Poblete, Mari Greco Y.

“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need

not be lived again.”- Maya Angelou, American poet

This stunning quote lately had me thinking for days. "Really, why is practically

everything in history painful?" I wondered. When I think about it, all I can think of are awful

occurrences from the past, like what happened in Rizal's timeline, when thousands of people

were cruelly slain. During that period, soldiers, civilians, and even rebels are dying for what?

Humans are really complicated beings. I guess, that is why we have so many wars throughout

our history.

“Why we are so preoccupied with it, where we can focus on our future instead?” This

was my initial thought at the time. However, things have changed. My perspective on life is

no longer what it once was: a little box buried within another box; an isolated space where

my eyesight is obscured by darkness. I was completely blind the entire time. I had never

recognized the significance of the past until today.

When I was in elementary school, I never really pay attention in our Araling Panlipunan

subject. I thought it was boring because there were so many names and dates to remember. So,

I just stare at the trees through the window waiting for the class to be dismissed. I guess, one

of the reasons I get bored during class was because I had boring teachers. Relying solely in

the textbook is what I think made the discussion feels monotonous. “Have I ever had a good

teachers, I would finally become eager to listen.” This is what came to my mind. Do you

think we'd be interested in hearing solely what's in the book if we could just read it at home?
What about information that is not mentioned in the book? That will undoubtedly catch the

students' interest.

To tell you honestly, history as a subject is not boring. I find it even intriguing. It is more

likely how it is taught in the school why it is less engaging. My problem is, my perspective is

too narrow that I missed a lot of important information to understand the whole sense of our

history. For example, I learned that Dr. Jose Rizal died fighting for the freedom of his people.

But that is just it. “Was it really it?” I keep reflecting to myself but I was too young to think

deeply. So, I never got to dig deeper and get the outstanding nature of history.

But when I was in high school, that was when I realize the magnitude it brings to my self,

my family, and my country. Yes, it was still boring when taught at school. But that was not

the case when I was out of school and felt the link between history and me and everything

around me. I realized it was a chain reaction. What happened in the past is the consequence

of what we are and what we have in the present. The present that the people from the past left

for us. The privilege to enjoy the liberty.

I discovered that our past contains profound meaning. A purpose to reflect and to do the

right thing. We only need to uncover it and use it as our driving force to enter the gate of

harmonious society. We can’t let what our ancestors did for us go to waste, can you? Our past

is not only made for us to remember but to learn from it and to have a unity with a purpose as

one nation, one people. Of course, unity without a sense of rationality is dumb.

Historians argue that we should not rush to a false sense of unity, but rather take an

unwavering action against bad doctrines and those who disseminate them according to Moore.
This is what I learned about history of Spanish colonization. Filipinos joined together to fight

against the harmful doctrines that the Spanish friars instigated them to follow. They also had

to find their courage and reason to fight against the Spaniards and not impulsively join the

revolution with the lead of the prominent people during that time who initiate the battle for

liberty. One must rationalize first before going to a war you do not know anything about.

Now that I am in college, my awareness in history have improve dramatically. I realize

that everything is an arduous journey. And that makes it a history because it leaves a trail in

which people will always remember. It will be written in our history that your hardship have

bear the sweet fruit of success.

Moreover, I also learned in my history subject that one must have unflinching

determination geared with rationality to change the bad system ruled by the government.

That it only takes one brave man to stand up and make the people break the chain of slavery.

Look at Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Diego Silang, and other brave warriors who

stubbornly fought for our country. They were our predecessor and we must continue their

fight until the end for the sake of our country.

I understand how difficult it is to reflect on the harsh lessons we learned in history.

However, we cannot progress until we learn from our mistakes. Because, our history is the

bringer of light that will shine in the present and will serve as our guide into the unlighted

future. We must be aware of our past to understand the present. Because only then, we can

live the future. Face it with courage despite its wrenching pain so that you can live through

even though it can be unlived. Bring the stain with you and make it as your inspiration to

make another unforgettable history.