|
Fireflies and the city Vol. I, No. 08 * 27 December 2008
 By JCI A / Mem. CERWIN T. EVIOTA, CNT, NG 2006 Charter President WHEN was the last time you saw fireflies? I was still in my elementary years when my brother ICE and cousins would gather by the front yard of our maternal grandparents house in Corella, Bohol as a swarm fly from the star apple (caimito) trees to the jackfruit trees, and the ornaments in the garden. When petromax lit the homes as electricity was limited then to Tagbilaran City, the capital of the province, the fireflies served as Christmas lights. Only the little candle in two or three star-shaped or Asian-inspired lanterns and the lamp fueled by kerosene gas by the Belen, like the one always lit beside the huge Kristo Rey at the grand home altar, were what to our mind were Christmas lights.
Milkyway As I entered Grade 3 in the urban jungle of Cebu City, the concept of the Christmas lights changed. One building uptown today even looks like one in Las Vegas. The lanterns have become sophisticated, even looking like running sleigh with Santa Claus and the Reindeers. I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Night with a poor farmer's family in the hills of San Fernando, a town located 30 kilometers south of Cebu City and in a place about five kilometers uphill from the national highway.  Except for electricity in every household 20 to 50 meters apart from each other with just a fluorescent lamp and probably a TV set turned on inside mostly closed doors and windows, the place was dark at night as there are no lamp posts by the road.
Outside, by the road along the crest of a hill, we gazed at the stars, prominently above was King Orion (photo at right). Later before sunrise the majestic Big Dipper that guide sailors at night rose at the northern hemisphere. You’d be reminded why we call our galaxy Milkyway. As our solar system is located by the edge of one of its spiral tails, the dense stars we see from our view above seem like milk being spilled in the clear night sky.  Then we saw fireflies.
God, I almost forgot they ever existed. But it was no longer a swarm we used to see in our childhood years, they came in just trickles, not more than one’s fingers on one hand at a given time. They looked lonely, maybe even nearing extinction. Those three days and two nights we spent in San Fernando brought to fore the thought of simplicity, peace and harmony, an experience that brings you back to your senses what it takes to be happy and contented. You don’t have to complicate your life as it already is, especially when one is living in the city where you face competition and struggle to survive. Sparkling eyes The same is true for JCI chapters, whether based in the big city or a progressing town. Unless you have the resources and a good network, a chapter need not go for complicated projects to compete with the big leagues and try to prove you can make it big. Chances are you will only stretch the members to their limits soon. There is value in simplicity. This is so especially when this creates impact to those you reach out to. The three “big” projects that JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel has had this month were just simple. Preparation were really not that complicated. They were not what you would consider bongga. But they were creative, and maximized on resourcefulness through networking, partnership and to some degree with some leverage, and made things happen by just orchestrating them.  What were more of value were the recipients of “Read to Lead – Year II,” “Bridging The Gap,” and “Kasadya sa Plaza,” with special mention to its finale, the “Pinaskuhan – Kids Fair.”
They were all simple children. They were simply given attention due them. They only got simple things but these meant a lot to them. Proof was the project being reported by the big network ABS-CBN on national TV, a feature also shown worldwide to subscribers of The Filipino Channel (TFC) that ran for two days after the Dec. 21 activity at Plaza Independencia, this city.. It was even already the "second the motion" after Sun*Star Cebu and Banat News first "moved" to place the report in full colored photo on the front pages on Dec. 22. Media saw the wonderful fireflies, the children, their eyes sparkling in delight. Are there fireflies there around you, too?
|
just to inquire if there's also a pho...
Good day, do you have ready press rel...
Hello! Favor... Kindly delete pics n...
sounds good!
GForce, Live the 7 habits! Maayon...