FULGENCIO, JAYVEE P.

1-18

Reflections of Our Being

How does one exist? Repeating this question in mind would just make ourselves end up
stumbling on the same pattern of determining what existence is and how it is confirmed. One may
say that it is confirmed through the union of two cells, namely the sperm cell and the egg cell, that
has developed within the womb of a mother. Others would defend that it is an actualization of
oneself that they are existent. There are endless theories and conceptions of what existence is and
how it can be determined, whether biological or psychological, or things may be determined or
not, I have the assurance that myself, as a being, exists.

Tracing back through the Philippine History, our country is seen to be colonized by several
countries namely Spain, America, and even Japan. Despite that the Filipinos have struggled for a
long time to attain freedom of their own, these events have led in creating what the Philippines
truly is in our current era. Influences from the religious aspect of the Spaniards, the education that
the Americans has brought us, and up to the practices that we have learned from the Japanese
would be observed within the diverse culture of the Philippines. This has been seen to play a
significant role in the upbringing of the identity of the Filipinos. Together with this identity, we
could depict that it has molded parts of an individual’s being. The ability of Filipinos to adapt in
every situation, whether being colonized or not, is one of the proofs of the effect of the history
towards us, in which we became hospitable that can be observed in our own households. Having
these historical antecedents as an external factor that adds up in the being of an individual made
me realize that we are all countries of our own, we have numerous colonizers among us, whether
it may be problems, struggles, or even unpleasant encounters, and our own culture is dependent on
how we deal and accept with these events in our lives.

Now, shifting our focus from large scale up to a smaller one, we can see the roles played
by our own families in the composition of our identity as a being. The upbringing of the paternal
and maternal figure has added on the construction of the psychological and sociological
development of a person. This has reminded me of the ways of how my parents have imparted
their perception of moral values and ethics towards the society to me. This has helped me
determine my own perception of what is right and wrong. In addition to this, my self’s biological
aspect has also played a role on contributing to the identity of my being. Several stimulants have
been participating on each action that I have undertook, whether it is emotional, or mental. And in
every action that has been undertaken lies a decision done. These decisions results to outcomes
that becomes a lesson for us to take as we develop ourselves.

In determining our being, whether on a historical point of view, familial aspect, or even
internal, I have realized that all the things that occurs in our life, either in the past or present, has
a significance on us. We can’t deny the fact that everything has a relevance on us. Life events
would always remind us of how far our progress has been. Whether big or small, all these events
have made us choose among the options, and yet we decided on which we think is the most suitable
one. These decisions come with a responsibility of the action that we have undertaken, and it leads
to lessons in our lives. Only we have the ability to discern which of these are we willing to bring
in order for us to improve and move forward upon facing what the future awaits. Afterall, our
being is not just about those around you, but it also involves on our decision of how we place each
block of our memory, tile of culture, and pillars of our own history.