Façade of History

OUR history is like a big canvass. At first, it is just a plain cloth that seems to have no value. But after a painter paints his masterpiece, you see the contrast of the colors of the magnificent art. In our history, cultures are the colors. The combinations of these colors create a world of contrasts but still in unity. Today, many youths do not appreciate their past but they do not understand the fact that without their past, they might not exist at all. Our present depends on our past. We may not be able to change what already happened but we can still find ways to make the art more beautiful. There are people who try to beautify the art but they end up destroying it by their own hands. They do not see what really is more important. They end up coloring the canvass of history by overpowering others and thus making others feel pain and discouragement. We did not have the opportunity to choose our history but we have the power and even the right to choose to make everything not to be perfect but to at least make it right. We have the power as individuals to take initiative in showing respect and bringing hope to others. The people of our history are also the people behind our success and failures. We can rejoice in achieving things for ourselves but we should always remember that it is the achievement of our culture as well. As much as we take pride on our own success, so should we be also to our culture’s triumph. We can always unite ourselves even if we are different, how? It is by manifesting the positive principles and goodness that our culture passed on to us. This is not easy because it is like running in a marathon. Everyone wants to win. But in the real race of life, everyone can win because participating in it itself gives us a great deal of pride because we had the opportunity and we grabbed it. We tried and we hold onto it until the very end. Sacrificing for the history that we are making now will not remain meaningless because it sinks into our heart and to the hearts of those who will continue to make the legacy.

Without the past, the present will never exist. Without the past, we hold nothing for the future. History should never be left unknown. Each of us has our untold history but it will always remain as our identity. Time will never be able to change the value of the history nor will it ever lessen the value of the sacrifices done to make that history happen. We may not appreciate the life and society that we have now, but in the end, we’ll find our lives incomplete of not finding and searching for the true nature of our own society now.

True, all of us have our own culture. We view it in different ways and perspectives. It is natural for us to feel proud of our culture’s achievements but will it increase the value of our culture if we degrade the culture of others? If we are a part of a culture being degraded and being put down, do we feel embarrassed and despise our culture?

Pride is more than just a feeling of appreciating what we have. It is the feeling that moves us to maintain the respect that we have for our culture. Culture defines your identity as an individual, culture thus reflect who and what you are. If you degrade other’s culture, you dishonor your own because you reflect the negative upbringing of your culture. The principles you have now is because you grew up in that kind of culture. It mirrors life. Remember that every time you degrade other culture; you disrespect and dishonor your own. The culture that others have may not please you; it may also go against your principles and beliefs. But, remember that they did not have the opportunity to choose their past and culture, so do you. Respect is entitled to everyone regardless of how imperfect or improper it is for our own perspective. We all want to be respected, but before asking respect from others, you have to learn first how to give it out.

What about if you are the one who feels degraded? Will you just succumb to insults and discouragements? You can only learn to love and take pride on something when you learn how to fully embrace it. Culture is something you should be proud of and not to be ashamed of. Whenever you take pride, you will always feel as if you owe something to your past that will move you to prove something to them. They will always throw stones at you, but when you prove to them how strong you are, you show them that they can’t beat your strength. The pride that you have now will always remain in you. Always love, cherish and embrace it. Do not look back and be in despair because it will not motivate you, it will not make you move forward. It will not push you to your best. It will make you stay in the state of regret where happiness never comes.

Every time I look at other places and other people, I always appreciate how they strive to conquer the world with their culture. They have a different kind of smile on their faces, a kind of joy in the eyes that truly signifies satisfaction and pride. I want to feel that kind of feeling. I know that I make my own history but I will always remember that before mine is a history that tells my story. To the next generation, I want to let them see that the past has a true value.

We can move forward if we look forward to something that we don’t see. This is called hope. We look forward and move forward toward unity. It is our choice now to continue the history that our forefathers started. It is our choice to change it for the better or change it for worse. But remember that whatever choice we make, we honor or dishonor our culture now and for eternity. True, our history was never perfect; there are a lot of mistakes and failures but that does not mean that we will stick to those imperfections. We also have to know that we can never make our future perfect but the imperfections that our past brings can give us more foresight in making our future and the next generation’s future become better.

Lastly, we have to have foresight and hope. Let us not hinder our sight with the imperfections that we have now, let’s make history and let’s make it be the best. The best way to remain happy in pursuing the best future we could ever have is by accepting the things we can’t change and change the things that we still can. (Yumiko Quesada)