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Four Books and a FloodInspirationals, Mga Bagyo ng Buhay |
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By Carl Santos Years ago, I saw the Beatles for the first time on TV and I was so amazed by the thousands of screaming fans, the weeping girls, the fame and the fortune. I then said to myself “I want to be like them, I want to be a Rock Star”. From then on, my dream is to have lots of friends, money, cars, my own flat, gadgets, gizmos and girls — THE WORKS, every Filipino boy’s dream. The Beatles arriving in Manila I am an OFW’s son. My father broke his own promise of not doing what my grandfather did – going abroad to secure his family’s future. For he knew that history tends to repeat itself, that’s why he told me these exact words: “I will never go abroad, I don’t want to make the mistakes your grandfather did, I don’t want you to have what I had before, a broken family”. But during tough times, he did leave after all. I thought our family was sailing smoothly, but how could I miss the fact that if you take out the pillar, the building crumbles. I took up the course Bachelor in Food Management since it is more promising than my real choice — Bachelor of Music Major in Strings. I promised myself to take up music after accumulating enough wealth to put myself to school. My friends and I were able to form a band, and in a couple months we were able to draw attention from a record company, and were already rubbing elbows with famous rock stars and even rock legends. Our band was already skyrocketing when I had a chance to attend a Brown Raise seminar in 2008. A rock concert Since Brown Raise, I was never the same again. I just can’t accept the fact that world sees us as “a nation of slaves, monkeys, and the new Sick Man of Asia.” I asked myself, “How can my band ever help the Philippines?” All my band ever thought about were gigs, gimmicks, alcohol, girls and even more alcohol and more girls. One thing hit me in that seminar and it’s the statement that “The problem of the Philippines is NOT CORRUPTION but the ABSENCE of LOVE for country”. For a long time I kept asking myself how I can serve the Philippines? With my rock n’ roll band? There are too many musicians here. It just suddenly dawned on me that in the Philippines everybody simply wants to either be a singer, a dancer, a movie star, a model or, just like me – a rock star. For me, our country, the Philippines, is like one body. Of course, a healthy body needs its eyes to see what is right, its mind to know and decide what is right, its feet to move forward, and its hands to do what will build our nation. We cannot remain as nation of entertainers. Our country is crippled because we choose professions that would only benefit ourselves or our own families, that’s why I really like Apolinario Mabini’s 5th commandment in his Decalogue: “Thou shalt strive for the happiness of thy country before thy own… for if she be happy, thou, together with thy family, shalt likewise be happy”. The wisest decision I ever made was to quit my band. A few months later, Ondoy came. It swept everything I own, my guitar amplifier, tons of love letters, my priceless collection of CDs, my magazines, my life’s pictures, my television, my rock star clothes, my gadgets, almost everything. The flood stripped away everything I NO LONGER NEED in my new journey in life.
The sweeping floods of Typhoon Ondoy When all seemed lost, I found out that four books remained: (1) a book about the history and the rise of Asia, (2) a biography of a man whose journey of courage and fire forever changed the world, and two very personal books that will shape me to become a better man and a better Filipino. The flood flushed away all the unessential things that once defined by life and my identity. The floodwaters, grease, and mud made me focus on the essentials of life — the things that would mould my mind and heart. For as Rizal once wrote, “On this battlefield man has no better weapon than his intelligence, no other force but his heart.” Carl Santos, 21 years old, was a member of a now defunct rock band. A lover of history, culture and cuisine, he is currently in his final year in college taking up Food Management. He is also an active member of BRYORG. |
November 5th, 2009 at 12:17 PM
“For as Rizal once wrote, “On this battlefield man has no better weapon than his intelligence, no other force but his heart.””
Ang sarap basahin ng paulit ulit ulit ulit ang blog na ito…Or eat each word raw and fresh so I’ll get all the juicy nutrients of the force that drives the heart behind the journey of a young Filipino man. May this force multiply and overflow from Luzon to Visayas to Mindanao and it will be the most delightful catastrophe in our history.
