Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Sula: Heaven's reply By Jun Sula Commentary
DEAR Ed,
I read your letter, or was it Atlee's?
I thought it was whiny, grumpy, corny and forgettable. I can imagine Simon Cowell with a harsher, unkinder review. You should watch "American Idol". It will make you more human and vulnerable.
You can blame no one for your fix. You grabbed the job in the first place. You should have known better. Remember what they say? Yes, be careful what you wish -- or pray -- for, you might just get it.
You should learn from Job. Compared to his, your predicaments are peanuts. He had only one woman beside him at his moment of great crisis, and she kept nagging him to death. You're much better off.
You're not even married, and you have two reliable and loyal ladies to support you 24/7. Even I rested on the 7th. And they're lawyers, but nobody's perfect.
It seems to me that your town mates sound grouchy as you are.
Sometimes it comes with age, at times with a certain position. Life is not fair nor is meant to be. That is what a prophet or priest is for, to make sense of it. As to not having an honor in your own country, sometimes it's contempt, having to do with familiarity. You're luckier. In my case, I came to my own but my own received me not. At least, Minalenos still recognize you.
You should be able to work well with your vice governor. He's a shining example of an advocate for check-and-balance. You may find it frustrating, but that's democracy for you. I can understand: the Church is not democratic but hierarchic, opposite poles. The learning curve gets tougher with a change in milieu. You have to love your vice gov, whether as a perceived enemy or as a practical neighbor. G.K. Chesterton put it well: I told you to love your enemies and your neighbors because they could be the same persons.
Your Provincial Board may just be bored with you. Find time to find out their real beef. Listening, more than lecturing, to them could produce unexpected results in your favor. Try win-win -- certainly a much better tack than whine-whine. Of course, you must always forgive. But don't tell them upfront and in public that you do, unless they ask for it. You know, you may come across as self-righteous and holier-than-thou. They hate it.
Be more diplomatic, flexible and political. Come on, your bosses in the Church do it all the time.
You're maybe overacting when it comes to the mayors, especially Bacolor Mayor Buddy Dungca. I don't remember hearing them swear to heavens. I have heard chorused, inadvertent prayers about recount and recall, but no swearing. Frankly, if you can't deal with them, especially Buddy, without disturbing the heavens, you have no business at the Capitol, plain and simple. You're the governor, for Myself sake! It's a man-sized job, more than a priest's, and you ought to know that. Also, stop telling me to do your job. The next time you do it, you'll regret it.
As for that generous supporter of yours, you sound very much like Adam after having a bite off the forbidden fruit in the Garden. The best sometimes isn't as good as advertised. You should have fought the temptation. No such thing as free bite. You certainly crossed the ethical line when you accepted the millions of funding for your campaign.
David would not have done that. If she felt she was wrong about you, why not try to disabuse her, considering that she sounded like a friend betrayed? Maybe she just wants to be really appreciated for what she did and gave. Is that too hard? Why not make a public accounting of her contributions to your candidacy to the last centavo? Her mood might change.
Stop making a big fuzz already about the P500,000 you got in Malacañang. No one is interested anymore. Give it back, for your own peace of mind. Malacañang has more problems to even bother about your rehashed honesty. I've been swamped lately from somebody in the Palace with prayers on the rice crisis, her Cabinet and 2010. Put your acts together and hunker down to the nitty-gritty.
You need strength? Be like Paul: My grace is sufficient for you. You can do all things through Me who strengthens you. What's the matter with you? Memory verses should come in handy in times like you are in. That pesky lady is right: You need to pray more and read the Book more.
Public service is a thankless job. You do it less for perks than for people. Success isn't the ultimate yardstick. It's your faithfulness to the job. Like Josiah, you may know in advance that some things you do may not be appreciated or matter much in the end, but you still keep pressing for the high mark, as Paul admonished.
If you need more spiritual advice, I recommend Jeremiah, specially that part about being able to run with horses. Barbara Taylor Bradford also has to say about the secret of life, which you can apply to politics: it's to endure it. Read her books, preferably "A woman of substance".
Bless you!
The Potter
P.S. Next time, don't let a lawyer speak for you.
