Ad astra per aspera

THAT means “to the stars through difficulties or hardwork,” more or less. It simply reminds us that if we want nice things in life like progress, development, wealth, health, etc., we have to work hard for it. In short, avoid good, easy life.

I’m happy that many schools have adopted this as a motto. I just hope that they manage to inculcate this very important value to the students. Through the years, I’ve verified how students who study and work hard really succeed, while those floating in “good life” sink sooner or later.

This seems validated when we consider the current world situation. Many so-called developed countries that have been having a good time for decades are now in deep crisis, while many poor countries accustomed to hard life are emerging to be potential saviors of the floundering rich economies.

We are witnessing these days dramatic shifts of power and reversals of fortunes in many parts of the world. And I can’t help but note that behind these painful changes is the wanton violation of the principle “ad astra per aspera.”

I have read that in France, for example, the government decision to extend the retirement age from 60 to 62 as a fiscal measure to mitigate their economic crisis, was met with stiff, violent protests from the people

In England, where a veritable welfare state is ruling their educational system, similar protests also erupted against the proposal to cut down on educational subsidies. There are worse examples in many European countries.

That´s because when people get used to easy life, it is very hard to break away from it when finally needed. It´s like an addiction. To treat it, one has to proceed with extreme caution but with unwavering determination.

In the US, efforts to solve their grave economic problems through bailouts and stimulus spending have so far failed to achieve the desired results. The reasons are many, but all that reflect a spoiled mentality of entitlements and privileges.

It’s feared that the US will not only suffer a single dip in recession, but a double dip, a double whammy. Remember that they have been playing around the financial markets for so long, creating a bubble and a fantasy world for a while until things cannot be put up anymore.

Meanwhile, some serious studies, reported in very respectable media outlets like Bloomberg and The Economist, claim that big and relatively young and productive population in China and India are driving their economies forward, while the dwindling population in Europe are giving them nightmares.

They also mentioned that what can save the US now is their relatively young and productive population profile as compared that in many parts of Europe.

This should alert us of the danger in our mindless effort to approve the RH Bill. To all intents and purposes, that bill will reconstitute our healthy attitude toward population. It will put the contraceptive mentality in place, and will make us fear babies and people. It will set us up for a big fall in the future.

We should learn precious lessons from what is unfolding in many places these days. The most basic lesson is that we should always take care of our fundamental values and virtues. We have to remain humble, simple, pious and hardwired to work and to serve, with no fear of effort and sacrifice.

Let´s bury our tendency for self-pity and our fascination for comfort, convenience, wealth, fame, power, etc. Just pray and work, and if we get tired of it, then let´s work and pray.

This does not mean we will have a poor and sad life here. On the contrary!Life will be rosier that way, mind you. This is the sure formula for true human success and development.

Remember what Christ said. We need to enter by the narrow gate, because the big and wide one leads to perdition. We have to continually deny ourselves and carry the cross, because our damaged DNA tends to get spoiled with every blessing and favor we receive.

This lifestyle is also compatible with dignity and elegance, the real ones, not the ridiculous imitations. We have to be wary of the hyped images and messages transmitted in the media and public opinion, since they tend to be confusing if not downright false.

When appeals for goodness and development are not based on God, when there seems to be an allergy to include religion in our earthly affairs, we have to be very suspicious. For centuries, we´ve been had. Let´s wake up!