This post might come out as a boring cliche since everybody is talking about it, but what the heck. The sloth fiend in me took over and I wasn't able to even get a glimpse of Cory's funeral procession, so this post is the least thing I can do to pay respect to someone who for the past days have unearthed a sense of nationalism in me that I never thought existed.
I'm not really the kind of person who believe in things easily, especially if they were channelled through the media. Yet, I absorbed every bit of embellishments and stories that the family and friends of Cory have stated about her.
There's this nun who was given the privelege to speak in the necrological ceremony that came to face the crowd with unparallelled courage when she said that Cory's hands were never tainted with the gold and silver of corruption. In other situations I would find that statement blasphemous, for I think that corruption unexplainably runs deep within EVERY politician in our country. It's like they belong to this certain discipline devoted in taking things that doesn't belong to them.
But with Cory, every vein and artery of my black heart mellowed and melted. And I'm not ashamed to admit that it's mainly because of the people who came to show their love and respect. This pretty much built the image of a woman who through her simple faith, humility, integrity and selflessness has commanded the attention and love of many people. I don't think that many people can do that. It's like she reached the end while soaring at heights where some people can only dream of being at; with self-actualization undoubtly under her belt.
The last time that a woman (and I'm not being a sexist. it's just that woman power attracts me more) caught my undivided attention was when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. She was a daughter of a former president of Pakistan who after years of being in exile returned to her country to bring back hope to her people. She did this with the absolute knowledge (as shown in her interview) that she will probably be killed, given the situation in Pakistan. Nevertheless she came, for as she said, it's her duty to her people and her promise to God. Her journey to Allah's arms was shortened when she was shot in the head during a presidential campaign.
Before I was like, why do everybody think that being killed is synonymous to dying for a country and a cause? I don't think that you have to die in order to prove your worth and stand. But with Benazhir, I'm starting to understand that life, as precious as it is, will never be a fulfilling one if it's filled with visions, mission and ideologies that never saw fruition because we are hindered with fear.
The same rings true with Cory. I've herad numerously for the past days that she is the mother of democracy, but that title still does not fail in sending chills down my spine.
What if she never came to our country's aid? What if she chose to be silenced by the death of her beloved husband? What if she allowed fear to settle in and succumb to the numerous threats that were bugging her? What would have happened to our country and what would have happened to us?
I don't know the answer (but I know I wouldn't have been born) but I know the light of nationalism and radicality that have fueled our populace in their continous fight for our country will remain as an idea up to now. Every Filipino that was born for the past decade would have been collared at birth and made to follow rules and live a life that was only directed at making the coffers of a certain dictator flourish.
For that, Tita Cory, thank you. You don't know me and I can't say that I know you, but even though it's like that, the ripples of the well-lived life that you had reached everybody including me. I'm not gonna pray for you, for as a friend of yours say, it is you who we should pray at for our country, for you are now among the Blessed.
XOXO
Jerome
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