Keep Moving Forward

by Ancheden J. Pacamalan

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious…And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” This is a message I have read from Walt Disney after watching the movie Meet the Robinsons last Sunday or Monday (I think!).

It was an animated cartoon movie and it was all about leaving the past behind and moving forward for a better future. The movie was unbelievable but the message and the values it conveyed was so damn true!

After watching the movie, it made me think just how it fits to our way of thinking in terms of the situation here in Mindanao. One of the reasons of the armed conflict in Mindanao is we linger on the past. It seems that we cannot find acceptance and forgiveness within us.

If we are to trace back the history of the first settlers in Mindanao; the Moros came here first and established their own sovereign estate. But many things have happened in the past that resulted to the coming of new settlers in the island and displacing the former settlers of Mindanao.

There are also other groups living in this island – the indigenous people or the Lumads. They are neither Muslims nor Christians. They do not want to be involved in this conflict between Muslims and Christians. All they want is their own land so they can live peacefully.

If every one of us will find acceptance and forgiveness, there is no need for wars. We can all live peacefully in this beautiful island. I do believe that there is unity amidst the diverse beliefs, traditions, culture and people