that spark of divine

I just finished watching the Nobel prize awards ceremony shown in Al-Jazeera where Barack received his recognition as this year’s Nobel Peace laureate. He started his acceptance speech addressing the controversy generated by his win. Marami kasing nagsasabi that he doesn’t deserve the award. But if only for one line of his speech, payag na ako na sya ang pinanalo ng Nobel committee.

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Somewhere towards the end of his 20-minute or so rhetoric, may isang linya syang binitawan that illicited an applause from the audience. Sabi nya, sa mga nangyayaring kaguluhan ngayon, war, terrorism and senseless killing, dapat daw we should ‘look into the spark of divine still within us’.

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I so get that line totally. Dahil naniniwala pa rin ako na lahat tayo, there is still that innate goodness in every individual no matter how harsh this world has become. Amidst all these violence, aggression and hatred, we do not have to turn ourselves to being ruthless savages. All we have to do is to pause one minute, look into ourselves and find that one thing that separates us from the predatory animals that has no choice but to kill in order to survive.

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Conscience is one. Respect for others too.

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Barely two minutes after the awarding ceremony, eto na ang balita. Headline na naman ang Mindanao. 57 school children and teachers hostaged in Agusan del Sur. Sabi ng report, it is linked to another war of clans or tribal conflict.

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Bakit pati mga inosenteng bata nadamay na naman? Wala naman silang kaalam-alam sa kung ano man ang conflict na yan. And what will happen to these innocent souls? Tatakutin? Ito-torture? Papatayin like the senseless killing na ginawa sa Maguindanao massacre?

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Why don’t these kidnappers and killers look into themselves and find that spark of divine that Obama has just mentioned. And I’m not just talking about the Maguindano massacre but to all the violence and senseless killings na nangyari. Isama na natin ang pag-semento sa bangkay ng isang babae sa kaso ng sister ni Rochelle. Or ang batang pinatay at inilagay sa maleta at itinapon sa dagat. Even that Ivler who shot the son of a Malacanang official dahil lang sa traffic. Isama na rin natin yong mga nababasa natin sa dyaryo na mga tambay sa kanto na basta na lang sinasaksak ang mga nakukursunadahan.

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All these despicable and horrendous violation of the basic right for life, dapat sa mga taong ito ay pumikit saglit. And remind themselves na mga tao pa rin sila. A creature whose genetic build-up includes intelligence, reasoning and the more important conscience. Dahil sigurado naman akong may konsensya pa rin ang mga ito. Alam pa rin nila na wala kahit sino sa kanila ang may karapatang pumatay ng kapwa. Be it senseless killing or not, wala kahit sino ang may karapatan na pumatay ng tao.

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Life is not one of our possessions. Hindi ito atin. You can not equate it to your mansions or luxury cars na pwede mong itapon, sirain, sunugin, ihulog sa bangin or ilibing sa hukay whenever you want to. Ang pagpatay ay hindi ginagawa kung gusto tulad ng gusto mong kumain, matulog o mag-CR.

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Life is something borrowed from the heavens. And if you believe that God exists, kahit ano pa ang pangalan na tinatawag mo kapag nagdadasal ka, you should understand that HE is the one who gave you and everybody the right to breathe, move and live in this world. At SYA lang ang may karapatang kumuha ng buhay na yan.

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But if you lose sight, dahil nalasing ka sa power, nalunod ka sa sobrang kayamanan at akala mo ay Diyos ka na rin who can snuff life off anybody at your whim, think again. Dig deep into your soul. Meron ka nyan. At makikita mo, your conscience will remind you that you are just one insignificant part of this huge, grand scheme of life.

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At siguradong makikita mo na ang pag-torture ng tao ay hindi gawain ng matinong utak. Ang pagbaril sa mukha, pag-mutilate ng ari, pangre-rape and in the end, ang pag-patay na akala mo ay manok o baboy ang pinapatay mo, hindi ito gawain ng taong may konsensya. Hindi ito gawain ng taong may kinikilalang Diyos. Trabaho ito ng taong sumanib na sa dark forces ni Taning.

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Do not miss that spark of divine. You’ll find it in your heart. Then surely, life and respect for it will bring new meaning to you.