Earning It
Author’s Note This reflection takes a quieter turn from the usual trail. I often write about food, streets, and the comfort of memory. But this one came after watching Saving Private Ryan (1998) for the first time. I found myself not only reflecting on war, but on the weight of history, sacrifice, and the responsibility of the living. Please read it slowly. I hope it moves you the way it moved me. ( And who knows… I might start a little series of movie reflections that break and remake me when I’m not out wandering. Stay tuned. ) “ Earn this, ” hits harder when you realize it’s not just Captain Miller’s dying words to a single man. It’s a call to all of us who are alive because others gave their lives for us to be. Private Ryan isn’t just a man from Iowa. He’s a collective, a symbol. He’s every survivor who asked, “Why me?”—and his story echoed across oceans, across time, and into our own history. He is every Filipino today who enjoys voting rights, access to educati...
