QUESTION NO. 20
How do you feel about sharing your thoughts (and feelings as well) over the internet?
Jul 16, 2003
May 29, 2003
THE ULTIMATE TRUTH
Last Entry
With the controversy spinning on Melvin's work, Mark agreed to meet him inside a church one Wednesday. Mark asked Melvin why he chose the church to meet him. He replied that his apartment was no longer safe for any form of conversation with so many people invading his privacy.
"So what is it that you're going to tell me," Mark inquired.
"I want a way out," said Melvin. "I never expected it to be this way. I was just minding my own business."
"I know what you mean," Mark was sighing. "Do you have any plan?"
"Yes," was the reply. "Please help me."
The last word of Melvin came out like a plea from someone who had been burdened with something that he did not deserve. Mark agreed. He said he'd take care of it and use the connections he have. He also implied that some of the people he knew were big fans of him, and would be more than willing to help.
"Melvin," said Mark. "I know you more than you think I do. What is it that you're really afraid of?"
"Responsibility," was the soft answer. "All these years, I just wanted to try something different. But not this way."
"Was it the need to be heard?" his bestfriend asked.
"Frankly no," he was looking straight at his eyes. "It's not a deep longing to be heard, rather it's a deep longing to speak."
He then continued, "When I wrote that book, all the time I was speaking with myself."
Mark was silent. Melvin still said, "I came to believe that when you want to do something passionately, you can do it. Then the world would not become a hindrance. It would help you rise up to the place where you ought to be. For me, that is the secret of life; to find your place in this world."
"I thought it was just work," Mark said.
"No," he said. "What I was doing was purely play. Why? Because I came to love my work."
A week later, a press conference was called on the sudden death of Melvin Santos, author of "The Spring Lies Eternal." Having no relatives, his body was cremated and was given to Mark Lopez. Authorities said that it was a coronary disease that lead to a stroke.
He left a note for Mark to read. In front of television crews and journalists, Mark told the world of Melvin's last words:
"What may be the ultimate truth for you could be the biggest lie for me."
In a few short years, there were allegations by some people that Melvin was seen running naked on a beach in the South. At the same date that the author of "The Spring Lies Eternal" was said to have been seen, someone was using the pages of his book as toilet paper.
Last Entry
With the controversy spinning on Melvin's work, Mark agreed to meet him inside a church one Wednesday. Mark asked Melvin why he chose the church to meet him. He replied that his apartment was no longer safe for any form of conversation with so many people invading his privacy.
"So what is it that you're going to tell me," Mark inquired.
"I want a way out," said Melvin. "I never expected it to be this way. I was just minding my own business."
"I know what you mean," Mark was sighing. "Do you have any plan?"
"Yes," was the reply. "Please help me."
The last word of Melvin came out like a plea from someone who had been burdened with something that he did not deserve. Mark agreed. He said he'd take care of it and use the connections he have. He also implied that some of the people he knew were big fans of him, and would be more than willing to help.
"Melvin," said Mark. "I know you more than you think I do. What is it that you're really afraid of?"
"Responsibility," was the soft answer. "All these years, I just wanted to try something different. But not this way."
"Was it the need to be heard?" his bestfriend asked.
"Frankly no," he was looking straight at his eyes. "It's not a deep longing to be heard, rather it's a deep longing to speak."
He then continued, "When I wrote that book, all the time I was speaking with myself."
Mark was silent. Melvin still said, "I came to believe that when you want to do something passionately, you can do it. Then the world would not become a hindrance. It would help you rise up to the place where you ought to be. For me, that is the secret of life; to find your place in this world."
"I thought it was just work," Mark said.
"No," he said. "What I was doing was purely play. Why? Because I came to love my work."
A week later, a press conference was called on the sudden death of Melvin Santos, author of "The Spring Lies Eternal." Having no relatives, his body was cremated and was given to Mark Lopez. Authorities said that it was a coronary disease that lead to a stroke.
