miracles

I was on a jeepney back home to my parents this morning when I remembered that presidential candidate JC de los Reyes was in the office the other day to talk about, among other things, how their campaign was going so far. He struck me as a rather pleasant man; he looked so young when I saw him up close, when he came over to me and shook my hand.

He does seem like a genuinely nice person, and though we don't exactly see eye-to-eye regarding the Reproductive Health bill, I do agree with him about miracles.

If there was one thing that struck me the most about that small conference, it was how he viewed everything as a miracle. You know me, I am a fan of miracles (never mind that I'm not even a devout Catholic), and I admit having sat there somewhat humbled when the 40-year-old councilor described their entire campaign as a miracle: "That we have gone this far is a miracle. That these people around me (gesturing to his senatorial slate and vice president, all older than he is) submitted to the youngest presidential candidate is a miracle. The media picking us up - that's a miracle. That you made time for us today, that's a miracle."

That may have been paraphrased a bit as I am typing it from memory. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was also the angle of the Inquirer story about it in today's issue (JC: We've gone this far, that's a miracle, via Inquirer.net).

I've said I'm not devout, but it doesn't mean I'm not spiritual. I have great respect for people who recognize that they're always in the midst of Something Greater, that most things that happen are not of our own making.

People say he's got his head in the clouds. Maybe they're right. I also think that the clouds are a far nicer place than this hell hole, and I don't really want to blame idealists like him for dreaming that one day they'll make this country a better place. He and I are similar that way - sometimes I stay up at night thinking about how it would be great if one day, one day I too would be in a position to right wrongs and help people, and just, you know, be someone who matters. Someone people listen to. And I think De los Reyes and his lot are brave to enter this murky world of politics.

Am I voting for De los Reyes fifteen days from now? I can't say I will, in the same manner that I can't say that I am voting for any particular presidential candidate at this point in time. I am carefully studying my choices, and I think frankly all of us should. That said, I just hope that when the dust clears, De los Reyes and his lot would continue viewing the world as one made of everyday miracles.