Friendly Reminder
by Kazzandra Ysabel Baysa
Translated by: Edmund T. Dacua
May you know your limits,
don’t take too many tasks.
Prioritize your spirit
over the favors they ask.
Saying no is not a mistake,
it does not make you an inconvenience.
You’re human, there’s so much you can take,
give yourself some lenience.
And when you are exhausted,
may you remember to rest.
Clear up your head,
curl up in your nest.
It’s time to take off your armor
You fought well today, dearest warrior
Tomorrow come back braver
But for now let us surrender.
In the early part of 2020, the Philippine WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health revealed that at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from a variety of mental, neurological, and/or substance use disorder.
With this in mind, the poem “Friendly Reminder” was written to nudge all citizens out there, disregarding their race, gender, age, or nationality.
May you remember that you do not have to be perfect; you only have to be human and humane.