Ignorance is bliss

I assume that the saying “Ignorance is bliss” has always been of a derogatory nature and an insult of sorts. But from my life experiences, sometimes not knowing any better is a plus, especially when knowing all the “facts” can actually get in the way of achieving a goal or accomplishing a plan.

For most of my adult life, I have been the sort of fellow who did stuff on my own, tend to build bigger or wilder, and I often bucked established or accepted norms and assumptions. I will confess that oftentimes I literally did not know better or bothered to do “complete staff work.” The only time I would actually study or do research is when I’ve already taken off or am in the middle of things and need external input to answer a question or ascertain my assumption. Whether it’s about building huge aquariums, constructing a 60-room beach resort, building a four-bedroom bunker on top of a hill facing the sea, building or renovating our house or setting up a 30-ft high living wall of plants. I chase after the dream and I jump right into the work, often ignorantly.

Recently I was speaking with several people who have placed their projects and plans on hold in the face of economic and professional uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most sane and normal thinking persons, these individuals were all waiting for better times and “windfalls” such as retirement money and the like.

But as I listened to them, I could not help but point out that the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only disaster to hit the country or other nations. In the Philippines, we’ve had so many financial crisis, political crisis, eruptions, earthquakes and failed coups. Like the poor, disaster will always be around the corner, especially now that we have climate change. So if we all wait for better times, chances are we will be waiting until 2022 and by then the next disaster could be who we elect as the next president!

In the meantime, those who wait for better times or windfall opportunities will already lose big time! Yes, they will lose big time without even trying because they have lost time, which is something you can’t buy in any store unless you buy a watch. Add to that the lost opportunity to finish a plan and to benefit from the sale or use of it.

While sitting here in our place in Lipa, Batangas I recall how I actually went about building a 200-sqm ranch-style house. We used to have a 30-sqm “lanai” that doubled as our overnight quarters during our early years visiting the property. It was fine until about a dozen people had to sleep in it one weekend. It was the rare occasion when my beloved wife Karen put her foot down and said if family members are going to camp here, then build a bigger place. She forgot that I consider such expressions as a royal command so I set out to do the mission. The problem was we had no savings much less disposable income to build the house.

I never let those things deter me. Just bring out your reliable “metro,” whittle some stakes and start laying out your imaginary home using straw. Several weeks later I asked our caretaker/handyman how much it would cost to put in the “footing” or foundation for the posts, not even knowing the final design. He said P1,500 just for a square slab of cement and steel bars to anchor the post. But before that we would have to dig the holes for the foundation. So while he went about digging the holes that weekend, I gave him the first payment and slowly but consistently gave him money for every succeeding footing he poured in.

In like manner, I saved enough money to put up one post after another. By the time we poured in all the footings and erected all the posts, the cement was cured beyond any industry standard and was confidently strong. A month after came the steel I-beams that I also bought piece by piece weekly and before you knew it, we had a recognizable structure that some thought was a church.

Next thing I knew, I was witnessing the equivalent of a Go Build me experience as regular visitors to our place started donating roofing materials, screens, excess ceiling fans, etc. We even salvaged the glass partitions from my father Louie Beltran’s cockpit and used it as the see through wall in the front of the house. I also realized that all the years I spent gathering, saving and collecting doors, window grills and similar items were not in vain as we used many of these “old” stuff that has given our home a lot of character.

All told, it took a couple of years to finish the house and we continue to touch it up now and then. Unlike traditional houses in the Philippines, our walls are mostly Hardiflex or cement board and the only hollow blocked areas are the bathrooms just in case we need a run to shelter in a bad storm.

We did not build the house in one go, we prioritized function before form, and my main objective was to build something that would house a lot of people, would be beneficial to others and a place where anybody is welcome to build memories. Just don’t ask me about “plans or budgets.” I simply laid it out and I started digging. Yes, we were praying often and frequently because “unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers work in vain” (Psalms 127).

*      *      *

E-mail: [email protected]