The warrior in us

The celebration of the great courage of the chieftain of Mactan when he and his men fought against the Spanish colonizers is another facet of the commemoration of 500 years of Christianity. It was courage like this that motivated other Filipino heroes to follow in his footsteps.

No amount of strategy could convince Lapu-Lapu to use Christianity to colonize a nation or territory. They were compelled to protect the land at all costs by the warrior within them.

The lesson of courage is still relevant in the Philippines today. It serves as a reminder of the type of leader we have and the extent to which they protect us from external threats and dominion. If Lapu-Lapu had lived today, he would be furious about how they handled our sovereignty.

The spirit of a warrior is relentless, as warriors conjure up images of fierce battles and the quest for territory. However, as everyday people, we can be warriors too, as everyone has to overcome obstacles in life. We are continually confronted with life's challenges. We get tired fighting for what we believe is rightfully ours. We've come to the point where we've asked ourselves, "What's the point of fighting now?" We've spent all of our time and energy, so what's the point if we're still doomed to fail?

In our own little ways, we become warriors as we continue to fight and be victors in so many ways. We are warriors and victors in our fight for freedom and peace. We are warriors and victors when we argue and yet remain understanding of the other side in the end. We are warriors and victors when we criticize others and yet embrace their limitations and predicaments.

When we want to aid others without questioning how or why, we are warriors. As warriors, we are still victorious in the end. There are moments that we know that we learn the most important lessons when we lose. We learn to be patient when we lose. Humility teaches us that every fight has two outcomes, and that victory is not always on our side. It is when we lose that we know we are not prepared for the current battle and must prepare for the next.

The first attribute of a warrior, they say, is bravery. True, we need the requisite courage to confront our adversaries, even though we believe we are at a disadvantage. Even if we don't know who our true enemies are, we need courage. However, it is fear that is our greatest enemy that we need to conquer deep inside. Most importantly, we have the courage to admit that certain things are beyond our control. As a result, we must rely on two of the strongest warriors; patience and time. They both teach us that the change we want to see in the world may not happen in our lifetime, but in the next.

Finally, we need to adjust our perceptions of true warriors, so that their power is measured not by how many battles they win, but by how many times they seek peace.