He left a note for Mark to read. In front of television crews and journalists, Mark told the world of Melvin's last words:
"What may be the ultimate truth for you could be the biggest lie for me."
In a few short years, there were allegations by some people that Melvin was seen running naked on a beach in the South. At the same date that the author of "The Spring Lies Eternal" was said to have been seen, someone was using the pages of his book as toilet paper.
May 27, 2003
THE ULTIMATE TRUTH
Entry No. 5
Robin was a teen-ager, a loner and someone you'd see sitting on a corner reading a book or sometimes talking to himself. Classmates describe him as weird. Police reports indicated that he had family problems and couldn't seem to handle pressure very well. He had no real friends and his home is not the kind of place one would want to stay in. He came from a broken family.
The news spread like wildfire causing many people to think about the book Melvin wrote. The issue now revolves on whether the authorities must ban the book or prevent adolescent kids from reading it.
It was a bright sunny morning. Clutching his copy of "The Spring Lies Eternal", Robin murdered his parents then shot himself after. On the book was an underlined phrase "Since the life we have here feels like hell, everyone would go to Heaven."
Luis was quite a normal boy. He had friends. His family came from a long line of well-respected teachers. He had everything anyone could think of to have a comfortable life. He had good looks. He had a car of his own and his allowance is doubled as compared to other kids his age.
At school, he was brilliant. He was also part of the soccer varsity team. On the day Luis was found hanging on his room, he had a copy of Melvin's book lying on his bed. It was open on a certain page that said, "I am fifty, but I've never been twenty. The sad thing is, my mind had already been burned-up even before I had the freedom to use it."
And so it was decided.
Melvin's book, at first, was banned from being sold to minors. Later, certain religious groups accused him of blasphemy and urged the government to totally ban the book. It was a violation of the basic right of freedom of expression so politicians who were quick to ride on the issue said that, "Freedom entails responsibility. It is our responsibility to filter what's wrong or right for our children. Though we cannot hold the author responsible for the consequences of what he has written, at least we can do something to prevent another tragedy."
Entry No. 5
Robin was a teen-ager, a loner and someone you'd see sitting on a corner reading a book or sometimes talking to himself. Classmates describe him as weird. Police reports indicated that he had family problems and couldn't seem to handle pressure very well. He had no real friends and his home is not the kind of place one would want to stay in. He came from a broken family.
The news spread like wildfire causing many people to think about the book Melvin wrote. The issue now revolves on whether the authorities must ban the book or prevent adolescent kids from reading it.
It was a bright sunny morning. Clutching his copy of "The Spring Lies Eternal", Robin murdered his parents then shot himself after. On the book was an underlined phrase "Since the life we have here feels like hell, everyone would go to Heaven."
Luis was quite a normal boy. He had friends. His family came from a long line of well-respected teachers. He had everything anyone could think of to have a comfortable life. He had good looks. He had a car of his own and his allowance is doubled as compared to other kids his age.
At school, he was brilliant. He was also part of the soccer varsity team. On the day Luis was found hanging on his room, he had a copy of Melvin's book lying on his bed. It was open on a certain page that said, "I am fifty, but I've never been twenty. The sad thing is, my mind had already been burned-up even before I had the freedom to use it."
And so it was decided.
Melvin's book, at first, was banned from being sold to minors. Later, certain religious groups accused him of blasphemy and urged the government to totally ban the book. It was a violation of the basic right of freedom of expression so politicians who were quick to ride on the issue said that, "Freedom entails responsibility. It is our responsibility to filter what's wrong or right for our children. Though we cannot hold the author responsible for the consequences of what he has written, at least we can do something to prevent another tragedy."
May 23, 2003
THE ULTIMATE TRUTH
Entry No. 4
With whatever phenomenon there was on thenovel he wrote, the public accepted his story with an enthusiasm unprecedented in its time. Phrases coming from the book like "What is the secret of life? You'll know it when you're dead," were very popular among students and academicians. For them, here is an author who could speak in plain language the secrets of one's existence.
