Yes or No 09/16/08

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.

Rubber Bands 09/09/08

Rubber Bands

By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

Rubber Bands, elastic bands as some people may call them. Those expandable loops made of rubber that at one corner may exist as a simpleton and a trivial commoner. Nothing so compelling, nothing so grandeur, a rubber band exist to do menial clerical work among with paper clips and fasteners, accompanied by adhesive plastic tapes. And yet, the simple and plain stretchy twine in the hands of imaginative five year olds can pass their playtime such as a jump rope or hopscotch could. It took me quite some time in my pre-school days to get the hang of forming a star using a rubber band. I was a slow learner that I have mastered the skill when I reached second year high school. But through the course of forming stars, double stars and even Tarzan houses, the rubber band taught me a valuable lesson: know your limits.

It may have been hundreds of colorful flexible bands that have stretched their way from my little finger to my thumb. It may have been also hundreds that have either slipped out like a slingshot or severed into a split. Every entity in this world has limits; even the renewable energy resources that carry the promise of an eternal source may in the farther future cease to be. Every rubber band in this world has limits, though it may deceive a false hope of expanding as far as the user decides, there will come a point when it shrieks in surrender and disunites. I see each person as a rubber band, at one corner we appear as a simpleton, thus evoking our desire to stand out and in the process we stretch and show off our elasticity. Yet, we fail to recognize the limit, the maximum, the boundary of our capability to stretch and form the most time-sparing double stars.

The training of personal development of any aspect may it be in muscles, mind or morals always starts with being aware of what you can and can't do. With these in mind, it's easier to start achieving the goal. Knowing your limits as to how far your muscle groups could contract, as to how heavy the weights you could bear, as to how far you can run on the track; these set the boundaries that would encourage focus and specialization. Knowing your limits as to how much subjects you can study in one sitting, as to how many years more of school you could put up to, as to how distant your research would cover; these fences the perimeter that would put you in isolation but with the hope of mastery. If a rubber would be made aware of its limits, I'm sure it'll save itself from extending to the point of no return. If man would make himself aware of his limits, I'm sure it'll save him from abusing his own self and prevent undue stress.

Limitations contribute to the individuality of each person; what he may be a failure at may actually be your best sport. Some strive to reach beyond their limitations in order to stand out higher than the rest. Yet, may we remember often that we go against nature, and if we become too ambitious, chances are we wouldn't hone ourselves to near perfection. Limitation does not contradict the essence of hope and dreams; it actually complements them by setting the dimensions in order to make such visions into reality. People give up, surrender and raise their white flags in disappointment because of that depression because they weren't able to actualize their plans. Maybe, just maybe, those plans were too much far greater than what can they possible concretize; those plans did not coincide with their strengths and weaknesses resulting to an overstretched severed rubber band.

I came to learn as a student nurse that in assisting patients to walk right after a surgery or prolonged bed rest, you must have to know the patient's current capabilities and any contraindications. You must have to plan the distance and duration of the walking exercises. You must have to set limits in order to attain the outcome of letting your patient walk. Because if limitations aren't set, because if rubber bands are overstretched, chances are all hell breaks lose and unwanted accidents may occur.

This is a simple lesson rubber bands teach us. It's a noble act to dream and explore all possibilities but it's a wise act to keep reality on your side and set the limits. If we overwork ourselves and divulge into the engulfing mist of overtime, we might risk our basic health or injure quality time with family. What more is the worth of overtime's pay when you'll spend it on hospitalization? What more is its worth when you go home to a sour wife whom you jeopardize your wedding anniversary for work? Nature has blessed us the ability to stretch like a rubber band. Let us first set the limits before carrying on with the stretching.

Life is indeed a rubber band.

Though how endless and spacious to explore,

It has its limits.

What's your name? 09/02/08

What's your Name?

