Just Because You Can't See It Doesn't Mean It's Not There

I grew up in one of the filthiest cities in the world.

Traffic yelling from every direction; pollution clouding an otherwise bright tropical sky.


The fact that I spent much of my life in Manila, Philippines is one that I am not shy about. It is a big part of who I am, and something I believe that I will take with me wherever I go and will play a part in whatever I do. I felt like the name "Manila Moon" was appropriate to one degree simply because of the attachment that I have with the city.

It's also partly for the irony. While it may be a stretch that the moon is actually hidden behind the vast pollution of the city, it is less of a stretch than you'd imagine. It's hard to see the celestial lights when the darkness of night is thwarted by the billions of bulbs burning furiously in the heart of Manila and bravely into the night. To be honest, you can really only see the stars when you turn your back towards the city.

But despite the fact that Manila is a victim of both air & light pollution (not to mention other pollutants), it is still the home to roughly 14 million people, who, despite their circumstances - which usually includes severe poverty - care for each other, are rather content, and have an insane work ethic. If I learned anything about living life during the 8.5 years I spent overseas, it was this: "It's not about what you have, it's about who you have". If you can dig past the cliche cheese of that quote, it may be worth something to you.

I can't tell you how many people I encountered who barely had any material items to claim as their own, yet still wore smiles everyday that I saw them. They were surrounded by a community that looked out for each other, and to me, that's where they found the happiness that they wouldn't find through the acquisition of "things".

With that being said, this is a new blog. I won't promise a new post every day. But I will promise something fresh to read and enjoy whenever I encounter something fresh to read or enjoy. I'll shoot for at least once a week, and we'll take it from there, shall we?


Let the games begin.