November 5th, 2009 at 05:12 PM
keep going Carl!!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 06:42 PM
after reading this article it showed me that you have to know your real focus in life
November 5th, 2009 at 08:19 PM
“The problem of the Philippines is NOT CORRUPTION but the ABSENCE of LOVE for country”
Kasama rin naman sa problema ng Pilipinas ang corruption. Pero kasi, lahat ng mga problema ay laging nagsisimula sa atin. Hindi tayo puede magturuan kung sino ang nagsimula ng corruption kasi, lahat tayo ay may parte sa pagkakaproblema sa Pilipinas. Kaya si Carlos Snatos, nakita niya agad ang malaking letrato ng problema sa Pilipinas. Nakakatuwa kasi mayroon pa rin sa atin ang nakakaunawa sa situasyon na mayroon tayo. Bagamat masakit din dahil kakaunti na lang ang nakikita kong gumagawa ng pagbabago. Sana ang buhay ni Carlos Santos ay maging inspirasyon sa atin na magkaroon ng tamang desisyon sa buhay. Mabuhay ka Carlos!
November 5th, 2009 at 08:51 PM
grabe no? rock star. I wanted to be a musician also but the Philippines is filled with mga artistas and rock stars. seems like i have to make a choice. i hope god will help me meak the right choice
November 5th, 2009 at 09:08 PM
i learned in life that real manhood will show after one big disaster………… just like what happened in our government ….the flood showed what the real hearts of our politicians (exposing heartless leaders).
November 5th, 2009 at 09:22 PM
Mabuhay ka po Kuya Carl!!!
Grabe nakakatuwa po talaga… grabe hindi ko po mapigilan ang ngiti ko. 
yeheeey!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 09:24 PM
grabe po! talaga nga pong may pag-asa ang ating bansa dahil tayo’y may Diyos na totoong nagmamahal sa atin. kaya niyang hibugin ang ating puso na maging totoong Pilipino. hindi niya tayo papabayaan na maiwan tayo sa ating “comfort zones” dahil gusto niya na tayo’y mayanig hanggang tayo’y lumipad patungo sa ating misyon. ang bawat isa sa atin ay malinis ngunit tayo na ang pipili kung sa liwanag o sa dilim tayo dadaan. MABUHAY ANG LAHING KAYUMANGGI!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 09:46 PM
I hope this story could be read by the whole Filipino youth because more youths are becoming like that who wants to be a rockstar, singer, and actors and I am very thankful to Carlos Santos for sharing his story to all of us.
Mabuhay Ang Pilipino!!!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Wow….grabe….astig talaga itong kuwento lalo na para sa mga lalaki. This is the start of kuya Carl’s life…journey… This is really an interesting and inspiring story..
♥kayumanggi-MJ♥
November 5th, 2009 at 10:47 PM
nakakatuwa lang at kahit pala ang ating mga pinoy na mukhang walng pag-asa ay kayang baguhin ng ating panginoon. gustong gusto ko lang ang istorya ni kuya carl dahil ipinakita niya sa akin na kahit na ang kadiliman ay naghahari ay kaya kang tulungan ng panginoon.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:23 PM
what a good and inspiring life story for all Filipinos. may purpose talaga lahat ng mga pangyayari sa ating buhay, at parang isang mahika. mahika na ang ating Panginoon lamang ang Siyang may alam kung bakit, saan, kailan at paano. God bless! isa kang huwarang rakista ng ating henerasyon.