By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

After finding out that Wall-E's screening time was taken over by the Mummy, our whole afternoon's plan of unwinding in the comforts of the cinema had ceased. Gone was the childish apprehension of seeing some rusty love-struck robot cleaning up some mountains of trash. My friends and I, with heavy hearts, ended up scanning through the plastic free books scattered in all corners of the bookstore. This is when I came across skimming a book that talks about people's impression of names. Yes, the book was quite subjective and opinionated but it was certainly entertaining. A few minutes later, the sales lady had to constantly tell off some college sophomores surrounding a hundred twenty five pesos book who are currently the source of giggling nuisance. It was quite astonishing to know that most people view an Andre to be a sophisticated, talented and rich playboy. It was surprising to discover that a lot sees a Rose Anne to be a balance of little miss sunshine and a daring tomboy. It was startling to find out that many perceive a Ramon to be a bald, short and wealthy businessman. Too bad my name isn't too common.

Names, everybody seems to have one. It is eminent and ever-present from a kindergarten's report card to an applicant's bio-data. Names are the first set of words we learn to write between those red and blue lines. Names are the reasons why we care to look back and turn around when a friend would holler. But because of the significance it has on each individual, because it mirrors the personalities, attached are the inevitable stereotypes and impressions. We cannot keep other people from repeating names, who knows how many Janes and Bens there are in the world? Due to this reality, it can not be avoided but to relate the traits of one Jane to another, to compare the qualities of one Ben to another. I find it mind boggling that names were originally given to promote uniqueness and individuality but in the end became a luring host to prejudice and labeling.

Our Muslim friends continue to be affected of this truth. The plots of terrorism were carried out by just the rebels of their community, and not their entire population. Most of the Islamic population lives in religious obedience and peaceful livelihood in the console of their areas. Pity them that they get judgmental stares from people who have the habit to generalize and fail to comprehend deeper. Yet, it cannot be denied that such practice is involuntary to some people because of perhaps trauma or a grudging soul. Right after Lisa stole her most beloved six year long boyfriend, she begins to see every Lisa in the world as a cheat and a meddler. He starts perceiving every Mr. Cruz as a merciless autocrat after receiving a failing grade from a college professor of the same name. Yes, it is in man's reflex, it is in man's nature to label. But, we should not compromise the rights of other people along the way. The other Lisa or Mr. Cruz would find it unfair that certain people hate them for no reason.

I guess, although names may be grounds for a self fulfilling prophecy or a reflection of one's individuality, it is but more proper to get to know a person first before jumping into conclusions. Not just with names, but physical appearances as well. Typically, when we see someone walking in a slouching posture, untamed frisky hair, thick glasses and a sea of pimples; we would then associate that person as a nerd, geek, dork or someone who doesn't know the meaning of fun. Come on; try to give them a chance. Honestly, base from my experience, they could be the coolest set of people you'll ever meet. Same goes to sophisticated people wearing the most fashionable clothes, model-like strides, manes fresh from hair spas, looks and smells fabulous; we would then think of them as a snob, spoiled brat, braggart or someone who doesn't know how to reach out. Once again, take off those blindfolds and earplugs. Frankly, base from my experience, they could be the most down to earth and approachable people you'll ever meet.

Names certainly give the impression of who you are. You can either live up to that impression or denounce it. But the hot boiling point is names don't give the wholeness of your personality. Even Grumpy of Snow White's seven dwarves didn't stay irritable and cranky happily ever after.

Yes, it all starts with "What's your name?"

But, let us not just end it there.

Olympian Jackstone 08/26/08

Olympian Jackstone
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

When I was in elementary, there were only three things that
intermittently disrupted my youthful enthusiasm. These were three
things that were far more traumatic than a 10 inch stain on my white
school blouse or losing in a jackstone match. Number one was
Mathematics, for I was highly gifted in getting low grades for that
subject. Number two was blushing in front of a guy whom I thought to
be a human version of an anime bishounen. Finally, Number three was
filling up an autograph. Among these three problems, the first two had
already been coped up with after getting a best in math award in high
school and moving on with a more realistic love life. Number three
remains to be one factor that may disrupt the process of self
actualization. Answering an autograph is not big of a deal; it is
actually cool and gossip wise because you would know many important
facts about someone: how she defines love, the name of his crush, and
their most embarrassing moments. But, whenever I reach the question:
"What are your Sports", every minute dimension of my being losses
every bit of self esteem. I love sports, but it never learned to love
me. I kept on waiting for seventeen years, but it seemed fate had been
harsh.

