My personal crusades

Most have new year resolutions. I don't. Because I don't believe in New Year anymore. The cycle of life just keeps on. Days turn to nights to days to nights. My argument is very simple: If many celebrate new year on after December 31, and the Chinese have theirs in February or some later date, the Buddhists (Thais) have their Songkran in April, there are three new years, not counting the less publicized cultures, all over the world. So what's the big deal? Why can't we just sleep tight on December 31 and wake up to a new day as we do all the time.

Time is relative. Einstein already showed us that, and recently news came out that scientists almost agree with him because they couldn't disprove him. In fact, my thinking is if we junk the Gregorian calendar, we might be able to explain climate change. We don't have to wonder why the chill came rather late this year, and the storms, and El Niño, La Niña, etc. The world, being matter, simply consumes itself or being consumed. But that's not saying we do not conserve Earth's resources!

Am not about to write on Climate Change or refute the Gregorian calendar, though. I just said I don't have NY resolutions. But I have personal crusades. These I (try hard) to do every day, because there is no new year, didn't I say?

1. Buy only local fruits.

I don't buy oranges, apples, grapes, pears, kiwi, etc. because they are imported. We don't help our economy by doing so. But I eat them if somebody gave me. Sayang naman. I just don't want to shell out my own money on them. I would buy papaya, pomelo, rambutan, mangosteen, kaymito - my number one fave fruit now, kasuy, pinya, mangga of course, chico, banana because they are local, from Davao, Guimaras, Aklan. I always ask vendors where the fruits come from. And I always buy from the fruit peddler doing the rounds of our village. The papaya looks freshly picked from her backyard.

When I have guests, I try to serve these fruits, especially those in season. Atis for example is abundant in September, and I grow one in my yard. Sometimes the bats and birds get them before I do. I don't mind. Knowing that there are bats around are a good sign that the ecosystem is still sound. Seeing different species of birds perched on our pomelo tree is a joy. We must plant fruit trees around our houses. Especially citrus variety, because the butterflies love to lay their eggs in their leaves. The birds pick the catterpillars and other insects, they pick the fruits, scatter the seeds, etc., so life goes on.

2. Take care of our money.

I don't exactly mean investing and using them in business. Keeping our money clean and uncrumpled is one way we who don't have much of them could do to help our economy. Many people fold the bills like origami, some crumple them. Galit ba sila sa pera. Countries that have better economies have clean and crisp bills. Walang langsa ng isda. So keep bills well in your wallets, or press them.

Keep loose change (barya) to pay tricycle and jeepney drivers. Don't give them the bills, because they are the number one origami artists. Jeepney drivers roll bills like tobacco.

If possible use the big denominations coins (10s and 5s) to pay the fishmonger. So our bills don't grow scales and smell like fish.

If you work as cashier, keep the torn and old bills in your money box, do not circulate them. They must be deposited or exchange for new ones at the bank.

Do not write your cellphone numbers on the paper bill. You don't get good friends that way. It's a venue for date rape and other unexpected crimes. Ikaw rin. Besides you're not that desperate.

Science of the Mind teaches us to love money. It doesn't only mean to love to work for money. It means loving and caring for the physical money - the bill and coins. Take care of them, keep them clean, uncrumpled. They will love coming back to you. Here, loving money means using them well. Do not use them for corruption, or corrupting yourself. Use it for right living and living right.

3. Send greeting cards.

There is no better alternative to nicely drawn greeting cards. Not the e-cards nor SMS greetings. It is always a delight to receive something from the postman, that's not your water or electric bill, subscriptions or credit card mailers. This is the only way we could keep humane in the digital global village. Hallmark must support me on this.

4. Buy from the peddlers around your village.

Padit sells dila-dila, bitsukoy, buchi, bingka that she cooks herself. Milo sells palutaw, dulse saging, banana cue every afternoon. They are women from our village. People like them should be supported so they keep these traditional foods. And I tell Padit to use banana leaves to wrap the dila-dila. I don't buy if she uses plastic bags. In the same way, I buy vegetables from this teenage boy who sees himself through night school, and fish from the women who live along the shore. They would help the fishermen haul in the fish and peddle their share to buy their rice or for their children's baon. They also save us from going to the market often.