As I passed
by, this “sari-sari” store with this big cigarette poster saying “Don’t be a
maybe”, I suddenly questioned myself on what the poster actually meant. At
first, I thought there must be some kind of error for the message portrayed by
it, did not translate any sort of emotion, nor did it state a direct message,
but then as my curiosity increased…I suddenly realized that “maybe’s” were the
safest way to answer any question.
“Maybe” would always sort of put someone in the safe zone, in such a way
that it did not provide any direct answer. It is the type of answer you say
when you are not exactly sure of something, and no matter how safe “maybe” may
sound, most of the time, life does not open doors for maybe’s, rather it is in
the finality of yes or no, that we truly discover stuff beyond our
expectations.
Yes or no
questions, are indeed the hardest ones to answer. We often find ourselves, saying “buts” after
yes or no, because somehow we want to neutralize or at least lessen the
strength of the power of the two words. It is in the two words that we end the
confusion produced in our mind. It is in yes’ s and no’s that we end the limbo
of being unsure, but I would not be such a hypocrite. I, myself, cannot even
answer yes or no questions in an instant. No matter how pleasing the idea of
“finality” may be, sometimes once we say a yes or a no, some doors are closed,
words have been spoken, and no matter how cliché it may seem, even hearts may
be broken, but after all isn’t it that pain only grows even more when
questions are left unanswered?
Then comes
the perks of finality…that no matter how harsh some truth may be, it is still
better to know the truth than forever deceive one’s self using the idea of an
imaginary reality. Because no matter how, safe “maybe” may be… it is still more
courageous to answer something that will provide finality rather than an
unending confusion of the mind and the heart, that can only produce insanity.
