.:Waxing Philosophical Again?:.

A story I heard today...

Once there was a mouse who lived in an underground cave. Never having seen the outside world, he once heard a strange murmuring sound in a part of the cave he had never been to before. The sound seemed to be coming from above, yet, he had no idea what it was. Unknown to him, this was the soothing sound of a waterfall. The other mice told him to pay no heed to it, but he was downright adamant in finding the source of that sound.

And so one day, he escaped from the cave. He travelled aimlessly, until he found a rabbit whom he asked about the murmuring sound.

"I know that sound," the rabbit said. "I can take you there, but I am blind. If you give me one of your eyes so I could see, then I will take you there."

The mouse gave one eye to the rabbit, then rode on the back of the rabbit until they got to the edge of a forest.

"I am sorry," began the rabbit. "I cannot go further than this, because rabbits are forbidden to go beyond the forest. Fret not: you are near."

The mouse walked aimlessly again, until this time, he found a frog.

"Dear frog," said the mouse. "I have heard this soothing murmuring sound, and I could not but help to want to see the source of this sound."

The frog replied. "I know the source of that sound. Sadly, I am blind."

The mouse gave his other eye to the frog, and the frog took him all the way atop a small hill that views the waterfalls. The frog beams in joy as he describes how beautiful a sight the waterfalls are, and how the sound they make brings such tranquility to his soul. The poor mouse could only listen, for getting to see what he has dreamed of the most has cost him his sight.

After an hour, the frog leaves him to go home. The now-blind mouse hears a flapping sound above him, and then feels as though he is flying. In a moment, he is laid down someplace soft, and then he simply falls unconscious. The next moment, he feels that he is flying again, only this time, he can see. He can see the waterfalls in their glory, and it is he who is flapping his wings now.

Ask yourself: in the two occasions that the mouse gave his eye to the rabbit and then the frog, what was the difference? And then ask yourself: was it worth it, even if he were not to see the waterfalls at all (Unlike the way the story ended.). And then, ask yourself: what really happened to the mouse at the end?

Ah, yes. Words are our vessel to enlightenment. That much is true. Yet words, like any vessel, are of little importance when their purpose has been met. We would no longer need a pen if we have written what we wanted. We would no longer need to study something if we already know fully what it is, save for further knowledge, which belies one's knowing it fully.

Unfortunately, I am yet to find a man who has found no more need for words because he has simply understood. Harder still, if I were to find this man, how could I speak to him?

I'll leave this song for you to think upon...

Hintay
by Sugarfree

Mabilis ang ikot ng mundo
Sa kakasabay nahihilo ako
Isang hakbang sa limang patlang
May panahon, pagkakataong

REFRAIN:
Nawawala kapag di hinawakan
Dudulas kapag di iningatan, hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy


CHORUS:
Hintay, hintayin mo ako
Mahirap nang maiwan dito
Hintay, hintayin ako
Dahan dahan lang hoy


Mabilis ang galaw ng oras
Sa kakasabay nauubos ang lakas
Bilis na mahirap sabayan
Kung may panahon, pagkakataong

Repeat REFRAIN, then CHORUS

I'll... catch you guys next time. I don't know what just came over me... I'd get my head out of the clouds and talk a bit less vaguely about things like Aquinas and dialogue and Dr. Ibana's lecture when I get around to it...