signs of hope

last friday, we gave a briefing on the current national crisis to more than 150 college students coming from different organizations here in the ateneo. calungsod hall was so jampacked, they had to bring in additional chairs, while others had no choice really but to stand along the sides. in previous briefings, we would normally just speak before an audience of 10-15 students, but this time it's 10 times more.

personally, i see this as a sign of hope. these students could be among the busiest college students in the whole country, especially at this time when the semester is about to end, plus the many activities they have in their respective orgs. and they still have the heart to take on and know more about the national situation.

at this early these students are widening their circle of concerns to embrace issues more complex than where to eat for lunch or how to look good. when they share that their hearts were broken with the recent death of the impeachment, i see that a sign of hope too.

i hope to see these students growing up to be the rizals of our days. it's been more than a hundred years since the ateneo produced heroes like them. or the evelio javiers in the martial law years. crises are opportune times for the emergence of such heroes. and they have to start emerging now.