86th Freeman moon

A handful of stars was generously sprinkled on a satin soft dawn sky that night of July 18. They glittered and shimmered, their serene countenance were intermittently freckled by sleepy mantles of clouds lit up by one moon - one I always call The FREEMAN moon.

I bored a gaze at it, gaping in awe. "How many FREEMAN moons have come and gone unnoticed, unacknowledged?"

I gulped down the effluent moonshine that fled from its illuminating body and counted the years of my stay at The FREEMAN. Seven years! Before I became part of this organization, I used to drop by at the Philippine Information Agency to check on this paper's Environment page, Cultural/Historical reports, and Science and Technology -- the latest in computers, technology transfer, and updates on what was then a new world to explore: the Internet.

Little did I know fate would bring me here, and provide me a niche in here.

I remembered the very first time I had witnessed what Guttenberg had contributed to the world. The roaring and rolling of printing machines became a new genre of music to appreciate. Each machine had its language, had its stories to share like a war veteran babbling of battles fought, of medals donned. It's as if each would tell me, "I was here long before you learned to read and write! Innumerable issues that extend to the concept of the EXTRA-EXTRAs had been printed out of my gut, recording historic events that connect the present to its past; a vital witness how men and women-chroniclers, in a working team, collide minds to minds and purge their creative juices."

The FREEMAN, my home for the last seven years, turned 86 this month. I would be last to greet TF "happy birthday" because I was waiting for the 86th FREEMAN moon to rise on some new horizon - the best metaphor to stand for my enthusiasm. Seeking to be vibrant everyday. More vibrant than it was yesterday.

My inkwell runs out of appropriate terms to describe how proud I am to be part of a community newspaper that carry out in its stories the catchphrase of being "free, fair and fearless".

For seven years with TF, I deal with the word survival that is taught in terms never to be misunderstood. For your comments, reactions, suggestions and contributions, crank up my addy: [email protected].