He was Once a Soldier

                    I met a man traveling but with more than just the intention of seeing the world - He has bigger plans. He oftentimes wears boots, at times walks barefoot. But he walks with certainty – He has visions. He does not care whether he sleeps on a damp ground or a hammock tied between trees – All he cares is that at night we sleep peacefully. He knows his rights; He fights for it – but not just his - mine and yours too. His possessions are scarce, but he does not complain. At least he has some; he knows others have none – His goal: is for everybody to have a piece. He is content but he hopes for better heights not just for himself but for his nation too.

You may probably have met him.

He was probably the guy sitting right next to you on your Christian Living class decades back – wonder if you were nice to him. I hope you were.

Did you help him make that ‘Atsara’ he brought home one day from school?

He’s probably the guy climbing the window of your retreat house. His tatay had to accompany him because he was late for the bus that day.

Were you the one who caught him playing with paper plane during class or were you the one who sent him back to class when you saw him cut class to play on the campus’ soccer field? - Thank you for molding him.

He’s probably the guy playing defense during one of your soccer games in Palarong Pambansa. Was he on your team? Or was he the one giving you a hard time making those goals?

I wonder if you went “Touring” with him during your cadet years. He used to “take life” – were you the one consenting or the one squealing. Either way, you’re lucky you’ve met him.

He’s probably the guy next in line to you about to order his tall mocha latte or his choco frappe – “yung malamig na may ice” as he once told the barista....

Have you seen him online in Facebook? Plowing his land or going all-in with a 4-7 off-suite hand.

I met a man who used to travel but with more than just the intention of seeing the world - He had bigger plans. He oftentimes wore boots, at times walked barefoot. But he walked with certainty – He had visions. He did not care whether he slept on a damp ground or a hammock tied between trees – All he cared was that at night we sleep peacefully. He knew his rights; He fought for it – but not just his - mine and yours too. His possessions were scarce, but he did not complain. At least he had some; he knew others have none – His goal: was for everybody to have a piece. He was content but he hoped for better heights not just for himself but for his nation too.

• He’s not a traveler though he’s holding a compass and a map.

• He once wanted a pricey pair of rubber shoes instead of muddy boots; He got hold of one – used it only for a month.

• He finally let go of his hammock – he said he won’t be using it anymore.

• He knew his rights – but oftentimes trapped under the chain of command.

• His possessions were scarce – rusty – obsolete. But he kept fighting.

He is not a traveler. He is a soldier. Or at least he used to be…