From then on, I would just write the words "I'm a weak leg at sports"
and happily proceeded to the next questions. If only jackstone was a
sport, I could have made a long essay on how I got passed beaking one
to seven, falling stars and double falling stars. But seeing at how
uncoordinated the rest of my body movements are, I still enjoy
watching and remaining satisfied sitting on the audience bench. I
still find awe in the power of adrenaline rush flowing through the
vessels of a determined runner, sprinting towards the finish line. I
still see beauty in the dripping viscous sweat of a basketball player
under positive momentum for a three point shot. I still love sports.
Two weeks ago, even if midterm exams found happiness in hauling the
strength out of me, I still can't overcome the driving force to stop
for a few minutes and peek at the television for the live stream
coverage of this year's Beijing Olympics. What struck me were neither
the competitions nor the good looking athletes like every Olympics
does, but the lesson that sprouted in my idealism after the three hour
opening program starring the 15,000 performers.

I desperately dreamed of taking the next flight to China and witness
the spectacular show of creativity and elegance. The amazing fireworks
display, technical and visual effects, the harmonious music, these
jam-packed in one stadium they called the Bird's Nest. Yet, my jaw
couldn't stretch as wide as it already had, during the magnificent
performance of some thousands of Chinese performers forming huge
pictures of doves, sceneries and Chinese characters using themselves
to complete the formation. It was a ten month preparation, and it
indeed paid off after receiving global admiration. But, it was not
really the effect and the outcome of their ten month-training that
wowed me, but it was their ten month training itself. This year's
Olympics showed me that great extravagant masses come from a small
nodule of discipline.

Sports teach life a very important lesson; you can perfect and master
its course through discipline. Everything starts from learning how to
control. A world champion boxer wouldn't have gone home with a
multitude of title bearing belts without experiencing several years of
intense training, diet, and strict schedules. Some people say
champions are made of strong visions and dreams. I say, everybody has
them, everybody has dreams and visions. Yet, not all of them can reign
on the risers as gold, silver or bronze. It is discipline that
transforms these visions and dreams into actuality. The same goes to
simple day to day living. Every student has the vision and dream to
graduate or even to top their batch, but some special others decided
to sprinkle their dreams and visions with discipline and worked their
way out to academic excellence. Every laborer has the vision and dream
to reach a good paying job or a promotion, but some special others
decided to garnish their dreams and visions with discipline and earned
their way to leading companies or even owning them. Being full of
creative ideas and unique philosophies is worth a round of applause.
But, channeling these with a firm discipline towards making them
concrete is worth a standing ovation.

I may never be at the same court playing with the Olympic athletes.
It's fine, I can live with it; I am contented seeing them on
television. It's okay; I can live another seventeen years and more
writing the same phrase on autographs. Yet, I'll be surely playing
with the same discipline each Olympian has. Playing on the court
called life. I admire all athletes. I salute all who plays with
discipline.

I hope one day, they make jackstone part of the Olympics.

