A SEASON OF HOPE

(From the Editor, the editor's letter in the December 2007 issue of Sense&Style, under the theme "Festive Families," with Tingting Cojuangco and her grandchildren on the cover.)

What a year it has been and we have yet a month to go before we can tuck it away in our memories! It has been a rollercoaster ride, but I love 2007! If I were Charles Dickens, I would describe it as the best of the times and the worst of the times, although I do not wish it would lead us to anything like the French Revolution.

BLURB
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and, behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. —Norman Vince Peale

Still, a revolution appears to be a necessary evil. Over the past few months, following the lead of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic, as well as both BBC and CNN, have decided to draw more attention to Earth in distress with Emmy Award-worthy productions that, with hope, will by now have conveyed the message effectively. CNN’s Planet in Peril, for instance, is a searing look at some of the planet’s most urgent troubles, such as deforestation, species loss, and overpopulation. It’s a continuing campaign, with CNN sharing green tips during breaks, and I hope it will build up further in 2008.

Philippine media has yet to extensively train the spotlight on environmentalism, but Sense&Style has in its humble way given the planet an important place in its agenda since last year when we ventured to repackage this five-year-old magazine (“The Year that Was,” page 70)!

Already, the calls of nature are beginning to sound as desperate as an emergency bell and it’s at once good and bad. I’m happy that more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon for whatever reason. Whether they do care about the environment or they simply think it is fashionable to do so, I believe they will make a difference and that’s what counts.

Without a doubt, the environment will play a starring role in the saga of life that will unfold with all of us on the cast in 2008. What role do you wish to play? Why don’t you consider some of our recommendations (“New Year (Eco)Solutions,” page 65 and “Will Earth Survive Our Lifetime?,” page 68).

But it’s the season of joy and our troubles notwithstanding, we have every reason on earth to celebrate. From this desk, I am quite in a celebratory mood, thanks to the inspiring essays on volunteerism our “Making A Difference” campaign has generated from our readers. Adjudged the best is the tale of breast cancer survivor and ICanServe volunteer Carla Paras Sison, who wins for herself a chance to inspire others like you and me through a published essay, along with a special pampering gift package from Rustan’s and Sense&Style (“CarlaCanServe,” page 37). Indeed, sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a world of difference.

The good news is we don’t have to be alone. This month is as good a time as any to be reminded of this precious gift, the gift of friends and family. In this issue, we invite ourselves to some of the most heartwarming family get-togethers, including those of Tingting Cojuangco and her grandchildren (“Ring-Tingting,” page 126), Ambassador Joey Antonio and his army of four (“Father and Sons,” page 56), and Discovery Suites’ GM Bobby Horrigan and the three most special people in his young life (“A Family Affair,” page 39).

Nature’s balance of earth, wind, water, and fire is doubtlessly worth walking a few blocks instead of driving a car to get from point A to B if the latter will save energy and reduce carbon emission. Trees and forests, ponds and oceans, bugs and elephants are all worth embarking on a major lifestyle change to save from extinction.

But there’s no more compelling reason to be earth-friendly than the people we love. There is no more urgent reason than family to do what we can to keep the planet a wonderful place to live and build a future, especially now that there are more and more of us sharing our diminishing resources.

In this season of hope, here’s wishing the planet and everyone of us in it a better, brighter, healthier, happier, and more prosperous year in 2008!

Happy holidays!

A
post me at aapatawaran@yahoo.com