The Wardrobe of C.S Lewis

As the title suggests, I have recently seen and been made a believer by Narnia the Chronicles of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The effect of knowing the story behind the seven book series and seeing the on-screen adaptation was something deeper than a normal movie buff's own experience. For this I was very happy.

You may all know the man behind the beloved books, C.S. Lewis. You may have read his biography out of pure curiosity or simply because the hyped up movie made you pass by a website or two. Heck, you may have your own reservations about the man and how he writes. We have reservations about virtually everything.

We are entitled to our own opinion about the man's work. I pray you appreciate his works. However, we should not make our biases translate into uneasiness or rejection for the man or the doer of the actions himself. I think this applies to all occasions. We all deserve a second chance. We should not be judged for our mistakes alone. As I quote the great lion of Narnia : "What's done is done." Get up and move on. Man can change. There is this hope he will.

What is the wardrobe? Is it a mere portal to the world of Narnia? Look deeper. The wardrobe is the window to our selves. It is the ultimate test of our inner self. Most of the time, we see disappointing things we tend to hide in our closet. Lewis shares the same demons we have. I don't care whether it be failed relationships or simple struggles with orgmates or maintaining high grades. We all have demons we want to get rid of.

Here's what biographies don't tell much but really should tell more about men...

Lewis lost his father at the young age of 8. He couldn't save the man no matter how hard his Anglican family prayed. He lived in a world falling to pieces--world war 1 looming. Everything was far disappointing, far frustrating, far pointless. At such youth, he could have been a lost lad. He could have lost his mind. In his case, he lost his faith...he became an atheist.

In a message to a friend he said : "All religions are mythologies. They are all created by man..." We've heard these lines time and time again, specially in our open university. Yes, this is one of them strong proverbial responses to debates on theology. There is good argument behind the claim that religion is but a social construct, designed to explain every single preponderance in our lives as well as those others we don't expect. It is romanticized and follows a backward tradition of conservatism et. al.

That is why I say this: "Don't put your stock on religion. Because it is not about religion friends, but something deeper."

But like good Christians, Lewis had better friends in the faith. He credits them for salvation of sorts, let alone his inspiration for life and work...

One of them was JRR Tolkien (coleague at the University of Oxford if I am not mistaken)...ring any bells? Tolkien is the distinguished gentleman behind the poweful and symbolic Lord of the Rings Trilogy (among many others). So while watching Narnia, I couldn't help but point out similiarities. I go there later.

Lewis began reading books made by Christians, hardcore ones, like Paul Bunyan's book on Pilgrims (how hardcore can it get?). There, he found some peace. There, he found answers. There, he finally found his truth...what all want to see in our spiritual search.

1929, he wrote a friend: "...I'm beginning to see some element of truth in this."

The rest is beautiful history. Lewis finished his Chronicles. Tolkien followed it with the LOTR.

And by the way, speaking of influence, Aslan the great lion creator/ruler of Narnia is Lewis' version of no less than Jesus Christ. I need not get cheesy and all that with Christ now. Point said, he found his truth.

The hundred-year winter represents our inner bitterness, something we have to let go. It is the hopelessness of staying in the shadow we created. To some like me, tis eating and not getting any thinner. To some, it's a craving to commit crime. To some, it's not having someone to be with.

Jason, Christian and I were by the Sunken Garden last Friday. There, we concluded: we were hopeless romantics a year ago, we are still the same today. But did that ever stop us from being so in denial of ourselves. This is our search. And for that, we take things in strides and leaps.

Of course, am helplessly justifying our quest to get our beloved, whoever that one is ahem.

The wardrobe hides our fears. yet, it also contains our better side. it has our goods we do not want to use or are ignorant of. It makes us vulnerable. Tis like in the PC Game Rome: Total War---a strategy game where you seek to become imperator of the Roman Empire. Greeks use the phalanx formation, rows of long sharp wooden spikes lined to rows forming a phalanx. Though invincible at the front, it is weak at the flank and behind. Should Alexander had failed to manouver the phalanx formation with such speed and ease, he would have been so easily crushed.

We are the phalanx. We bring everything good about us to the table (even those not true) to impress, but we fail the essence of making other people feel good about us. It is not impressing, but expressing. What's the point of courting someone? TO have a long-term productive relationship! We're so driven mad by trends and standards that we so want to satisfy that we become the pretense. We pretend to be what we are not. This is the Philippines I am so sad about.

We can dispose those we do not need anyway.

As far as I am concerned, hehe disposed some things like 178 exam, like econ exam, like other ghosts of everyday.

Feb holds more for me to think of, right grai and farrah? Sheesh. If a friend of Farrah is reading this, do tell her that the Feb thing is on, hehe even at my expense hahahaha (ang hangin!)