November 6th, 2009 at 01:55 PM
may purpose talaga ang Ondoy…
like sharpening a pencil…
hindi aksidente ang bagyo, tinuturuan lang tayo ng leksyon dahil sa comfortable na tayo mga Pilipino…
sana’y patuloy pa ang mga ganitong kwento… obvious naman na halos pagiging artista ang pangarap ng mga kabataan ngayon upang maging sikat at magkaroon ng maraming pera…
ganda ng experience mo Carl… sana’y marami pang kabataan ang makakabasa nito…
=>RAISE THE BROWNRACE<=
November 6th, 2009 at 02:20 PM
Salamat at kasama ka na sa mga manglalakbay para sa kalooban ng Diyos para sa ating bansa. Ipagpatuloy mo kaibigan ang mahabang lakbayin na nasa iyong harapan, hinahangaan kita na sa bata mong kaisipan nakita mo ang totoong laban sa buhay. Mabuhay ka kaibigan. Malaki ang pagasa ng ating bansa dahil may mga kabataang tulad mo.
November 6th, 2009 at 06:04 PM
talagang may bahaghari sa likod ng unos…
November 7th, 2009 at 05:20 AM
CARL!!!…isa ka sa mga alitaptap!…taglay mo ay maliit na ilaw, sa kadiliman ay siyang tanglaw…pilit na ililitaw, katumbas man ay pagpanaw. (ka+isa band)
Minsan hindi natin masisi ang mga kabataan na mag-ambisyon bilang mga ENTERTAINERS bagamat alam nilang napakarami na nito at mistulang dalawa singko lamang sa tindahan ni Aling Mitring. Sapagkat ang panandaliang kasiyahan at kaaliwan ang siyang naging sumpungan ng mga Pilipino sa gitna ng kahirapan simula pa noong dekada sitenta. Tuluyang naluto ang kaisipan sa masyadong pagkahumaling sa radyo, TV, at mga lumang komiks. Kaya ayun, nakakita ng maliit na pag-asa sa pamamagitan ng pag-aliw sa iba.
Dito ba?…Dito ba?…Dito ba? oh Dito ba?…ang dapat nating kalagyan sa isang sulok na hiram…sa ilalim ng araw?
November 7th, 2009 at 10:45 AM
pangpagising talaga ang bagyong Ondoy…parang biglang may mga nanbadok sa atin na kumilos. hahaha God bless the Philippines!
November 7th, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Nice to see that you’ve found that direction in life. Once everything’s washed away we get a clearer view of what we have left and what we can do next.
November 7th, 2009 at 05:55 PM
napaka ganda ng iyong kwento sana mabasa ng lahat ng mga kabataan ito at matuto na hindi importante ang sumikat
November 7th, 2009 at 10:54 PM
dadagdagan ko lang po…
dahil sa kadiliman na nadaanan niya(grabe po, sobrang dilim!) ay hiningahaan siya ng bagong buhay. (ang walang kuwento, walang kuwenta)kundi siya nagdaan sa kadiliman tulad ng baha at ng “rockstar-minded” ay hindi siya mabibigyan ng tatag at loob na magbago upang may mabigay siyang kontribusyon. isa nga talaga itong SERBISYO AT PAGSASAKRIPISYO!!!
November 8th, 2009 at 03:19 PM
may tanong lang po ako… yung mga kasama niya po ba sa rock band ay nagbago rin tulad niya? kasi wala pong binanggit dito kung anong nangyari na sa band nila after the great happening…
November 8th, 2009 at 09:24 PM
tamang pagsalo sa kalamidad ay napaka-importante.
isa pa, pagbibigay halaga sa dunong na may gamit sa pagharap sa buhay. isang probleman ngayon ng mga pinoy ay walang sipag na maghanap ng tamang karunungan, isa na ang pagbabasa. Puro tayo karunungang itim.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Totoong wala na tayong identity bilang Filipino dahil sa patuloy na pagsasawalang bahala ng mga PINOY. Ang mahirap dun takot tayong magsimula sa wala dahil ang gusto lang natin ay lagi tayong nakatapak sa comfort zone. Ayaw nating sumugal at magsimula sa wala. Finally, may natagpuan na din akong mga indibidwal na mat takot sa DIOS at handang makipagsapalaran upang makamit ang tunay na hinahangad ng Pilipinas. I was very inspired by this movement though im not a member yet but what I see is that the future of this country is amazing. God will bless us and will keep his promised for his people. Yan lang ang pwede kong panghawakan sa ngayon. Dahil wala na akong nakikitang maganda at kaakit akit sa aking paligid. Thanks talaga sa nagtatag ng BROWNRAISE dahil nabuhayan ako ng loob na may bukas pa para sa mga PILIPINO.