Other popular lines from the book were, "If the world would stop believing in love, would love cease to exist?" For many booklovers, it was also a love story set on a passion to feel, to test one's limit, and to define the thin line between illusion and reality.
There were even radio discussions on what he meant on phrases like: "Life is an illusion because it is only our mind that makes out what our environment is showing"; "If freedoms means letting go, then we are free to feel pain. The consequence is not the end
but a beginning. The start of a wonderful new feeling reminding us that we exist"; and of course; "The true search for God is a search for who we really are."
So was the popularity of his book that several web sites were set-up on the internet so people could freely discuss what he said. He was invited on different television programs but he declined them all. Matter of fact, he hated the attention he was getting. As one avid follower would say, "It is the sheer honesty of his work that makes us feel human." Nonetheless, he refused every move to make himself more popular. His book did all that.
Melvin never questioned the wisdom Mark had. He was his friend and he knew his genuine concern for him. They were friends since their school days and the trust they have for one another is like that of brothers. On a Friday that they met, Mark gave Melvin a warm hug congratulating him on the success of his book. He said it was sure to be controversial because it was different. In fact, it contained to many people "The Ultimate Truth". The truth that people have been searching for too long: the truth that everybody
wanted to hear.
He even stated that, "It's a litany of questions dying to be asked." He was just worried though. Mark was afraid as to what extent the book can influence people. Melvin just shrugged at the thought. It seems he was not affected by the popularity he was getting. Until one day, with the events that happened, he himself began to feel afraid on the influence he had weaved out.
Entry No. 4
With whatever phenomenon there was on thenovel he wrote, the public accepted his story with an enthusiasm unprecedented in its time. Phrases coming from the book like "What is the secret of life? You'll know it when you're dead," were very popular among students and academicians. For them, here is an author who could speak in plain language the secrets of one's existence.
Other popular lines from the book were, "If the world would stop believing in love, would love cease to exist?" For many booklovers, it was also a love story set on a passion to feel, to test one's limit, and to define the thin line between illusion and reality.
There were even radio discussions on what he meant on phrases like: "Life is an illusion because it is only our mind that makes out what our environment is showing"; "If freedoms means letting go, then we are free to feel pain. The consequence is not the end
but a beginning. The start of a wonderful new feeling reminding us that we exist"; and of course; "The true search for God is a search for who we really are."
So was the popularity of his book that several web sites were set-up on the internet so people could freely discuss what he said. He was invited on different television programs but he declined them all. Matter of fact, he hated the attention he was getting. As one avid follower would say, "It is the sheer honesty of his work that makes us feel human." Nonetheless, he refused every move to make himself more popular. His book did all that.
Melvin never questioned the wisdom Mark had. He was his friend and he knew his genuine concern for him. They were friends since their school days and the trust they have for one another is like that of brothers. On a Friday that they met, Mark gave Melvin a warm hug congratulating him on the success of his book. He said it was sure to be controversial because it was different. In fact, it contained to many people "The Ultimate Truth". The truth that people have been searching for too long: the truth that everybody
wanted to hear.
He even stated that, "It's a litany of questions dying to be asked." He was just worried though. Mark was afraid as to what extent the book can influence people. Melvin just shrugged at the thought. It seems he was not affected by the popularity he was getting. Until one day, with the events that happened, he himself began to feel afraid on the influence he had weaved out.
May 19, 2003
THE ULTIMATE TRUTH
Entry No. 3
Melvin decided to become a writer. The idea crossed his mind one day when his phonepal told him that he "could catch words in the air and make sense out of nonsense". Yes, he had a phonepal. On the long wait for the morning, Melvin found it an easy escape to talk to strangers on the phone. He met this girl who refused to reveal her real name. Instead, they created code names to hide who they really were. Melvin laughed at himself for he was acting like a teen-ager.
