EACH time we hear reports of suspected drug users or pushers getting killed in police operations, I feel we have denied our brothers and sisters their second chance on life. According to police statistics, there are now thousands killed in the government’s war against illegal drugs.
As we enter the third week of the Lenten season, with the Gospel sharing the parable of the fig tree, I get to reflect on our surrounding circumstances every time I see dead bodies as a result of police operations against the illegal substance “shabu.”
Allow me to refresh your memory regarding the parable. There was this master who ordered his gardener to uproot and burn the fig tree that was not bearing fruit. However, the gardener replied that the said tree only needed a nurturing hand. Therefore, he took good care of the tree, watered and fertilized it. Soon enough, the fig tree bore fruit.
In juxtaposition with the said parable is an episode of “MMK (Maalaala Mo Kaya)” hosted by Charo Santos, aired on ABS-CBN. The story centered on the financial difficulty of one family dealing with serious illnesses that befell its members. The youngest son, who was trying to ease the burden of the family, quit school and tried all kinds of jobs.
Drug addicts in the barangay however, convinced the boy to enter into the drug trade. As he succumbed to temptation, he got jailed. While serving his sentence for drug pushing, an elderly inmate, who saw the boy’s potential, advised him to enroll in the Alternative Learning Program of the government. Long story short, the boy finished high school and subsequently got a scholarship for his college education.
The outcome of the boy’s earnest effort to reverse his standing in the community is the best example of an opportunity given for the sake of changing one’s life.
How do we look at our brothers and sisters who are into substance abuse? Do we see them as victims of circumstance or do we regard them as criminals?
Understanding and believing someone’s potential paves the way to a second chance. In analogy, a basketball player who is given a second chance sometimes garners a three-pointer.