When I participated in a clean-up
drive the thing that really got me hook was its advocacy. I want to labelled
myself as an eco-warrior and it was the least that I can do- aside from
ditching straws, using eco-bags religiously, and trying to influence people
from our household.
Looking back I remember my
parents’ classic reminder to be careful with the people I meet online- the
millennial term for don’t talk to
strangers. And right now I just want to give myself a clap back.
Aside from a close friend,
Maureen whom I drag into it so imagine my liabilities if bad things happens, I
don’t know anything about the people I’ll be with. But I trust them and their
advocacy and so I had to do a leap of faith.
Being in a vehicle with no clue
with who they are was a liberating experience. I remember my favorite writer
(Ate Trisha of P.S. I’m on my way) and can’t help thinking how proud she will
be of me for finally having a brave heart and doing it. She is my life’s peg to
be honest and I want to be like her but not really like her- I want to be like
her but still be me if that makes sense to you.
Meeting people during these kinds
of activities is much easier than meeting people in school. In school, it feels
like it is required to be there but with these kind of activities you’ll know
that these people you are with shared a common goal with you.
The lesson I gain from this is to
trust people. If I didn’t maybe we wouldn’t make it to our very first meet up-
someone from the group volunteered to fetch us in the terminal to go to the
meet up place of the rented van that drove us to Zambales. If I didn’t give any
trust we wouldn’t be home at peace and ease as well- the same people who
volunteered to fetch us also volunteered to accompany us to up to the terminal
where we can ride a bus going home.
People, it’s not wrong to be
careful. Living in this kind of world, living with the kind of government and
society we have right now is very dangerous. Being careful is something we have
to be with us 24/7 but being careful doesn’t mean you don’t need to trust
people.
Being brave is not just being
risky. Being brave is knowing everything could be wrong and acknowledging that
life and people are not perfect but you embrace it anyway. You embrace it
because you know how to dissect if this will bring mishap or will do you good. Trust
is indeed a strong word and only strong people can use it best, use it wisely.
