TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL

One of my most loved songs when I was just learning to play the guitar, myself, is that song entitled: Teach Your Children Well. But I forgot its lyrics already. Country songs are always a come on to me, for no particular reason at all.

I hope you still remember the issue where we discussed a bit regarding amorality because what I am going to share with you in this issue has something to do about it again.

At about a little past five (5) in the afternoon, as I was going down the stairs of my workplace, my attention was called by my lady-friend whom I had formed a sisterly bonding with for about three (3) years already. I was caught off-guard at her kind of approach because it was brutally frank. She was, in fact, sort of blaming me I was not able to prevent the “immoral” act of one of my noted student-counselee (his habit of taking things from others, stealing – in other words, has gone berserk it probably has become a kleptomania by now), he victimized her cousin-priest.

After hearing from her the details of the alleged incident, I told her calmly: “First of all, he did not tell me anything about this stealing habit he has. Although I have knowledge of this abominable habit prior, I had to wait for him to voluntarily tell me. And second of all, counseling does not involve interrogating.”

Days passed and came the weekend where I’d normally sit and think deeply (after I finish my “talent portion” – doing the laundry) about things that bother me. After offering my prayers for God’s guidance, I texted the said student-counselee, who had already graduated his bachelor’s degree, and informed him of what happened. I told him I was ashamed, in fact. Even before he replied, I expected to get a denial, of course. Wala nga daw magnanakaw ang umaming nagnakaw sila.

The one text that pissed me off, however, was when he told me that all those allegations (when he was yet in school) were plain loose talks because nobody came up with proof or evidence he indeed stole from his schoolmates. This was his reply when I told him that I knew of his bad habit even then, but reminded him at the same time that “if you will just keep a good heart, money will come to you.” I told him abruptly it was time we stop texting because his left brain was at work again. And I sensed it was an orientation he got from someone to evade every time he was on the verge of being caught.

My second to the last message for him was to reassure him of my unfading love and that I will just be around when he needs me. He thanked and texted back telling me that I am really his “secret nanay”. I said: no probs, anak. It’s fine by me. I don’t need to be recognized anyways.

By heaven’s decision, however, to my surprise, I was informed that he struck again! This time he finally got caught. Absolute natural law that nobody runs away from, we indeed must pay, always. Kundi man ngayon, bukas.

After the news, when I finally came to settle my mixed emotions for him, I thought that it was most probably the beginning of his refinement. Everything happens for a purpose, and I am a great believer of that. Especially because an tawo daw, kon diri ngani gud naaaluhan sin tiupay diri man magbabag-o. That, when we hit rock bottom there is nowhere to go, but up.

And then days after, I learned from an old woman friend, that some “father-figure” of this problematic kid was helping him get away with what he has done. Oh, my Lord! What in the world is this again? – I thought. I was taken aback. I froze. I did not know what to think exactly anymore.

Ganito ‘yan: the problem is not immorality right away. The problem begins very subtly. It is imperative for us to inculcate in our young the proper values right from the start. The problem that confronts us very seriously these days is amorality. Everybody, it seems, do not know anymore what is exactly right from wrong; young and old alike, everybody is becoming more and more amoral.

To me, it is a grave misconduct for an adult to be bringing a young with him down, morally speaking. In the context of love naman, I don’t think it is love for the young to teach him of ways to get away with his wrongdoing, no, I don’t think it’s because of love at all. I think it’s done for a serious selfish motive. It’s like a blind leading a blind.

True love does not hurt. It does not mislead anybody. It thinks of only the welfare of the object of his/her love. And most of all, it disciplines. It teaches courage to face realities and attain peace and independence. It teaches acceptance. To say the least, true love empowers.

To bring back our kids to moral consciousness is empowerment. But it is certainly a tough job. If we had been amoral for a long time already, we will find so much difficulty to change because we have so much gray areas to take care of. But we must decide to eradicate the gray areas in our life or they will become black. Mas madali nga daw maging masama kesa maging mabuti’ng tao.

To this day, I keep praying for that kid. I had not heard of him anymore but I hope everything turns out fine for his own good. He is young and has, therefore, so much of life ahead. I hope he gains courage to face whatever consequence attached to what he has done, so he can finally move on. To evade the consequence is to only prolong his agony. Sisingilin at sisingilin tayo ng langit. (I shared with you that in our class, anak. Sana you still remember.)

My prayers for you, baby! God bless you.