TAPESTRY OF LIFE - Archive

WRITE BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE CAN OR WILL WRITE IT FOR YOU

2011-10-24T11:11:00.003+08:00

Bringing this here from the other blog for someone who needs to see this.

--- For someone out there who has this huge dream, or even the smallest dream of writing.... allow me to say this:

WRITE BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE CAN OR WILL WRITE IT FOR YOU.

Your talent is not meant to be stored away in a dark corner languishing in anonymity. If you are afraid that people may not like it nor read it. That's the least of your problem. What should concern you is what your heart is nudging you to do. And if it says 'write'.... then listen to it and write. Write for the joy of writing. Write because you love to write. Write because you have something to say. Write because it feeds your dreams and your soul.

And don't worry about making mistakes, to do a good thing well you have to make some mistakes along the way. But learn and learn well. Don't fake it; write what you know. Be honest. And remember that a good piece of writing is one which a reader after reading it comes out of it thinking. And when he does that --- Congratulations! you done well where it truly matters! You have made the connection.

Believe that you can....... and you certainly can!!
Good luck! Blessings to you.

Richard Clayderman on the piano with - La Tendresse

2011-10-12T13:12:00.001+08:00

Simply for the afternoon's listening pleasure.

WHAT A DOG AND A CAT CAN DO TO YOUR IMPORTANCE

2011-10-12T09:58:00.004+08:00

Miko on the left; Maxie on the right.

I'm bringing this post from the other blog for a friend here in Tapestry. :-)
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"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him." -- Unknown

Love that quote. I go back to it every time my human impulse is to revel in vanity or ego. Oh yes, we all do that secretly or blatantly. Humanly natural. But it can become quite annoying when we take it so seriously. Otherwise it simply comes and goes.... just like a good pat on the shoulder for a job well done.

We are important only as we see that importance from the perspective of doing what is expected of us as intelligent creatures above our four-legged brothers. And essentially important as we are able to see ourselves as God sees us. Can't fool the Big Guy upstairs.

My pet dog Maxie adores me and I revel in her adoration and adulation... I'm important to her. I'm great to her world.

My cat Miko is the exact opposite... I could go walk by him in all of my human splendor and importance and he would just sleep through that experience. Yawns at my face sometimes.

Maxie sends me off to cloud 9 --- Miko puts me back on the ground.

Importance -- it's not the be-all and end-all of everything nor of you. That is all that we need to know about that word.

OUT OF NOTHING

2011-08-19T11:51:00.004+08:00

An empty canvass, a blank page in the sketchpad, an empty garden pot, or an empty day. They all have one thing in common..... nothing! Yet in a few minutes or an hour perhaps something will be there. On an empty canvass is soon painted a landscape with a paint brush and tubes of water colors. On the blank page a designer gown is sketched or drawn, or a face of a stranger. A tiny seedling goes into a garden pot now filled with fertilized garden soil. An empty day becomes visited with joy, fun, surprises, blessings and plenty more that comes to an open heart. I believe that there is nothing which you cannot fill with something if you try hard enough. Or if you can't --- God will.

It all started when God created the world and the universe from nothing. From there everything else followed. So did we. In our own tiny places or corners of the world we too create our something out of nothing. The pattern of our lives --- in our dreams, goals, adventures, in our tiny or big pursuits, relationships, and in the everyday of our mundane existence.

Isn't that simply marvelous that we have been empowered as His beloved children to create and build the good in our lives.. within our tiny personal worlds and out there to the bigger world waiting to be blessed by its creative power.

TEACH BY THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIVES

2011-08-12T12:28:00.002+08:00

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It is not what we leave FOR our children,
but it is what we leave IN our children
that is going to make a difference.
Let us leave in them VALUES.
----Voice of Love--Frozen Thoughts

We should mind what we teach our young children. Careful that they get the right tools from us to help them develop into individuals worthy of respect and of life. Their sense of right and wrong come from our own understanding of it. Their attitudes towards life, people, the world are images of how we ourselves have embraced in our beliefs and attitudes. Until they are set to fly with their own pair of wings, like a mother bird does to her brood we do all we can to make sure that they are equipped properly and ready to be on their own.

Remember when you see your child there is something of you in her.... your good and your bad, unfortunately. It is not enough to simply cross your fingers and hope that she will turn out alright. There's no guarantee. But you can help her battle her wars by instilling in her the steady values that would hold her up in any trial or strife. Nourish her strengths, play down her weaknesses... but also tell her that weaknesses can be turned into strengths too if she puts her mind and heart to the change. And help her grow into a faith as steady as a rock -- the kind God so requires for miracles to happen.

But the best method of teaching I know of .... is to teach by the way we live our lives. Live your values. You may not know it but your children are watching.

OLDER MAKES YOU APPRECIATE YOUR BLESSINGS MORE

2011-02-20T12:59:00.003+08:00

(This was written in the other blog and brought here to share with you. This was born out of a lunch date I had with my best friend.)

------- My best friend said this to me --- "The nicest thing about getting older is that you begin to see what truly matters... the things that do and the things that don't."

She's right as she does things so differently now as compared to those early days of youth. So what are those? Eat food that are more healthier and nutritious. No to junk food. Go to the movies with or without company and enjoy it just as much. Simple pleasures, simple tastes, simple needs. Spend time with people you would consider treasures. You waste no time with jerks. Not just pray only when problems assail you... but rather talk to God all the time... small things, big things, happy, sad, everything. And always with a grateful heart. Try not to dwell on misery disappointment frustration failure cos it's all passing. Life is short so why waste it living in misery. These unpleasant things when finally understood so well, you realize, don't define you. But what you do with it WILL define you.

Yet.....

ofttimes age is not appreciated nor given its due credit. So many of us can't quite see beyond the exterior - failing eyes, weak gait, sag or bulge where there wasn't before, white hair, failed hearing, clothes that no longer fit, or perceived slowness of the mind.

Sadder that some families would rather move their old folks to homes for the elderly or leave them to fend for themselves old and alone.. or rant and rage that it costs them a fortune minding their health issues and care... or laugh at them for their perceived uselessness stupidity and weakness. It's appalling to see and hear that from the very children who were nurtured from birth to independence by their mothers and fathers... parents who gave their lives so that their children could have theirs.

But I'd like to think that this is more the exception rather than the rule. We love our families, we love our parents, we appreciate them and we keep them with us for as long as we can through thick and thin, through highs and lows, through all the seasons of life.

As my good friend further says from the standpoint of age.... "You see all and learn to count your blessings."

God bless you.

WHAT MORE CAN I DO? -- The challenge for 2011.

2011-01-09T22:21:00.003+08:00

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ---- Oliver Wendell Holmes

(This is a post from the other blog and I'd like to share it here too... to start the blog on a fresh new note with the new year.)

I used to bother about what had gone past and what was yet to come. The questions always fell on 'was it good the year that passed?' or 'what's up ahead in the future for me?'

Then I learned that... i was asking the wrong questions. I should be asking myself instead... 'what more can I do?' When you get satisfactory answers to that, then you can rest easy that it was indeed a good year that has gone by... and ...that future which you seek will be right there for you. You don't have to look elsewhere, it's all inside of you to create the life you want for yourself. God didn't create losers but winners who shine both within and out to the waiting world outside. Now let's make God proud.

Okay, "what more can I do?" Here's my tiny bit.

As you may already know I do landscape sketches with pencil, some posted here in the blog. But have long toyed with the idea of painting in water color, just for the fun of it. Have never tried that before, after all have had no training whatsoever for the art; but it always had been a dream. 'Been drawing since I was a kid but that isn't a guaranty (as most in the know would say) that something on a bigger scale other than a sketchpad would come out fairly nice or a wee bit close to that in the least.

So a few days ago, at the insistent prodding of my youngest daughter (like I said our children know us better than most people do..), 'took out the canvass 12"x14" (she always has a supply of one or two on stand-by for her occasional dabbling at the art) and borrowed her water color set, placed the canvass on the computer table leaning on the monitor, sat on the computer chair... and began!

