Being vocal about being sad on social media has never felt this rewarding. This week, we witnessed a flurry of posts from Zamboangueños as they expressed their feelings through the simple phrase: “Sad ako.” But wait, what’s the catch here? How come everyone’s sad all of a sudden?
Well, most establishments took the initiative and generosity to offer what they could to the fellow local netizens who were feeling blue and would tag the social media pages of these stores. If these netizens are lucky, they would get freebies, coupons, discounts, and the like from the online stores they tagged. A peculiar phenomenon, to say the least.
What could have possibly sparked this unexpected turn of events? Could it be the joy of receiving something for free from their favorite establishment, or do these people just simply feel down? Nevertheless, Zamboangueños have taken over people’s news feeds by storm and it has been nothing short of a blessing for those who were noticed online—but there is more to this.
Looking at it in a different scope, you cannot deny that this little occurrence online appears to be a wholesome one. Regardless of what people’s emotions were, these establishments took the extra step to meet the needs of their customers by giving them what they can.
Perhaps some might be unaware, but this beams an essential light on how important people’s emotions, particularly sadness or downness, should be addressed—mental health matters, after all. This might sound like a long shot, but it is a nice way to look at the situation especially during the trying times of today. The generosity of the employees and managers behind these stores truly made the day for people who needed a boost of motivation and encouragement.
Now the sellers do not go empty-handed. With their initiative to unconditionally give, this undoubtedly helps their business to be noticed and bolsters their advertisement. This is through the individuals they have reached out to as these people will be sharing the store’s online pages and the kindness that they showcased via stories and shared posts.
As this noteworthy occurrence seems to die down, we definitely hope to see these endearing exchanges more often in the future. It emphasizes how a small act of kindness could turn one’s mood around. In a world ravaged by capitalism, the nature of charity and free giving will always be a sight to see, and, of course, experience.
