WHEN a person goes to a movie theater, they see a selection of movies from different genres – horror, comedy, romance, fantasy – each with a compelling plot of its own. And here, in the real world, there are a multitude of these stories hidden in the shadows of people who we go to school or work with, people who we look up to, and even people who we simply take a glance at and dismiss their existence in a blink of an eye. However, there exists a power of consciousness, an awakening emotion towards the rollercoaster of plot twists that happen in the intricate web of human lives, otherwise known as the feeling of sonder.
It is truly amazing how one day we could open our eyes to the realization that we are not alone in this world, that our friends and family have their own dreams, goals, ambitions, and expectations that they have set for themselves. And, like how a friendly smile to a pedestrian can lift up their spirits after they receive the news that their family member is sick, sonder makes us do things that we normally don’t do, just because we pass by the realization that we truly don’t know what other people are going through. And because of this, we can think about the consequences of our actions towards other people, and at least get a glimpse of their situation.
This year, more than 500,000 people are estimated to be living in Iloilo City alone. Five hundred thousand stories to share, five hundred thousand different movies, all playing at the same time. And these stories all intertwine to form a brilliant but unconventional mix: think ube cheese ice cream, perfect and balanced. From a family member to a teacher, all the way to a well-known celebrity, these pages are seamed together by a red string of connectedness, sealed by the warm yellow hues of hospitality and empathy.
The feeling of sonder introduces a new perspective on the expression “to be in someone else’s shoes.” It teaches us that having a bad day doesn’t mean that we have the upper hand in everything we say because someone else may have driven deeper into a gorge that we have never ridden through. So if everyone woke up to this feeling, then maybe, just maybe, life would be a little bit more of an enjoyable movie for everyone./PN
