A thing called life is beautiful
The provenance of this veritable thing called life is the Almighty, who has endowed it with a sense of purpose as we do significant activities that make an impact on the world.
Life is engendered from a supreme act of love shared by male and female, whose genes determine one’s essential traits. We are one of a kind and distinctly different from the billions of other humans already born and those yet to see the light of day.
Upon waking up, I profusely thank God for another day. After a cup of hot oatmeal with coffee, I start my daily routine: going to church a kilometer away in my trusty tricycle, a walk around a nearby plaza, and some exercises to build tolerance for my vertigo. Then back home for breakfast, and relaxing on the porch waiting for that precious thing that makes my day—a copy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
I live in the población of the once rustic municipality in Cavite, now an emerging premier city 35 kilometers south of Manila. Excluded from the industrial and business zones, its ambiance, landscape, and skyline are indelible. Lying back on my chair facing east, I look at the wonders around. The morning sun bathes my body with essential Vitamin D. Verdant leaves of trees and grasses make for a pleasant environment. Birds singing, flowers competing in color and variety, and butterflies flitting about against the azure sky are a sight to behold.
There’s fresh breeze from the east and it smells clean. The air is not only scented but also invigorating. The green stuff provides much of the earth’s oxygen, offsetting its carbon emission and making the place free from pollution.
All these beautiful things make me smile. I look up to the sky and profoundly thank God for me being a healthy octogenarian, happy, and esteemed by the community. Spontaneous joy springs from my lips. Indeed, life is beautiful as one is surrounded by indispensable stuff taking away the nitty-gritty that make for surreal living.
Each day from the rising and setting of the sun, God’s bounty overwhelms life. At dawn when the sun’s splendor begins piercing the darkness, another bright promise of a new day replete with hope unfolds. It’s another chance and opportunity to change life for the better. Dusk assures that night is not far behind—the best time to savor the luxury of much needed rest and sleep, to wake up with a new energized tomorrow.
Human life is a first-rate copy of God’s image and likeness. Every day is endowed with myriad attributes and beatitudes, as we enjoy a world strewn with a cornucopia of things beyond the essentials. Life bestows us with remarkable talents, character, and traits that we can develop, harness, and nurture to sustain our dreams and aspirations.
Life’s beauty can be seen and felt anytime and everywhere. Every day is highlighted by the outpouring of love and care, from Good Samaritans to the hopeless and despondent. Such diversity amplifies life’s value and greatness.
A life of ease versus want presents a stark contrast. The former is heavenly. The latter, hellish. Both have divine significance. In abundance, life appreciates the kindness and generosity of the Lord. In want, it perseveres against all odds and implores God’s help. In both ways, life is drawn closer as it deepens our relationship with God.
Notwithstanding the onslaught of human-made disasters and headstrong natural calamities, life’s beauty still throbs and shines. Despite gasping in sorrow, we find that life reveals its beauty through fortitude and resilience which are emblematic of the Filipino spirit.
Whether one is rejoicing or drowning in sadness, life never loses its beauty. Happiness sweetens life. Sadness seasons it.
Indeed, a gift from God is this thing called life. It must be accorded the best, highest, and greatest care. Enhance and nourish it, love it sublimely. Let it shine not only in worldly ways but in heavenly deeds by selflessly serving others. Thus can one make life truly beautiful.
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Vic Jocson Columna, 87, lives in General Trias City, Cavite.