Being the impulsive person that he had become, he bought a computer and started to "scribble" words in the word processor. He liked it. He discovered in him an innate passion to write. It was a practical choice as he himself though. Most of his life, he typed things for other people and wrote letters that did not appeal to him. Besides, he can now put his ideas into his work plus the freedom to say what he wanted.
It was an easy task for him. All he had to do was to connect things and make some sense on how they are linked. He no longer felt the restrictions that he grew accustomed in his old life. His ideas were from observing people and making a stories out of them. With this at hand, he set out with his new goal, which is to create his first novel.
Things were happening so fast that on the fourth Friday that Melvin and Mark met, Mark's reaction came with a question. He said, "So now you're a writer. I wonder what you'll turn up next time we meet." But Melvin wasn't really listening. He was walking towards the dancefloor. His bestfriend's face stared in disbelief.
The first few months flew and by this time, Melvin had the first draft of his novel. It was about an ordinary person given extraordinary twists in life. The title was "The Spring Lies Eternal." It wasn't much, not really literature per se. But what made him satisfied was the
contentment he had while writing his book. Being a neophyte in the publishing industry, he hired an old lawyer he knew back at his office days. He wasn't really worried whether it would be published or not. For him, his part had been done. Now it's time to write another book.
But in just two weeks, he could not believe that some publisher actually took notice of his work. His attorney called him up so that they could arrange a meeting with the publisher. Even the negotiations were simple enough. His lawyer, who acts as his agent,
would oversee the royalties and other details he did not care to find out. There were just one if waiting to be answered. And that would be - if the book would sell.
The funny thing was, the publisher and his lawyer seemed to be more excited than Melvin. He just took everything in stride. For him, the real pleasure lies in writing, the rest are just details. So after two months, the book hit the market with a surprisingly warm welcome. On this event of his life, he never expected it but things would really take a huge turn.
Entry No. 3
Melvin decided to become a writer. The idea crossed his mind one day when his phonepal told him that he "could catch words in the air and make sense out of nonsense". Yes, he had a phonepal. On the long wait for the morning, Melvin found it an easy escape to talk to strangers on the phone. He met this girl who refused to reveal her real name. Instead, they created code names to hide who they really were. Melvin laughed at himself for he was acting like a teen-ager.
Being the impulsive person that he had become, he bought a computer and started to "scribble" words in the word processor. He liked it. He discovered in him an innate passion to write. It was a practical choice as he himself though. Most of his life, he typed things for other people and wrote letters that did not appeal to him. Besides, he can now put his ideas into his work plus the freedom to say what he wanted.
It was an easy task for him. All he had to do was to connect things and make some sense on how they are linked. He no longer felt the restrictions that he grew accustomed in his old life. His ideas were from observing people and making a stories out of them. With this at hand, he set out with his new goal, which is to create his first novel.
Things were happening so fast that on the fourth Friday that Melvin and Mark met, Mark's reaction came with a question. He said, "So now you're a writer. I wonder what you'll turn up next time we meet." But Melvin wasn't really listening. He was walking towards the dancefloor. His bestfriend's face stared in disbelief.
The first few months flew and by this time, Melvin had the first draft of his novel. It was about an ordinary person given extraordinary twists in life. The title was "The Spring Lies Eternal." It wasn't much, not really literature per se. But what made him satisfied was the
contentment he had while writing his book. Being a neophyte in the publishing industry, he hired an old lawyer he knew back at his office days. He wasn't really worried whether it would be published or not. For him, his part had been done. Now it's time to write another book.
But in just two weeks, he could not believe that some publisher actually took notice of his work. His attorney called him up so that they could arrange a meeting with the publisher. Even the negotiations were simple enough. His lawyer, who acts as his agent,
would oversee the royalties and other details he did not care to find out. There were just one if waiting to be answered. And that would be - if the book would sell.
The funny thing was, the publisher and his lawyer seemed to be more excited than Melvin. He just took everything in stride. For him, the real pleasure lies in writing, the rest are just details. So after two months, the book hit the market with a surprisingly warm welcome. On this event of his life, he never expected it but things would really take a huge turn.
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