Why Are We Here?

I chanced upon this old published essay of mine today after a merely 21 years have passed  me by. I was still this innocent fresh graduate at that time.This is my very first work published after graduating from high school, the second one was a poem in our native language both on a magazine for workers, "Blue Collar" under the publication of Don Bosco Technical College here in the Philippines which circulated nationwide. This one is featured in the "Tinig ng Masa" ( Voice of the Masses) column also in Tagalog and so I have to gather my guts to translate this out for you foreign friends! Original title is : " Bakit Tayo Naririto". 

Note: This is my work when I was  just 16  and so my "writer's voice" is quite different than it is now. Take note of  the "idealistic tone" of the essay.

And so here it is :

I got many questions in mind that I do know all of you cannot seem to answer for even you out there I know for a fact also have so many questions in this life.Isn't it that people live on this earth for a certain mission we  have to accomplish? I believe there is this ultimate reason why we were born - and that is to find our TRUE HAPPINESS! Authentic happiness that can only  be attained by living through His ways.  But it seems that times have truly changed now. Money is what other people worship. They thought all along that money alone  can buy them things that can make them truly happy in this world.

Yes, they can purchase all the luxuries but there is an end to all of these things. It is but impossible to assume money would come flowing throughout their lifetime! If all these riches are gone, all used up one day, can they readily say straight to everyone's face that they've become happy? Yes, maybe a temporary high they have achieved  but not PERFECT HAPPINESS! They would still continue on searching for this PERFECT HAPPINESS. 

At times life can really be boring isn't it? Routinary things everyday and most often than not, we tend to forget to pray to Him. And people tend to have many excuses, alibis or whatever you can call it as such.But I do know this shouldn't happen. Maybe it's about time that we change our ways and our notions about life. We shouldn't be self-centered  and  be much more sensitive about other people's own good, too. Set aside a time to reflect and talk to God even just for a moment amidst our  busy hurried lives.

Ask ourselves why are we here living in this wide world. Is it just to be happy even though we tend to ignore helping those less fortunate brethren? To have hoards of money to somehow ease our loneliness and give in to our worldly pleasures? Is it good to know that we are the richest person and most influential  although we know we have  have taken advantage of some of our poor countrymen along the way?Are we contented doing malicious things to other people, just thinking of ourselves and all?

So many other questions that a whole sheet of bond paper isn't enough space to cover all. If only there are no bad people, no selfish, greedy ones for power, fame, money and the like.And if only people would just live harmoniously, peacefully. And if only LOVE would just prevail, there is no need for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and strong typhoons as wake up calls from the heavens for us to finally go back to our senses and change!

** Blog pic courtesy of my bf's Nature and Landscape Photography works