Quarantined Wayfarer

Tag: LOCKDOWN2020

A New Phoenix Rising
Sunset at Boracay beach, Photo library of TalinMan
Despite the massive socio-economic damages inflicted upon the community of nations by COVID-19, it is notable to see that a new phoenix is rising. We see the emergence of the new class of self-sacrificing people. They are personified by medical professionals and practitioners, teachers, essential goods personnel, utility workers, peace & order forces, etc. These come from the ranks of virtually unknown persons who have come to the fore in response to the needs of their communities. These are the new breed of heroes that will sustain this new phoenix arising.
Is this a sign of brighter and better things to come? The answer lies in the heart of man. For indeed, if the fire of love is burning in one’s heart, then, there is every reason to believe that this new phoenix will continue to rise. Otherwise, if there is no love in one’s heart, then, for sure, it will die soon. Without love, it’s easy to find excuses to avoid doing one’s obligations. In fact, obligations become burdensome and hateful.
Excuses: a Bane to the New Phoenix Rising
As nations grapple with the shape and size of the new phoenix arising, St. Josemaria propounds a simple rule to aid everyone, namely:
Point no. 21
Excuses. You will always find plenty if you want to avoid your obligations. What a profusion of well-thought-out nonsense! Don’t stop to consider it. Dismiss it and do your duty.
St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way
In essence, St. Josemaria’s point no. 21 delivers a piece of a very practical decision-making tool for everyday use. For instance, you may find yourself being presented with an opportunity to serve; but, then, you easily find an excuse to evade it. In such a case, St. Josemaria admonishes us to do the more prudent thing, that is, to take time out to dig deeper into the root of it. Otherwise, one would risk falling habitually into the trap of saying “no” to opportunities for service or self-improvement through the use of convenient excuses.
A Techno-centric World
Interestingly, as the world crosses over to the third decade of the 21^st century, man has seemingly reached the apex of social, political and economic development. We see a modern world largely driven by social media, information technology, and the internet. We have come to realize that the power of dominance rests upon the ubiquity of social media and the advent of artificial intelligence and other hi-tech applications. Truly, these resources have shaped and influenced the modern man’s way of thinking and behavior. Indeed, man has learned to embrace this new lifestyle.
However, just as technology has enhanced man’s productivity; so, too, it has exposed the vulnerabilities of man. The heightened use of social media during the pandemic has sown its unintended consequences, which could prove perilous for man. A case in point: during this COVID19 lockdown, there has been a significant rise in domestic violence, the use of illegal drugs, depression, and other mental illnesses. Sadly, such incidences may be attributed to the excessive use of social media, which is referred to as “screen addiction“. Doomscrolling¹ and doomsurfing² have dominated the waking hours of modern man, rendering man’s ability to step back and reflect inutile.
21^st Century: The Golden Age for Man
Moreover, the meteoric rise of technology and social media has unleashed myriads of data in the cyberworld, virtually empowering every man on the street with access to resources for knowledge and development. We are now seeing the golden age of man to have the wherewithdal to develop himself to the fullest. Lest one decides to remain stuck, foolish and idle, there is no more room for excuses anymore. Thankfully, today we are witnessing an era wherein the erstwhile great barrier between the haves and the have-nots has been virtually obliterated.
In closing, man has been gifted by God with the treasure, that is, freedom. Every day, we have the golden opportunity to choose between what is good or not. It is, therefore, incumbent upon each one of us to exercise our individual right to use our freedom wisely. I would dare say that there is no more room for excuses. Junk excuses and just do it!
TalinMan
¹ “an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of dystopian news.”-Mark Barabak, the Los Angeles Times
² ibid.
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September 20, 2020
This lockdown is a war against the self.
Today marks the 34th day of enforced isolation in Ayala Alabang Village. Looking back, I dare say that it wasn’t bad at all. As a matter of fact, I am quite grateful in the sense that the lockdown gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue life-long learning projects, which, otherwise, I would not have been able to do for lack of time under normal circumstances.
