I love Pope Francis. Who doesn’t, right? Oh well, I’d just like to announce to the entire blogging world that I adore the man. Ever since he stepped out of the Vatican balcony wearing a simple white cassock minus the mozzetta, I already know he’s different.
And I’m right. The world just can’t stop loving this man. The way everybody loved Pope John Paul II. Regardless of the religion, or even if you don’t have a religion. His views, his ways, his smile would just make you love him more.
And then I saw this on my IG timeline and I was really in awe:
He made a list of New Year’s resolutions that really hit home. It was so basic, so simple and yet we always forget or simply didn’t mind.
Like finishing one’s meal. I know people who simply throw away food like it was nothing. “Busog na ko eh” or “Hindi masarap” or sometimes even “Malamig na kasi”. Wow! I grew up in a family where finishing the meal is a rule. Our plates must be clean after. As in yung simot-sarap. I know some people na sinasadyang hindi ubusin ang laman ng plato kasi nakakahiya daw pag simot na simot ang plato, parang gutom na gutom daw. Wow! I never think of it that way. I love cleaning up my plate, because when I was a kid, if my Papa saw that a grain of rice was left on my plate, sermon na yan ng pagkahaba-haba on how each grain is equivalent to his butil ng pawis and butil ng pawis ng mga magsasaka. “Hindi kasi kayo nakaranas magsaka”, his favorite line. Followed by mahabang litanya ng experiences nya as a farmer at a very young age. But more than that, how can people throw away so much food when a lot of people go hungry every night? Yes, hindi nga mabubusog ang mga nagugutom pag inubos mo ang pagkain mo pero sa hindi mo pag aaksaya ng pagkain, binibigyan mo ng respeto ang kapwa mo na hindi pa kumakain at hindi makakain.
This list really hit me. And I am glad that Pope Francis reminded me to always choose the ‘more humble’ purchase. Sobrang pasok sa pangarap kong mabuhay ng simple, hence the shopping ban. Okay, don’t get me wrong. I was never a bonggang spender. Actually, I am very WAIS. And I’m never the type of girl who’ll buy stuff just because every other girl in the neighborhood has it. That’s one major thing I learned from Mila - “Ang inggitera, kamag anak ng magnanakaw”. She would always tell us to be happy of what we have. That it is okay to be inspired by other’s accomplishments or material stuff but don’t ever be inggitera. Sabi nya, if your heart is full of envy, it will eat you from within. But lately, I must admit that this materialistic world is getting into me. I remember one conversation with the bestfriend when both our old laptops died on us, I told her we should get a Mac. Why? Simply because it’s sleeky and pretty and sosyal and expensive. And then I realized, why would I even want it even if I can afford it? When all my life I’ve been using Windows. When all I need is a laptop that could help me with my blogging. Yun lang. Wala na. Tapos willing pa kong magpaka-engot pag nagpalit ako ng OS? Duh! So now I am re-assessing my life and the way I spend. I don’t want to raise my child thinking that life would be so much better with expensive stuff. Because no. It won’t. And I’d like to challenge myself this year to be even more prudent. Oo! May ikukuripot pa ako. May mga kakilala ako na mas kuripot pa sa akin so kaya ko yun. Choose the more humble purchase. Live a simple life. Yun ang payo ni Pope Francis. Lowly, but chosen.
I love how much Pope Francis has inspired me, us. He is now here. Actually, just a couple of kilometers away from me. He is probably asleep, here in my country, in my city. Kinikilig ako. I hope I could get a glimpse of him. Of this wonderful man, who’s making us all love Jesus and Mary more and more. Who’s challenging us to be a better version of ourselves.
So to you our dear Pope Francis, welcome to the Philippines. Welcome home. :)
xoxo,
Reigne
Musings
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