Sunday, April 26, 2009

Pengeng Barya

"Kuya, penge po ng barya, gutom na po ako. Hindi pa ako kumakain, kuya…"

That was from a young boy, about 5 years old, trying to hold our gate as I was about to close it. I just arrived from work. My belief that it is illegal and it is not right to give to beggars made me stubbornly ignored him and closed the gate. Knowing that I can still hear him, he continued to beg, perhaps hoping that I’d change my mind and turn back to give something.

I didn’t.

I feel pity for the boy, but at the same time trying to convince myself that I was right. He's voice echoed in my mind before going to sleep that day. I am aware that I may seriously lack kindness in my heart. But something’s telling me that I did the right thing. There goes my usual sentiments; I wasn’t born rich either. I grew up with basically nothing. I never begged, nor did anyone in my family thought me to beg. My parents worked hard to provide us our needs. Often just enough, that anything in excess is considered luxurious. I learned it all the hard way. Blah! Blah! Blah! So, why should I let anyone, especially a young boy, think that begging is the only way to be able to eat?

In fact, didn’t I just teach him a lesson? I have shown him how cruel some people could get, and that the world is indeed unfair (insert cliché). That he has to work very hard to get what he wants and it may be fine to beg, but never expect to get something from it. Someday these experiences will make him strong.

Or am I wrong? I realized that maybe I am just making excuses to justify my unsympathetic act. Who am I to conclude that I was indeed teaching him a lesson? In his young, innocent mind, I could be just one of the rude, unkind individuals whom I believe he encounters everyday.

16 comments:

aajao said...

mean. LOL. but i must have done the same thing too... beg. joke. haha!

The Scud said...

tama ginawa mo. i blogged about that too from months back. nakaka-konsensya but it is the right thing to do.

natuloy ba kayo sa cebu?

Ely said...

aajao, kinonsenya mo naman ako. hehehe.

The Scud, yey! may kakampi ako. LOL. Sa May 19-24 ung Cebu namin. Tagal pa...

atto aryo said...

kahit sampung piso na lng sana tapos sabay tago at baka marami pa sumunod hehehehhe.

Ely said...

r-yo, naisip ko din un. pero kasi di ba illegal daw un? at ipinagbabawal din ng simbahan? naawa ako pero i thought that's the right thing to do. :)

aajao said...

no. honestly i would have done the same as what you did. kami nga ni wifey kapag magpapasko di ba lalong maraming bata sa kalye kung hindi nangangaroling, namamalimos. ang ginagawa namin, nagi-stock kami ng candies sa sasakyan kaya imbes na barya o pera, candies ibibigay namin.

Chyng said...

hhmm, halfhearted din ako sa ganayn. pero sa mga kumakantang badjao sa jeep or bus, ay, no way! the more na may nagbibigay, aakalain nilang laging ganun..

theNOTcrack said...

ganyan din ginagawa ko. haha. but i have a classmate noon na kinakausap niya yung bata tapos pinapaliwanag niya kung bakit hindi sila dapat mamalimos sa kalye. tapos binibigyan niya ng pagkain.

Ely said...

aajao, sabagay. mas ok na nga siguro pag pagkain ang binibigay instead na pera...which reminds me of another kid in La Union. namamalimos sila sa eskinita. Binigyan ko ng shake...nag-thank you naman. Siguro mga 4 or 5 yrs old din. Nagulat ako kc ndi ko ini-expect na magtthank you siya.

Chyng, naculture shock ako sa mga kumakantang yan sa jeep, tas nililinisan pa kunyari para maawa ka. hehe. wala kasing ganun sa probinsya.

electropunk, hmmm. kung minsan kasi ndi rin sila makikinig sayo kahit ano pa sabihin mo.

burn said...

Ganyan din ang ginawa ko. Pag binibigyan natin sila, they will just do it again and again.

Unknown said...

Laging may mga batang sumasakay sa jeep kapag naka-red lights dun sa agham road. pinupunasan nila yung sapatos ng mga pasahero. ang ginagawa ko lagi? dedma. haha..


yung iba namang mga mahihirap, bagama't alam na ang kondisyon nila sa buhay, eh wala namang ginagawa. lagi na lang sinisisi ang gobyerno.


buti masisipag parents ko kaya kahit mahirap lang kami, nakakaraos naman kahit papano. :D


nice one ely, i have a similar post nung mga first few days ko on blogging :)

theNOTcrack said...

minsan din kasi may mga batang ginagamit ng sindikato gaya nung sa slumdog millionaire.

lucas said...

the fact that it's illegal makes me feel better whenever i choose not to give to beggars...pero kapag matanda, minsan di ko maiwasang hindi magbigay...the thought that they might die on the streets stimulates my conscience...

the children will learn and grow, pero yung matatanda...some of them even thinks of just throwing themselves on passing vehicles...

ayun..hehe!

Ely said...

burn, i agree!


Reyn, nung una nagulat ako dyan sa mga nagpupunas ng sapatos.hehe.

yah, i remember that post.


electropunk, madami ata ganyan eh. ndi na natigil ung ganyang raket nila. kawawa mga bata.


lucas, me too! pero kahit matatanda, kung pd ayoko ko rin kaawaan. hehe. nagtataka lang ako kung meron pa kaya sila mga pamilya?

darla said...

ang tagal na nito pero ganito ako..sabihin mo nang masama ako pero pag me nagmamalimos sa kin..sinasabi ko

don ka sa tatay mo humingi...for all we know..naglalasing lang yon sa kanto.

dapat yong mga batang namamalimos, hulihin..tapos pag sinundo ng nanay at tatay..sila ang ipalit sa kulungan

Ely said...

Darla, same lang tayo. Saka pinagbabawal naman talaga ang mamalimos...