The First Time Philosophy
One of my favorite telly ads is that airline commercial that has "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" tagline. (I forget which airline, I'm sorry.----Ironic how it's my favorite commercial and all, I know. But I was spellbound and captivated by the message more than the airline!)
When was the last time I did something for the first time? I've been asking myself this over and over again, since I've seen the ad, air in 2003. I've pondered about this question for over over two years now, and it's just quite disturbing that I could barely come up with answers.
Do you remember the first time your mom allowed you in a sleep-over? The first time you stepped into college? The first time you fell in-love? The first time you bungee jumped? The first time you drove to school/work by yourself? The first time you were interviewed for a job? The time you received your first paycheck perhaps?
If you think about it, first-times are magical moments: the moments that just bind you to wonder and realisation. Many of our first times are mundane things, or things we take for granted. But when someone does something for the first time, and you actually witness the joy of this first-timer embarking on a journey of discovery, you can't help but wish that every moment was always a first-time moment. You can't help but realise that you should've made each and every first time-moment as respectively momentous as possible.
Take for example, using a computer and having an email account and checking it on a day to day basis--I mean, our generation seems to expect that everyone knows how to do so; and we seem so impatient about any generation that just doesn't seem to get the whole computer thing no matter what.
My mom is petrified of computers. She has this notion that she'll break one by merely touching the screen. I'm exaggerating, yes, but the fact of the matter remains that she is afraid of computer technology--perhaps, afraid that she won't be able to understand or cope with it and afraid that she might mess things up unintentionally one way or the other. What's nice about her, however, is that she tries to overcome her fears slowly. She could already write and send emails but she just does so when the computer is set-up for her. She is interested to learn, but just like all first-timers, she is intimidated.
Recently, I got her an email account. You know how our generation takes emails for granted? When I saw my mom's excitement with her first and new email address, writing all her friends, brothers and sister abroad; and how she carefully and lovingly composed her very first message on her brand new email address, all by herself---It moved me. I was so excited for her too. The next day, I showed her what to do so she could retrieve her new emails: she did it by herself for the first time, and she was in full bliss and excitement by simply getting a dozen replies from all the people she sent email to! I saw her triumphant smile and satisfied aura, all because of her first time of sending and receiving emails--a technology, a daily routine which a lot of people take for granted. That was when the greater importance, the whole philosophical and practical moment of doing something for the first time dawned on me.
Perhaps, what really struck me is the challenge that the question poses today: How could we ever treasure and savour that first-time moment? And how could we keep the whole journey of discovery something like the first-time experience of learning?
I realised that the question-challenge is like a rhetorical statement, not because it's not meant to be answered, but because the answer is really the most obvious and simple of things: if we find joy in simplicity, and beauty in its purest essence, if we learn to live the whole truth with acceptance and contentment, if we learn to believe in goodness, if we learn to take matters seriously enough--live life to the fullest, do things to the best of our abilities, not take things for granted--then we have our answers. Answers that only our hearts can tell ourselves to do. It's cliche but the answer is in loving: loving purely, truly, justly, fairly and generously.
If we are asked or if we ask ourselves: When was the last time you did something for the first time? or When was the last time I did something for the first time?
The answer should be Today.
Everyday is a chance to change for the better. Everyday is a chance to love and discover. Everyday is an opportunity to grow, reach-out and live...so that others may live.
+_+
My Congratulations to Patrick Echevarria
Pat, That was a beautiful, brilliant, amazing speech you made! Man, it was so inspiring. Di bale kung bata pa sila, at sa palagay mo, bumenta lang sa mga faculty yung sinabi mo. What you said will sink into their systems eventually. However, I just know that with what you've said, you've reached someone there---somehow, someway. :)
I know you'll be reading this, so don't forget to give me a copy of your beautiful speech!
Katulad nga nung sinabi ko kanina: MAHUSAY ka talaga!
Hanep!!! Idol!!!