For Filipino Canadians, and over 800,000 others like us. the celebration (albeit more subdued than pre-covid days ) of June as Filipino Heritage Month comes at a glorious time of the year – spring!
The perfect time for new beginnings, a fresh start. A change which sometimes requires a paradigm shift which many people are resistant to.
What comes to mind is what my philosophy teacher once said, not exactly in these words — it is better that one takes the initiative to change oneself because, whether one likes it or not, the inexorable truth of life is change.
And when life changes you, it is usually more unpleasant. In short, don’t wait for life to force you to change. Take the lead. Make the change yourself.
Speaking of new beginnings — just this morning, on this beautiful, sunny and breezy day (lo and behold!) the seemingly dead branch of a raspberry bush, which my daughter stuck inside a pot weeks ago had fresh new green leaves sprouting.
It was a sight for sore eyes indeed. She had actually given up hope for its recovery but we kept watering it and watching it for any sign of life.
As the saying goes, hope springs eternal in the human breast. And here they were! No doubt about it, life was still expressing itself! Another reason to celebrate. Another thing to be grateful for.
It reminds me of the last scene or the final episode of the 87-episode, 2018 Chinese television series Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, which, at that time, was streamed 18.9 billion (!) times. And yes that is a letter “b”.
That’s China for you– with a 1.4 billion population, and not counting overseas Chinese people.
In the series, the Empress, played by incredibly talented, ultra- elegant and expressive, multi-awarded Chinese actress, Zhou Xun, who has passed on and so did her bonsai looking plum plant in a dish.
The plum plant was a gift to her from the Emperor during the early years of their marriage. After some time, the Emperor who loved her deeply, kept that “dead” plant with him all the time and in the end, as the Emperor himself is getting on in years, the camera shows tiny, baby leaves sprouting from the withered branches.
That was so moving. What a perfect ending! A touching testament to eternal life. Or for the romantics, eternal love. In mundane terms, one can also call it “recycling”. Something to think about, or maybe to sigh about?
From China, let us fly back to the land of our ancestors, the Philippines, from where hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, since the 1960s (as the late Ruben Cusipag recounted in his delightful book “History of Filipino Canadians in Ontario -1960 to 1990”, a much appreciated gracious gift from Tess Cusipag, Editor/Publisher of this long-running newspaper Balita, have migrated to Canada, and still counting.
The Philippines is probably the top source of immigrants to Canada. It is no wonder that Canada had no qualms in designating June as Filipino Heritage Month.
On Sunday, June 27 at 6 p.m., make time to watch a special television program produced and presented by Filipino Heritage Council of Canada (FHCC) on OMNI TV with a repeat on Tuesday, June 29 at 12 noon.
The TV special “Filipino Canadians Celebrate Canada: Isang Pagdiriwang” is the offering of FHCC on the occasion of Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Filipino Heritage Month.
There will be conversations with some prominent Filipino Canadians in different fields of endeavor, engaging Filipino dances and creative videos. Media partners for this broadcast event is OMNI TV and FilipinoTV (FTV).
I feel that this broadcast event comes at an opportune time because we made it a point to weave in the concept that although we are proud to be Filipinos by blood, we are also grateful to be a vital part of the vibrant diversity which is uniquely Canada.
Let us just say that the side message or the marginal notation of the broadcast event was meant to not make anyone, whatever their racial origin is, feel left out.
Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves to be inclusive instead of exclusive. We all have a shared humanity. I just heard someone say on some video on you tube, “you are truly a global citizen”. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
I really hope and pray that one day that there will be no countries, just one earth. Or maybe just one universe. So each one would be called a universal citizen. Sounds good to me. Am I being too much of a Pollyanna?
By the way, to all those eagerly awaiting the results of the Way To Go, Pinoy! Video competition, the three winning video entries will be announced, and aired, on that same TV Special, “Filipino Canadians Celebrate Canada: Isang Pagdiriwang”. Remember – June 27 at 6 pm on OMNI. With a repeat on June 29 at 12 noon.
In the spirit of celebration, or in Pilipino, “pagdiriwang”, I greet all Filipino Canadians a Happy Filipino Heritage Month and to all of us Canadians “Mabuhay tayong lahat!” We might as well stretch being inclusive to the time.****
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