As defined by Microsoft Encarta, Atomism (noun) is the idea that atoms make up everything; or the theory that all matters in the universe are made up of small, individual, finite, and indivisible particles. And when we say personal, it is intended for or owned by a specific person and not anyone else. Thus, we can simply say that personal atomism is your simple desire or your own concept or idea of how you perceive things.
As a government employee, my idea of giving service to the public is to serve them not only of high quality but to serve them with integrity. I see to it that every client that comes in to our office will eventually go out with a big smile on his face and have a feeling of satisfaction on the kind of service that we gave him. I always put myself on their shoes and try to think “how I want to be treated if I’m the one who needed that kind of service.” So, with that in mind comes action adequate enough to satisfy myself that I served them with flying colors. I wanted to change the concept that “nasa gobyerno kasi kaya palakasan” or “kaya mabagal”. Yeah! It is true…it happened and is happening. But if we go along with the current, it will never change. We should be the one to take the lead, little by little…. We always say that we wanted “CHANGE”, but the question is “what step can we take to make CHANGE possible?” Our answer should never depend on how things happen around us or what the world dictates us to do, but with that small spark or that little voice within us that direct our will as a human being and is sometimes called as CONSCIENCE–or shall I call it personal atomism.
People come and go. Not only in government offices, but even in our day to day existence, every moment of our lives we meet different kinds of people in different instances. The way we treat others: our parent, siblings and offsprings and even the strangers we encounter along the street; lies on how we RESPECT and LOVE them.
But just like an atom which has negative (electrons) and positive (protons) charges, people too can possess negativity within them: greediness, egoism, obsessiveness, jealousy etc. Name it, but that too, form part of our personal atomism.
But in the end, what matters most is how we managed to deliver ourselves in any given situation.
What then is personal atomism? Well, those are all your correlated defining features or qualities that makes you as YOU. That small, little pieces of character which makes you distinct and recognizable among others and makes you as a unique CREATION of GOD.
By: Relita de Jesus-Alarcon
