For A Reason

by Caroline Carmona

It’s almost the end of another semester again. I can’t help, but think about how fast time flies. It’s almost scary— another semester gone, and only a few more to go before senior year. It seems like it was only yesterday when I first sat down on my usual seat in Doc Garcia’s class, my mind still unaware of the circumstances that will happen, my brain still empty from the knowledge I will gain, my heart still unscathed.Whenever I try to reflect on my memories of this semester, I remember some good times with my friends, classmates, and teachers. I also remember the stressful moments, cramming sessions, blurred deadlines, and frantic marathons during hell weeks and hells months. Sometimes, I wish that I could just stop time for even just a second to take a deep breath, recollect myself, and relive all those happy moments when I didn’t feel so stressed. Life is too short. Don’t be so stressed all the time.You only live once, as the young ones would say.

So many things have happened to me in a span of one semester— so many life-changing things that I never would have imagined— things my past self would never have imagined. I don’t want this blog post to sound all sappy and touchy-feely, but permit me to recount some of my experiences. I really can’t shake these feelings of anxiety, fear, and perhaps, nostalgia. This semester, I officially started my life as a double major, had my heart broken for the first time, lost some friends and gained a few, and met so many interesting people in events I’ve always dreamed of going to. I could say that the highest and lowest points of my life (so far) were contained in this semester. There were some days when I thought I was unbreakable— infinite even. But of course, there were some moments when I thought I was broken, unwanted, unfixable. During those moments of seeping loneliness, numbing heartache, and quiet confusion, how I wished I could turn back time and just warn myself from the future that lies ahead. Now wouldn’t that be a safer way to live?  But as I reflected deeper, I realized that if those low points in my life never happened, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I wouldn’t be the exact same person. I wouldn’t have the same realizations, maturity level, experiences, personality, thoughts, feelings, wisdom (perhaps), and (maybe even) attitude. Sure, I might be better off not experiencing those sad events, but I feel, I know, and I acknowledge that I wouldn’t have grown if it weren’t for those circumstances. After all, diamonds only form under extreme pressure.


Forgive me if I’m quite slow on the uptake, but I admit that I just now realized what this means: “the more one changes, the more one stays the same.”This quote makes me think of a book— how our lives mimic the format of a novel, how the circumstances we experience are recorded in the chapters of this book, and how a chapter only begins when the one before it ends. I realized that the more we live our lives, the more our stories unfold. Our actions, memories, daily interactions, and encounters with other people provide the words for these chapters— they lead us to the formation of our being. Things that happen to us affect us in a certain way and influence the formation of our identity. We are the synthesis of our experiences. It’s true that the quote seems to be contradicting itself, but I think that the changes we experience constantly help us affirm our being— our sense of self, that even if we’ve grown, we’re still us and this is still our life. It is true that when we get older, we might understand. Indeed, everything happens for a reason.

The Butterfly Effect

by Corrine Cheng



I was watching this film about a man who talked about different people who came by a coffee shop. There was an old man, a homeless man, a perverted man and the pink man (you can research about him in google) If you would notice, these people are totally different in the way they have lived their lives and it made me think of something about class last Thursday.

The main discussion was about existence and how one can prove he/she existed with his/ her lived experiences. How does this related to the video above? These people mentioned have lived differently which resulted to how they are at that particular moment. In a way, it shows how much experience can affect one’s existence. According to the narrator, “…I can sort of understood them in a weird kind of way.”  He mentioned possible scenarios about how he could be that kind of person had he lived differently. In here, the mentioned experiences kind of reminded me about the different people around me. We each are currently living different experiences. There are people who are happy now but there are also people who are sad. There are people who are angry but there are also people who are guilty. In a way, I can relate to these people. I have experienced happiness, loneliness, anger and guilt. But this relation made me realize something. I’m sure even great people like Mahatma Gandhi have experience these feelings. Does it mean that my mere existence can actually mean something?


It now brings me to the questions that I usually ask myself, “Why am I here? Why do I have to exist in this world? What is my purpose in life? Do I even have a purpose in life?” Basically, it questions my own existence. But it also brings about new questions like “Do people still want me here? Am I actually affecting some other life or none at all?” These questions now connect to other people. In a way, it makes me think about the people around me and whether my existence is important enough. Other people say that we exist to affect another person’s life whether big or small. It actually reminds me of the Butterfly Theory. In this theory, it explains that even a small butterfly can affect the world by its choice of flying to the left or the right. If only the existence and choices of a mere butterfly affect the world, does it mean that even my existence and choices can affect the world? I hope so.

The Subjective Time

by Andrew Gallardo

Time, for me, is one powerful entity that encompasses the actions of many creatures. Indeed, it is a part of the way of life and it dictates the way of life of all creatures in this world. It is an inevitable force that makes the world spin, and, conscious or not, makes the life go on.

