Scent of Peace; Across the Dreamer’s Face

Air-conditioned shopping malls, enigmatic movie houses, comfy restaurants and tall buildings might be deceiving but my heart calls for a place that shelters an entity filled with uncertainty.

Throughout my first year college life, I chose to ignore my probinsyana identity. The most important thing for me was to fit in- wear the latest clothes, listen to the coolest music, and speak the commonly spoken expressions between friends. If anyone asked me of my ethnic background, I emphasized that I was born in the province but I was raised in the city for the following years. Somehow, I had come to the conclusion that to fit myself in the city life, I must exclude my provincial heritage.

As I tread along the deceiving city life, I arrived at the point of recognizing the real essence of my probinsyana identity. I discovered that the messy reality of living in cities. The fear inside seemed to be endless every time I went out of my boarding house. I had to be extra careful because conscienceless snatchers might accomplish their mission with my unconscious participation. Turn left, turn right, have a strong sense of sight, a number of vehicles might hit you right under the shade of the sun so bright. What’s more? Pollution is everywhere jeopardizing everybody’s health. On the corners were street children craving for food while their parents were busy begging for alms from the people passing by. They are indeed, lazy people, wasting their time in being worthless members of the society. On the other hand, there were laborers who looked very exhausted working on markets and terminals just to receive a minimal amount of peso coins. What an annoying scenario of a hated life- very messy, untidy and chaotic.

Being able to witness all of these sad authenticities of city life, I end up realizing that rural life is still the most convenient life a person can ever live in. Looking through the beauty of nature as I wake up every morning made me feel secured and safe, free from the dangerous hazards of the city. Every people in our province were working hard to earn a living. If we want to reap something, then start sowing now. Everything we need was served by the nature. There’s no need to snatch on streets just to finance our expenses. We just have to work hard on farms and enjoy the exquisiteness what a wonderful, superb, amazing, astonishing and brilliant life it is to live in provinces than in cities.

Now, as I begin to live upon the lessons I learned, I integrate this new knowledge unto my upbringing for me to be a better person. This process of integration bridges the two identities of human life (city and rural) in which the humanity used to live in. now, I no longer say I love city life because it is in my probinsyana identity that I live in peace as I continue in this chaotic city just to realize every part of my dreams and aspirations in life.