November 10th, 2009 at 04:57 PM
mas nagiging matibay nga talaga tayo pag dumaan ang panibagong bagyo, kaya para sa akin, pasalamat tayo na dumating ang bagyong ondoy, dahil ito ang bagyo na nagbigay sa atin ng matibay na pagsamba sa diyos.
Kuya carl, tama po ang decisions mo, kaya po mas mabuti nalang na tayo ay pinagpapala ng panginoon, pati sa iyo at pati na rin sa ating mga kababayan,
saludo po ako sa iyo, at MABUHAY KA po!!
umaalab sa bansa,
bengeequlit27
November 11th, 2009 at 04:05 PM
You may no longer be the rock star that you were dreaming for then, but I think that you have become a rocker in a more beneficial way… Now, you rock not as a rock star, though, but you rock on the top of the podium called LIFE. : )
November 13th, 2009 at 10:23 AM
you don’t neeed to be a rock star to make some noise…
shout for the Philippines… it’s more captivating than than the sound of music…
you still rocks!!!…
November 16th, 2009 at 07:57 PM
Grabe po! What the Philippines is lacking is love for the country. Maybe you could help the Philippines by sharing what you’ve learned from that seminar kuya Carl.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Very inspiring! Thanks for sharing your story Carl.
May God give you the strength to finish strong.
November 17th, 2009 at 03:45 PM
.,grabe po talaga ang naidulot ng bayong Ondoy.,nagbigay sya hindi ng masamang karanasan kung hindi ginising niya ang diwa ng mga taong nasalanta nya (katulad nga po ni carl):)
November 18th, 2009 at 03:35 PM
wow!!!!that was an amazing story..grabe!!!I’m so proud of you..and I’m just so glad to hear this story from a very young man..good for you that in your generation we already have The Brown Raise..iba talaga ang nagagawa at ang nagawa ng The Brown Raise..kahit ako, it helped me a lot to have a different view with my being a Filipino..
November 18th, 2009 at 06:43 PM
…salamat…
…salamat Carl sa pagbahagi sa amin ng napakaganda at nakakapagbigay ng inpirasyong buhay mo…
…salamat sa pagbibigay sa amin ng dagdag na pag-asa at apoy sa puso para sa ating bansa..
..Ipinakita mo sa amin na may pag-asa pa ang bawat isang youth na tulad ko na mabasag at magkaroon ng totoong pagmamahal para kay LUZVIMINDA..
MABUHAY ANG MGA PILIPINO..
RAISE THE BROWN RACE!
November 18th, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Wow…grabe po talaga. It really elevated my mind. I just hope more and more people will realize what our country really diserves.
I’m really glad that I read this:D
Thank you very much =^^=
-Serenade-
November 21st, 2009 at 09:38 AM
Thanks po for sharing this story.:) Godbless.
November 21st, 2009 at 03:37 PM
sa tuwing makakabasa ako ng blog ng tungkol sa pagmamahal sa bansang Pilipinas ay naiiyak ako kasi isa rin ako sa hindi nagmahal sa ating bayan kaya natutuwa ako at nagkaroon ng brown raise movement para magising tayong mga Pilipino na mahalin natin ang ating bayan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng dangal sa lahat ng ating ginagawa…mabuhay ka Carl…i salute you…
December 14th, 2009 at 04:24 PM
====wala akong masabi—
take a vow ako sayo kuya carl—
December 17th, 2009 at 03:53 PM
Carl thanks for sharing your story