Yet, there is something about time that always leaves me wondering. Why is it not fixed? Why is it that there is no such law that dictates a set time for everyone? Can we not make an agreement that a midnight should really be a midnight for everyone, and not 11:59 in the evening for someone, and 12:01 in the morning for another?

I know that there is a new law now in this country that sets such fixed time, though administratively, I guess that it is not being followed. I mean, even until now, my wrist watch and our clock watch does not reflect the exact same time. But in a broader scope, someone in another country surely has a different time with me. To be specific, there is even an adjustment rule on how to convert your time with that to another land.

But no, I would not talk about physics, astrophysics, astronomy or whatever field of science that would explain why such difference of time occurs. Nor would I talk about how space influences time and all those philosophical explanations. I would just like to relate what I have learned in my philosophy class- about the subjectivity of the concept of truth.

For me, the concept of time concretely shows how the truth is relative to the rational that interprets it. It is hard to find a standard time that is being followed by anyone. Even the “Big Ben” in London is not being followed by all the Brits. Therefore, we can imply from the situation that the meaning that we derive from the numeric time is the one that truly matters.

We all know that in these recent days, some people, especially those who work as call centre agents, have a rather different “take” on time than what we usually have. While most of us relate night time into sleeping, some people like the call centre agents and the guards have a contrary view to this. And while for Spanish and Italians, there would always be a siesta after lunch; some countries only treat this time as a normal mid-afternoon.

Again, maybe indeed, people do not bother in setting a fixed time for everyone for it is not really the numeric time that matters, but rather, it is what we do on those times that truly affect us. Each of us has our own “take” on a time. Personally now, in my case, night time until around 2:00 is the “working time” for me and 2:00 to 8:00 is the proper sleeping time. While a friend of mine sleeps from 10:00 in the evening until 6:00 in the morning. This subjectivity of the concept of time shows how a fact can mean so much different for anyone. And we should not force ourselves into brushing off this difference; rather, we should respect it, for the truth is indeed subjective- it relates to the very person itself of the meaning-giver.


And perhaps, that subjectivity of time is the one that gives birth to the adjectives that relates to the essence of time, such as the word “timeless”. For indeed, there is something more than the computed detail between things- something that mere words could never and should be enough to describe. And contrary to what I have stated earlier, it is not really the numeric time which should dictate the action. Rather, what we do on those times defines what the time is for us. And, certainly, it is really our actions that makes a time “timeless”.

The Urgency of Time

by Erika Tababa


I asked a question in class that I’m still thinking about 2 days after it was answered. The fox reminds us to be patient so we can “tame” him. This advice is also applicable to almost all relationships we are part of- be it as a friend, a lover, a conniver in all your marauding and being up to no good, and even as Catholic. This patience is required to get to know the Other, to try to understand their story, to begin to care and treasure the time spent with them. It pains and disturbs me to no end that such special relationships is in danger of being lost in the hundreds and thousands of all other possibilities. That the person in the elevator wearing a Dr. Who pin on her bag could have been on of your closest friends if only you asked whether the 11th doctor was their favorite or if they also watch Sherlock. Asking which can immediately create a special bond- you obsess over the same things and you can honestly teat this stranger like you’ve known each other since you were 12.

But you don’t. You don’t ask because you were scared of looking like a freak to the three other people in the elevator if the person ignores you or looks at you funny. Or maybe you were so anxious at looking at the speed of your descent because you didn’t want to be late for class that you didn’t even notice the pin. You then walk out of that elevator, one friend poorer.

So many other scenarios. So many other things that can close a vein of a beautiful possibility that could have grown and taken you to greater heights of being and living.

I want to curse it- this possibility of an impossibility. This pathos of being mortal. That there is such a limited time to explore the possibilities of all great relationships. Why can we push a button to filter all the possible “worthwhile” relationships and label them as such, making them not merely possibilities but eventualities.

Alas. This is as absurd as Adam Sandler’s life remote on Click. It’s an unfortunate reality we have to live in. Or is it?

Let us consider an alternative to our reality. Try rejecting what we have right now. Imagine a setting where we have an endless “supply” of time, where you can “sample” every possibility. Fleet through everyone and then decide whether they can be special or not. Suppose that were so, we can spend an eternity trying every flower in the world and never end up producing any good honey. You will not be able to cherish any of the memories you made because you’re confident, that fo sho, you can do it again, relive it again. One way or the other, down the infinite road ahead of you. And you live with that, with all the friends and non-friends in the world. What would that mean?

Nothing but bad honey. Or maybe like the thousand and so friends you have on Facebook.

