The Lost Ones

Last Saturday, after leaving work to meet up with Katrina in Makati, I saw a naked man walking at the corner of Balete Drive and E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue.

The scene was somewhat scary and pitiful. He was thin, with a rounding belly, clad only with small patches of dirt, and was staring blankly towards his walking destination, as if he had lost all sanity. He was not holding anything; in fact, he had nothing.

Now I don't know what happened to that man, and how he ended up that way, but it's just dreadful to see someone lose it all. It's like a person who has lost all hope in living a normal life, and just walking towards nothingness.

A few hours later, I saw another old man near D. Tuazon Avenue, wearing only a shirt and holding a sack. I think he's still sane, but is struggling. I can tell that he's been through a lot.

Mom always told me not to lose hope, and to always work hard to attain what I want. It may not be easy in the case of the two I've mentioned, but there's still hope. Ever heard of Lucio Tan and Henry Sy? They were struggling and poor at first, but look at them now. Hard will and ambition gave birth to business empires, and they sprung forth from used bottles and shoes.

Moral Lesson: Never give up hope in surviving...