A gift that springs eternal....

The annual commemoration of our People Power Revolution always presents the opportunity to revere its true meaning and to apply the Spirit of EDSA in serving the nation. Today marks the 25th year of "People Power." Twenty-five years ago, Filipino marched to the streets of EDSA, the one's who took courage to oppose the country's dictator. Armed only with their rosaries and prayers, civilians held their ground and stopped tanks and heavily armed soldiers from breaking the crowd. To the younger generations of Filipinos, the EDSA Revolution may just be a history lesson. But to many Filipinos who lived through martial law and the re-birth of our freedom in EDSA, it was indeed a 'shining moment' in our history."

And the man inspired this bloodless revolution? Ninoy Aquino, but it his death would be the catalyst of the Philippine Revolution.

Last weekend, they have been replaying the inspiring life of Ninoy in prison in national TV, I watched it several times and I never got bored a bit. Perhaps they are can only be few true stories more uplifting than faith, hope and redemption.

It's the same weekend when I finally seen the film "The Shawshank Redemption"(Imagine, a self-confessed movie buff haven't seen the film which many considered one of the best of all time). Needless to say of its accolades, the film tops(all time list) IMDB chart with the rating 9.2, In Rottentomatoes(most widely known as a film review aggregator.) The film scored 88% in tomatometer and a whopping 98% from the audience.

A prison drama about spiritual and contemplative journey through the fantastic inner world of human's hope, desire, disillusions, beliefs and finally redemption. Here we have Andy, a stalwart of strength and hope as he withstands the cruelest fate, his journey from a life of comfort and normality to one void of freedom. There can be very few things in life more difficult in life than coping with a term of imprisonment, much difficult when you are not guilty of the crime.

Colloquially called lifers, serving prison terms ranging from 25 years up to and a lifelong confinement without the possibility of parole. These are the pressures of close confinement, a Lifers should adapt to the prospect of “death by prison,” a harsh realistic threat in prison life.

Some "Lifers" like Andy come to see prison as their home and try to make the most of the limited resources available in prison; they establish daily routines that allow them to find meaning and purpose in their prison lives, lives that might otherwise seem empty and pointless. Here Andy finds incarceration to be painful but becomes constructive experience as he never looses hope. Things begin to change for the better when Andy finds a way to use his skills and education to benefit his fellow felons. This leads into building a library which Andy gradually expands and became the best educational prison facility of its kind during that time. It takes him six years to do it, but Andy never gives up hope. And finally his opportunity of redemption came.

Much like Andy,  Ninoy had his shares of prison life but never gave up hope, they each achieve more than a normal person can, despite constant oppression. Both was able to withstand pressure and time, that's all it takes. They may have different motivation to live and survive but both have this one common gift, a gift they shared to us. Hope.

From Andy, Hope is his gift to his friend Red, who no longer even tries to impress the parole board at his hearings. And finally by his terms he was finally able to get a nod from parole board. His own redemption.

And Ninoy, he stirred hope among us when he made the statement, “the Filipino is worth dying for.” Those powerful words resonated. The weary Filipino heart did not give up hope then. The former senator backed up his words by going back home after his exile. And his redemption, our democracy and freedom.

These are the few stories that touches our soul and leaving an impression that even long after it still takes a hold of your mind and heart leaving a residue that lingers through eternity.