In my extended stay here in the beautiful coastal town of Carigara, Leyte, I have come into the habit of feeding birds. Birds of all sorts are plenty in this part of the world, maybe because boys no longer roam the wild with slingshots, like we used to do decades ago. Computers have now become the primary source of excitement for boys. Besides, many local governments have adopted measures punishing bird-hunting and trading.
The birds I feed with leftover rice twice a day --- once in the morning and once in the afternoon --- are common sparrows. There must be around 50 of them, although there is really no way to come close to a real estimate, as birds feeding on the ground are as shifty as birds in flight. The 50 is just to come up with a number. But trust that my birds are many enough to make feeding them a real pleasure
They are my feathered friends. And it was while I hung on to the thought --- Feathered Friends --- that it occurred to me that many, if not most, of the most beautiful and truly meaningful things in life start with the letter F. There is Fame and there is Fortune. Whether singly or in tandem, the search for Fame and Fortune is what drives many, if not most, people. The pursuit is Fun, the achievement Fulfilling.
Do not believe in what others say in self-consolation --- to be First is always so much better than being Second, or Third. To Fit in is always better than being an outsider, an outcast, a pariah. To be Fit is always better than being unable, incapable, unfit. Then there is Food, everybody's Favorite. Instead of hate, give me Fondness everytime.
As a male, I admit to a Fondness for Females. Maybe that is why all my children are Females. Females are the Finest pieces of creation to me. In fact it is they who give Form and Finality to creation. So desirable are they that some Males actually want to become Females. But as for me, I would not have it any other way --- this thing that Males and Females do with one another when they are alone together. And it starts, naturally, with an F.
When you are through with something successfully, you are a Finisher. You Finish school, you Finish the race. When you understand something, you Fathom it. When you do something about it, you Fashion it. If it is good, it is Fine. If it is perfect, it is Flawless. If one is true, one is Forthright. If one is dependable, one is Faithful. When one is just, one is Fair.
Aside from my new-found Feathered Friends, I have been a longtime cat lover. Cats are of course Feline. Human Friends are naturally way up high there on my list. There is no way we can go through life without the comfort and company of Friends. But more than Friends, there is Family. Without Family, who can we really be?
On the more serious side, there is Faith. Faith is the undeniable rock upon which we steady ourselves. Faith is what drives us Forward. Finding Faith is its own just reward. It is the Foundation from which we reach out to others, our Fellowmen. The Son must come from the Father. Before Salvation there must be Forgiveness. I love the letter F.