Filipino Phrases About Time That I Love

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 Happy Monday!

You do know I like writing about time.  I value it, it puts things into perspective and it takes the form of the user (take note, not the owner) of time.  

There are some Filipino phrases about time that I love and are worth a closer look.  

1.  "Papasaan pa at ..."  

This phrase talks about industry, patience, persistence, resilience.  It tells us no matter how little progress (if any) you may get from your efforts, it will "inevitably" (not eventually) bear fruit if we just press on.     

2. "Pana-panahon lang yan..." 

I just heard this  yesterday from my sister while we were passing by some plant nursery when I uttered, "Di pa sila nakikita ng ganyang kahabang pila for their plants!". My sister wisely said, "Akalain mo. panapanahon lang talaga yan."  True.  Change happens and it benefits one more than the other at a given point in time, but we will all have our time in the sun, so to speak.

3.  "Dadating din tayo dyan...."

Some things come in stages.  There are things we need to take on slowly as to savor the process as well as the result. It enables us to lay foundations that would be important in the longevity of whatever it is that we are working on:  a relationship, a project, a status, a professional position. 

Lastly...

4.  "Una-una lang yan..."

Ok this is seemingly not as positive as the first three and much more difficult to swallow.  Usually uttered when a loved one passes, it sometimes sound like a form of acceptance forced on you.  Aimed at soothing the pain yet, until it is needed, we tend to look away.  

How about taking a hard look at it and consider the value this phrase gives us NOW rather than later? The spin I'd rather take with this phrase is St. Paul's imagery of the race. To think that this life, temporary as it is, is a race to our final destination - a much more beautiful and lasting home.  We run towards being worthy of it everyday and we all get our turn for the chance to finally settle in.  🙂  

Time will always be our teacher. In it, let us be willing students.  

Do you have a phrase to add to this list?




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