The will to serve: An introduction

I’m not an early bird. Long ago I was, but that was during a time period where deadlines were far more important than the essence or the purpose of a given activity.

Although content-wise and accurate, I’d like to believe that a project, whether big or small, achieves its full significance when the words are not dead. Or rather, it was breathed from the author’s soul.

I, not being an early bird, would probably have this exam passed 2 or 3 days before the end of the semester, but this isn’t the time for that. The question was too personal and relevant at this time, so here’s my answer:

I’ve been writing for more or less a decade now and have always found solace in    words. Whether corny or interesting, crafts are beautiful. tainted and flawed, but the possibility of   growth is never gone. The aesthetics are still there. As a result, I was constantly reminded    that when writing in a non-academic context, you always carry with you your aim, whether to    inform, entertain, or persuade.

Thus, this book was written with the understanding that this craft cannot    be contained within the walls of books and theoretical knowledge. This is personal and I intend to    inform you of it.   I'm not sure how to answer the question, "What does it mean to be a Filipino?"

I hated    these genes. Growing up, I was always insecure about my body size. My age only adds up, but    I didn’t seem to reach puberty. I was always small, and even if I was capable, my skills have    always been tied down to what I looked like. I was prevented from doing practical tasks as I    might just hurt myself.

The ability to reach certain regions after winning several contests that    concern the school at a given level has only added to the evidence of my incapability to be    useful outside of the school. For some, I am only good in acads; outside, I would perish.  

I had no idea those were already subtle forms of smart-shaming and body-shaming.    And though it unarms someone with confidence, it is treated as a norm in this society. Thus,    considering it is already the norm, it is not hard to conclude that these people have been living    longer than I have ever imagined and I was one of their victims.

I recently had a conversation    with my students. Well, I’m not a professional teacher. I may not be even qualified to be one,    but I chose to spend some time in the morning teaching neighboring kids the basics of    theoretical knowledge in school.   

One of our conversations has remained with me, not because it is funny, but because it    was real and full of character. One of the kids, whom I fondly call Carah, has spoken about    working in a station department with the cops rather than working in the field, not because she    does not want to and because it is dangerous, but rather because of the belief that she cannot    go out there and chase some law violators because she is a woman and she is not fit to be doing    that when men are around her.   

And though it might make some sense as some fields in the Philippines are dominated    by men, what I did not like about the narrative was the fact that it is mainly a mysoginyst    statement hiding behind a widely accepted adage of society.

In my mind, the possibility of    women excelling or just basically being given the opportunity to handle a certain thing should depend on the possibility of men being absent in that field.

Women are not inferior, and that is    not to raise competition for men. That is just to acknowledge the truth that there is no    competition in the first place and that there should be no favours and prejudices to be raised    because that is a right to be guaranteed to all people, not sex-related or gender-related.

 Author's Note: This is still incomplete might post the lacking part tomorrow.