My Black Swan

1. The beauty of uncertainty is what makes life so interesting.

2. As interesting as it is, it is a mind-bothering enigma.

3. David Hume once said that just because we perceive a thousand swans as being white, it does not rule out the possibility that there will be a black swan.

4. I've met another black swan in my life.

5. It's beauty is mesmerizing, yet so dangerous.

6. To continue on, the black swan must be put in its proper place.

7. The lesson it brought is one that will be valued greatly.

A Dilemma in Giving

A young girl, along with four other kids, approached me while I was waiting for an ikot jeepney in front of UPD Cooperative store. "Kuya, pahingi ng barya (can I ask for some change?)," she said expectant. I looked at her and shaked my head. I couldn't talk because I was eating a Mister Donut Croissant. "Pahingi na lang ng kinakain mo (why not give me some of what you're eating?)," she rudely replied back. Again, she asked one more time and added, "sige na, malaki naman yan (c'mon, it's a big piece anyway)." For a moment there, I found myself unable to reply.

Well, if this is your first meal of the day at 4pm, it's barely enough for me. That's what I wanted to reply, but I chose not to say it. Instead, I gave her another shake in the head. If she had been more polite, I would have probably given her a share of the food. I've no qualm with that. However, the moment she approached me and started talking rudely, that's when I thought that she was doing it not because she was hungry. She was doing it for the heck of it. You could tell from the way she looked and talked. After trying out her tactic on me, she walked to an elderly woman and asked for change. "Nasaan ang mga nanay niyo? (Where are your mothers?), the elderly woman asked. Instead of answering, the girl and her friends just giggled and laughed. It was quite disrespectful.

I've seen a quite number of kids asking for alms. Every time it happens, I'm confronted with a dilemma: should I give and reinforce their behavior or should I not?

Back in my undergraduate, a psychology professor once remarked that if we gave alms to these kids it would become a positive reinforcement for them. They'd think that it is the way life goes. Ask, and you shall be given. However, in one class in humanities, I watched this documentary about 2 orphan, homeless and poor kids trying to survive in the harsh outside world by asking for alms. If they really had no choice, they end up stealing and once caught are sent to jail alongside adult offenders. Only a few street children survive in such harsh conditions (inside or outside the jails).

By giving, I know it would alleviate their suffering momentarily. However, it does not solve the problem. By not giving, I know that they might die of hunger or end up in a jail for stealing. Either way, the consequences are not at all pleasing.

(To be continued...)

On Contentment

I've always been under the impression that contentment is the capacity of a person to not ask for more. I think the statement has to be qualified, in order not to mislead people and to understand its full meaning.

You see, if the above definition of contentment becomes the operative definition of one's life, he may find it as an excuse to become a couch potato. I've got everything I want, a very comfortable seat, a snack of potato chips and soda, and a huge flat screen TV! See the picture? That is not what I think contentment is all about.

Contentment is the capacity of a person to not ask for more after developing himself to his utmost potential.

My definition is in line with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. When one reaches the topmost part - self-actualization - then that is the time that he can be contented. There is, after all, no other stage higher. Of course, reaching this stage is no easy task and there's no uniform way of doing it. It all depends on the person and what he wants to do with his life. However, it must be noted that during the process, he must not resort to measures which will degrade his humanity. The end will never justify the means. There are always alternatives.

In the end, reaching the top, one can breathe a sigh of relief... and be able to say with pride that has come this far. This is a feat that will surely fill his heart with content. Now that is contentment.