“Ang Buhay ay Parang Life”

“Ay, buhay! Parang life!” Mahirap ngunit dapat nating harapin.
"What a life!" It's difficult (to survive) but we should face it!

“Ang Buhay ay Parang Life.” Ito’y isang kasabihan sa Pinas na kung hindi mo kayang ipaliwanag ang klase ng buhay na meron ka, dahil sa hirap o dismaya na nararanasan mo, sinasabi ng mga Pinoy, “Ay, buhay! Parang life!” Ito’y isang pag-amin na bagamat talagang mahirap ang buhay, may pag-asa pa rin sa hinaharap. Kaya, dapat nating harapin dahil di magtagal ay makakaraos din. Ito’y isang paraan para ipaalam sa nakikinig na wala kang ibang magagawa kundi tanggapin na lang ang anumang masama, mahirap, masalimuot o di mo maintindihang nangyayari sa iyong buhay. Sa kabuuan, ang kasabihan na ito ay isang reaksiyon sa negatibong nangyayari sa tao.

"Life is like life!" (literal translation) - a saying in the Philippines when one can't explain the kind of life s/he experiences because of poverty or dismay, Filipinos say, "Oh, What a life! It's like life! (It's life meant to be!)" It's an admittance that although life is really hard, there's optimism into the future.  So, we should face it because soon we'll get over it. It's a way to inform the hearer that s/he doesn't have the ability (to change the present condition) but to accept any misfortune, poverty, complexity or incomprehensible event in life. The bottom line is, it is a saying in reaction to a negative situation a person encounters.

 

Dalawang magkabilang mundo ang namasdan ko ngayon.
I encountered two sides of the world (heaven and earth) today. 

“Ang buhay talaga! Parang life!” ("Life really is like life!")

Dalawang magkabilang mundo ang namasdan ko ngayon. Pumunta ako sa lugar na animo’y nasa ibang bayan ka dahil maraming mga dayuhan at siyempre pa, karamihan dito ay kababayan ko. Sa kalsada pa lang, parang nakakahiyang dumaan man lang at lalo pang bawal tumambay ang mga gusgusing bata na madalas kong nakikitang humihingi ng pagkain pag ako’y napapadaan sa Jollibee.

I encountered two opposite sides of the world (heaven and earth) today. I went to a place that looks like I gallivanted to a different country because there were many foreigners and of course, most of them were my fellow countrymen. Just by the impression you get of the road, it seems embarrassing to go past and more so, dirty-looking children are prohibited to loiter - these children who I often see asking for food when I happen to pass Jollibee.

Sa kalsada pa lang, parang nakakahiyang dumaan kung gusgusin ka.
Just by the impression you get of the road, it seems embarrassing to go past if you're dirty-looking!

“Akin na lang po ‘yang pagkain ninyo!” Abot-langit ang tuwa ng bata pag ibinigay mo sa kaniya pero pag-abot mo sa kaniya at napasaya mo siya, meron na namang susunod na iba.

"Can you just give me your (packed) food, please?" Giving in to the child's request make him/her extremely happy but as soon as you hand the food to him/her and made her happy, other more children come immediately after him/her. 

Dito, sa lugar na ito, bawal ang pakalat-kalat at manghingi sa napakabonggang lugar na ito! Kahit pa marami sana silang mahihingi dito kasi maraming naglalabasang puro BUO - hindi BARYA! Di ko sukat akalain na parang laruang papel lamang ang dumadapo sa kamay ng kahera/bangkera! (Di ko masyadong naiitindihan ang sistema at galaw dahil sadyang ayokong intindihin!)

Here, in this place, it is prohibited to lollygag and beg in this splendid area!
Even if they hope to be able to scrounge here because there are many BIG BILLS not SMALL BILLS emerging here! I can't imagine that these bills are like paper money that just land into the cashier/banker's hand! (I am not really cognizant to the system and movements very well because I intended not to understand it!) 

Dito sa lugar na ito, bawal ang pakalat-kalat at manghingi ng limos sa napakabonggang lugar na ito.
Here, in this place, it is prohibited to lollygag and beg in this splendid area!

“Ang buhay talaga! Parang life!” Pag-uwi ko, habang binabaybay ko ang trapik sa Roxas Blvd., nandito sa kalsada ang mga hirap na hirap makasulyap ng barya sa maghapon. Ewan ko lang kung ang baryang kinita nila sa maghapon, e… , magkasya na sa kanilang pamilya. Napaisip ako bigla… “Ano kaya kung ibinigay na lang ng tao kanina ang kaniyang barya sa mga taong hirap makakita ng barya sa kalsada?” Sigurado akong mas magiging masaya pa siya dahil napasaya niya ang iba, di ba? 

 "Life really is like life!" While on my way home, traversing the traffic on Roxas Blvd, I see these people who are really struggling all day long to even just have a glimpse of a small bill. I just don't know if the small bill they earn for the day would be enough for their family. I suddenly mused, "What if that person I saw earlier just gave his small bill to these people who could hardly earn some small bills?" I'm certain that he would feel happier because he made someone happy, wouldn't he?

"Hirap na hirap akong makasulyap man lang ng barya sa maghapon!"
"I'm really struggling all day long to even have a glance of a small bill."

Teka lang! Bakit nga pala ako napadpad malapit dito? Nagdeliber pala ako  ng mga librong Salitang Pinoy Tagalog Book para sa pangalawang pagkakataon sa American Embassy para sa mga bagong dating na opisyal ng embahada ngayong taon!

Wait a minute! What brought me in these adjacent areas? Oh, I delivered Salitang Pinoy Tagalog Books for the second occasion at American Embassy for the new officers at the embassy this year!

Teka lang! Bakit nga pala ako napadpad malapit dito?
Wait a minute! What brought me in these adjacent areas?

Kayo po ang patuloy na nagbibigay ng buhay!
It's you who continue to give us life!

Maraming salamat po! Pinupuri ko po Kayo dahil patuloy po kayong nagbibigay ng buhay! Wala na kaming hihilingin pa! Ramdam ko ang aking pagkukulang at di pa rin ako makaganti sa inyong pagpapala!

Thank you very much! I praise you for you continue to give us life! We can't ask for more! I feel my inadequacies and still can't repay you for the blessings I receive!

Ang buhay ay parang life!  Este…, Ang buhay ay pagpapala!

"Life is like life!"  Opps…. Life is a blessing!

How about you? How's life treating you? How do you feel when you see children asking for some money on the street? Please share your thoughts!

You can find more reading articles, day-to-day expressions, and  learn Tagalog grammar from my Salitang Pinoy Tagalog Book series. You can buy them at the bookstores or place your orders at:          


Salitang Pinoy Publishing                  
#38 El Jardin Del Presidente 2                  
Unit 1-E Sgt. Esguerra St.                  
Brgy. South Triangle,                  
Quezon City


If you're interested  to learn Tagalog from me contact me at 09177527142; 02-9254142; salitangpinoybooks@yahoo.com