What happened on the Past and the Present?

For the Past and for the Present

When I was seven years old, I spent my playtime on riverside with my friends. Memories of bahay-bahayan, and habulan games filled up my early years. But, the most exciting is playing above water hyacinths - literally. Have you already try to walk on those plants? We have! The lump of dead water hyacinths formed into a patch like an island and holds four to six children at the same time. For sure, you will also believe like me that these are powerful plant!

So, one Saturday morning, I came to the riverside alone and saw a newly-bloomed water hyacinth. It makes me want to pluck it, but, due to my short arm, I looked for something to help me get it. In a while, I saw an empty, big plastic bottle floating in the water. I reached and used it to move the plant. By a couple of attempts, I got it, successfully. I picked the flower and placed it in my right ear, and happily pat myself for a job well done.

How about the bottle? I just throw it back to the water. "Hey! Don't throw trash there!" a woman yelled from afar. On my surprise, I ran back to our house. Later, I asked myself, 'Why she's angry? I just throw back where it came from!'

As a child, I believed that water hyacinths will bring the plastic bottle first towards the Pacific Ocean. Next, the bottle and other plastics came from human will sink in the water. Then, Fishes and Mermaids will use those things to put in the sea bed to stop the tsunamis. Lastly, we will live happily ever after! That's a big help! So, I decided to do it again.

Years passed by, I learned to throw garbages in proper bins, because my family always told me that it's bad to throw things anywhere. But, I still believe in fishes and mermaids whom will use those in sea bed; not until we suffer on rain floods.

At first, the flood from the river did not reach our house since it was built in higher slope, but, the next rain flood reached as high as my chest. This alarmed me especially when I heard that many casualties and a huge number of dead people have been reported. It really scares me.

On the following years, the President of the Philippines commanded to clear the water hyacinths and plastics in every esteros and rivers because it blocks the water. The running water from the rain should be going to the seas and oceans. With the help of my family, I finally understand the reasons of floods.

Now, as I see one empty plastic bottle dancing on the muddy flood, it makes me remember my innocent mistake and its outcome. For the first time, I finally know why I should pick up the plastic bottle.

I hope that other people won't take many years to realize that their little mistake may turn into big mess.