Life's Map

Life's Map

By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

I was lost. The department store couldn't have been wider and unfamiliar; the aisle numbers shifted into a blur of archaic codes and the red lipped sales ladies transformed into bloodsucking aliens. It was my fault. I fell under hypnosis of a glimmering play set of plastic kitchen wares. My six year old feet didn't hesitate for another second and skipped my way to the toys section. A few minutes later, when I realized I had the same set of pink plastic tea cups and matchbox sized gas stoves back at home, I attempted to retrace my steps but failed to do so and found myself drowned in a the multitude of the crowd. A week ago, I felt the same feeling. I was lost. The midterm exam schedules couldn't have been more hectic and potentially traumatic; the course titles shifted into a blur of criminal sentence and the thick pile of lecture notes transformed into fatal and lethal weapons. Was it my fault? It was too much information to memorize and comprehend that my brain could self destruct any moment. A few minutes later, when I realize everything was actually for real, I panicked and loss my sense of direction. I was lost.

If only the realities of everyday stress could be graphed by cartographers as easily as north, south, east and west, I would have procured myself a map and even spend some extra more on a compass. The state of not knowing where to go provokes feelings of uncertainty and doubt, then agitation and anxiety. There's that evolution of shock, tremble and panic. Man has developed the process of planning that had long been benefiting him to take control over his undertakings, making him the master and captain of his very life. That is why when the wheel is taken away from him, he gets weak in the knees and sea sick. I noticed that most people enjoy peeking on their horoscopes each day wanting to know what the stars might possibly say about an engagement between some curled-horn goat and a side-walking crab. But, whether these predictions may be credible or not, this only proves how most of us wanted a glimpse of fortune telling or pre-destiny. This only proves how most of us wanted our lives to be already planned before we will be actually living it, because if the course of planning is during the execution, tendencies are rather often times impulsive and regretful.

I had always relied on advance studying; a few weeks before the actual exam you can find me already scribbling notes on the sides of my books and starting to memorize the gazillion of terms and formulas. With this routine, I retain that feeling of assurance and concreteness. But these had to come, unexpected pressures of schoolwork piling in mountain-high stacks that one could simply be grateful for a simple grasp of air or some two hours of sleep. I once denounced second thoughts and insecurity, but I then realized that alongside these two stomach-churning feelings, comes a long forgotten state of joy in confusion, cheer in perplexity and that is hope. Hope for me is a paradox, the irony of being lost inside a department store but at the same time hopeful that your parents would come looking for you some time soon, is a mystery worth experiencing. The taste of bitter-sweet is much better than simply just bitter or just sweet.

School, work, and life may at times be very generous with stressors that it would be almost impossible to prioritize and rank them. But then, if we are totally in control of everything, we could miss a lot from life; the adrenaline rush of anxiety and the sweat proliferating state of cramming. If we know every incident that may happen, if we have the perfect and comprehensive map of our lives, then life will just remain to be a travel but never an adventure. Yes, the sea farers of today may have enjoyed the bounties of radar technologies and navigational instruments. But if you would ask me, Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 when the mariner's compass was the latest gadget, enjoyed more his voyage than the modern navigators did, for he had hope amidst uncertainties of uncharted waters and uncertain routes. Who would have thought that in the end he had discovered a strait, named an ocean and Christianized our Philippines?

Certainty and Direction gives us assurance.

Loss and Doubt teaches us hope.

I hope my midterms went well.

The Early Worm (08/05/08)

The Early Worm

By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

The early bird gets the early worm. I always thought this line only applied to my pres-school classmate who was always an hour early for class. I envied him, for each day he was early he gets to greet our teacher good morning before any one could. I was afraid my teacher would soon give him more gold stars than the rest of the class. But as I became more rational and thought more than just twinkling stars and jumbo-sized crayons, my eyes were opened to an appalling portrait of society's obsession to get ahead of one another. We see would-be political candidates each playing their game whether it maybe of altruistic origin as relief missions and house loans or simply getting the rubbish out in the open of other contenders. We see officemates each having their own cup of coffee blended with creamy nepotism and sugary bribery towards looking good in front of the boss, towards promotion. We see students each racing for the top spot in the honor rolls either through sleepless and brain-wrecking nights of studying or taking the easy street of copying off someone when exam day comes. Undoubtedly, most of us would like to be an early bird.

