by; Norberto Betita
I came to understand better the meaning of the word regeneration as I applied what horticulturists termed as regeneration pruning on my bonsai trees. It is a process of pruning all the leaves and unwanted branches of the bonsai tree leaving a little portion of the stem.
Outdoors, these bonsai trees are
subjected to offensive assaults from various types of pests and insects and over
exposure to sunlight and rain resulting to decayed roots and branches, and unhealthy
leaves and twigs which become unfit for the beauty of the living art. After the
total pruning is applied new shoots appear and branches formed and heavier
leaves emerge and grow to maturity finally providing a seat for the beautiful
little fruits to grow. At least in a period of two years a regeneration pruning
is being done to bring the tree into its renewed beauty and splendour.
Like the outdoor bonsai trees, many
of the youth and even adults of today are exposed to the unhealthy influences
of the environment outside of the home. Through
years of exposure to the manipulative stimulus of immorality they eventually
loss the moral fibre and finally stay away from the shelter of home. Some walk past the caring parental hands and trudge
the roads of drug addiction, lawlessness and criminality. In the end many find
themselves enclosed in iron doors and become permanent tenants in drug rehabilitation
centers. Sadly still some are walking the streets on beggars’ lane and are dejectedly
called street children or homeless men disconsolately sleeping on sidewalks
unprotected from the chilling cold night air.
While iniquity increases its net to catch many of its willing victims, we worry instead about very congested prison cells and legislates budgets and formulate plans for prison expansions, only to open doors for more criminals and tempt more of our children and people towards greater lawlessness. We failed to set our focus on the long cankered structural foundation of our societal edifice – the family, and instead work on matters of triviality. We failed to strike at the roots of the social cancer, and by our irresponsibility allowed wickedness to win in our life’s greatest battle – the battle of good and evil. Yet, we are told, “Wickedness never was happiness.”
While iniquity increases its net to catch many of its willing victims, we worry instead about very congested prison cells and legislates budgets and formulate plans for prison expansions, only to open doors for more criminals and tempt more of our children and people towards greater lawlessness. We failed to set our focus on the long cankered structural foundation of our societal edifice – the family, and instead work on matters of triviality. We failed to strike at the roots of the social cancer, and by our irresponsibility allowed wickedness to win in our life’s greatest battle – the battle of good and evil. Yet, we are told, “Wickedness never was happiness.”
Many of our children now walk the
pathway of loneliness and despair and are carried away into the raging waters
of pain and fear. They long for parental love and support. They need the
extended hands of fathers and mothers whose grasp they can always trust to pull
them out from the bondage of sin. Above all they need righteous exemplars to
look forward to light the path back to a hopeful regeneration of their moral
decency.
I have my own fears for my children
and posterity as they walk and face the ever tempting pasture of the new
morality. The thoughts of losing them into the perilous highway of immorality
and wickedness give me the confidence to send this call for moral regeneration to
all where my words could reach. Moral regeneration is a societal duty and a
personal choice.
While the bonsai tree cannot act for
itself in bringing back its lost beauty and grandeur without the action of a
bonsai hobbyist, we all can act for ourselves to regain our youth, our
children, our people, and our world back into the bountiful harvest of peace,
hope and love.
