“Don’t complain about the
things you are not willing to change.”
One of the oldest
streets in the Philippines settles in the heart of Cebu. In fact, Colon Street
is the oldest street in the country. Long ago, before I was born, the street
was old-fashioned and beautiful, peaceful and vacant. Horses filled the streets
and little cars were visible yet. People were doing their daily activities of
selling at the little market they have. Buildings look bigger before, now
they’re wrecked, black, and dusty like an old haunted house. Some even looks
abandoned.
I heard the people
say that the provincial government can’t bring the old vibrant ambiance of
Colon Street. Probably, it costs too much in their pockets. Or small business
owners would worry about getting a new makeover for the place. Do they know it
floods when it rains there in Colon? The street drowns with any kind of shit:
dog, cat, rat, and even people shit floats in that black flood of death.
I love Colon Street
but it’s too scary to walk alone. Gangs might see you and make you their prey
for the day and take all of what you have, and probably sell you kidney and
liver. Or make you their slave. I love Colon Street but it too polluted: the
air, rivers or any water bodies of nature there is. It’s chaotic. Lady Vendor
would warn you to keep your bags in front of you or you’ll never know when
you’re being stolen from behind silently like shadow. I love Colon Street but
some of the people can’t be trusted. Better not talk to anyone except mall
employees like Kuya Guard at the entrance door. I love Colon Street because of
the cheapest finds you can get. In this place, as well, I see the world’s
strongest women who can left a basket of pumpkins heavy as 3 gallons of water,
more or less. Here, I see the world’s invulnerable children or maybe I just
don’t know but they look healthy and smiling.
No matter how much I
can complain about this street, I can never hate it above the line. I love its
flaws and ugly truth, although I do want to make a change and make it better. I
don’t want its people to just stay the same forever. They deserve progress and
development. A success after all their hard work all day and night. But, if
content is what they need and not all glory, then let it be. Colon is Colon. If
it change or not, I will still love it and hate it.
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