But, has it ever occurred to you that the early worm gets eaten? The unfortunate fate of an early worm who wanted to be better than the rest of the underground crawlies ended up in a punctual bird's growling stomach. Sometimes it pays to wait in the background before jumping in the spotlight. The first mouse gets trapped while the second one gets the cheese. I am not sure if the first mouse was just plain idiotic or simply was too anxious, but I am sure that the second mouse knew that being number two has its own advantages. What's wrong with being number two or number three? What's wrong with silver or bronze? I myself believe that being unable to reach the top gives you more opportunities and much wider space for improvement thereby letting you exhaust all of your potentials. Presuming one has reached the top spot, became numero uno, and hoisted the golden trophy; one's adventure then ceases to continue, because there's nothing more to come after being number one. The journey ended too soon and one's life will just revolve around maintaining dominion over the first rank.

I would be a hypocrite if I would deny that I want to be number one; that I dream to be the best. It is but normal for everyone to do so because if the enthusiasm and goal of achieving the paramount of greatness ceased, life itself and its purpose will be put into dire waste. I salute all of you who sit in the apex of academic hierarchy: the top notchers of recent nursing licensure exam, May your tribe increase. Hats off to the modern merchants whose earnings are worth more than the population of China and India combined: the business tycoons. Thank you for considering philanthropy. With all the glory and splendor received by the hotshots of society, sometimes we tend to be so hard on ourselves when we fail to be number one. But hopefully, we'll all remember that life still goes on even if we get a B+ instead of an A-, even if we were just down to number two, number three or even ranked the very last. Life is a matter of perspective; we can be jubilant about being the best and aim for perfection or just take the plunge of embarrassment and mistakes and be hopeful for other opportunities to grow and learn.

Last week, I felt like the early worm facing the agitated beak of an early bird. I received a comment regarding my article on the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2007 last July 29, 2008. Honestly my initial reaction was pure shame and regret of letting teenage angst and tactless instincts to overrule myself. If ever I have stepped on someone else's opinion or had been the reason for misconception, I humbly apologize. I might have overlooked and failed to completely weigh both sides of the issue. The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2007 was indeed intended for married couples in their course of family planning. It was too abrupt and impulsive of me to begin relating the connection of such bill with unmarried couples. But since condoms are quite readily accessible in most convenience stores, it is obviously possible for even unmarried couples to gain access to such contraceptive, right? But, although I stood corrected I still am firm of my stand of being against the use of artificial family planning using contraceptives even for married couples. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate or rather restate my grounds.

The Philippines is not overpopulated because there are still wide open spaces in most of our rural areas with a population density lower than Singapore being a stable country. I stated this fact not to promote perfect population distribution and massive migration to the inhabited farmlands of the Philippines but to remind us that the number of people within a nation isn't the gauge and assurance for economic stability. Why can Singapore be more economically progressed than our country if they have a far greater population density than we do? Artificial family planning or the use of contraceptives in my own personal opinion is immoral because the art and gift of sex should be a sacred act for procreation, and using contraceptives would only mean the married couple doesn't want to procreate which doesn't coincide with my first argument. They call it sacred because it was given for a purpose and that is, to give existence to a new life. The reason of couples intending a comfortable life for their family by preventing the existence of another one is to my own view is very shallow. Life starts at conception, during the union of the sperm and the egg the very point of union. Mind you, contraceptive pills contains levonorgestrel causing early abortion through preventing not of conception but of implantation. Implantation is the sticking of the fertilized egg cell to the walls of the uterus. This simply means an offspring has already been conceived and has the basic quality of life before such innocent creature was aborted.

To the concerned mister who commented on my article last week, I thank you for your time of reading my on view and am sorry if I had been too tactless. But I stand firm to my belief. This is my opinion as a concerned youth, as a devout Catholic and as a pro-life.

I admit I was an early worm, too impulsive and rash.

But, it doesn't affect me at all. I still have chances and opportunities.