Well, not quite immediately. First had to have an image of what to paint. And nature was and has always been the first choice for the drawings made.... and again this time. Remembered that one wallpaper on the desktop which was simply so pretty. Well, to make a long story short... here's a beginner's first honest step in water color painting :-)

And my tribute to 'what more can I do'. And this I can truly say, 'have enjoyed myself immensely; 'had lots of fun with it. I guess that's what truly matters. A big bonus if that makes God smile too. Lols!

Hope to hear 'bout your own experience soon. :-)

THE DIFFERENCE LIES IN THE CHOICES WE MAKE

2009-10-19T21:52:00.006+08:00

We all get the same stuff in life. I'm referring to those things which make us happy, cry, angry, love, lose, succeed, bitter, foolish, brilliant, or just downright stupid. Because you and I are the same. You may not fancy the green bitter gourd I eat but you have your own idiosyncrasies about food like a peanut butter and mustard sandwich. I like walking boots anywhere I go and you like dark leather jackets in rain or sunny weather. I like soft soothing music to calm my hassled nerves at night while you like the loud ear-screeching sounds of an electric guitar to wake you up mornings. I guess we can put up with all that because we know that we're so much different with each other as we are so much the same.

But in things which matter in the course of trying to live a life the best we can, it would be wise to pay attention to certain things. We all aim for happiness and success. But to get there in the best possible time and in top form we must learn what or where we should put our emphasis or attention. Why? It’s because so many things could and would encroach on our territory thereby taking us off the track or derailing us from our goal. But we can do something about that.

If our emphasis is on ...

...hard work, responsibility, determination, excellence, persistence, consistency, accountability, knowledge, self-confidence, respect, hope, faith, the willingness to learn, the ability to bounce back from a disappointment or failure, and the passion and love for doing what is right

--we will get there no matter the road we take or challenges we face. If we put in our best effort into our goals, the universe can do no other but grant our heart's desires.

On the other hand, if we engage in ....

--lackadaisical effort, are content with mediocrity, are lazy, can't leave our comfort zones, can't make commitments, resent authority, prone to moods of procrastination, evade responsibility, and would opt for the shorter easier (yet not always the smarter) way to do things

--we won't get there, that's certain. We'll simply end up as miserable as we started - Perhaps twice as miserable. To this the universe will simply say to us -- 'Buddy, you've got a problem.'

Both kinds of activity use up the same hours, days, weeks, years and energy put into it. What would make the huge difference is on deciding which road we would choose to travel -- the road to success or the road to misery. The choice is solely ours to make.

"The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable,or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." -- Carlos Castaneda

NO DAY BUT TODAY

2009-10-19T21:33:00.003+08:00

Have you seen the movie 'Rent'? It's a Broadway musical turned into a movie. If you haven't yet, then go see it or get the cd. You won't regret it.

"No Day But Today" is just one of the several beautiful songs in it. This one is on my list of all time favorites.

You know why? Because it tells me this...

No day but today......

...to follow your dream
...to take dance lessons
...to finish that book
...to paint that masterpiece
...to go sailing or canoeing
...to get a sauna with your wife..or husband
...to treat your kids to Disneyland
...to be friendly to your neighbor who hates your red hair
...to write to your congressman about misfits in the government
...to give away your old stuff to people who might have need for it
...to pray - and pray - and pray not just for yourself but for others too
...to believe in yourself - there is only one you
...to forgive and be forgiven
...to sleep under the stars
...to hug your parents and grandparents
...to be kind to your household help
...to be a friend in both good times and bad
...to teach your child how to bike
...to buy yourself a bouquet of your favorite flowers
...to write that long overdue letter
...to eat healthy foods and stay with it
...to exercise regularly and stay with it
...to believe in God
...to not wait for a special occasion to give
...to say thank you
...to do a good deed
...to say 'no' when you should
...to say 'yes' when it's good
...to get down from your ivory tower and get down to real life and true living
...to plant a tree -- lots of it
...to love and take care of Mother Earth
...to recycle garbage
...to not throw garbage into rivers and streams
...to clean up your clutter
...to listen to reason and good intentions
...to get a job and not bum around anymore
...to use your college education to better lives... yours and others
...

There's more, so much more. I'm sure that you have your own list too. No time like today for it.

LOVE WILL TURN THE TIDE

2009-10-19T20:52:00.004+08:00

I would like to do something here just so to let readers know that am very much around and blogging. This post is from the other blog. Am taking it here now and hoping that some would leave me a message or two to let me know they're there too. :-) Thanks.
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It's quite easy to turn your back to the misery of others. But not so when misery hits you. Then you wish that friends wouldn't turn their backs on you.

-"Love one another as much as I love you." - I've heard this spoken so many times, read it a thousand times over. I have realized that none can be more truer than this. God in His magnificent love has given us all of the earth... land - sea - air... under our care and management, for our living joy and pleasure. And too each other to love and care for. Every individual does not stand alone no matter how he says he does and can.. or tries. For no man is an island, each one is dependent to and on another for many different things. I need you as much as you need me. So how is it that we can't... love?

Love will turn the tide. Believe coz it's been done for ages, by many, in different circumstances, with the smallest or greatest of hearts and hands. Love breaks down all barriers -- real perceived imagined.

Don't make it difficult for yourself or for the next guy beside you or for the rest of the world. Love... and you will make a reality your and everybody's wish that the world were a better place . It'll start with you, me, them, us.

CLOSED DOORS and OPEN WINDOWS

2009-01-07T16:18:00.005+08:00

WELCOME 2009!

The previous year for the world was a mix pot of odds and ends, tumultuous at some point and ecstatic in another and even so diverse in-between. The world is because everything good or bad must run its course -- helped along in most by mortals. Well, can't complain (Oh maybe a whimper? lols -- loudest when doors closed to my face) as far as my own life is concerned, not now anyway as I look back to it. You see, I have realized that everything that was in my 2008, good or bad, was my life and it helped form me in more ways than one. And leaving out something no matter how bad or unpleasant it was would create a void in my life tapestry. I understand now that those things were necessary for a purpose only Somebody up there would know. I didn’t know that then when I was hurting. But now I want to think that I did and have learned, grew, matured into wisdom and becoming albeit one painful bit by bit the person I was meant to be in the first place… as predetermined by the Heavens. And the learning still continues.

I believe that goes for everyone too. We’re all the same no matter the race, color, or creed. Basically we have the same needs, wants, expectations, hopes, and dreams. And we with our temporary lives are all travelling the same road to Heaven. If there was really a serious attention to a New Year’s Resolution… maybe it should read

I SHALL ... LIVE MORE, LOVE MORE, LAUGH MORE, CARE MORE, BELIEVE MORE, TRUST MORE, HELP MORE, GIVE MORE, AND PRAY MORE.'

We can do that… bit by bit or one tiny step at a time in our lives day by day. Who says it can be achieved in just one sitting. Nah, that’s not how it’s done. It may take awhile to change or develop new habits or shift one’s paradigm of thinking but it can be done. Leaving our comfort zones may be the best thing to happen to us yet. And come to think of it, maybe that would take care of the ills of our world too. --- God bless you.

EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS AN IMPACT ON ANOTHER

2008-12-21T19:44:00.004+08:00

This new post is in the other blog also. But I'm having it here too for my Tapestry friends. It's with a heartfelt greeting for the lovely holidays ahead. :-)

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That’s a line I heard from the movie ‘Patch Adams’ which I saw on DVD. I won’t be talking about the movie here although I must say that it was an inspiring and a feel-good viewing experience.

What impact do you have on another? Is it one lovely thing or something opposite it? Because Mom would push this thought on me as I struggled with my angst in high school -- that always there are two things to everything -- Like you can’t enjoy coffee without cream (well, that’s me), or a table without a chair, or drive a car without gas, or have honey without a bee, or live a happy life without some share of sorrow or pain, etc. Life comes in two’s – it may be complementing or otherwise but definitely something is there which tells you that ‘one’ is not really alone, that there’s more to just one.

When you go about your daily business thinking that you’re doing fine by yourself minding your own affairs, think again. Because even by the mere fact of your standing there on the corner waiting for your bus you impact another person who may be merely looking at you or simply passing you by at the least. You may be shaping his thoughts. Because you have your life experiences etched on your face and that is what the other is catching.

