Little Things

They say little things are always taken for granted in which I believe is true. I have been watching a lot of documentaries lately from murder to extreme poverty to religion etc. and with this I came to love and appreciate more of what I have. 

In the Philippines where I live, it seems so difficult for the majority to understand and use freedom in a good way. Taking for example the discipline of not littering, we can see them everywhere even if trash bins are present. I had and still have the chance to travel my country and it is saddening to witness people throwing their trash anywhere. I cannot forget the time when I was traveling by sea on a ferry and a group of family were eating peanuts and the trash was thrown directly to the sea. I called their attention and all I got was a stare and smirk. Is it a crime to show care for the environment? Was I like an alien from another planet for calling their attention? We consider this freedom yet in other countries they are not given the chance to go outside and enjoy the beauty of their country because their tradition forbids them. 

There are so many children who are exploited; it is because they choose to go down that path. I admit not many have the privilege to go to school but believe me, if you want to change your life, you can as long as you are willing to do it. Some have their parents abroad yet they are burning their parents' money with drugs, alcohol and others yet there are so many people here and abroad who dream to have a school built in their community. It breaks my heart to hear a story about those people who are forced to work overseas even though they cannot understand what is in their contract because they cannot read nor write. They only sign their contracts through a thumb mark. Yet many have the chance to tell their parents they don't like to go to school. 

We have the freedom to listen to music and we do it so loud not thinking if we are already bothering our neighbors. In other countries, they are forbidden to even listen to music in public. We have the chance to mingle with other people, attend parties and other group meetings yet many seem to enjoy gossiping about others but there are many cultures not allowing their women to step outside their homes. 

We have the chance to have a house to live in but we choose to stay outside until late at night spending time with our so called friends yet many don't have a roof on their heads to go home to or worse they have no family at all because they are unfortunate for being abandoned. Our society is slowly loosing its decency even if we deny it. Women are allowed to use whatever they wish to wear even if it means putting them in danger. Teens go on a date without telling their parents the truth and doing nasty things in public and eventually going home pregnant. This is part of our freedom to choose what we want to do yet there are many who don't have the freedom to go out their homes. Many don't have the freedom to dress up showing their skin when in public and many don't have the freedom to choose or even see the person they will be married to. 

We have so many things in life in which others only dream to have yet we don't use them in a right way. Sometimes we MUST pause for a moment and think of the things we are already taking for granted because one day it may be taken away from us and only then we realize the value of those little things are.