It was a night like no other.
What with a downpour that shook my almost shattered being – after an exigent day at work but my great partiality for this man is just compelling. The sheer thought that I would see and hear him talk has already won me over a thousand times that I easily dismissed my aching soul. I just knew that it was a night that I could not let pass.
As my hand clasped with my beau's, we were one of the hundreds (if not close to a thousand or two) of audience who intently listened to what he had to say about the contemporary issues that the Philippines are facing.
While waiting for the talk to commence, I started to feel a little twitchy. I just could not wait to see and hear him talk in the flesh again. The last time I met him was during my high school days, when I used to write for a school paper. That time, he was already a really passionate person/writer/Filipino. My very young heart then was captured.
My waiting soon ended that moment I saw him with his trademark hat on. My heart leaped that I had to silently contain myself – almost commanding it to hush.
National Artist for Literature F Sionil Jose is one man who never failed to interest me since the time I first heard him talk and read his writings more than a decade ago. At 85, he still has the fire that can light up anyone’s thoughts and awareness. As sharp as he still is, I do not know anyone who can beat him with his vast knowledge about the Philippine history and this country's contemporary issues.
While this octogenarian takes being a Filipino very seriously, it amazes me how he has kept his sense of humour still very integral. A strong attestation that he believes that there is still hope for this country.
If one is a habitual reader of FSJ’s column, Hindsight – it is impossible to overlook how he greatly loves this country. His words are sharp and painful – but they are also true. He is tough love in human form to me – when he writes and speaks.
An awe-inspiring sentiment embraced me when he said that he does not write for the best writer there is in the world but instead, he writes for his countrymen. He writes for us, Filipinos. With such conviction – the way he said, “I DON’T WRITE FOR THEM. I WRITE FOR YOU!” sent me to tears. As if he was merely talking to me, how I felt loved!
Of all the leaders or personalities that this country has ever produced, nobody has ever made me feel loved as a Filipino/countryman the way F Sionil Jose did (and still does).
He concluded the talk with a precious advice that is both simple yet complex to this country’s next generation: MAGPAKA-FILIPINO KAYO!
I told you, it was a night like no other.
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Wrote this on August 22nd 2010.
