Past Car

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
(Matthew 6:14-15)

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you (NIV)
Know where you are headed and you will stay on solid ground (CEV)
(Proverbs 4:25-26)


Let me share the analogy of a car on what's behind (the past) and what's ahead (the future):

A car's windshield is far greater in area than the combined areas of the side-view mirrors and the rear-view mirrors. This simply tells us that we must pay more attention to what is ahead of us - the current moment and the future, rather than what is behind us - our past experiences and pains.

One may argue that we need to look behind to better prepare for and understand the future. True. That's the reason cars have at least three (3) mirrors facing backwards. When making a turn, parking and even overtaking another vehicle, the driver (the good ones, I may add) look at these mirrors in order to avoid accidents and injuries (to self and others).

In life, making a turn, parking and overtaking may be compared to making decisions. Quite similarly, we look at our past experiences, with a hope of not making the same mistakes or misjudgments as before. We look at our past pains to avoid future pains. We look at our past victories to win greater challenges.

Still, we need to pay more attention at what is directly ahead of us. The past is always there to teach us lessons in life. But if we look ahead, armed not only with the knowledge (and understanding) of the past, but more so, with a determination of getting to where we are going, we can get there, and even beyond, safe and sound.

The windshield is still wider than all the mirrors facing backwards.

Manny KO's Ricky, Martin KO's Lupang Hinirang

It is over a week now. Still, the fuzz about Manny Pacquiao's domination over Ricky Hatton of England doesn't seem to die down. Quite similarly, talks about Martin Nievera's rendition (or shall I say desecration) of the Philippine National Anthem seem to continually build up.

Many times I have had conversations with friends regarding these two topics. Each and every chatter I have about the PacMan has the Hell-yeah-Pacquiao-is-the-best-fighter-in-the-world-pound-for-pound mood. On the other hand, every conversation I have about Martin's Lupang Hinirang ends quite differently. This just means that people, Filipinos in particular, are more or less united in their view of the fight; they however have opposing views on the singing of the national anthem.

This is my view on the fight: superb. Just amazing. Period.

This is my view on the national anthem rendition: Artistically, it was ok (at best). However, any country's national anthem is more than just art - it represents the country's history and identity. When Martin's Lupang Hinirang was questioned, Martin defended himself saying something like, "When I accepted Manny's offer to sing the National Anthem, it was understood that I would sing it my way."

My point is this. While we were taught in school the song "Bayan muna bago ang sarili (Put Country before self)," very seldom would you find anybody who took it by heart. Somebody who sings Lupang Hinirang with a little too much personal style over and above the "right" (standard) tune and beat of the anthem is a perfect example of a Filipino who puts himself before the country. And this is not the first time it happened (before a boxing match). Many an artist have sung the National Anthem and went out of tune or beat, even forgot the lyrics. Maybe they were putting to much of their own style into the song. Maybe they were singing for themselves and not the Philippines.

I admire Mexicans in the way they sing their national anthem. Even at a capella, they are so consistent in the way they sing it; the beat just tells us what we all know - theirs is a country of brave people. I even searched for the lyrics of the anthem and it also tells of their bravery. I just hope Filipinos would do better, not much on singing but on honoring the country.

Pacquiao claims he fights for God and country. And it seems genuine. It is just disheartening to know that people around him are not so keen at doing what they do for the country. How about them doing things for God? I don't know and right now, I don't want to find out.

Beauty

I watched the movie "Next" starring Nicolas Cage a few days ago. Cage's character (I forgot the name; it's Chris something; Frank Cadillac was his stage name) quoted a painter and defined beauty:

"Beauty is the sum of all parts working together such that nothing needs to be added, taken away or altered"

(or something like that; I'm not sure I got it correctly word for word)