Arianne Reyes and I plan on going to Gateway (Fully Booked) to buy new books. My personal library is but a shoe box compared to Arianne's. Goodness, thanks to her, I'm back to reading. This time, I'm gonna expand borders from the cheesy ones to more of reality bites...just to balance my espionage exploits with Clancy to softer dramatic tunes like hmmm... Lewis and Tolkien! I'll have to ask for her recommendations too.

And Marian, I hope Stephen's all washed up!

Pray for Sir Naval's trip. Pray for Ate Lucy's soul, I was completely shocked.

Wardrobes may be locked up. Good thing we have the keys. Search and find. Seek and ...destroy? Naahh. rebuild and build anew!

Katipunan fly-overs

Nowadays, when I go to UP, having to take a ride via Katipunan jeepneys, I never forget to look up and examine the fly-over above me...

I always have this fear that the Katipunan fly-over (near Ateneo) will one day fall and collapse with me near it...

after the fire last year that weakened its foundations and supporting steel frame of the said structure...I think that some things are becoming certain.

Katipunan Avenue will forever hold a place in my heart. I have a sense of comfort and a feeling of ease whenever I pass by that road. Regardless of whether I'm commuting or inside a private vehicle, the whole experience remains the same. There is some form of peace. There is some form of excitement (remember the term we call "cramming"? hehe) to be had too.

Maybe because it is wide and spacious...perhaps because of the modern backdrop...or the institutions that surround it...or maybe because I see UP students around...

Fascinating!

They have great restaurants and fastfood outlets there, by the way.

The Freshmen Circle (FC) 03 now Eo-07 plans on eating somewhere there...Rania's suggested resto. Only the date remains to be settled. I couldn't help but be overly anxious about it. For like three years of stay, approximately two years since the last FC activity, and here we are...separate paths...similar goals.

Sure most of FC people are right by my side most of the time in the Council Office. But the same is not true for those who shifted out of the college, those who stayed but maintained only minimum contact with the core, or our moderators who now are working ( I miss you ate Pau). I want to see all of them...badly.

Yesterday was a wierd jeepney experience. Going home from UP, I was the only one aside from the driver and a small child having a y-choromosome inside the jeepney. There were only three dudes out of eighteen passengers. The next ride was worse or more intriguing---two females in a crowd of twenty-one. WOW!

Wait...LSS!..I keep on hearing the theme song for Panday the series by Sugarfree. I like the song...the melody basically. I'm hearing it right now here in Netopia Sta. Lucia Grandmall. OH GOOOODDDD!!!

Speaking of God, I came from a follow-up engagement of sorts with Dan of Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC)---thanks again Grai for leading me there. I felt guilt after hearing the analogy Dan shared with me. Am I but a carnal Christian---someone who says he is a Christian but fails to act on it? At times I think I am. At times it becomes so hard to share Christ in words...all the more by example. I guess that's the point: If God means so much to us...then why feel any bit of hesitation to share His truth to others? There's this barrier I have to fix within and in those I love.

hehey...the CCC Tambayan is near Katipunan!(had to raise this up to be consistent with topic)

It takes courage and valor on our part.

Lastly, I leave you with a story. Tea masters of Japan are revered and respected. They are equal to the great samurai. This is for good reason. Aside from being so dedicated to the mastery of their craft, the tea masters share a proud history of being true to themselves in the face of adversity.

Once, a tea master came across a great samurai along the road. He accidentally bumped into the samurai, nudging his ever protected blade. Touching a samurai's sword is equal to spitting at his face. It is insult that could only be answered for by death. So the samurai challenged the tea master to a duel the next morning.

Determined to keep his honor, the tea master went to his friend the blademaster or maker of swords. He went there to get the finest blade worthy of a fine opponent and a fine carrier. His friend, worried that his friend would face certain death reminded the tea master of the circumstances. However, the tea master did not rethink and went on with his business---tea making.

The following morning, the samurai arrived earlier than set at the designated spot. The tea master soon followed. But before they could commence the fight, the tea master had one request. He requested that he perform the tea ceremony first before the battle. The samurai granted the request.

The tea master performed the art to perfection, with the samurai slowly becoming amazed. He did this without fear or remorse in his face. This act and the way the master did it astonished the samurai. Impressed by his adversary, the samurai yielded and in fact had this to say:

"People I fight look at me fearing for their lives and shaking. Others come to me to offer coins. Others do not come at all. But you, there is no touch of fear in your face, no regret in your mind. Can you teach me how you do this?"

The tea master nodded. The mighty samurai became his apprentice.

God has a purpose for you. He wants you to be where you are, doing what you do best. It is in fulfilling your promise where you find peace and true wealth...regardless the circumstance.