Use your voice

I just have to be me and I do not have to try to be someone I am entirely not.

I just want to mention that to remind me that no matter how I love the words and the styles of the other writers who I admire.., I need to stick with my own voice because I won’t really appreciate the feeling of being appreciated if I tried to be someone else or I said the exact words of other people without giving the credit on them thus stealing the glory they should have.

People got to see and hear me not the people I look up through me though it sounds cool for me when they recognize that I said the words of.., or I got the style of this writer they know. OO cool lang sa akin yun, though nung minsan na magpost ako ng status ko sa fb at may nag react na B.O daw yun.. At first I was flattered.., wow may B.O voice pala ako but later it got to me that “ganun?? Wala ba akong kakayahan na magsabi ng ganung bagay?? Pag ba may sense na tagalog thought e B.O quote na agad?? What’s happening to the world?? Well yeah.., I admit…, I love reading B.O’s work and maybe,, yes.., I might be influenced pero hanggang doon lang yun,, I did not copy from anyone,, if ever gagamit ako ng salita ng iba,, malalaman mo yun kasi ilalagay ko ang pangalan nung nagsabi. Hindi kasi ako yung taong masaya na sabihin na ang mga salitang nasabi na ng iba.. I mean.., may utak tayo.., and we have our own voice and style it may be crazy, annoying or joy to hear <though may be influenced by the people you look up to and I think that is just fine>. Why not put our gift in to use??  Di ba mas astig kung sarili nating salita ang nababasa natin at nakaka earn ng likes., wow.., at admiration ng mga friends mo sa fb at mga ibang taong naabot ng boses mo..

I admit.., yes.., sometimes I use some beautiful lines from movies., tv series.., or books I’ve read out of admiration at nakakarelate ako sa mga word na yun.., feeling ko kasi.., yun na yung mga salitang di ko ma express o di ko agad naisip at wala nang peperfect pa sa paraan ng pagkakasabi kung di yun.., sarap lang  ishare.., But I quote the character, people, writer who said them. The credit goes on them not on me.., Kasi it’s cheating pag hindi ko ginawa yun—para kang pumasa sa isang exam pero hindi ka nag aral, therefore, pumasa ka lang at wala ka naman talagang natutunan .., and from the writers’ term.., that’s plagiarism.. It won’t make me happy anyway kung pupurihin man ako ng iba gamit ang eksaktong salita ng iba---hindi ako parrot.

Maybe it’s enough that we have been blessed with great thoughts, dialogues, words from our favorites movies, personalities, authors. At sobrang biyaya kung naambunan tayo ng istilo nila dahil sila ang madalas nating marinig kaya hindi malayong may ma adapt ka sa kanila kahit papano. You do not need to try to be like them.., because if you sound like them.., lilitaw yun at  maririnig ng iba kahit hindi mo ipahula kung sino ang ka istilo o kaboses mo.. At mahahalata ng mga tao kung nagpupumilit ka lang na maging kaboses mo ang paborito mong singer o author.

People will love you for what you are and what you have. Tayo <stand> lang kung anong meron ka. Kung naghahanap man sila ng wala ka.., hayaan mo silang maghanap ng iba.. kasi hindi fun yung may nagmamahal nga sa’yo.. tapos di naman talaga ikaw ang mahal nila kundi ang taong pinilit mong maging..

And as the old song goes.., “you gotta love me for what I am for simply being me..”