THE family is the basic unit of society. I guess it is safe to say that we all learned this in school. As Filipinos, I think it is safe that we put more meaning into the word. We are indeed family-centered, right? Even with the modern times, we still put as much weight as we used to in family. Correct? Well, I certainly hope so! There has been quite an uproar brought about by the modernization of the Filipino youth, thanks to the advent of the World Wide Web. More ideas and ideals flow in and out freely with the touch of the keyboard keys. More Westernized ways seems to have been introduced into the young minds compromising the more traditionally accepted ways. We are often left to wonder if indeed the good points outweigh the bad. Hmmmm.
There has been much concern too, about the growing inseparability of man and their modern devices. How many times have you gone to a cafe and found a group of friends seated together, huddled while tinkering with their iPhones and androids? It’s all too familiar! We wonder about communication between people across each other from their table while we are pretty sure that interisland, even intercontinental connections are pretty strong!
It is funny how some people I know prepare for brownouts by charging their cell phones, tablets and power sources. Di bale na walang ilaw, basta fully charged ang phone for going online!
Indeed, the marvels of the internet has mesmerized all of us! That kind of connectivity across the world just can’t be ignored! But more importantly, we are hoping that we all remain connected to each other. Us. We the ones who live in the same home, who grew up together and shared many experiences both good and bad. We. The family.
So, are our families doing okay in light of modernization? We are all capable of losing track of things when we are very busy.
We lose track of time and even of people, as we try to go about our daily activities. We seek to achieve our goals and risk sacrificing quality time with our loved ones.
We really have to be mindful of the things that happen around us and most especially to the people who mean the world to us.
More than that, we need to set a good example to the younger generation as well as guide them to the right path of becoming truly a person for others to emulate.
We need to arm them with the right tools to survive and keep their humanity. We need to teach them to appreciate even the small things. To do all these, we need to spend time with each other.
Human to human communication, face to face -- not in virtual reality nor thru facetime. Geez. Let us not forget the importance of human touch and looking into someone's eyes. We need THAT connection to really remain connected.
Our family is having a reunion at the moment. Planning the trip was not easy. We have all grown up and some have moved away from our ancestral place. Most of us needed to take time off from work, or, work around the schedule we picked so that everyone is able to attend!
The preparation is difficult and tedious, sometimes there are disagreements too, but we are all here spending time together.
It is indeed endearing to be together again after many long years of being apart. You reminisce about the past-- summers spent as children playing and even fighting!
You retell funny stories of your growing up years and have a real good laugh about it!! It is a good feeling to be able to reconnect and feel like a kid again! More so when are you able to update each other about your lives!
Sitting back and watching my family exchange stories and laughs makes me happy. I realized that although it is true that you cannot choose your family members, for the most part, they will always be there to back you up and feel right at home.
Good friends also give us the same fuzzy feeling. And we regard them with similar love and affection.
In a way, we consider them as an extension of our family too. Keeper of secrets, partners in crime. Like our own families, they make life easier to bear (and more fun and exciting).
This is why a lot of us go to school reunions year after year, and keep in touch with old friends wherever they may be.
Good friends keep us anchored. They are great sounding boards and they give their honest opinions without trying to force it on you.
We need that kind of support too you know, although I'm pretty sure old friends will never mince words if you mess up or need some serious butt-kicking to get your senses back.
We like good memories. Being able to recall old times with family and old friends gives us that sense of achievement that is, surviving the demands of growing up.
Even when we recall tough times we may have gone through in the past, we are filled with a sense of accomplishment that we were able to learn from it and become stronger for it.
Will the present and future generations build the same memories for themselves? Of course, there will be some changes that sometimes get translated in generation gaps but that has always been present no matter what decade you came from!
At this point we can only pray that our children will grow up to be able, respectful and human beings that we expect them to become.
In my opinion, no matter how modern and Westernized life may become in our country, as long as the family unit remains strong and connected, all will be okay.
The children of this generation will survive to wonder if those that will come after them will be as lucky! Happy Sunday everyone!! :) (Nina S. Custodio, MD)