Sheep's Intestines (July 29,2008)

Sheep's Intestines
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

Once upon a time in the 17th century, Charles II had a problem with his ever growing number of children. Unable to find a solution, he called for his physician Dr. Condom and asked him to prevent the increasing number of probable heirs to his throne. It is still uncertain if it were fairy godmother’s magic or the sparkle from Cinderella’s glass slippers that led Dr. Condom to discover that the intestines of lambs can prevent the excited wriggling sperms to infiltrate a woman’s vagina. From then on, condoms were mass produced in this libido oriented society, not any more from sheep’s guts but using vulcanized rubber and such are available in all leading drugstores worldwide. Interesting as the story may appear, condoms are still contraceptives. Condoms prevent the birth of unwanted children. Condoms are still inhibitory tools for fertility that has jeopardized not only a sheep’s digestive system but also the very foundations of human morality.

Some say that our country is growing more and more crowded each day, and counting all those mouths to feed during a never ceasing economic crisis, they believe we couldn’t get any more populated. I may not be a virtuoso in demographics, but this little head of mine assertively tells me that our country is not overpopulated. As I understand, we have to consider not just the number of people in that place but also the land area. We have 300,000 sq. km of land to spare and realistically speaking it is more than enough for some eighty plus million Filipinos. The problem is not all of this 300,000 sq. km of land is habituated by people causing visible congestion in the urban areas of our country. I am not proposing we force every citizen to live in equal proportions of land that would be too ideal. But, I am stressing the point that we are certainly not overpopulated; so why prevent innocent lives from coming to this tropical paradise we call the Philippines?

Most of our government leaders say that our resources are too deficient to satisfy the population. Life’s tough, I know. But, why decrease the recipients of these resources, can we not find ways to increase the resources itself? This notion of preventing fertility from increasing tells an agitated seventeen-year old, who has just seen a condom once in her life to believe that resources are far more important than the lives of the people supposed to receive them. But still many support the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2007 to be strictly enforced as an approved law. According to this bill, contraceptives shall be used as essential medicines being totally accessible with the belief of improving the quality of life of families. The lesser mouths to feed, the lesser the problem; this statement is certainly true and logical but this doesn’t give us the right to prevent the existence of life and most importantly endanger the much treasured moral values.

Those who are pro to contraception would say premarital pregnancies among unwed couples especially with the youth will eventually decrease due to accessibility to birth control pills, condoms, IUDs and diaphragms. Yes, it may indeed lessen premarital pregnancies but will it solve the case of premarital sex? Because of the assurance of being spared from the responsibility of bearing children, unwed couples would be even more enticed to have sex freely. The moral sanctity of sex, being a tool for procreation and a gift exclusive for legally wed couples has been diminished by some sheep’s intestine. However great and splendid the economic consequences of enforcing contraceptive usage may be, it doesn’t give even just a tiny drop of justification of preventing the life of innocent beings and loosing grip the very foundations of morality. This is more than just following religious rules and commandments. I don’t want to bring in religion as I may be biased to others’ beliefs. Rather, this is a moral issue that deals with a universal truth and decorum that life and its procreation is very precious and should be given high regard. Everyone knows and believes that killing an innocent life, or to the very least preventing an innocent life from taking place is unfair and unjust to such minute and helpless being.

Look at Singapore, its population density is 7,093 people living in a span of one sq. km. Look at the Philippines; our population density is 289 people per sq. km. We have much lesser population density than Singapore, but the economic progress of Singapore is by far exemplary and out of our third world league right now. This only shows that population has a minute effect on the economic progress of a country. The distribution of resources needs to be taken care of, not the people receiving them. Food can still be bought even after it spoils but lives can never be revived after it ceases or wasn’t even given a chance to exist.

Let us be more practical and moral about our decisions. Life is not a matter of control; it is given as a gift. You might not know the innocent baby who was prevented to be born could have been the deliverer of the struggling nation.

Morality is far more important than sheep intestines.
Save Lives.