We need the urgency of time. That everyday is a mystery, not a boring predictable eventuality. Every memory you make, cherished. Because you’ll never be 18 again, it’ll never be the same again. Living with the idea that “you only live once”, you try to make the most out of it. Even sometimes fee “tampo” because the Other didn’t show up because of other responsibilities, of other things that take up their time. It’s because we have a limited stretch in this world that we must choose to be responsible for the friendship you currently have with an acquaintance. Nevermind the girl with the pin. Don’t lament over it. It’s all theoretical, all the consequence of our mortality, of our ephemeral concrete existence. Instead, try to reconnect with an old friend. Maybe introduce them to Sherlock if you’re so grumped out about losing the friend in the elevator. Make your friends mean more than a million acquaintances.  That’s what makes them special. Tell them how much you want to spend more time with them, tell them there’s so much more you can share together, so much more differences you can fascinate about.

Let them be THE Other. Not just another. (AW YEH WORDPLAY FO SHIZZLE).

A Series of Insights

by Nats Barretto


Last Thursday's philosophy class was probably the best philosophy class for me so far.

"Time is not a line, it's an instant. Every instant is created anew with every instant."

This is an instant. And so is this. And so is this. Get it?

Fuck.

"The future is a promise. Whatever I have done in the past, I can still change meaning by what I do in the future."

Writing that word "fuck" up there was a mistake from the past. But I was able to change its meaning by using it as an example for a concept.

"Whenever I'm still alive, there's still hope."

True.

I think that line was the point of last Thursday's discussion. I'm still alive, there's still hope. We do not know what the future holds.

We can choose to believe that the future holds sadness and despair.

But why believe that? We can believe that the future holds beauty and joy.

There are many beautiful and joyful things in life, which the future can hold. And the first step in attaining those beautiful and joyful things is believing that you can attain those beautiful and joyful things.

So that you'd have the motivation in working for those beautiful and joyful things.

"Appreciation of time as very precious. It's poignant: it's beautiful, but it won't last forever."

Isn't it sad?

Nothing lasts forever, but that's just how life works. Beautiful and joyful things in the past must give way to other beautiful and joyful things that will come in the future.

"The best is yet to come."

Last Thursday's philosophy class was probably the best philosophy class for me so far. But I believe that the best is yet to come.

Being is not Time and not Being is Time

by Hubert Cua (part 2 of 5)

[I wrote this article without any intention of trying to criticize and/or falsify Martin Heidegger’s Being is Time. Also, the way I use Being, being and time in this article is quite different from the way Martin Heidegger use Being, being and time.]


When we are happy (Let us take occasions, like parties, celebrations, festivals, graduations as an example), we usually forget about the time. Usually, it is only when this happy moment passed that we realized that time passed so fast. When we are worried (Let us take occasions, like call of nature, traffic, fear of being late, emergencies as an example), we usually constantly look at the clock and feel that time goes so slow. Here, we can see the contrasting nature of time and being between the two. When we are happy, we experience time without knowing it. When we are worried, we experience time while knowing it. When we are happy, we are Being, because we are enjoying life to the fullest. When we are worried, we are simply being, because we are just living life.

Should time be experienced while knowing it or should time be experienced while not knowing it? For me, time should be experienced while knowing it. Why? One of the differences between a subject and an object is that a subject is capable of knowing that he/she experiences time, while an object is not capable of knowing that it experiences time. If we experience time, while not knowing it, then what is our difference with objects?

Based from the previous paragraph, it seems that I am side more on getting worried. Is it? Should we be or Be? For me, we should Be. Why? One of the differences between a subject and an object is that a subject Be, while an object simply be. If we be, then what is our difference with objects?

Why is Being time and why is being Time (From this point on, Time with a capital T means experiencing time while knowing it)? Can’t Being and Time be put together?

Time and Death

by Sophie Villasfer


"Time is movement," said Mr. Calasanz.  It signifies change, growth, and development.  It can be described objectively as chronos -- that is, through seconds, minutes, hours, days and so on.  It can also be described subjectively as kairos.  Kairos was described through an experience of waiting and spending time with the beloved.  Waiting for 10 minutes for the beloved feels that time is so slow (almost like forever), but spending the same amount of 10 minutes with the beloved seems so fast.  In terms of chronos, both were objectively 10 minutes, but not in the sense of kairos.  In a way, kairos is felt time.

 I would like to relate this to the question in the song "Seasons of Love": How do you measure, measure a year?  Perhaps we speak of chronos when we belt out " Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes".  And maybe we speak of kairos when we sing "In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee/ In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife."  Time is not just described by the clock,  it is also described by our experiences.

From describing time and the experience of it, Mr. Calasanz then describes the past, present, and future.  Why is it that even when the past is done, it still feels real to us?  Why is it that even when painful experiences happened many years ago, we still feel the hurt as if it happened just now?  The past becomes present as we continue putting meaning to it.  This meaning, whether the past has affected us positively or negatively, still contributes to who we are now.  For this reason, Mr. Calasanz suggested that the right attitude regarding the past is one of gratitude.  No matter what happened in the past, pleasant or painful, it helped in the creation of the person we are today.

