By Sophia Angeline G. Delantero
In the fast lane of cars and dreams comes the wind of fleeting time.
We have witnessed growing conflicts of interest within the Philippine government as certain actors seek to win the trust of the Filipino people while advancing agendas that may allow them to acquire the land they need.
Just like an annoying kid longing for a toy in a department store, we find ourselves pleading for a life where “ayuda” reaches those who really need it rather than those who merely want it. Just like an annoying kid, we whine and complain because we know that this is not what we want. But, as always, we are expected to move on, and to forget today’s frustrations until they return to us on some random day.
A very much popular phrase tells us, “You only live once.” It is used as an invitation to live boldly, to circle around the world, experience extraordinary things, discover truths, spend hours with friends, watch films by our favorite directors, listen to artists, and maybe, just maybe, allow ourselves to be passionate about something that makes life worth living.
However, for many of us, this ideal is still far from us. The phrase has become less of a celebration and more of a cruel reminder, a patch stitched onto realities burdened by unwanted long hours, financial struggles, and systems that demand more than they give. Without that reminder, perhaps many of us would simply be a slave and surrender to the continuous cycle of 8-5 corporate work for survival.
This, as unusual as it may sound, is a robbery.
These so-called public servants have stolen something more costly than money. They have stolen our eagerness to dream. They have stolen the spotlight from the people they were elected to serve. They have stolen time, time that should have been spent creating memories with our families become days spent rushing through white hallways, standing in long lines, and complying with the demands of a system that feels indifferent to the people it governs.
Now, as we stand on the verge of internship and the responsibilities that come with adulthood, a lot of us are starting to realize just how exhausting this cycle can be. We see our friends less often and usual long conversations become shorter. If this is already difficult now, what more awaits us in the years ahead?
Time itself may be a thief, but it is made even crueler by those who sit at the top and take advantage of it. They profit from our exhaustion, our patience, and our hope that tomorrow will be better.
In the fast lane of cars and dreams comes the wind of fleeting time, and with it, the question of how much of our lives we can still reclaim before it passes us by.**
