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The Chinese Lunar New Year may have been celebrated over a month
ago, but a lot of people still find themselves imbibing their fate
for this year, going to great lengths to make sure that they appease
the right spirits or attract good fortune. Some dream of finally
being able to fling themselves out of the rat race, or find fortune
from the sewers. A lot of us have done various preparations to be in
harmony with the Yellow Earth Rat, who is said to influence the
tides this year, according to the Ba Zi.
All over Asia, some of the most judicious
investors forget about charts and scientific forecasts, and turn to
feng shui masters to steer them in the right direction. Even Mickey
Mouse restructured the entrance of his Hong Kong Disneyland home to
attract the right vibes. Those in the earth and metal industry are
all smiles for it is said that the Rat promises them a flourishing
year.
While it is good to be inspired by age-old
tradition, the reality is that we cannot always lean on things
without our own efforts and abilities. A lot of people are happy
that the Rat is going to rule us this year, but I cannot help but
wonder, “Haven’t we always been governed by a Rat?”
We most certainly are a Rat-loving nation. And
we have always exhibited that in our preference of leaders. But I am
not casting the blame on our leaders for Rats can only rule over
Rats. We all have a role to play, for we are all guilty of acting
like rats, and sometimes even worse.
Like the furry hamster, most of us revel in
ostentation. We take pleasure in being given all the attention. But
at the end of the day, no matter how adorable we seem to be, cooped
up in a plastic cage, we’re still hamsters, and nothing more.
Worse, we love to show off by running around in our little wheel,
exhausting ourselves and getting nowhere. We’re not hamsters, so
we can go beyond that and build up on substance. It is good to be in
a fast pace, but not in a mindless hurry. There’s no such thing as
winning the lottery. Everything takes skill, experience and timing.
Forget about overnight glory; work on something that will truly
benefit us, and those who will come after, or else we scurry around
like this forever.
While it is astounding how rats are able to
thrive in sordid places, sometimes we sacrifice the quality of
living to give in to our inconsequential greediness. Though we are
known to be a very resilient people, adapting easily even in the
harshest of circumstances, we sometimes take it too far. I know
it’s too late and too early to be talking about the elections, but
it is so depressing to know that a lot of people would trash their
constitutional right and dignity for a couple of hundred pesos and a
bag of groceries. While I couldn’t blame them for wanting to
satisfy their physiological needs, I think that it would be wise to
think twice before contributing to the pestilence.
It’s high time we learn to decipher the
significance of the Year of the Rat on ourselves as a nation.
Instead of buying talismans and other rubbish that are supposed to
bring unimaginable wealth, why not focus on producing luck on your
own—through good old hard work and the right mindset? It is wiser
to get hold of your own fate than expect it from a Rat.
Must we wait for another cycle to accomplish
what we can? Everyday is a new day, and only we can promise a good
life ahead for ourselves. They say that the whole concept we have
for the year is the image of a seed sprouting from the ground. The
beginning may be very hard, but when will we want to begin?
We must start early and wisely, and emulate the
good traits of the Rat for our benefit. Let’s move away from
making each year the Year of the Wrath.
mlatimes@gmail.com
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