Tanikalang Sulat

I received a “chain-email” today and it made me think as well as feel nostalgic. Since ako ay isang complicated na nilalang — we do the nostalgic first… then go to the thinking later. Baka kasi maguluhan lang kayo.

Nostalgic — naalala nyo pa ba not so long ago … nung wala pa sa ating vocabulary ang salitang e-mail at ang telepono sa ating mga bahay ay hindi pwedeng isama sa ating pag-alis dahil sa hindi pa ito “mobile”? Wag nang magsinungaling — maraming nakakaalala sa panahong ito. Nung panahong ito — bukod sa mura ang pamasahe, slightly safe pang maglaro sa kalye at kuripot pang magbigay ng baon ang ating mga magulang — uso na rin ang chain mail – pero chain letter pa ang tawag dito. Since bata pa at medyo gullible — paniwalang paniwala kami dito. Nobody dared to ask kung ano kaya ang mangyayari kung sakaling i-break mo ang chain. Nope – breaking the chain is not an option. Kahit ano pa man gang mangyari — ang pinakaimportante ay ang makagawa ka ng 10 copies of the chain letter and give/send it to 10 of your friends na hindi pa nakakareceive nito. And this is no easy task. Kung 50 lang kayo sa klase – then 5 of you lang ang pwedeng magbigay dun. You have to give it to your friends in other classes… or your other circle of friends ( mga ka-tumbang preso sa kalye, kakulitan sa Lector/Commentator group etc). Hindi lang yan — since nung mga panahon na yun — mayayaman lang ang may typewriter at carbon paper… at mahal pa ang pa “Xerox”… wala kang choice kung hindi isulat kamay ang 10 kopya na ito. And the chain letters of those times are quite long. Ang daming nakalagay na dapat gawin or else you have to suffer the consequences that those who did not follow experienced. Aba – bilang isang bata – ayaw mo naman na mawalan ng trabaho (kahit hindi ka pa working…. What if matransfer ito sa parents mo and sila ang mawalan ng trabaho). Ayaw mo ring masagasaan, magkasakit, manakawan, masunugan, hiwalayan ng asawa (kahit wala ka pang asawa – the curse may be eternal !), mabalian ng buto, magkadiarrhea sa school, maging housemate si Cristy Fermin at Jobert Sucaldito..etc…etc.. Whew… Stressful. Pagkatapos mong maipamudmod ang chain letter at madagdagan ng sampung bagong kaaway — you can’t help but feel relieved. Sa wakas — dahil sa pagsunod mo sa chain letter na yun — your future is so bright – you have to wear shades. Then you grow up… and reflect back that you are very stupid and gullible during your younger days. But hey — who isn’t?

Thinking – I am not a believer of chain-mails or chain-sms.. now. I honestly believe that God will not punish you dahil lamang sa hindi mo naipadala ang mail to your x number of friends. However — I do forward a chain mail kung sakaling maganda naman ang message nito. Yun nga lang — medyo may kaunting editing na. Any sentence pertaining to sending to x number or friends and prophecy of doom if not followed will be deleted. I am sharing the mail not because I had to…but because I want to. Which brings me to today — Today I received 3 chain mails all with subject 1 to 17. The chain mail states the I should make a wish before reading it… so ok… make a wish… hmmm… what will I wish for…. Hmmm…hmmm… hmmm at isa pang hmmm…. Which makes me wonder — bakit nahihirapan ako mag-isip ng something to wish for. I have a lot of things in my “wants” list pero I feel it is not something that I should wish for. I should wish for something you really-really want and you think can be given to you. So aside from my wants list - out na dyan ang world peace, mabuo ulit ang ozone layer, Beatles reunion – kasama si John Lennon, katapusan ng Shake Rattle and Roll franchise at maging next Philippine President si Jamby Madrigal. I am not saying my life is perfect — but so far… it is okay. And okay is definitely good .. right? So — kailangan I should stop thinking about myself — and wish for something that will be beneficial for the family or friends. Hmmm…. That will be the right thing to do. So — I decided to wish for — secret — baka hindi magkatotoo. After the wish – I read the chain mail…. did what it told me to do…. then edit out the mail then send to a couple of friends. Do I believe that my wish will come true? — Let’s just say that I am hoping… but not expecting. Kung hindi man magkatotoo – well… to bad. Siguro hindi pa lang talaga panahon na ibigay sa akin ang wish ko. ☺