Oh some of us may use the milder term ‘impression’ as it looks far appropriate to them. But I would stick to the word ‘impact’ because it best expresses what happens when people collide with each other in this high social traffic called life. People crash, collide, contact with another being going from here to there. Lives intertwine directly or indirectly, visibly or not, or meet at some point or another or leave something behind. This could be very brief, fleeting, or even linger for some amount of time until it is asked to move on by some unknown force.

In that process something happens. Something from you transfers to the other and stays there or vice versa. It forms our thoughts, opens up our eyes, and nudges our hearts.

I was in this party last week, a reunion of old colleagues (a tight group of about 20) from the company I worked with for twenty years. As all reunions are there were plenty of smiles, guffaws, laughter, teasing, nostalgia, and memories for everyone’s picking. And of course – food! While everybody was feasting on a spread of mouth-watering delights I, seated close to the end of the long table, ‘feasted’ my eyes on the people there. My file of memories opened and names instantly popped out. Oh yes, each one had indeed made an impact on my life and had managed to form my thoughts on several things seen and observed in life. I was never the same person with every encounter and experience. Something was shed and something was gained.

Every human being has an impact on another. You can count on that because God did not mean us to live solitary lives. We were meant to collide, crash, touch, link, connect, interact, or impact each other’s lives. Because only with another or each other can we grow into the persons God meant us to be.

With this thought, I would like to say this to everyone here in BLOGSPOT, visible and 'invisible'…

Thank you for coming into my life and helping make it better – making me a better human being to myself and to others. May our magnificent God pour out His blessings a hundredfold upon you and yours this Christmas and through the years ahead.

A MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!

WG LAST EDITION 14 & 15 - LITTLE THINGS - BIG THINGS

2007-10-25T16:39:00.000+08:00

I've got two for you this time, friends. :-)

#14 - THE LITTLE THINGS I NEED MOST IN LIFE...

#15 - THE BIG THINGS I NEED LEAST IN LIFE...
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the little things i need most in life....love,family n friends.
the big things i need least in life....empire (Bobby)

THE LITTLE THINGS I NEED MOST IN LIFE...Love, Trust,Peace of mind.
THE BIG THINGS I NEED LEAST IN LIFE...Power. (Mini)

Little things I need most in life...
none that I can think of... They are big things for me... just because i need them the most...
A little affection,
a bit of space,
a pinch of sadness,
a dash of smiles to make my day,
a ray of sun in between the rains,
a moment to giggle, when i am in pain,
my dear ones around me,
to give meaning to my life's journey
... they all mean a lot. :)

Big things I need least... LOL I can think of loads of these...
Fancy dresses to feel beautiful. I have my thoughts to wear...:)
Big Baubles to feel rich... I have my friends around me.:)
Big Awards to feel honoured... I have the appreciation of my loved ones.:)
An annual appraisal to feel promoted... My kids give me a promotion every now and then...:))))))))
Just to name a few... :) (Jitu)

THE LITTLE THINGS I NEED MOST IN LIFE... smiling faces, growing trees and beautiful animals...
THE BIG THINGS I NEED LEAST IN LIFE...
the big cars and the palace... (AmitMakwana)

little things that I need most in life is happiness and comfort n well being of my loved ones..
Big things that I need least would be all the luxuries..which I def love but can easily do without. (Savy)

little things i need: Diamonds!
large things i dont need: tiger whales (even the blue ones are not welcome) (Awesome)

The little things i need most in life ... Peace
The big things i need least in life.... wealth. (Jerry)

theres no power above the power of Love and affection, the Powwer of a Caring Heart, which can help us move ahead in Life. Love makes us a true Human Being ..vot more can v seek from Life. (Rohit)

The little things i need most in life ... Knowledge, Peace & Happiness, Health & wealth
The big things i need least in life.... All that the wealth can buy :D (Busybee)

Little things? How about a trip to the moon?
Big things? How about Chinese territory in my name? (LP53)

The little things I need most in life - a complete normal family (which I never had),peace of mind(which is a rarity),freedom to live life the way I want to, instead of the way people around me dictate(alas!) Since they are all denied me, they really do seem BIG to me!
The little things that aren't denied me in this life, are the ones which make my life worth living;such as a sweet friend and a good book.
The big things I need least in life - A car,a bungalow,social status. (Samyukta)

The little things I need most in life are smiles of pleasure from young and old. The big things I need least in life are the glitters of diamonds and gold! (Phoenix)

Little things I need the most ... coffee breaks with friends.
Big things I need the least ... Driving my own Ferrari :D (Sumit)

the little things i need most in my life are :
1. family and friends!! no 1 can live without them and im no exception!! i say they are lil things because most of th time, knowingly or unknowingly we take em for granted!
2. a smile on everyone's faces around me.
3. njoying the First rains by getting wet in them.
4. bringing a smile on someones face
5. a bit of love and less of hatred amongst all
6. junk food on the streets:D:D cant live without that.
7. my Freedom!! (TD23)

The Little things that I need …………There are sooooooooo many little things that actually make me the person I am and its kind of difficult to list all of them … yet I have managed to do so only a few ones but in no case it should be thought that these are the only ones…..
1) little prayers…………that keeps my goodness alive
2) little pampering …..from my parents that makes the little kid in me active
3) little scolding…..from my brother that keeps me on my toes …(hehehe)
4) little encouragement…..from my sister that brings my energy back into flow
5) little gossiping …….with my bhabhi(sister in law) that keeps me aware about the latest happening around(hehehe)
6) little masti……with my nephew (who’s 1 yr old )that brings back the memories of my childhood (mind u he is as naughty as I was in my childhood)
7) little naughtiness….with my friends that allows absolute freedom of my sense of humour
8) little pat on my shoulder…..from my senior at office which is very rare….
9) little praise ……from my boss which I hope should come as often as possible
10) little enjoyment…..with a funfilled cassette on ...aahaa….that sets me rocking n moving.
11)little introspection……with myself to become a better person from being a good person
12) little observation …….on nature which makes me learn that harmony or synchronization is the only way of “LIVE N LET LIVE”
13) little criticism ……of me that allows me to keep a check on myself .

The big things that I need least in life……

1) Big Ego ……as it would destroy all my little things that I need most in life
2) Big Luck……as it would not allow me to work hard n stretch my limits. (Rekha)

posted on Monday, August 13, 2007 9:19 PM

WG SPECIAL EDITION 13 - WHEN I LOOK INTO THE MIRROR I SEE..

2007-10-25T16:32:00.000+08:00

#13 - WHEN I LOOK INTO THE MIRROR I SEE.....
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The entries in the previous editions (from the very first one last June) were such a wonderful steady source of inspiration, wisdom, precious insights, and fun. We have achieved far more than we have sought or expected with this writing game. Kudos and thanks to everyone who contributed to its immense pleasure, delight, and fun.

