Patriotism.

According to the dictionary, it is the love and devotion to one’s homeland. Patriotism is the major problem of our country. Most Filipinos do not even give a damn to what is happening to their homeland anymore. Although it is very embarrassing to say, I admit that I am one of them. Well, not until I finished reading Erwin Castillo’s “The Firewalkers”.

Honestly, when I first read the novel, I did not understand anything. I finished reading the seventy nine pages without even discovering the message of the novel. Not knowing what else to do, I tried so hard to listen to the discussion and gave the novel another try. While reading, I realized that reading the novel is not enough; I need to let the novel communicate with me. To my surprise, the pieces slowly come together.

By its author’s use of counter history, the novel instilled in me not only nationalism but patriotism as well. The novel showed how foreign invaders conquered our country and how our fellow Filipinos did their very best and sacrificed their own lives just to give us the freedom that we are now enjoying. With this, the novel made me proud to be a Filipino. Not just that. It somehow influenced me and inspired me to do, if not the same thing our ancestors did, the simple things that can help make our country a better place not only for ourselves but for the coming generation as well. This novel also awakened something inside me that has been sleeping for awhile. And that is the sensitivity to what is going on in our country. Like what the murder of the children signifies, it made me realize that the future generations depend on us and that our actions will make a great impact to the innocent lives of the next generations.

Aside from these, the novel also intensified my curiosity about the Philippines. Because of the portrayal of the a number of beliefs and cultures not to mention the firewalkers and other things out of the ordinary, the novel tingled something inside me that wants to know more about our mother land.

Also, with the presentation of the different characters, the novel also helped me find out what I can do as a Filipino for the betterment of my homeland. After witnessing how Castor Olfato saved and gave Littlefeather another chance to have a better life and after witnessing how Gabriel Diego turned his back from his fears and finally went back to where he belongs, it intensified my hope and made me realize that if we, Filipinos, do the best we can for our country, then, it is never too late for a change.