#pandiwa

Sir Willy presented a few points in his talk during Pandiwa. He said that the state of unknown, when one does not know what he is writing about, is a powerful moment. He also stated a few steps on “how to write a personal essay”. Observe, stop and reflect, question the truth and your memory, sort these memories, write about the small things. As he said, an essay is about figuring things out. The unconnected pieces will be put together as an essayist. This made me realize that writing doesn’t have to be an elaborate creation; it could be about anything. It’s not about how people should know me, but it’s about how I want to figure things out. There is a significance to knowing and going back to one’s roots; this is what I grasped from Noreen Domingo’s exhibit Pagsulang. She rendered her experience in the Manobo-Lapaknon community in Butuan City through an exhibit and a chapbook. Through her short but meaningful time with the community, she expressed everything she learned, her thoughts, and her feelings. Writing is not just about having to declare one’s thinking. Writing, as cheesy as it sounds, is a way of life. One can discover more about himself and their roots. Through writing, one can unravel the truth about his roots and through this, the “state of unknown” will be cleared out.