THE RESET BUTTON FOR BETTER EDUCATION
Artemio S. Lagazon
The 21st Century, era of advancement in technology, dawn of new exercise trends, rise of business establishments. There are still more in the list noteworthy to mention when we think and reflect of this period. People usually upgrade their gadgets yearly, especially cellphones during the first decade of the century. Teachers and students have used these gadgets for educational purposes as well. Gone were the phones with keypads and enter the touch screen series. Exercise routines with corresponding diets were introduced, thus giving way to the opening of new fitness centers. Businesses like fast foods, Korean shops, milk tea stores were the priorities to consider of new business entrepreneurs. These are just some of the things that people spend their time, money and effort for the last 20 years.
All the aforementioned above usually had positive effects in the lives of a person. Teachers and students became techy, people had a lot of options to sculpt their physique, they also have a lot of choices were to eat their Samgyupsal dinner. And speaking of putting up a business, a milk tea shop usually is the right choice for them. Everybody gained on some of these things, either monetary, fitness or status in life.
But let us reflect and see what’s on the other side of the coin. Those who are trying to upgrade their gadget every year, do they have enough money to buy the latest Iphone or laptop? Or are they just exhausting their credit cards to the point that the bank is already running after them. Especially students who would try to fit in with their peers, they pressure their parents to buy cellphones. To those fitness enthusiast who spend countless hours in the gym, where they meet new friends and sometimes get to close to one another and are tempted to have an affair. And as for the people who owns a business, do they still have time to care for their children or are they just entrusting them to their Yayas the whole day just to earn their living? I am not saying that all these people are like that, we just have to face the fact that some of them are falling to these scenarios.
Then came the Pandemic, everything changed. Food shops and fitness centers closed. We became contented to any gadget we have on hand. We turned to traditional exercises like pushups, jogging and even riding a bike. During the implementation of the Lockdown, families bonded more because of the time they have to spend inside their houses. Love between family members flourished again. Mother have to cook for their own food, nothing beats her cooking by the way. All returned to the way it’s supposed to be. Teachers became more creative preparing their lessons because of the new learning modalities. Maybe it is by His Divine intervention that this outbreak happened, for us to realize that we still need Him, to pray for the healing of the land, and to thank Him for what we have today.
It also a way for us to thank Him that we are still alive at this moment, to enjoy every little thing we have and to reconnect with our family and friends. It is probably His way of pushing ‘THE RESET BUTTON”, to tell us to slow down and cleanse ourselves to be a better person by helping others.
The author is Teacher
--oOo-
III at Angeles City National Trade School.