Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. — Hebrews 11:1
To hope for what is unseen is difficult. To hope when something is in a fast track to downward spiral seems impossible.
This has been us in the Philippines — brewing a gamut of strong emotions from anger, sadness, fear, frustration, and resignation over incompetence in governance that is in a constant state of greed even in the thick of a pandemic and people are hurting really bad. I remember seeing how giddy joyful Filipinos were and saying #sanaall when Kamala Harris was announced to run for VP in the US and actually won. In quiet prayer, we all whisper our request for our hopes to manifest as well.
We’ve had so much sadness the past years. It feels like being trapped in a room without a window — a ray of light coming in seemed impossible. But this week, our quiet prayers were able to put cracks into those walls. An intense pink ray of light shines through the cracks and I know from here we will not stop until we bring down the walls and soak in the glorious light of democracy.
Washington Sycip in 2012 said there is no such thing as premature democracy. When people are hungry and they sell their votes, our democracy is not functioning. True, and possibly more true now with poverty levels rising due to the pandemic.
I offer another opinion though — democracy is a journey instead of an on-off switch. Imperfect and not fully functioning as it may be, we are in our journey, with many twists and wrong turns. With many mishaps and inability to agree on which map to use.
But amidst the chaotic journey, we find amongst us those who are steady and brave in holding the line for democracy to move forward. It is interesting that the way to peace must be fought and won over by the brave.
This week alone, we witnessed two brave women fighting fair and hard to get us out of the ditch (maybe more like a sink hole) and get us back on the path of hope and action.
Alas, our quiet prayers are answered and before us — hope made tangible.
I’ve almost forgotten how good it feels!
What would happen if we start ditching our still present fears, sadness, and frustration — and took off in the opposite direction for our country and our unborn children? What if even through bad news, we continue to remember and be inspired by this week of hope made tangible for some (hopefully most) of us?
What would happen if we keep the faith and it sees us in action -holding the line with the brave?
Here’s to ditching hopelessness and inviting ourselves to magnify what really is, even if it means grief with a side serving of unashamed dance of joy for the wins of the human spirit.
The future is for the brave.
