This past week has been up and downs with me, but its all good. I recently re-discovered a song that I haven't listen to a while. When I herd this again, it open a door in my mind into the past. As I listen to the song over and over again I Day dreamed about what my parents and family went through in life in the Philippines back in the past. What hardships they went through to struggle with daily life. Going through life with out the convenience we have today, it made me think how skilled my family is even at times when it doesn't show. Walking for miles with out a bus to take you to your destination. In hot weather studying and working with out the cool air conditioning we have today. Working on the farm with out the technology to make it easy. Doing anything you can to make money from saving bottles, waking up extremely early going to far distances just to make a sale. Not having the medical treatment to treat the wounds and fight diseases. All I can do is listen to my Mom and Dad tell stories about how life was like in the Philippines and daily life work they went through. Then I went into Deeper thought of the countries struggle in the past its self. The struggle for civil liberties, back dating into WWII. I did research (Yeah I have no life) and found this interesting article. I read the first few scrolls down (Still not finished reading it, really long) and I wanted to put this excerpt in.

"There is a total war in which the issues between the warring parties are less concerned with territorial questions but more with forms of government, ways of life, and those that affect even the very thoughts, feelings and sentiments of every man. In other words, the question at stake with respect to the Philippines is not whether Japan or the United States should possess it but more fundamentally it is:-what system of government would stand here and what ways of life, system of social organizations and code for morals should govern our existence....
You may not agree with me but the truth is that the present war is a blessing in disguise to our people and that the burden it imposes and the hardships it has brought upon us are a test of our character to determine the sincerity of our convictions and the integrity of our souls. In other words, this war has placed us in the crucible to assay the metal in our being. For as a people, we have been living during the last forty years under a regime of justice and liberty regulated only by universally accepted principles of constitutional governments. We have come to enjoy personal privileges and civil liberties without much struggle, without undergoing any pain to attain them. They were practically a gift from a generous and magnanimous people-the people of the United States of America. Now that Japan is attempting to destroy those liberties, should we not exert any effort to defend them? Should we not be willing to suffer for their defense? If our people are undergoing hardships now, we are doing it gladly, it is because we are willing to pay the price for those constitutional liberties and privileges. You cannot become wealthy by honest means without sweating heavily. You very well know that the principles of democracy and democratic institutions were brought to life through bloodshed and fire. If we sincerely believe in those principles and institutions, as we who are resisting Japan do, we should contribute to the utmost of our capacity"
-CHAPTER X
GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippine Resistance Movement
[link]

One time when I was young, I asked my father what our family has contributed to the Philippines and the USA. He proudly told me that my Great Grandfather was a spy working for the United states Army during WWII and the Philippines Guerrilla Fighters. He spied on the Japanese which possibly could have lead to successful Guerrilla strikes in the Philippines during Japanese Occupation. My Father told me he was caught by the Japanese and never seen again...

All this inspiration came from the Black Eyed Peas,The APL Song. Its beautiful what music can do, I truly believe it is food for the soul. For it all, I am proud of my Family, proud of my heritage, proud of my people, proud of the nations where I was born and where I am being raised with the multicultural environment I live in. God Bless America and the Philippines




Year of Change, Obama 09