the scepter of the working people

Waking up from a good sleep one early morning, i looked outside and could already hear the mangtataho, looking so ghastly wearing his usual ragged and knee-cut denim and a loose white shirt. His back, i noticed, was already hunched probably because of carrying the two big bin of the taho, nevertheless untraceable in how he shouts the usual loud and para-melodic call for customers. Indeed one of our great working men, i thought. And you see, he is just one of the millions and billions of working people in this world.
Oftentimes, we usually admire and adore those who earn a lot of money or those who own a big company or those who have proudly attained an education from the best schools. Why not? That is life in its truest nature. No hypocrite could deny such thing! Yet, how keen do we notice those simple people who have worked the hardest, those that spend their day standing or sitting or waiting as the nature of their work demands. You could see them in a day, and as for me, i see them in the campus and i am happy to say that a close encounter with them makes me feel that life is for each one's asking.
I've known the PHAN ate's for four years now. They are the people who have been patiently considerate of our agitation every time we want to rush a double copy of our notes and our books. I would at time notice the manong's in AS and in CAL who who just sit in a corner or walk along waiting for something to happen, as they busily guard the vicinity. Just beside the FC, there is Manong Mer who serves the best footlong there is in the campus- a very principled and spiritual man. There are those ate's who wear the blue shirt, unceasingly cleaning every classroom. And whew! Everywhere you can see them, you might already had a short and casual encounter with them, or maybe you would sometimes laugh with them in the middle of their gossiping about those that you completely have no idea about.
I have to confess that before i would always utter: “nakakaawa naman!” But to experience a close encounter with them, even just a short chat with them, made me think that they are great people with great stories. It feels good to sometimes empathize with them especially when they would say that they could hardly live a day anymore because it is so hard to make a living. Despite how from time to time they feel regretful or weary about life, they still keep on working and living. They would always mention their children us their primary source of motivation. These working people are not just mere working fellows who seem to serve us- they are after all, great men, great fathers and great mothers, living simple lives and who nevertheless have great and extraordinary stories.
And above every hard work these working people have, one can learn from them one of the greatest principles in life- to be happy inspite of what life can and cannot offer.
This is a good perspective towards these people- “hanga hindi awa”! The working people- they make me feel that life is all ours for the asking.

-----------
Wife: All of life, my dear, is casting off......
Willy: No...some people achieve something...
-The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

(Written 4:58PM 5 May 2006, QC)