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The Universal Struggle for Independence If I had lived during the Philippine Revolution, given the same set of convictions as Gabriela Silang, I would have willingly fought beside her. Perhaps, that would have been a lifetime so greatly lived. My ten-year-old fifth grade son came home one day and announced that he is going to be Nathan Hale for his class’ Wax Museum Social Studies project. They were learning about the patriots and the people who did heroic acts at the beginning of the 1700s. First off, I asked him “What’s a Wax Museum?” He quickly replied in his all knowing manner “Duh, Mom, a Wax Museum is when you pretend to be a wax replica of someone important!” I should have quit while I was ahead. However, for a true-blooded relentless mother, keeping my mouth shut was truly an ordeal. Naturally, I pursued the issue. So I asked again, “Who is Nathan Hale anyway?” My question was answered by another question rather quickly, “Mom, don’t you know anything?” With regards to Ethan Allen, a nationwide furniture retail chain was named after him. Although I wasn’t really familiar with his personal contributions, he had what retailers called “name brand recognition”. Consequently, the level of difficulty in gathering information regarding this guy would probably be on the low side.
I started a mental roll call. “Well”, I said, “there is Jose Rizal, he is the Philippine National Hero.” “So how did he become a hero?”, my son asked. Dr. Jose Rizal was a doctor who studied in Spain and wrote two popular novels that gave inspiration to the revolutionaries who were fighting for independence. The Spaniards eventually executed him and he has a monument in Luneta Park in Manila. Then there was Andres Bonifacio, he was the leader of the revolutionaries, and he tore his “cedula” (tax identification card) and armed with a mere “bolo” (locally crafted machete), he led the fight against the gun trotting Spaniards. There was even this man named Apolinario Mabini, he was known to be the “Dakilang Lumpo”, literally meaning the “Noble Lame”. Then there was also this formidable woman named Gabriela Silang who fought side by side along with her husband and the rest of the men in the fight of the Filipinos to be independent from Spanish occupation. The only thing this eloquently opinionated boy could say was, “Interesting!” Then he added, “Why would the Filipinos call one of their heroes the “Lame”?”. “That term seems inappropriate don’t you think?” Indeed, I agreed, nowadays, that would be termed politically incorrect. To honor someone’s greatness at the same time tag on a harsh judgement seems like the ultimate oxymoron! My son spent next week researching the life and times of the man named Nathan Hale. Apparently, Nathan Hale was a scholar and the greatest volunteer spy in America’s fight for independence from the British. Before the week was over, my son was half way through writing his report. He came to me and said that it was quite interesting that Nathan Hale and Jose Rizal had a lot of things on common. Nathan Hale too was executed. His life was commemorated with had a bronze statue monument built in New York City. “Isn’t it strange”, he said, “ that these heroes from different countries were both fighting for independence and they both died the same way?” “People aren’t so different after all!” he added. Indeed, I thought. For although there might not have been lot of commonality between these two men given their background and cultures, their conviction, their passion and their tremendous desire to stand for what they believed in, were essentially identical! Their struggle for freedom eventually lead them to making the most precious of all sacrifices, giving up their own mortality. By the 4th of July weekend, my son finished writing his report on Nathan Hale. I on the other hand had spent many a days surfing through the Internet for information regarding the Filipino Patriots I was not so familiar with. I turned off the Internet connection and started reading through my son’s patriot’s biography. I was pretty impressed with how my son presented the facts regarding young Nathan Hale. Suddenly, it dawned on me, if my son had existed during the time of the American Revolution or even before it, my son would have never known the greatness that Nathan Hale had done for his country’s fight for freedom. The thoughts started streaming through my mind. If I had lived during the Philippine Revolution, given the same set of convictions as Gabriela Silang, I would have willingly fought beside her. Perhaps, that would have been a lifetime so greatly lived. However, like my son, I wouldn’t have known the incredible spirit that drove such a courageous woman to fight with the men as an equal. But for a glitch in the universal time continuum, my ten-year-old son and I are right now looking at each other’s eyes. Our individual lifelines have brought us here, at this very moment, in the most modern of times! We had both gotten to know the patriots who have come before us. We have learned what drove their spirits and the precious gift they have all given us both, the opportunity to live a life in freedom. For if it were not for the Nathan Hales, the Jose Rizals and the Gabriela Silangs of this world, there wouldn’t be a lot of liberties my son and I would be allowed to do. Like being able to speak out own minds, believe in our own spirituality and pledge our allegiance to the country of our choice. Spanning lifetimes and class structures, people’s biographies seem to exist in parallels. Given various periods in history, people fought for the same ideals, sacrificed their lives for the same principles. A patriot’s battle had freed enslaved souls through the centuries, in all of the corners of this earth. A certain Filipina’s love for her husband and country drove her to muster all the strength that she had, not only to fight her captors but more importantly to break the stereotypical gender limitations and judgements that her culture and religion had so unjustly bestowed upon her. Gabriela’s story could very well have been any woman’s story! Ask any woman! After perusing through thousands of pages of self-help books and years of customizing my own spirituality, I had a great defining moment! I realized that as a person, I had always struggled with the search for the answer to the penultimate question, “What is it that I came here to this universe to do?” In my life’s journey neither the pride of completing a formal education nor the satisfaction of having a successful career seem to have completely put that question to rest. Alas, even motherhood did not seem to quell the need for searching. However, from this experience I realized that perhaps, a lifetime’s worth is not measured for the definition that was given to it, but the effort that was given to making someone else’s passage more meaningful. Perhaps that the essence of one’s lifetime doesn’t lie on whether you find what it is that you came here to do, but merely to know that you are paving the way for someone to be able to live their lifetime in a much less restrictive set of rules! Perhaps, what the patriot’s were fighting for was not for his or her own liberties but for the freedom of those who would come after them. Perhaps, the quest for meaning isn’t as important as the willingness and generosity to lead the way for some other soul to find their way. Such a liberating concept indeed! I suddenly had an overwhelming feeling of reverence for all those who have come before me. For how would certain people named Nathan Hale, Jose Rizal or Gabriela Silang have known that in another realm of reality, in a different time of existence, there will be two people in the 21st century, finding inspiration from the struggles that defined their biographies. For someone who has been obsessing about the finding meaning of life, I couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of how this gigantic realization has been presented to me. Who would have known that the source of the greatest cathartic experience in my life would be derived from be a discussion about a fifth grade social studies project! All rights reserved. Annalee Garcia ©2004 Open Forum! Share your opinions and suggestions pertaining to this topic at the Message Boards MagsalitaKa (Speak Out) Section. © Web site is a Copyright of NewFilipina, Inc. 1998-2004. All rights reserved.
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