Here's another one to nudge your minds with. :-)
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when I look into the mirror I see..A happy reflection :) (Savy)

..next time when I will look into the mirror I will remember you...:)) (Shrawan)

When I look into the mirror, I wonder, how much of the truth does it speak. Does it show me all my faults or does it hide? Does it appreciate my good and magnify? (Phoenix)

... a FOOL! (LP53)

myself.. (Busybee)

When I look into the mirror, I see the chocotale marks left on it by my kiddeos... and go looking for the rag... LOLOLOLOL... (Jitu)

I look at that beautiful back ground :D (Naveen)

...god grace..n thank him for hu n wht i am :) (Bobby)

When I look in the mirror I see a mischevious ,intelligent and good looking girl staring right back at me !! (Frenchita)

When I look into the mirror I see that I AM THE CUTEST OF THEM ALL ;) Love. (Divya)

WHEN I LOOK INTO THE MIRROR I SEE..... Me & My Dreams :-) (Envisage)

when i look into the mirror,i see...
a small me
a poor me
a silent me
but an enthu me
above all,
a fighter me. (Manini)

When i look into the mirror ... i see a happier Sumit. (Sumit)

I see myself and wonder if it was the same person who was a lot thinner and was even lighter than now.. but then i say to myself.. "Not bad, after all!!!" (Kamesh)

when i look into the mirror...i see.." RAMBO -minus the machine gun and ofcourse....the muscles..."...:D :D :D (Imran)

When I take a fleeting look at the mirror and decide to give it a skip... I remember your post and take a second peek just to have a look... and i see someone with a twinkle in her eyes looking straight back... I smile and tell her... "Ok. Next time I am at ellen's I'll tell her about you." And she smiles back at me.:) (Jitu)

a person who needs to slim down a little more, increase her sense of style a little more & improve the frills here & there a little more :D :D :D :D :D (Sindhu)

I see a very capable person who does not live up to expectations and capabilities due to laziness and procrastination ! (Vrij)

When i look into a mirror.... "I have to be revived with smelling salts and splashings of water." (Khalid)

WHEN I LOOK INTO THE MIRROR I SEE ... nothing but 'the virtual me'... as no one even me also} can see 'the real me'... (AmitMakwana)

when i look into the mirror i see.....a person who i know very well. (Rekha)

posted on Saturday, August 11, 2007 9:13 AM

WG SPECIAL EDITION 12 - THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN..

2007-10-25T16:25:00.000+08:00

THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN.... just around the corner. :):):)
- Great Victories of life are - just those small ones. Our desire for them and our endeaver to achieve, make them great.:) (Jitu)

.....are the small everyday ones!!! (Morpheus)

...often forgotten... (LP53)

..the stepping stones of greater victories. (Naveen)

The Great Victories of life are often
- those that are won against the great evil called TEMPTATION. They are 'great' because you have exerted your will power over it. They are victories because you end up making the right choice.They are most worthy of notice because they are fought with the enemy within yourself, i.e. your own temptation. (Samyukta)

THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN....Ignored. (Mini)

The Great victories in life are often ... achieved alone (or leave you alone). (Sumit)

The great victories of life are the ones we fight within ..such as hate , greed , lust and fear .. no victory is sweeter ... (Frenchita)

The Great Victories of life are often.....unspoken...only felt...such as LOVE. (Bobby)

THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN.... happens, while u r busy enjoying the hardwork it takes!
done by common man.... with common things.... and people think afterwards...He is an extraordinary ONE!!! (Chakoli)

THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN... relative. (Busybee)

The great victories of life are often, the earliest ones. The time we started to walk upright on two legs, when we started to use voice to communicate, when we started to use our thumbs and hands,like no other creation of God does. After that all the victories are mere extensions of what we learnt in the first 6 to 7 years of life. (Phoenix)

great victories of life are often ...small ones apparently but potentially big :) (Savy)

THE GREAT VICTORIES OF LIFE ARE OFTEN.....SEEMINGLY THE GREAT DEFEATS OF LIFE..... (Rekha)

posted on Wednesday, August 08, 2007 5:54 PM

WRITING GAME - SPECIAL EDITION #11 - IF ONLY..

2007-10-25T16:18:00.005+08:00

Friends have asked me if the Writing Game we had last June could make a come-back stint someway and sometime soon. I thought bout it and realized that having such a game where people come together to play and share is indeed an enriching experience. So in honor of those who have posed that question and for us to see each other again here, I'll make a Special Edition with this writing.

The same guidelines work in this edition but this time no restrictions on the number of lines. The only concern will be the o3 server..... I hope it does not dampen our enjoyment of the game with its uncooperative nature.

By Vani's request, here are the Guidelines:

- I will be posting a particular yet an
INCOMPLETE THOUGHT in the blog.
- When you see this, REWRITE IT in a way you want it
to show or be read.
- No limits to its length. Let the creative juices flow.
- No quotes or famous lines but just YOUR own thoughts.
- Your messages will then be POSTED IN THE BLOG.
After you have placed it in the Comment Section.

Here it goes, folks.....

WRITING GAME SPECIAL EDITION #11 - IF ONLY.....

If only... I had a trailer, I'd go on a road trip round the country with buddies...cross the islands to Boracay. :-)) Lots of sun, sea, and sand! (Sunshine)

If only , we could live life for more than once, we could make our lives better! (Phoenix)

If only... I had a trailer...I would not be sleeping at one place, called home...would be another Gadhafi! (LP53)

If only i had a re-wind mecha-nism in life like VCR i wud be able to set right my past b-lun-ders :) (The Bard)

If only...I had you the world could finally stop spinning ... and my dead end road would finally have a new beginning. love kkrushna

"If 0nly, I knew what exactly I want in Life instead of Everything" ;) (Lust4Life)

IF ONLY the determined attempt + favor of destiny I will be CEO of Honeywell ( Big Dreams of a small kid :P :P ) [ Vani :) ]

if only i knew what happiness is i wouldnt have traded my "time" in persuit of it.........time to go to work........ (Vish)

if only i knew when my glass would be full n spilling n I shall be doing all that I should.... (Savy)

If only... I wud be fair to life rather than expect life to be fair. (Navin)

IF ONLY..... I had known,what life had to offer before I came into this world. (On uncle's letter) - If Only..... I can understand the meaning behind it n Implement it n make make my life fruitful/joyful. (Mini)

If only I was more focussed , I would have achieved much more in my life! (Frenchita)

IF ONLY - I had tons of money to indulge in a cruise to Alaska - book a suite at the Al Burj, go on a trip of the Palace on Wheels and take up a villa in switzerland. That's all i want! :) (Jojo)

May be i can add...:)
If only... O3 works without a hitch... our lives would have been a bit different at least.:D:D:D:D NO retyping comments, No reposting posts, No invisible posts, No exchange of commenters' ids. :D:D:D My journey at o3 would indeed have been smoother.:) (Jitu)

Lols! This got me laughing, Jitu. :-D ---But, folks, let me put this on record -- Jitu helped me restore my missing blog. This wonderful person does not only write beautifully but has a big heart. :-)

posted on Sunday, August 05, 2007 12:50 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 10 The Last Edition I REMEMBER..

2007-10-25T15:36:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #10 (Last Edition) - I REMEMBER..

So here we are at the end of the line. I feel so fortunate and privileged to have enjoyed such an enriching experience with you in the game. Neither can it be ignored all the wonderful and inspiring messages received from you. Everything was simply magnificent. Thank you, my friends, for making this birthday month of June very special. This shall always be remembered for a long time in my heart. God bless you all!

And for the __nth time ---

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL JUNE BIRTHDAY CELEBRANTS!!!
GOD BLESS YOU WITH SUCCESS, PROSPERITY, GOOD HEALTH, PEACE, JOY, HAPPINESS, AND LOVE FROM FAMILY & FRIENDS.
=====================================================

Have learnt in recent times to thank God rather than question Him as to the reasons behind a situation :D (Sindhu)

..that GOD is always with me...regardless if I acknowledged him or not. (LP)

This is the one with most answers....I will take the liberty to list out everything that comes to my mind and not just 4-5 lines...this being the last edition,I hope the liberty is granted. so here goes:

I remember ..
1)my first crush
2)my first Nancy Drew book
3)my first Sherlock Holmes mystery
4)the first time I completed a Crossword Puzzle
5)the first song I played on the Guitar
6)my first kiss
7)the time I felt God's presence all around me
8)the first time I shed a tear for somebody else other than me
9)every kind word/gesture I came across like it happened yesterday
(Samyukta)

I REMEMBER.......
the person i truely love even though she is not wif me.
I REMEMBER.....
the first raindrops falling on my cheecks
I REMEMBER.....
the frnds I grew up with (Bronel)

I remember ..........the beauty of nature. (abx)

" I Remember Not To Give Up When That is The Only Thing I Wanted To Do " (Lust4Life)

I REMEMBER..nothing! abosultely nothing! i don't look back and don't strain my memory much! (AmitMakwana)

...nothing. (Jay)

Well Ellen,
Whenever i m on o3 i remember to visit your blog and pen down all the appreciation i have for u. These days its difficult for me to have a better appreciation for your writing skills or picturing skills. twnmplu! (Pearl)

