[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’MY LIFE AS ART ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PETER SOLIS NERY
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
What have you done?
I WAKE UP every morning with a prayer, “Lord, help me make a meaningful existence.”
And I proceed to do at least three important things for the day.
It could be as simple as writing my column or poetry, volunteer to walk the neighbor’s dog or babysit her grandson, or do the laundry and pay the bills.
Sometimes, I do extra. And I always attend to the meaningful little interruptions in between. Like, answer an online interview from a student in the Philippines, or just provide a Facetime or Skype support to depressed OFWs somewhere in the world.
Seriously, I do a lot for other people. And I’m not paid for doing it.
I mean, I know some people are envious of me. They’re not happy that I’m getting all these attention, and winning all sorts of awards.
I’m not going so far as to say that sometimes they even resent my travels, and seemingly endless vacations.
But they sometimes hate my Facebook posts. They think I’m gloating. And they proceed to dismiss me as boastful and full of myself.
But they don’t know.
They don’t understand that I’m not posting anything for them, but for the people who need me. For the people who are in need of an inspiration, a model, a challenge, an example.
I like posting photos of my travels on social media because a lot of people I know want to travel, but can’t.
I settle for them what they can’t accomplish themselves.
And many of these people are actually thanking me for making them see the world through the eyes of Peter Solis Nery.
I know I serve some purpose for these people.
Now, as for the awards, and the attention I get for them, I think we should just celebrate every good thing that comes my way. I mean, I do work for these things.
I wake up and pray, and write a story. I edit, I revise, I read the rules, I submit, I wait in agony, and if I don’t win, I endure.
It’s not easy to be an award-winning writer. That’s why I think we should just celebrate every win.
As a writer, I know I am not a better person than say a teacher, a doctor, or a farmer.
A teacher does noble things educating the youth. She sacrifices so many things, sure. She reports to school, and teaches.
But she gets a regular monthly pay as a teacher. I don’t. She has a pension. I don’t.
A doctor saves lives. Great! He also gets a lot of money for doing so. I mean, even I have to pay to see a doctor. Except when I see my own doctor-friends.
In a Filipino party, a doctor gets priority sitting over a writer. Well, not in my case, but generally.
A farmer is, well, a farmer. She needs to cultivate the soil so her family can eat. No news there. No need to put it on the newspaper, or post it on Facebook.
So, unless a doctor goes to give a free medical and dental mission, I don’t think I should be jumping up and down.
Shall I celebrate them for saving lives? Sure, but they are only doing their jobs. Didn’t they make that oath?
And so, I because I write even if there is no money in writing, I really feel entitled when I am celebrated as an award-winning writer. I am not paid to do this, so this is my going above-and-beyond the call of duty.
If you want to be technical about it, my vocation is to write, not to win awards. If I win an award, that’s going beyond what is expected of me.
Now, I can rest on my laurel and stop there, being an award-winning literary celebrity.
But I don’t. I go beyond what is expected of a winner.
I go back to my roots, and give back to the community. I try to make good in my prayer to have a meaningful life.
I try to honor my deal with God.
To be honest, coming home for my annual Philippine trip is one of the most stressful times of the year for me.
I go home to the country not to enjoy a vacation, but to give workshops and lectures. To support artists and writers, and to promote creative writing and literature. To touch lives and inspire young minds.
Who’s asking me? No one. Who’s paying me? No one.
So, is it so hard to understand if I take a little pleasure in the media exposure, and public attention, that I get?
Isn’t that a very good partial payment, and half-compensation, for all the selfless and altruistic things I do?
I do not ask for much in this life. Only that my efforts are recognized, so that I will be inspired to do more.
Because honestly, it’s hard to keep on doing good if you feel that the world in general is ungrateful.
It’s hard to continue doing good, if you are not validated. I mean, I get it that some people can get by without being paid any attention. It’s just not me. I’m not that kind of person.
I want to do good. I want to be perceived as good. Because that’s who, and what, I am.
I am essentially, quintessentially, good.
Anyway, for this 2017 trip to the Philippines, I had these calendared:
I arrived on the Aug. 17.
Then I conduct a workshop on Poetry with emphasis on Song Lyric Writing and Performance Poetry for The Stage Communications Institute at Robinsons Place Jaro on Aug. 19-20
Today, Aug. 21, I’ll give a retreat and workshop to the Ilonggo boyband 212i in Santa Barbara.
On Aug. 24, I’ll do the first leg of Peter’s Prize 2017, and lecture on “The State of Hiligaynon Literature and Ilonggo Arts” at University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos in Bacolod City.
I’ll fly to Koronadal City for the book launching of new writers from South Cotabato, and give a writing workshop on Flash Fiction and Children’s Literature on Aug. 25-28.
I’ll lecture on “Literature in the Age of Blogs, Facebook and YouTube” in Balasan, Iloilo on Aug. 30.
Will attend the Palanca Awards on Sept. 1.
Will host the Peter’s Prize awards night in Iloilo City on Sept. 5.
And I’ll fly back to the US before 9/11.
Already, it’s a pretty tight schedule, but I’m sure I’m going to accommodate some meaningful interruptions along the way.
I mean, aren’t these unplanned interruptions the ones that really make a difference in our lives?
So, yeah! If you don’t know me, you think I’m pretty full of myself.
But once you actually know me, and see, what I do for others, you might just admire me.
And when you realize that I do this mostly on my own (the workshops and lectures are just starting to pay, really), and from my own pocket, you might just be inspired to do something for humanity. Of your own accord, and from your own budget.
Because unless you can do that, you have no right to tell me I am so full of myself! (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
