Random thoughts...

The past few nights, I had so many things in mind that I wanted to write/blog about. Every time I’d lie down to sleep, these ideas start to creep into my mind and I’d feel so excited I couldn’t wait for morning to come. But, now that I’m sitting in front of this Net Café’s PC, I can’t seem to decide what to write about. No, no, make that I can’t think of a really good thing to write! It’s so irritating and really frustrating! Now, I completely understand what Kencho Suematsu meant when he said, “…she wrote down immediately, in order not to allow the inspiration of the moment to be lost,” about Lady Murasaki (the author of Genji Monogatari, the world’s very first novel, which I’m reading with great enjoyment and interest right now). Hay!

Thinking… Thinking… Thinking… :)


Jeepney rides...

Okay, what comes to mind right now is something that I see or observe daily (ever since I came to Manila), i.e. some of the people I ride with in jeepneys. It always bothers me how some people who take the jeepney have a problem with passing other people’s fare to the driver. You’ll need to make your voice really loud just so they’ll look at you and, most of the times, they'd totally ignore you and refuse to take the money from your outstretched hand. They just look past you and play deaf and blind. At times, it really takes all my courage to stop myself from throwing the money, along with whatever I have in my hands, to this kind of people!

What if they were the ones sitting farthest from the driver? Wouldn’t they eventually pass their fare to other people? Where has cooperation gone? It’s really crazy!

But, it’s surprising how many people are like this. And, I find this really sad. I mean, this is but a small help one can readily extend to a fellow human being. It’s not like it would totally exhaust you or anything. It’s just passing something from another person to another. It’s not like what you’re asked to pass weighs a ton or something. It is no big deal, right? Now, why is it so hard for some people to do others such a little favor? I don’t think I will ever understand this!

And, my God, don’t get me started with people who seem to have never heard of “thank you” or “salamat”! Tsk, tsk, tsk… :(


***********************


Ranao Royalty in Reality...

I really don't know where some people (here in the Philippines) get the idea that almost all, if not all, Muslim Filipinos have royal blood. I have been asked the question "Prinsesa ka ba?" (Are you a princess?) a gazillion times! Most of the time, I'd dismiss the question with a joke. Sometimes, I wouldn't know what to say.

Yes, there really are princes/princesses in our place, but they are not anything like the idea that we have of princes/princesses (in history books or in fairy tales). The 'Meranao Royalty' has become a joke, if you ask me. I mean, here's the picture, every single municipality in Lanao del Sur has its own royal family. Some even have numerous since any respectable person can claim to be royalty in a single barangay. People have created all sorts of titles just to accomodate all these social climbers (I used this not to look down on these people but due to a lack of a better term). You'd see all sorts of streamers about this person's and that's enthronement. It's very interesting, really, but sometimes it can be irritating! Royal titles have (sadly) become mere names, nowadays.

But, there are, of course, families who have 'real royal blood' running through their veins. These families, even if they're no longer in the limelight or however you may term it, are still very much respected. These families are, as they'd say, legal claimants of the Royal Houses of Ranao (Lanao). They are descendants of great, powerful sultans. Members of these families can rightfully become sultans and bai a labis not only in one municipality, but two, three, four or even more. These people, more often than not, do not so much concern themselves with enthronements or whatever because their being royal is in their blood and family names. Some of these people live middle class lives and not the rich lives you'd imagine royal families would live. Members of these families live simple lives, nowadays. Some don't have much wealth anymore. If you were an outsider, you would only find out that some of these people are of royal lineage when you get to meet their relatives and see how they are treated. No, people do not bow to them or anything. They do not extend their hands to be kissed by the "subordinates". But, they are treated with more tact. If you were a keen observer, you'll really notice the difference. And, no person, who comes from these families' "hometowns", in his right mind, would dare insult them or dream of doing such thing.

Just some weeks ago, my niece was asked the very question "Prinsesa ka ba?" and, shy person that she is, she replied with an awkward "yes". Her friend exclaimed, "Wow, really?! So, may binabayaran ba kayong mga tao para paypayan ka tuwing nagsta-study ka?" (So, there are people hired to fan you when you study your lessons?)

My niece was taken aback by this and she said, "Of course not! OA naman 'yun!" (Of course not! That's too much!)

When she related this to me I told her that the next time somebody asked her that, just say, "Nge! Ganyan ba kami ka-backward?! Why on earth would I need to hire somebody to fan me when there's air con naman?! Du-uh!!!" (Is that how backward you think our lifestyle is?! Why...)

People, sometimes... haaayy! :)