On do-overs

A note from the editor

When do you forgive someone?

I’ve spent about forty years on earth but the answer to this question still evades me. When, indeed? After someone asks for forgiveness? Does one need a timeline, a range of days or weeks to work with? Is there a threshold that needs to be met behavior-wise before someone is shown mercy?

Not all of us find it easy to forgive. But once in a while, all that someone needs is a second chance. An opportunity to make things better. Another shot at doing what’s right.

A do-over.

Speaking of, make sure to read what Jayson Ibanez wrote about the Philippine eagle’s second shot at survival as a species. Sadly, this majestic bird isn’t the only animal hoping for another chance at thriving in this human-centric world: Many other species in the wild suffer the risk of being wiped off the face of the planet, which is why Maxine Louise Lagman wants to give us all a reality check.

These sentient beings just want to live their lives in peace and freedom, yet some of us want to pull them out of their habitats and profit from them. Beware of funding this cruel practice – stop riding elephants when you travel, reminds Isone Alis, exposing the cruelty that these gentle herbivores endure for the sake of profitable tourism.

Pangolins, who choose to curl up in a ball instead of swiping at enemies with their sharp claws, aren’t spared from man’s greed. They have become one of the most trafficked animals in the world, putting them on the IUCN’S endangered list, as Gregg Yan shares in his column.

Some animals, however, seem to be dominating their habitats because of ecological imbalances brought about by, once again, our own species. The crown-of-thorns starfish, for instance, has been wreaking havoc on our coral reefs, and Vanessa Vergara explains our role in this tragedy.

But it’s not just animals in the wild who are desperate for another shot at life. Many animal companions end up being abandoned after being given as gifts to humans who simply aren’t ready to open their doors to them. They wait in animal shelters for yet another chance of being part of a human family – a chance that might never come. Gifting animals may seem sweet, but it can lead to heartbreak, explains Cacai Buenviaje in this issue.

Young climate activist

Greta Thunberg is angry – she knows that the second chance the world needs is an urgent matter, and she’s disappointed that we aren’t acting like we’re in a crisis even if we are. Richard Leo Ramos talks about how Greta’s story isn’t just about the environment, but also about animals. On the bright side, some animals do get another shot at a happy ending. Find out how Pirate, the one-eyed cat, found a forever-home by checking out Michiko Manalang’s article.

It’s funny that these innocent creatures need a second chance – we, not they, are the ones who need forgiveness, after all. Here’s to hoping we finally realize what we’ve done so that we can right what’s wrong. Here’s to opening our hearts and loving our neighbors, especially the ones who don’t look like us, talk like us, walk like us, or even belong to the same species as us.

Here’s to do-overs we all so sorely need.