I remember the happy moments I spend with my family. I remember God for everything He has given me. (Perfect Guy)

...and i still remeember the fist time i came to you page.... (Vish)

I remember...
those moments when I felt HIM so close to me.... AND...the day when you started this fabulous game that stimulated penning skills for many O3ians :-) (Blogesh)

i remember to thank god for all the little and the big things i have been bestowed with..thank him unfailingly for it all :-) (Thisisme)

I remember myself...very faintly... (Sridhar)

I REMEMBER... the days i spent in my hostel wid my lovely roommates n ya ofcourse college days... (Janu)

I remember to forget the things I don't like, I wished they never had happened... (Sharad)

I remember....good times, and not so good one's too :D:D (Navin)

i remember ..that i was an insecure kid ..needed more love than i got. (Frenchita)

I remember what I want to......and also what I don't want to :)) (Lavina)

I remember how each time, the smallest of creations humbled me, so have rendered the cloak of my ego, into the cover of humility.

kudrat kay har ek goshay mien kayanaat nazar, aayee hai
issliye apnee aukaat ko hayaa say dhaknay mien samajhdaree hai. (Khalid)

i remember... what i had to go thru to become a person what i m now!! (Rups)

==============================================================

posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 9:15 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 9 LIFE IS NOT MEASURED..

2007-10-25T15:32:00.000+08:00

Thought #9 - LIFE IS NOT MEASURED..

Birthdays lead us to think about life – what has gone past, what is in the present, and what is hoped for in the future. What we truly have though is the present. It is here that we build our tomorrows armed with the lessons of our yesterdays. So maybe now we have formed our own impressions about life – of what it is and what it isn’t. Your take, my friends.
***************************

Life is not to be measured but lived, good and bad times will make way for each other so we should try to enjoy and look to learn from both. (Sumit)

LIFE IS NOT MEASURED...in terms of size and personal achievements, but LIFE is measured in terms of efforts to perform and to excel! (AmitMakwana)

Life is not measured but Experienced . (Amita)

Who says. life is measured in birthdays, anniversaries, boyfriends,...:D (LostPatrol)

life is not measured but lived to the hilt..thats what true life is about :-) (Thisisme)

Life is not measured but lived by understaning and realising the importance of evolution at each and every front of life be it mental or otherwise----. (Mann)

not by the years in life......but by the life in your years
:D not mine...somene else's...I liked it a lot :) (Sindhu)

ife is not measured...
across its Breadth, but its Depth is more important. (Sharad)

life is to be measured and savoured ..bit by bit. (Frenchita)

Life is not measured.. in the number of years gone by, it is measured in moments of self realization. (Samyukta)

...because it's infinite. (Jay)

life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away :) Divya)

Life is not measured by riches, success, trophies, titles......
but by the times you smiled and felt joy
do a tap dance in your heart! (s)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE:
I will be coming up with the final edition of thoughts (#10). I hope that everyone who came since DAY ONE will come for the FINAL GAME to close it with me. Thank you. -ellen :-)

posted on Friday, June 22, 2007 6:34 AM

WRITING GAME - Edition 8 IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING..

2007-10-25T15:25:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #8 -- IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING -- THAT WOULD BE

The subject is courtesy of a dear friend, Morpheus. He thinks that this could be a good thought to nudge our minds with. I think it's a very good idea. In fact, there are a couple of things I myself would prefer to have 'changed' right now, if I could. :-) Okay, dear people, let's do this!

And I'm not going to forget to greet (repeatedly Lol!) all birthday celebrants for this month of JUNE! A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU! :-) May joy and gladness be yours not only this month but all of your lives.
------------------------------------------------------------------

(Thisisme): my temper and my too much of a giving attitude.. should learn to b a taker at times too.. :-)

(Saaya): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING - THAT WOULD BE ....My perfectionist, tempermental , neat freak , choosy attitude ....People find it difficult to cope with :) )

(Navin): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING - THAT WOULD BE
oder Peoples attitude...bcoz I m perfect..well almost....
....on a more serious note...I guess my take it easy policy :D:D:D

(Sharad): My temper and my fluctuating state of mind like Pal mein tola, pal mein masha. :-)

(Phoenix): If I could change one thing...that would be human tendencies for hatred.

(Taira): everything is destined by the almighty and whatever happens was supposed to happen. Nevertheless, I would like to change few things about myself..... am more of a trusting person and get taken for granted always.... wish i cud at times enjoy being a reciever and get pampered always, instead of being a giver all the times.....and my blunt attitude, which causes wrath at times shudnt be so bcos i say things as i see them.....beyond the actual picture; which people mistake it for being totally rude.... a negative but i feel its a positive for me bcos my conscience is clear about myself and my thoughts....
cheers :))

(abx): that would be .........destiny.

(Janu): F I COULD CHANGE ONE THING, THAT WOULD BE...
double standard n hypocrisy from the ppl.

(AmitMakwana): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING -- THAT WOULD BE... terrorism, by converting it into simply love!

(Lust4Life): If I Could Change One Thing - That Would Be "Not To Let Go The People Who Love Me"

(Bronel): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING - THAT WOULD BE a person named BRONEL.

(Decentmonkey): If I could change one thing.. it would be removal of discrimination of any kind..

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket (Osho): If I could change one thing it would be my wife.Any takers.She feels the same about me.

(Sur): my always-so-confused-MIND!

(Jay): ..me.

(Divya): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING -- THAT WOULD BE THE WORLD....AND MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN!!

(Sunshine): Hi! Yup, a few things could need some changing, not just one. Like -- superiority, inferiority, jaded minds, weakness of character, fearful hearts, etc. The list would be too long. To sum up, I guess it would fall into the criteria of NEGATIVISM. I can't stand negative people, they snuff out the joy of living.

(Amita): IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING - THAT WOULD BE My Bad Habits

(Zaina): if i were to change one thing..then it'd be our world..for the better.

(Samyukta): If I could change one thing - that would be my famous temper. I lose it at least once a year!!I wish I could reduce the frequency and then one day totally control it so that I don't lose it ever!

I will not change my CAT! ( you stole it?) (LostPatrol)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For June 22....
Thought #9
LIFE IS NOT MEASURED…..

posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 3:22 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 7 NEXT TIME I WILL..

2007-10-25T15:17:00.000+08:00

We tend to overlook important things in our life. We behave so utterly oblivious of everything else but our own comfort and needs. Sadly we often skim through the fact that our behavior or misbehavior does affect people around us. Until one day when the consequences hit us hard and bad we face up to our wake up call and say ---

THOUGHT #7 - NEXT TIME I WILL..

NEXT TIME I WILL…..
nt spend more on my CC :P
add less sugar to my tea :)))
be more regular to gym :O :O
Control my shopping list :D :D :d
spend less time in parlour :p :p :p
..........Make sure not to repeat the mistakes of past !!
add more goodeness to my deeds !! (Saaya)

Next time I will, not wait for next time.:) (Jitu)

Next time I will….
Call home when I’ll be late for dinner
Not chew gum in meetings
Tidy up my room
Read the book I bought last week
Control my temper
Can’t believe this – the list is long! But I am serious! (Mack)

NEXT TIME I WILL...
NOT BE SAD AND TRY TO CONTROL MY EMOTIONS.... :-( (Janu)

Next time I will......
care for those ppl who left me desserted when I really needed them. (Bronel)

Next time I will...
shhhhhhhhhhhh....Badi Bill around...quiet...:D (LostPatrol)

next time i will...
do exactly the same thing that i did last time. Repeat all the mistakes.. i learnt so much from them. (Morpheus)

NEXT TIME I WILL...
not repeat the behaviour and words that hurts someone' sentiments, instead i will encourage and appreciate people around, for the better. (AmitMakwana)

NEXT TIME I WILL,
try not to repeat any of the mistakes, commited so far!! (Anil Kumar)

Next time I will......think better ;):D:D:
Next time I will think of a better sentence :P:P:P (Navin)

I'll kiss that a** who is taking me for granted all the time. (Sharad)

Next time I will....
Make a resolution that I can stand for :-) (Blogesh)

..look behind & analyse. :D :p (Jay)

1. be thankful for the second chance and try to utilise it well..
2. never visit the coffee shop that i went today.. their coffee tasted like shampoo :( :D (Decentmonkey)

Next time i wud keep my head and mind straight wont let it wander off here and there....!!! (Firefly Aka Sur)

Next time I will ............. Learn to let go with a smile. (Amita)

'll try to control my temper and moods and my tongue!! (Thisisme)

Next time I will.....
not let the situations and circumstances win over what i really wanna do.
Next time I will......
give my all effort and attention to my priorities. (Bronel)

Next Time i will make sure i will not hurt anybody and also not worry unnecessarily and enjoy life :) (Deeps)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMING UP NEXT.....
THOUGHT #8
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING - THAT WOULD BE...

posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 12:56 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 6 - HAPPINESS IS...

