They say that, ordinarily, a star has five points. Most people would surely think it a success that a star with five points is the real and true image of a star. In short—a successful star.
They also say that a star which has four points is actually a cross. Now somebody has yet to convince me what a star with three points is. Although somebody pointed out to me earlier that, perhaps, a star with three points is more or less related to the sports of basketball. Thus, that same somebody concluded that a star with three points is—a shooting star.
On the other hand, some wise owl told me that a star with two points is the horizon.
At the other end of the spectrum, they say that a star with more than five points is still a star, but with added brightness. With the exception of the eight-pointed star which, in some dark circles of human civilization, has been viewed in a rather ominous light. (Take note that the Philippine flag has an eight-pointed star emblazoned on it.)
This particular story, however, is still about a star, but is mainly not about any one of these stars. This is a story about a star which, oddly, has no point at all. Or so it has appeared, more or less.
This is a story about a star called failure.
Failure is a star. Failure is a star invisible to the naked eye, but not if one wears the clear lenses of a pure heart and of a pure mind. It is a star which lies in that certain gap of space and time between all successful planets and all successful stars.
Every child is born wearing the clear lenses of a pure heart and of a pure mind. Most grown-ups, however, have learned to view life without the clear lenses of a pure heart and of a pure mind, and have decided that doing so made their lives better. It made most grown-ups garner victories in love and sports and war. It made most grown-ups struggle to be number one in any and every aspect of their lives. They even created circles in human civilization which are exclusive only for all these grown-ups who are number ones.
Although most grown-ups will say to any child that viewing life without the lenses is such a great competitive advantage, it is only the children who shall be able to see the hidden and equally great meaning behind the star called failure.
Further, the clear lenses of a pure heart and of a pure mind is not like a set of reading eyeglasses that you can choose to wear or not to wear anytime anywhere. If and when a grown-up has learned and has chosen to view life without the lenses, they can never wear them again anymore.
Unless, of course, they themselves take the journey to the star called failure. Since only there can a grown-up finally recover the real and true values of so-called winning and losing in life. The real and true values of love, of sports, of war, and of all other things related to life.
Once a grown-up has landed down on the star called failure, he or she shall discover the reality and the truth about it. That the star which they say has no point at all actually has one. For the star itself is its one and only point. That its failure as a star is the one and only point around which all successful planets and all successful stars orbit and dance.
Round and round, point by point, all successful planets and all successful stars orbit and dance around the star called failure like little children, hand in hand and light of songs and bright of smiles, in the midst of a great and wonderful game called shared and humbling experience.
Since, to all the children of the world who wears the clear lenses of a pure heart and of a pure mind, they see the star called failure as a great bridge where they can all come together equally as one again. All the children of the world see the star called failure like the compass of their hearts which shall forever guide their way in those certain gaps of space and time between all successful planets and all successful stars.
In short, all the children of the world see the star called failure as their shining sun.
Send a piece of short fiction (or an excerpt from a longer work that is 500-800 words) or three poems in English or Filipino to [email protected].
