ng sambayanang Pilipino.

LAST TOUR: WHY I WANT TO DIE?

        I’ve been feeling trapped by my own insecurities. Instead of giving myself strength and hope, I let doubt take over and filled myself with pain. My thoughts are heavy. I’ve tried to be a good child, haven’t I? But still, I feel stuck, like a passenger in a jeepney going nowhere. With strict parents waiting for me at home, I know I’m in trouble.

        I remember stepping into a jeepney with a heavy heart. I felt like I couldn’t do anything right. I didn’t believe in myself.

        It was raining hard, and my heart felt cold. After keeping it beating for eighteen years, it was losing its warmth. My heart wanted to stop. I wasn’t losing faith, but I knew I was in a difficult place. I felt empty, like I had nothing left. So, I prayed, wishing I could be with my father.

        But whenever I talk to him, it feels like he wants me to give up. I know I’m not a perfect child. I can’t lead, and I don’t think I can be the person God wants me to be. But I told myself not to let my enemy take over my heart. Even though I fail and feel weak, I believe that God has no limits.

           I cried when I remembered that God loves me. At first, it didn’t seem to matter, but I’ve heard Him say "I love you, my child" many times. Whether I’m late for class and get scolded, when people try to bring me down, when I trip on the stairs and others laugh, or when I fail a test—I hear Him whisper, “Just pray.” I can feel His spirit comforting me, holding me until my worries go away.

        God’s kindness helped me realize that my own thoughts make me weak. But He gave me peace and pushed me to move forward. I want to be ready, so when I meet my Savior, I can tell Him I endured the pain and used my strength to serve Him.

        By taking the first step and choosing to do the right thing—not just in this jeepney, but also in the journey ahead—I will trust Him. The road may be painful, but I believe it can be healed, because I see God at the finish line, waiting for me.

Sino nga ba ako?

 

Maligayang Pagdating!

Kumusta, kaibigan! Ako si Jan Lib Andrei V. Casabar, isang masugid na tagapagtaguyod ng wika at panitikan, at ito ang aking espasyo kung saan maaari tayong magbahagi ng kaalaman, karanasan, at mga kwento na magbibigay-diwa sa ating mga interes at pananaw. Bilang isang mag-aaral at magiging guro sa hinaharap, nakita ko ang kahalagahan ng patuloy na pagkatuto at pagbabahagi ng mga aral mula sa iba't ibang larangan ng buhay. Kaya't aking isinilang ang blog na ito—isang tahanan ng mga ideya at diskusyon na naglalayong magsilbing gabay at inspirasyon sa mga katulad kong nagnanais magpatuloy sa kanilang paglalakbay patungo sa kaalaman.

Ano ang Inaasahan sa Aking Blog?

Dito sa aking Blog, inaasahan mong makatatagpo ng mga personal na karanasan at talakayan ukol sa mga personal na pag-unlad ko bilang estudyante at paano ako mahahasa bilang guro. Higit pa rito, layunin kong maipakita ang iba't ibang aspeto ng ating kultura at pagkakakilanlan bilang mga Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng masusing pagsusuri ng mga tradisyong nakabaon sa ating kasaysayan, mga teoryang nagpapaliwanag sa ating pagkilos bilang isang lipunan, at mga aral na maituturo ng ating mga alamat, epiko, tula, at iba pang uri ng panitikan.

Aking Layunin at Misyon

Naniniwala ako na ang pag-aaral ay hindi natatapos sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan. Sa katunayan, ang kaalaman ay patuloy na umuusbong, dumadaloy sa mga karanasan at kwentong ibinabahagi natin sa bawat isa. Sa blog na ito, ninanais kong maging tulay ng kaalaman at maipamahagi ang mga natutunan ko sa aking paglalakbay bilang isang mag-aaral ng [iyong larangan], na may layuning magbigay ng kontribusyon sa komunidad ng mga mag-aaral, guro, at mga indibidwal na may interes sa mga paksang aking tinatalakay. Mula sa pagsusuri ng mga klasikong akda hanggang sa mga makabagong pamamaraan ng pagtuturo, aking ihahatid sa inyo ang mga paksang makatutulong sa inyong sariling pagkatuto at pag-unlad.

Tara, Samahan Mo Ako sa Ating Paglalakbay!

Higit sa lahat, nais kong maging isang aktibong komunidad sa aking Blog—isang lugar kung saan maaari kang magbahagi ng iyong sariling mga pananaw, tanong, at ideya. Ang blog na ito ay hindi lamang para sa akin, kundi para sa atin lahat na nagnanais magbahagi at matuto mula sa isa’t isa. Hinihikayat ko kayong makilahok sa ating mga talakayan at magkomento sa bawat post upang tayo’y magkaroon ng mas malalim at makabuluhang usapan.

Sa wakas, umaasa akong makakasama kita sa ating patuloy na paghahanap ng kaalaman at inspirasyon. Maraming salamat sa pagbisita, at sana’y magtagpo pa tayo sa mga susunod pang mga pahina ng aking blog.

Hanggang sa susunod,
Jan Lib Andrei V. Casabar