My political awakening started during Cory's death. I cried on Facebook and Twitter. Then there came the news about those shameless extravagant dinners and foreign trips of our President and her "dabarkads". Again, I shouted my anger and disappointment using those cyber megaphones. And then during the twin tragedies of Ondoy and Pepeng, Twitter and Facebook shouted back and asked us to echo the summon for heroes. I'd like to think I complied.
Who cares about my shout-outs? No matter what I say, no one will hear me. I call my tweets and posts "whispered screams". So yeah, I can say anything and be as tactless as I could get, because only a few would listen. Take this blog, for instance. I bet I'm the only person reading this. Haha! Well, this is just an online diary.
But recent events told me that when you speak from your heart and your words are sincere, it's impossible for you not to be heard.
I found my tweets being followed by supporters of the same cause I am advocating. These are people I don't know personally, but they became my friends because we're singing to the same tune. They gave my thoughts a little push. Thanks for their RTs.
The next thing that happened is probably the biggest - Noynoy Aquino actually followed me! was one of those 45 tweeps he heard. OMG! Then one Wednesday night, Jiggy Cruz and Bam Aquino said on RockEd that they know me. Are they serious? *blush*
Some big tweetnames and many other active tweeps - they're following me. I actually feel pressured. I tell you (talking to myself), when these people learn that I'm so "overreacting" about this, my face will turn "pussy red" (That's not "bastos". That's a nail polish color. Credits to my good friends, Doris and Jhack. I knew nothing about nail coloring until I met these two fab law students.)
This might just be - well, it is - no big stuff. After all, I've read a research work theorizing that user accounts in social networks are mere online personalities controlled by real people. The idea is that you and your facebook (and twitter) account are two different persons. (Should the other one be called a "person", too?) But nonetheless, it's still the concept of "alter ego" that works, meaning, the online person is still yourself. Duh? Why am I saying this? Wala lang. This is just a free flow of thoughts. Perhaps I'm being haunted by my deadline in Advance Legal Writing. Hahaha!
Let me get back to the bottomline, as the title says - if you speak from your heart, you'll be heard. Let me divide this realization into two ideas:
1. No voice is so small if the message comes from your heart.
Yes, I'd like to believe that all my tweets and posts are products of my conscious reflections, even the nastiest things I say. Sometimes I just mean to bully someone, and sometimes I mean to be nonsense. But just the same, I mean it! Peace! I never expected to be heard by people other than my small circle of real-life friends. I am not a public figure in the first place. But since these people started reading - and sometimes echoing - the things I say, I began to ask myself: What did I do to deserve such distinguished audience? I didn't advertise, I didn't get myself interviewed in some TV show, I didn't do anything... but speak from my heart.That made all these possible.
2. Because you are being heard, be careful with what you speak.
I'm starting to filter my words now. People don't deserve to be flooded with nonsense things on the web. They listen to me, and I am bound to tell them things that make sense. The term is very wide anyway, so I guess I'm not imposing some restrictions upon myself that would violate the "freedom of expression" clause. I can speak anything - from serious politics to personal thoughts - that would (hopefully) be worth those 5-or-less seconds of their time. I assume upon myself the responsibility for whatever I say. I try to make sure that I convey the right message. For me, it's OK to not be paid too much attention. What I simply wouldn't want is to be misunderstood.
Do I need to explain how these two things apply to real-life situations?
(Uh-oh! I'm speaking about politics again. No big deal, I'm just talking to myself. Hehehe...)
Next year, your "small voice" (but then again I tell you there's no such thing as that) will get the chance to be heard through the ballots. (For purposes of this blog post, I'd like to give "heard" and "read", or any words of similar import, the same meaning. I'm appealing to your common sense and expertise in figures of speech. Come on!) If you are qualified, GO OUT AND VOTE! Oops! Not yet! REGISTER FIRST! Time is running out. People love to cram, really. But I'm glad my Mom made me go home to Quezon and register 2 weeks after I turned 18. That was in August 2001, 3 months after the elections, which means the next election was still 3 years away. OA? I don't think so. The best thing about it was that I didn't have to wait for hours, which is the very reason why people get "tamad" to register. *Clap, clap, clap* But then again, as long as it's not yet too late to register, do it! Don't let your chance pass by. You're no longer minors, hello? And would you want to be likened to civil interdicts? Exercise your fundamental right to vote. That's the essence of democracy. Your single vote counts. (Let's do our best to make sure it does. Be vigilant!)
The next thing to remember - and this is not only important, but essential - is to choose your leaders very carefully. The last thing we would want to experience "again" is to be governed by people who put their personal interests above the general welfare of the people. The best way to say NO to corruption is to elect leaders who are not corrupt. (Oh! Did I just spell LE CIRQUE? Hihi!). We still have enough time to get to know these candidates. Only entrust our country to people with good hearts. At the end of the day, when they are already seated, their governance will not be influenced by their debating skills, pogi points and money. It shall be the heart and the mind that shall influence their discretion. Please, please, please... Exercise your judgment carefully. Get to know them, and I mean the real person behind the coats and barongs, not the sweet smiles you see on those TV ads and streamers (and relief goods, damn it!)
Have I said enough (or too much)? I won't bother to measure, just as long as I was able to deliver the right message - to myself? No, I don't think I'll be left unheard. After all, I have spoken from my heart.