Reflecting on this, I think this implies that we have the choice of how we give meaning to our past.  We have the power to give meaning to our experiences, to the things that happened to us.  We can use our experiences, whether they are positive or negative, to give meaning to our growth.  There is some truth in the saying "It is not what happens to us, but how we react to it".  In this context, maybe we can say that although what happens to us are important, overtime what is more important is how we interpret the experience in such a way that we learn from it.  The lesson can be as simple as life does not end with failure.  There is value in learning that one can still continue with life despite disaster.

Mr. Calasanz then describes the future.  The future is full of surprises. With the word "surprise", it can be divided to "sur" meaning out and "prise" meaning control.  Hence being surprised, is being out of control.  And many people do not like that.  Hence they plan out their future even for the next five to ten years.  Through planning, through imagining what would happen in the future, the future then becomes past.  This is because what has objectively not happened yet has already been laid out in one's head.  For the person, it has already happened.  Hence, the capability to foresee, or predict.  However, in reality, we cannot really see the future all the time.  In fact, there will be instances wherein a person is faced with a disaster and he or she exclaims "I have no future!".  However, it is when we do not have any grasp of what to expect, when our hands are completely empty, that we are free to receive everything.  For this reason, the future can be viewed with hope.  The future can be seen as a gift yet to be given, yet to be unwrapped.

Then I thought, maybe if we view the future with hope, we become less anxious, less worried.  If we view the future as a gift, we see it in a better light instead of seeing it with despair.  How about when dreadful things do happen despite our hope?  H.G. Wells gives a good answer:  "While there is a chance of the world getting through its troubles, I hold that a reasonable man has to behave as though he were sure of it.  If at the end your cheerfulness is not justified, at any rate you will have been cheerful."

Mr. Calasanz then asked, "If we view the past with gratitude and the future with hope, how about the present?"  He then describes the present as a commitment.  It is constantly keeping one's word, and it is an ongoing decision.  This ongoing decision can be related to the future.  In the hope of our future, we take actions that lead us there.  For example, a college student decides to take pre-med subjects in the hope of entering medical school and being a doctor.  All three attitudes: to see the past with gratitude, to see the future with hope, and the present as a commitment -- all these make the person solid and whole.

I wondered, is it a coincidence that many things were related to the idea of a gift?  Both the past and the future are seen as gifts that has been given to us, or will be given to us.  Perhaps commitment enters the picture when we commit to view all aspects of life as a gift.  To have an attitude of gratitude is a commitment; it is not easy all the time.

Mr. Calasanz then proceeded to talking about death.  According to Heidegger, people have an inauthentic view regarding death.  People see it as far from them, as unreal.  However, he explained that it is not our own death that is most painful. Marcel said that it is the death of the beloved other that hurts us.  When people we love die, we will be left alone.  We are the ones left in pain. Later on Mr. Calasanz describes death as the radical other, the perfect stranger that we know nothing of, and we do not want to know of it.  Finally, he ends with an assignment: Imagine if you were to die tonight.  Who would we talk to before we die? Perhaps that beloved person is the perfect stranger.

I was confused by his last line.  How could the phrase "perfect stranger" from being ascribed to death, suddenly be used to describe the beloved?  Is it because that we usually live our lives ignoring the important people in our lives, that they become strangers to us?  Is it because when put in the context of death, we suddenly see these people and realize that we have not fully experienced them, and them to us?  If this is the case, then thinking of death is not purely morbid thinking, but maybe, putting some things in perspective.  The important things in life suddenly come into focus.

Given all of this, we go back to the question of Sir Earl in class: "How are we to live knowing that everything passes?  Is there still value in living when nothing really lasts?"  Perhaps the value in life lies in the bigger picture.  The value is in seeing the whole life as a gift.  The movement of  every experience embedded in time is a gift.  To exist in itself is a gift, because we experience the rich abundance of life.  Some say that the secret is to appreciate everything, but not to hold on to them. It is true that when we are committed to this attitude of appreciation, we are busy experiencing -- going out of ourselves.  Andrew Matthews phrases it well when he said that abundance lies not in the accumulation of what we have, but in what is circulating in our lives.  When we are busy going out of ourselves, in the sense of the giving of our ourselves through loving others, we forget about grieving over things lost because our focus is not anymore in taking in, but in giving out.    We are to live in view of the transcendent, of what goes beyond ourselves.  The value in living is being loved, and the experience of having loved.  What is the proof of this?  Usually, people are afraid of death because they realize they have not loved enough.  On the other hand, those who have loved are less afraid because they are secure that their lives have been worthwhile.  As mentioned before, having an attitude of gratitude is a commitment.   When this gratitude is directed towards others, when we are grateful of the people in our lives, it becomes easier to love, to live, and even to die.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

- 1 John 4:18