2007-10-25T15:08:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #6 - I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT
STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS..

Happiness is not elsewhere its in self.. we just have to uncover it. Happiness cannot be gained.. it can only be realised. (Morpheus)

HAPPINESS IS when you believe you are beautiful.
HAPPINESS IS also Relative like Work done is accomplishment.
Accomplishment is happiness. (Mini)

.. but still happiness is in my control to a extent.. first I need to choose to be happy.. then count the blessings and be grateful for what I have instead of being miserable for my desires.. (Decentmonkey)

.. always around the corner waiting for the green signal from me, moment i am through the pain, i will welcome HAPPINESS! Amit Makwana)

I know that life is flawed, but still i say that happiness .............
shall be the satisfaction, before i sleep, that i improved upon the legacy given unto me, even if it be by a very small bit
and while doing so:
was able to share whatever i could
had compassion for the fellow being
felt empathy for the deprived
spread even an ounce of laughter everyday
was able to reciprocate the affection rendered unto me
Gave it my best shot, howsoever hard the going. (Khalid)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT
STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS ....... what makes the ride worth pursuing. (Amita)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS.......
finding pleasure during this journey of life and learning to enjoy it and accept it & be a part of it - even with its flaws :) (Divya)

"...playing with your dogs by the lakeside".
"...what you experience from fulfilling your needs as well as of others." (Jay)

Life doesn't always hand us a bowl of roses, true. It is flawed and we are surrounded by imperfections. But we can always aspire for happiness in small doses despite being in the midst of trials. For me, happiness can be a quiet moment by the foot of the stairs just watching my little niece play with the puppy. (Dierdre)

Happiness is how u feel when u get something u desired and u've worked for :) (Sharad)

I know that life is flawed, but still i say that happiness.....
is accepting as it is :D:D:D (Navin)

I know that life is quite flawed but still I say that happiness is ......
in knowing...
that you gave your best shot every time.
in realizing...
that you can bring a few smiles no matter what.
in the satisfaction...
that you did your best to leave the world, a little better than you found it.
in doing your part ...
in the mighty circle of life... with all your heart.
in living each moment...
and reveling in the company of his creations.
in feeling...
his love. (Jitu)

I know that life is flawed but still i think that happiness is .......
something that can found in small tiny things... its not something that can be searched at the Perfect places or situations...anything which is perfect is actually an illusion.. So Happiness lies in living this falwed life with a Happydent smile and a Ifectious optimism and Love!...
Happiness lies when u can proudy accept that inspite of the flaws that life has ... u were ..and are able to enjoy and utilise it to its fullest.. by living every nano second without complaining! (Firefly)

KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS.....
when you get to know what life is, and being optimistic for what the life gives you. (Anil Kumar)

Happiness is like a bright rainbow in the cloudy sky. (Abx)

I Know That Life Is Quite Flawed But I Still Say That Happiness Is “ Consistently a ConsCious ChoiCe” !! (Lust4Life)

...but I am absolutely convinced that "LIFE IN ITSELF IS NOT FLAWED" RATHER IT IS OTHERWAY AROUND-- "LIFE IS PERFECT IN ITSELF" !!!!
These are our own inbilities depending on our surroundings while we grow up, that make us to percieve life as flawed---. (Mann)

Happiness is a feeling inside, doesnt have to wait for a moment to happen...
a famous quote that I remeber...
Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory. (Chakoli)

finding satisfaction & contentment with whats available on hand! Not easy...but not impossible too! Sindhu)

Knowing that tommorrow will be better. (Sumit)

...so much happiness here..let me take some, plz..:D LostPatrol)

Happiness is knowing that I belong here – in my world, life, and to myself! That no matter how I may seem to others, it is what I think of myself which truly matters and what moves me forward to my fate or destiny. (TomorrowsChild)

Happiness is in the simple things in life.
The cool breeze on a hot sweaty day. A beaming smile on a crowded train. The first smell of the monsoon rains.
Happiness.. aha.. how we all desire it.
And right now happiness is in hearing my mobile beep with my special one's text message.. Aha.. happiness... (Aj)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT
STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS............Getting that valuable peace of mind and effortless sleep in the night and doing those small pleasure things for my NDOs !! (Saaya)

happiness is something which can be only found within oneself!! try it.... its always there!! (rups)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS THE ONLY THING THAT CA BE DIVIDED WITHOUT BEING DIMINISHED...SO SMILE FOREVER...LIFE IS PRECIOUS... (Janu)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT
STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS .......
The individuals perception. It is all around in nature, the deeds you do,
the self-realisation, those million dollar smiles you can create by your presence. (Blogesh)

I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT I STILL SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS........
End of all Sorrows and Problems.... (Bronel)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMING UP NEXT.......
THOUGHT #7 - NEXT TIME I WILL…..

posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 8:10 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 5 ONE THING HAS BECOME CLEAR TO ME

2007-10-25T15:04:00.000+08:00

THE WRITING GAME

:-) Oh yes indeed, the objective has been achieved surprisingly and beautifully as the month progresses. I see you writing down your genuine and magnificent thoughts in the blog one after the other in quick succession. It is a huge privilege and pleasure that you have unselfishly agreed to share it with me and everybody here.You are everything I thought you would be, fellas. This even goes far beyond expectations. Truly and worthily a fitting celebration of friends and friendships.

:-)A Happy Birthday wish to everyone celebrating his/her birthday this month of JUNE. May God bless you with everything good for a happy and blessed life.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

THOUGHT #5 - ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME…..

One thing has become quite clear to me.....that if I don't live my life on my own terms it would simply wash away and leave me with regrets but then I'll cope. Secondly, if I trust people to be good, they will be. There might be exceptions and these could hurt me but that too is one of life's lessons. You have a good idea in the blog. Thank you too for your wishes, I celebrated my birthday this week. (MeThink)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME….. that life is going to be unpredicatble and i have to live with the uncertainty, but i am confident enough to live my dreams... (AmitMakwana)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME...I can get anything I dream of, what all required is - just the Honest efforts (dedication, hard work etc all would come for free along with these honest efforts)!! (Anil Kumar)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME...that you get the pie when it is destined. aspiration & perspiration do stand with lots of undisputed importance - but fate, "timing", surrounding circumstances, play a vital role. So move on, keep on putting sincere efforts, be loyal to what your soul says ! (Blogesh)

.. that 'This can never sink' Titanic can sink !.. and miracles do happen ! (Decentmonkey)

One thing has become quite clear to me...
whether i want or not life won't wait for me.
it moves with it's own pace
it has it's own mind.
if i can't find beauty in the way it is,
i might as well be blind.
as this fog clears,
and shows me the way,
let me resolve to love life every day. (Jitu...feelings)

one thing is clear to me and that is that i am the best.
i desperately look for competition...sometimes i feel i have found some...but then the fellow proves he/shez as dumb as the others!! (Idiot)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME THAT I WANTED TO BE ON O3 AND I AM HERE! (Humanbeing)

One thing has become quite clear to me...that....
ppl dont stop for me even if i really care for them today tomorrow and always. (Bronel)

...is that my spectacles have to be cleaned. (Jay)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME...IT'S NOT BIRTH AND DEATH THAT DEFINE THE BOUNDARIES OF LIFE...IT'S THE LIMITS OF THOUGHT THAT DO...SPREAD THEM FARTHER AND YOU HAVE BIGGER LIFE... (Sridhar)

