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Categories
Front Cover
Computers
Internet
Life
Poetry
Just A
Thought
In Filipino Language
Who
This Work Is For
About
The Author
Other Web Sites By The
Author
Lifelong
Learning
A Writer At
Heart
Optional
LEDAC
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Chaotic Times For A
Budding Stage Actor
I consider myself
lucky for having lived my youthful years at a time when all over the world
fundamental changes in human thinking was taking place. And this was
reflected in the active involvement of the youth in the shaping of their
country's destiny and their own future.
I got caught in the midst of this turmoil and lived with other young
change seekers fulfilling their roles in the total scheme of things. I
experienced the hardships and the fun of getting the message of change and
hope in the young and the impoverished sectors of society. 
Angst portrayed on the face of the author
There were two basic fronts on which to work to effect the change being
sought. You could have joined the physical struggle where violence is met
with violence resulting in injuries or even death. As I was basically a
man of peace, I chose to be involved in the other front which involved the
battle for the minds of people.
I joined a theatrical group that presented stage performances in different
places to convince the people of the need for change and invite them to
join us in our campaign. This is where I got to meet the finest artists in
the theatrical field I have ever known, such a bunch of colorful and
interesting personalities. Our presentations were full of pain and
suffering, of awakening to the social realities, of rising up against the
enemy, and of the bright future ahead. I had a strong stage presence and
since there was a need to project oppression of the poor in our
repertoire, I was cast as an abusive and brutal military officer in one of
the plays.
It was a life that was full of challenge and excitement but more
especially of danger. The enemy had all the resources to resist the winds
of change that were blowing everywhere. We fought hard and gave everything
that we got. But the force of status quo was overwhelming and we lost
miserably in all fronts. Not a few young change seekers who I personally
knew gave up their lives in that struggle. My heart is heavy with sadness
as I salute those fallen comrades and those others who suffered
irreparably in the quest to concretize our idealism.
We were defeated not because we lacked physical and material resources to
overcome the overwhelming odds. We lost because our ranks disintegrated
slowly as the years went by and because the next generation did not take
on the cause that we fought for. In short, we grew old and matured leaving
behind the idealism that kept us going. We certainly lost the battle but
rest in the thought that we won the war.
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