Declamation

• As I went down to the kitchen, I sensed that our house was awfully and unusually quiet. I couldn't figure out why.
• I turned on the television to check if there's anything interesting to watch.
• I chanced upon Channel 5 where reporters have flocked to the area where a middle-aged man was lying dead, shot by an anonymous criminal.
• I couldn't take anymore of these bad news so I switched off the TV and went upstairs to read.
• Just as I was about to open the door to my room, I heard a loud scream. It came from my parents' bedroom.
• Before I could run to check, my mother stormed out of their bedroom, a mess and crying.
• Catherine, let's leave this house. I can't stand living with your father anymore,: 'was what she told me in between sobs.'
• "Why, Mom? What happened? What is it this time?" "I said, go pack your bags! No questions asked." She began to shout at me.
• "No, Mom. I won't go." And then out came Dad with a bag of clothes. He was ready to throw it right at Mom's face.
• "Stop it, Dad! Dad, please! Mom, please stop it! Please stop fighting!" was my endless cry as I try to part them to make them stop from hurting each other.
• But the shouting never stopped.
• I covered my ears to strain off their bitter exchange of words. Stop, please stop.. please… I closed my eyes so I couldn't see them hitting each other.
• Dad says one thing, Mom says another and then they argue and start shouting at each other. Now the house is so quiet. So quiet, I could almost hear the sad beatings of my heart.
• Is this peace? Is it in silence that we find it? Is silence equal to being peaceful? I mean, who are we kidding, right? How can we achieve peace when even in our family we couldn't stand a day without fighting? It's simply impossible!
• Confucius: 'A peaceful world is built by individuals at peace. It all starts from within us.'
• Yes! Peace could then be defined not by the silence of the cemetery but by the spirit of unity that is alive in every individual. It is personified by a family bonded together in unity.
• Mom, Dad, if you are not one in patching things up and in forgiving each other, then, it's going to be a very long and difficult process before we could have peace in our family.
• In our country, the call of the time is to have peace…without unity, justice and truth, peace will continue to be an elusive and fleeting dream for our nation.
• Where does it all start? Right in the very core of our being.
• Peace and unity start with me!