...that birth and death are not of my choice; but between them, I have.. (Lostpatrol)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME...
THAT LIFE IS A JOURNEY WHERE U MEET SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE WAY,SOME MAY COME NEAR AND SOME MAY NOT. BUT NEVER BE EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE TO WALK ALONE AGAIN... (Janu)

ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME…....when the going gets tough,the tough get going....never be bogged down by difficulties in life....there's always the hope of seeing light at the end of the tunnel :) (Deeps)

one thing has become clear to me ...that Life throws the biggest of surprises ur way..when u least expect them.. :) (China)

One thing has become quite clear to me....its always my choice and my decision. (Navin)

what has to happen will happen....all you can do is do your best and leave to God the rest! And once done....stop worrying about it....because the events after it aren't in your hands anymore! :)
And I agree with DM too...Miracles happen! & How!
So maybe...I can also say...its become clear that God exists! :) Just a matter of you recognising him around1 :) (Sindhu)

One thing has become quite clear to me, the world is at its end. Because nobody cares anymore for the humanity. One thing has become quite clear to me, we can't blame our governments for attrocities, when we do not care to stop them from doing these attrocities in the first place!
One thing has become quite clear to me, that saying this doesn't make me a pessimist, it makes me a realist. (Phoenix)

That there is no constant in life.. but one.. change!! (Morpheus)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coming up next…..
THOUGHT #I KNOW THAT LIFE IS QUITE FLAWED BUT STILL I SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS……..

posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 9:37 PM

WRITING GAME - Edition 4 TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE..

2007-10-25T15:00:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #4 - TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE…

Tomorrow is promised no one...
in that case I do my best in my Todays.
And if I take care of my todays in that
manner, perhaps it would take care of
my tomorrows? :-) (Sunshine)

..and yesterday is history.. today is what we have on hand to use as we choose to.. (Decentmonkey)

TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE… can imagine and can rely on, rather concentrating on today is the best way to create the better tomorrow. (AmitMakwana)

Tomorrow is promised no one and yet people are so hang up on it letting the present go slip through their fingers. Must be because we have been told that by our mothers and their mothers before them...a thought handed down generations. (Mack)

2mrw is promised no one..so do what u can do best today :-) (China)

Tomorrow is promised to the extent I can put efforts today, yet HE is the one who graces my efforts. (Blogesh)

TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE… so be kind and be nice as you can be!! tomorrow is always there for such people :) (Anil Kumar)

Tommorrow is a promised no one ... but tommorrow is a dream that hangs on and drives you today to realise that dream ...
i love my tommorrow :)) (Sumit)

Tomorrow is promised to none
so don't hassle urself n have good fun
smile ur way thru with song n pun
if u feel low pep up
looking at the smiling sun
seeing this sad attempt at rhyming
elle is gonna shoot me with a gun :P (The Bard)

Is it really hard to see?
foolish it is to put future in false hope.
life is a single drop or a whole sea.
adversity is today , and therein lie reasons to cope.
and from past,a futile attempt to run
and tomorrow is promised to no one. (Phoenix)

Tommorow is promised no one and neither eternal is today
Hopes are aplenty, but our fears keep them at bay
With the yarn of time, is the fabric of life woven
Giving it your best shot, is the path to be chosen
In efforts are the seeds from the tree of heaven
Which, the sweat of endurance, definitely shall enliven.

(Khalid)

TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE...
BUT TODAY IS YOURS AND IT SHOULD HAVE DETERMINATION LIKE A MIRROR WHICH NEVER LOSES ITS ABILITY TO REFLECT EVEN IF IT IS BROKEN INTO THOUSAND OF PIECES.... (Janu)

TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE ....hence do everything as if you are not gonna get another chance. It means today lottssssss of shopping ....and again next today ....it goes on !! I wish my comapny also thinks in the same way ; give me sa.lary for every TODAY :d :D :D (Saaya)

tomorow is promised no one :
i ll tell my mom n dad.. how they made my life the very best i could have had.. and i will hope i get them as my parents all over again if m reborn again!!! :) (Rups)

Tomorrow is promised no one...
live life in this moment. (Jitu...feelings)

TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE… So dont miss a chance to share laughs with those you love. (Mini)

Tomorrow is not here.. would it be here i don't know.. but what i have is my today.. and i want to make the most of it... take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself.. (Morpheus)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

For Monday.......
THOUGHT #5
ONE THING HAS BECOME QUITE CLEAR TO ME…..

posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 8:27 AM

WRITING GAME - Edition 3 I BUILD BRIDGES..

2007-10-25T14:55:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #3 I BUILD 'BRIDGES' ...

I BUILD 'BRIDGES'... so that our minds stay connected without looking down ever... (Sridhar)

I BUILD 'BRIDGES' ...so that they can sail safely to their destination while circumstances are not very favourable !! (Saaya)

I BUILD 'BRIDGES'...
to discover new opportunities in waiting.......(AmitMakwana)

because i am an engineer (because i have no other work to do....he he) (Abx)

I BUILD BRIDGES..
so that i can meet my frens wen our roads dont cross.. (Rups)

I build Bridges... coz apart from my own self, its a real pleasure to see others sailing through my creations. (Rohit)

i feel i cross the bridges build by others but consciously i may not have been creating much or many of them. (Pearl)

I BUILD BRIDGES...
TO CONNECT THE DIFFERENT AND SEPARATED HUMAN LIVES (Janu)

I build bridges ...
because I have burnt off the previous ones! (Camelot_999)

Because I like to build them.. but only the strong ones stay.. (Decentmonkey)

so anyone can at anytime come across the bridge & talk to me, when they need a friend! Now wasn't that too melodramatic! :D :D :D On a serious note...I would say...so people stay connected! (Sindhu)

I build bridge so that I can drive my bike over the bridge while my GF is watching me from the ship under the bridge :D (Sharad)

I build bridges...
would like to build one, as people around me are going to love me for this constructive idea ;) (Anil Kumar)

I build bridges bcz
I lyk seeing ppl crossing the deep river without any fear... (Bronel)

I build bridges...
of friendship connecting you and me and everybody. I hope to build quickly as some people break them down fast. (Sunshine)

I build 'bridges'....so that i can meet my close ones and share my views and can enjoy the life.. (Mahima)

I build 'bridges' because I want to spend more time with my loved ones. (Sumit)

i built bridges among my conscious, my dreamworld and my subconscious,so that i explore myself... (Pingu)

...'cos no genie is willing to build it for me. (Jay)

I build bridges...
1. So that i connect one country to another to make the world one unity
2.to meet my love ones as fast as i can.. (Sk)

I build bridges out of curiosity.
I build bridges to make my life more enriching.
I build bridges and try not to break them ever in future ... because I've broken a few earlier and I don't want it to repeat.
I build bridges (a second time) when I see I have a chance at mending the ones I broke earlier. (Samyukta)

I build bridges to last a lifetime. I build them to get to you.
I build them strong, and I build them long, only for you and that is true.
Why don't you understand, why don't you see my point of view?
I build bridges, but so do you. In your blindness , you build them away from me, into the mist , into the blue. (Phoenix)

i build bridges with cement and concrete!!!!!!!!! so that vehicles and people can pass ..they can walk on my bridges without fearing about the dangers lurking beneath..............
i build bridges to save you...your loved ones and provide a safe passage! (Idiot)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For tomorrow, June 08, Friday ----
(It's okay if you wish to do it now. :-) See you next post!)
THOUGHT #4 - TOMORROW IS PROMISED NO ONE.....

posted on Tuesday, June 05, 2007 7:53 AM

THE WRITING GAME - Edition 2

2007-10-25T14:51:00.000+08:00

THOUGHT #2 I TRUST PEOPLE TO BE.....