Without a doubt, this pandemic has drastically changed my way of life. The curtailed lifestyle has led me to be more introspective. Given the uncertainty of this pandemic, I had to contend with some basic questions – why is this happening; and, what is God telling me? And so, throughout the span of the lockdown till Easter Sunday, I found solace in reading nuggets of wisdom in the sacred scripture as well as participating virtually in online masses, celebrated by Pope Francis. This has kept me away from my old lifestyle of busying myself, say, with meetings to do business deals or, simply, to enjoy the company of friends in a coffee shop or wine bar. Indeed, COVID 19 has changed my daily routine. By the grace of God, my family and I are, thus far, safe from harm.
This brings me to the point of St. Josemaria Escriva in the The Way, which states:
```
 Point # 4 Don't say, "That's the way I am - it's my character." It's your lack of character. Esto vir! - Be a man! 
```
The words, Esto vir, indeed seem like harsh words from a father, a mother or even, a wife! It brings back memories, during my high school days, when my mother would wake me up in the mornings so that I could go to school on time. Whilst grudgingly standing up from bed, I would often complain about the constant nagging of my mom. My laziness was indeed hard to overcome. But upon reaching maturity, I realized how foolish I was, slow to react to the crying need to improve one’s character.
To be a man, indeed, is a virtue that speaks not of sheer machismo but rather of having the strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger; or, of having the fortitude to face up with the difficulties encountered without losing one’s peace. The excess, however, would be recklessness due to over-confidence.
During this pandemic, it makes sense to take advantage of the ample time to do some self-reflection to get to know oneself better and be able to identify weak spots that could be strengthened. Given the gravity of the situation, it would be foolishness to just take things as they come. If you sit still, you fall by the wayside.
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Aristotle (Source: Brainy Quotes)
Have a good weekend!
TalinMan
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April 17, 2020
Some Random Thoughts: Day 20 of Lockdown
It’s been 20 days since the start of the government mandated enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). To my surprise, I have somehow managed to survive the daily battles of being locked down in our house. Thankfully, the enforced isolation has forced me how to make the most of the idle time afforded by the pandemic, COVID19. Some insights have come to the fore, namely:
1. Love life. Instead of dreading the lockdown, embrace it. Avoid the temptation of complaining to yourself, which would lead to dreading each day that comes. The whole of humanity is besieged in an epic war where the enemy is unseen by human eyes. Indeed, the virus has wreaked havoc across the globe, causing worldwide hysteria and fear. This great pandemic will go down in history as probably the worst ever on account of the wide swath of its contagion.
2. Sit back, relax and savor the precious abundance of time brought about by ECQ. After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime sabbatical opportunity.
3. A modern day saint, St. Josemaría Escriva, said, whilst in hiding in a consulate for a prolonged period of six months in a small room during the Spanish civil war of 1936, he would program his daily agenda on how to grow in the inside. Simply put, it would be good to structure a daily plan that would foster a holistic approach in developing the spiritual, intellectual and physical health needs of the individual.
4. Thanks to the wonders of technology, all of us have access to any kind of resources that one would wish to tap. Because of the lockdown, there’s a deluge of online masses, watch parties on the holy rosary, free operas and ballets from the world famous institutes, etc.. Social networks have never been so busy as now that people are trying to keep in contact with family and friends through vibre, what’s app, facebook, zoom, etc..
As the days move on, people discover little by little some nuggets of beauty amidst the darkness of the pandemic. Medical frontliners are now being honored as the heroes. Likewise, the ordinary workers, who were heretofore ignored or taken for granted by society, are now much appreciated by the quarantined community. To this day, these are the small victories that fill my waking hours with joy and optimism.

With the Holy Week approaching this Sunday, I am given consolation by the passage:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.“
John 14:27

TalinMan
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April 6, 2020