CREAM OF THE CROP

Chapter 8 - Actual Debate

"If you had your heart broken many times before, would you still choose to break your own heart?" Jamei rebutted

The question came very sudden that my capacity to think fast and critically momentarily failed.

Murmurs started to fill my ears. I am annoyed because I can't think of something good enough to level her rhetorical question. She's a pain in the ass, really. In a good way, though.

"You know, the thing about people who put others first before themselves is that, they don't entertain choices other than choosing to break their own heart." Carl must have gained his confidence and threw his argument to the other team. "Kaya kahit gaano pa karaming pasikot-sikot ang bawat sitwasyong kanilang kinalalagyan, iisa ang tunguhin nila, and magparaya. And let me ask you, what act is more humane than giving way for others? What kind of love is greater than putting others first before yourself?" He continued

The members of the other team started discussing among themselves while Joan, flipped her hair and stood up. Her thick brows met at the middle.

"Ganito kasi yan. Some people are way too abusive. Kapag pinakitaan mo ng kagandahang-asal, kapag pinakitaan mo ng kabaitan, masasanay yan. It will come to the point wherein they will use you for their own satisfaction. They will abuse your kindness and mercy. And these kind of people don't deserve to be treated nicely. Sila yung mga tipo ng tao na sarili lang nila ang iniisip nila. And what do you expect me to do, give way for them? Oh, cut that crap. I'd rather be heartless than be used by those kind of people."

Tumayo ako at huminga ng malalim. "I agree that these kind of people exist. We see them wandering around, bullying other people and the likes. But haven't you guys wondered what lies behind those acts of bullying? Have you asked yourself, 'Bakit kaya siya nagka ganyan? Did they experience something that made them that terrible?'

"Marami sa mga bully ay biktima ng pambu-bully, sa paaralan, sa pamayanan, and mind you people, even in their own freakin' house. Some bullies are victims of bullying that didn't know what they were doing. Because how can you be kind to the world when all you've ever felt is hatred. How can you show goodness to this world when all you've ever known is fear?

"We should always remember that there is a reason behind everything. And sometimes, those reasons will never be known to us. Everyone is in their own battlefield we know nothing about. Hindi natin alam ang nangyayari sa buhay ng ibang tao kundi nang atin lang. I'd rather be heartbroken than adding up to the burdens of these people." I pointed out

Marami pang mga sagutan ang nangyari. Lahat gustong maiparinig ang mga bumabagabag sa isipan nila. Kung mayroon man akong natutunan sa araw na ito, yun ay kapag sa debate, kailangan mong panindigan ang naibigay na saiyo kahit gaano ka pa hinahatak sa kabila, kahit gaano mo pa kagustong salungatin ang sarili mong mga argumento.

Biglang tumunog ang bell. Umakto si Jay na parang siya ang pinanggagalingan ng tunog na iyon. Nakanganga ng eksaherada, nakalagay ang kaliwang kaway sa ulo at ang kanang kamay ay nakataas. Isang nakakaaliw na tanawin.

"Let's just hear the closing remarks. The heartbroken would go first." announced Mr. Raqueno

I walked towards the middle portion of the room. "Again, I stand here in behalf of the people who would rather get their hearts broken than to break someone else's heart. We are the people who believe in the ordinary acts of kindness, in the compassion that drives one person to help one another. We believe that the main reason why we were born is to give, regardless if it's material thing or something that can not be seen by the eye. Giving love, giving kindness, giving compassion, giving way for others. Giving is the essence of this life. Because no matter how far we reach, fate will always bring us back to our purpose in life - to give. And we are destined to give even if it means having a broken heart."

Inayos ni Jamei ang kanyang glasses bago pumunta sa gitna. "Self-love is the greatest love of all. But we tend to forget that because we have always been blinded by the idea that God wants us to put others before ourselves. Itinanim nila sa isipan natin na ang sarili dapat natin ang mahuhuli kaya pinipili nating masira kesa sumira. Ang problema kasi sa tao, kapag inuna ang sarili, wala ng puso kaagad. Loving yourself is not a sign of being heartless. That is the biggest misconception of all time. So many years or education and yet no one taught us to love ourselves and how it is important. They say that we should love what God loves." Tumigil siya ng bahagya.

Inilibot niya ang tingin sa kabuuan ng room at nang magtama ang mga mata namin, hindi na niya inalis ang titig niya. "But sometimes we forget that we are also God's children, and He loves us. Sometimes we forget to love ourselves."