Thinking Out of the Box 11

Wait a Minute, Kapeng Mainit

I was drinking coffee while I wrote the article, that's why the title. So what has it got to do with what I am going to say? Read on.

There you have it, Sen. Noynoy Aquino has took on the challenge to become our next chief. While some are eager to support him, there are also those who doubt his abilities to lead. That is the angle that they want to focus on and I do not disagree with them.

The thing is, the country seems to be looking for an instant role model particularly during these times that the incumbent administration is unpopular. Unknowingly, many people create an illusion that one person can save us from the fires of hell. That a country's leader can solve all our debts and multitude problems with his magic wand. Looking back at history, it is repeating itself.

At the same time, there are many brilliant people who can easily see what can go wrong than what can go right in any particular presidential candidate. Thank heavens I did not dream of politics.

For me, sipping this hot kohi, politics should be treated something like coffee. The electorate should be very careful in drinking it, or we burn our lips. We should let it cool down a bit with time, a most essential element. We study the pros and cons. We take time. Haste makes waste. We should analyze our options. We should do our homework. The country needs a person who can lead. But we should look at ourselves first. Can we be led? Do we have what it takes to choose the proper candidate? Are we willing to follow?

When the coffee cools a bit more, then we taste it. It will not burn our lips and tongue anymore. We follow the leader. When everyone becomes a leader and when we all talk simultaneously, what do we achieve? True, many Filipinos are brilliant. So brilliant are we that we could not follow. We are thinkers, yes. But can we be followers too?

And so goes the last drop of coffee. Satisfying. Let us give it a time. But not so much time that it becomes boring to drink, lest it becomes iced coffee. Let us do our part as matured and sophisticated voters. Let us study carefully who to support. And if our conscience dictates on a particular candidate, regardless of our familial or political affiliations, then we follow the lead.

It's time to grow up.