THE literary life has been good to me.
Very good.
At a very young age, I knew it would bring me fame.
I think that’s the very reason why I pursued it.
I’m a book lover even as a kid.
And I did want my name on the cover of a book.
I dreamed of it even as a first grader.
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That I went on to explore other career fields instead of focusing on my writing is only because we were poor.
And writing does not bring in the money.
I don’t think Shakespeare got rich at all.
He got free drinks and maybe a free suit from his tailor who wanted to be an actor, but he had to pay his prostitutes, too.
Name five Filipino writers who got rich from their writings.
Oh, don’t get me started with J.K. Rowling and Stephen King.
You are talking only two out of four million so-called writers.
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Today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
I don’t know for sure if it is still celebrated in the Philippines.
Or how big the celebration is.
But I was in high school when Ninoy got shot.
And for me, it was perhaps like what most Americans felt when JFK was assassinated in 1963.
Ninoy’s murder made me read up on the Marcoses, and the history of Philippine politics.
I fell in love with Cory Aquino the way I fell in love with Audrey Hepburn and Princess Diana.
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There is no anger in my heart now over Ninoy’s senseless murder.
Thirty-six years later, I have appreciated his role in Philippine history.
It’s all part of the human drama.
His widow Cory became president.
His unico hijo Noynoy became president.
His youngest daughter Kris became Kris Aquino.
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I’ve learned to forgive myself for the political things I have done.
I was so proud to have campaigned for both PNoy in 2010, and PRRD in 2016.
I wanted to give Digong a chance in 2016.
I did not regret my decision.
But I started to feel really betrayed two years into his office.
It’s all part of human drama.
And I have to learn to forgive myself.
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Wait, where is this piece going?
Wasn’t I supposed to talk about Contentment, if you still remember my Monday’s column?
But I remembered it is Ninoy’s Day today.
And key to contentment in our lives is actually rolling with the punches.
I mean, it’s rolling with the punches to talk about Ninoy on the anniversary of his martyrdom.
But it’s also rolling with the punches addressing certain defining issues in your life.
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So, anyway, life happens like that.
You may be intent on doing something, and you are punched by certain realities out of your control.
And what can you do? What do you do?
You can take the punches. Like resist and receive the maximum impact.
Or you can roll and go with the flow.
I’ve taken so many blows before.
But I have learned to roll in later years.
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I am really a happy person.
And though I have advised against an active pursuit of happiness, you must realize this:
My happiness swells from me being content with my life.
Of course, you can always argue that it’s easy for me to say because I have a very extraordinary life.
I wish I could disagree with you.
But you see, what you call my “extraordinary life” is just my ordinary life dealt with some smart choices.
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I wasn’t born smart.
I chose to be smart!
I read books.
Fell in love with words and fantastical stories.
I dreamed of my name being on the cover of the book!
I started to write early.
Persevered in the craft for over 40 years.
Whether people accepted me or not.
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I do not delude myself thinking that ten thousand people read my columns.
If Panay News has a circulation of 60,000 and only three people read me, I have no problem with that.
I write my column pieces with equal fervor for one reader, or one million readers.
It doesn’t matter to me.
I know, at least my editor will read what I wrote.
And I am content with that.
I am happy with that.
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Now, if you read this, I am doubly happy.
I am grateful.
At least, I’ve reached another soul.
I don’t expect you to like what I write.
If you feel reading me is a waste of your time, good for you!
I mean, as a prankster, I am happiest when I have wasted your time.
But if you feel a human connection through my writing, isn’t that amazing?
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This is a newspaper.
But I do not write to inform.
This are the op-ed pages, but I really don’t have great political thoughts.
What I have is a beautiful mind.
Usually playful, happy, smart, and if you are some kind of smart yourself, something you would call “entertaining”! (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
