Yes and No
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia
Yes and No, they may be two of the shortest words in the English language, but within their monosyllabic context dwell a lifetime of submission, an irreversible contract or simply some century's worth of regret. It is feebly amazing at how a simple yes, within the sanctuary of either the church or the law, could bind two completely unrelated genders. It is unmistakably true at how a menial no could transform a sophisticated businessman, after having been turned down a business deal, to a wandering psychopath. Yes and No, through life's course these two words will surely be an integral part of it, considering all the decisions, negotiations or even responsibilities. But we continue to wander on and ignore mastering the skill of determining when will be the appropriate time, when to say yes and when to say no.
Yes is a three letter word that yields the positive aura, the agreeing response to a question, the affirming side of any situation. A straightforward yes could open doors for some events as life changing as a job acceptance or likewise as trivial as nodding to a cell phone's query of deleting a three-month old text message from your already full inbox. Saying yes does show a heave of optimism, you get that feeling of a summer's day discounted in a package of chirping birds, fluttering butterflies, and hopping praying mantises. But the way I look at it, people would develop that habit of saying yes all the time because of an invisible but thriving desire to please others and to be praised by them in return. Individuals who adore being flooded with commendations would continually stress out their trapezius neck muscles as each responsibility would be requested, imparted or simply forced towards their mists. Yet, in some time soon the person who is passionate with the yeses will resemble a stringed puppet played by those manipulative others. Even how noble your sincerity and motives would be, even if you work for nothing but world peace it would prove to be useless. In merely continuing to say yes, the perpetuation of the cycle of abuse and parasitism will prevail.
No is yet a shorter word than the previous that unveils a negative melancholy, the denial to a conviction, the contradictory faction in the verbal battlefield. A strict no could shut doors close for some hope fueled events such as being rejected for an immigrant visa after sweating nearly blood in passing all the required examinations and documents or as trifling as laterally flexing your neck from right to left after being asked by an excited classmate for a treat on your birthday. Standing firm to a no would more or less immediately connotes pessimism, you get that feeling of being vacuumed into a gloomy night giving you gooseflesh of street dog howls, whistling tree branches and a crater filled full moon. Yet, I believe that people continue to say no because of their unvarying fear of risk and the unknown or simply don't want to get stressed out. People who wouldn't like to lose anything or would prefer a winkled-free face than praises and the folly, would willingly round their lips and enunciate a clear and well-enunciated no. Yet again, in the later years the person who lives to negate will be seen as a kill joy, a party popper, someone who plays safe. Even how valid and life threatening your rationales would be, even if you say no because of a phobia it would regard to be insignificant to some. In merely continuing to say no, the impression of cowardice and weakness is alongside.
There is always a time for everything. Saying either yes or no always would lure you to the throne room of prejudice and criticizing eyes. For yes advocates, it's time to learn how to say no sometimes. It is simply an obvious and concrete reality that you can't get everybody in the world to like you. Don't wait for the time you'll jeopardize personal matters because of a current commitment that is actually less important than what you have already left behind. For no loyalists, it's time to add a little spice and embark on risky adventures sometimes. It is timely and evident that life is too short to be lived in merely a safe mode and lose track of the joys of a roller coaster ride. Don't wait for the annual visits of regrets and what ifs.
Yes or No?
You can actually choose both.
It just depends on when that choice will be made.
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