--- Honest
--- Understanding
--- True to their selves and to others :D (Sindhu)

I trust people to be :
Loyal to me.
Loyal to the relationship that we have.
Return the Loyalty that I show towards them. (Samyukta)

-caring and loving (Bronel)

Majority to be a reflection of our attitude towards them.. baring few exceptions, of course.. (Decentmonkey)

...atleast true to themselves if not others! (Mausmi)

I trust people to be....without any pretence, being THEMSELVES! (TD23)

i trust ppl ..when they are authentic :-) (China)

I trust people to be :
- Respectful
- Ethical
- Loving if they are being loved !! (Saaya)

ah!! everyone has said everything here :)
hmm may be simple and considerate-not only towards fellow beings but towards the environment and nature as well?? (Lavina)

I TRUST PEOPLE TO BE.....
unpredictable, as they have always been... (AmitMakwana)

Authentic and true to oneself! (Pearl)

I TRUST PEOPLE TO BE:
SIMPLE, GENEROUS N LOYAL OFCOURSE. (Janu)

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucketi trust people to be :
in love with themselves.. as they have always been!! (Rups)

I Trust People To Be What They Are.......everyone is an ordinary individual with abilities that make each one of them unique and far from the ordinary!! (Divya)

I trust people to be :
Loyal to the relationship that we have and authentic :-) (SK)

..untrustworthy. (Jay)

I trust people to be: honest and kind :) (Anil Kumar)

i trust people not to wear mask to hide their real self and to have the self belief that they are special no matter who tells them otherwise. (Morpheus)

I trust people to be kind and true to themselves and me. (Sumit)

i trust people to be people. (Idiot)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coming up for Wednesday, June 6... It's perfectly alright if you want to do #3 today too. THOUGHT #3 I BUILD 'BRIDGES' ...

posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 8:15 PM

SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR MY BIRTHDAY (2007) - THE WRITING GAME.. #1

2007-10-25T14:45:00.000+08:00

Hi! You know what, I want to do something different this time this month – my birthday month. It’ll be a writing game and will engage anyone who drops by my blog, friends and the invisible ones too. It’ll be easy, nothing fancy, but who knows something might come out of it – something which could create new wonderful surprises for you and me.

It goes this way.

- Every MONDAY – WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY for the whole
month of JUNE,
- I will be posting a particular yet an
INCOMPLETE THOUGHT in the blog.
- When you see this, REWRITE IT in a way you want it
to show or be read.
- Your piece should only be 5 – 6 lines or even shorter.
- No quotes or famous lines but just YOUR own thoughts.
- Your messages will then be POSTED IN THE BLOG.
After you have placed it in the Comment Section.

The reason behind this writing game is that I want to gather you-my friends here in the blog with me and doing what we all enjoy doing – writing! Further, I want to celebrate “friendships – friends – people” everyday, every week in the blog this month of June. Blogging, as we all know, is always about people. That is what makes blogs and blogging special….and what I hope will make my birthday month truly special for me.

So how ‘bout it, folks ---- care to join me? :-)
Come on over. Bring a friend. The more the merrier. :-)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THOUGHT #1 - I GO CRAZY WHEN.....

I GO CRAZY WHEN.....
i see any celebrated artist' work, as i see my dreams come true, through the artist. it inspires me to rise in my field of designing. (AmitMakwana)

I GO CRAZY WHEN -
I see someone getting SUCCESS after putting all those 100% genuine efforts...I really feel great and get emotional for those who gets SOMETHING when they really DESERVE it. (Anil Kumar)

I GO CRAZY WHEN...I GO FOR SHOPPING... Lolz... :D (Downtoearth)

I GO CRAZY WHEN.....
1. I see wonderful games like this :)
2. I read about our infinite universe.. and realise how tiny we are :D
3. A stranger infant smiles to me.. (Decentmonkey)

I GO CRAZY WHEN...EVER I GET A CHANCE TO BE CRAZY :P
It really is not that difficult for me - am CRAZINESS Personified :P :P
And I am not really crazy - it's just that I am out of the ordinary ;) (Divya)

I am always crazy!
for me it should be : I go sane when........
so i go sane when i sleep (my roomies tell me that!!) (Idiot)

i go crazy when .....
the first drop of rain, kisses the parched earth,
when the rain god smiles, and decides to play with water,
drenching me, u and all of us
and then i reach out for the unread newspaper and make paper boats
and put them out on the small puddle just outside home...
or on the side of the pavements...and watch it travel far....
i go crazy,almost all the time:-) (Maya)

1. I literally go crazy when I suxessfully accomplish the task I am doing...Oh Man.... what a feeling it is...

2. I literally go crazy, when, daily, while reaching back home at night, I pass through a fleet of florists...fragrating flowers all around...with lights glittering onto them... those bouquets..those bunches...those baskets.. what a beauty..

3. I go crazy when on a hot sunday afternoon, I walk out of my house welcomed by dark thundering clouds on the sky..ready for a downpour....with cool breeze waving the trees in front of my house.. (Rohit)

I go CRAZY wen
--I see the birds n sqirrells gather on a rock to eat bread crumbs early morning
--I see a baby smiling at me with those beautiful eyes.
--I Smell the mud after it rains..
--I Acheive the goal I've set out myself to.. (Mini)

I GO CRAZY WHEN.....
- Words spur in my mind and I keep on searching pen and paper :))
- When my 3 year old niece pulls out everything in her reach and troubles me !!
- When I get something I long for !! :)) (Saaya)

i go crazy wen :
1. i have nothing to do.. just like nowadays!!
2. wen i have something creatv to do n people are relying on me! i give my 200%.. i forget sleeping eating doing anything else till m satisfied wid myself!!
3. well i go crazy wen m with nature.. riverside.. mountains.. etc etc.. just love being a part of it!! :) (Rups)

I go crazy when
-- am with friends.
-- am left loose in a library/bookshop. (Samyukta)

I get crazy - Amidst sea / sea waves beaches during sunrize and sunset! (Pearl)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next post.......
THOUGHT #2 - I TRUST PEOPLE TO BE.....

posted on Saturday, June 02, 2007 2:09 PM

THANKING YOU (2006)

2007-10-25T14:42:00.000+08:00

I think it's just right that I dedicate a special post now to thank my wonderful o3 friends for their birthday greetings today, the 22nd of June. In fact, I got early greetings since the start of the month. And it's all so wonderful! Thank you, guys, for making my stay in o3 pleasant and memorable. The nicest thing that has come out of blogging is ---the friendships that were born and formed with wonderful good people around -so kind and warm, supportive - encouraging - inspiring. I feel so honored and priviledged to have met your acquaintance. Names need no longer be mentioned here cause I know that in your hearts you feel the connection and you know what I mean. :-)

And to the nameless and 'invisible' readers of my blog wherever you are, thank you for dropping by. I hope that your stay, no matter how brief, had been pleasant and enjoyable for you. :-)

I pray the our good Lord, whose Great Love covers the whole world, give each of you a wonderful Divine Hug today. And by that may your life be even more blessed a hundredfold.

Once more, from my heart to yours - Thank You! God bless you all.

Ellen :-)

posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 11:54 AM

ANGEL LOVE 3 - The Last Stretch

2007-10-25T14:39:00.000+08:00

Readying this page for the last stretch. :-) Will be back here very soon. Bye for a bit!

June 10 --

Good evening. I'm watching the clock while I'm here at the computer. It's close to ending the game. But I got a wonderful surprise tonight. I welcome SmilingMe, a new friend and visitor in the blog...who took on a long journey at night to deliver Angel Love to a friend on her wedding day. :-)That's amazing! Also not to be left behind, Decentmonkey came and posted his AL. You know, I am sure that his visit to the home for the aged is noted down in the hearts of the old folks there. They are not too old to feel love and care. Nobody is ever too old to miss that when they see it.

Honestly, I am viewing the hands of the clock ticking away the minutes with sadness. The past one week we were privy to generous acts of good from various friends here in o3. They stood as Angels in disguise ministering Angel Love to-- family - friends - officemates - neighbors - strangers - even animals! Maybe the week alloted was insufficient because I feel that there were more that could have been part of this, if only given enough time. But what started out as a simple 'game' has turned out to be a fitting tribute to the goodness inherent in men and women in our midst. Some of my friends (jaded unfortunately) tell me that all good is lost in our modern material greedy selfish and cold world. Well, they're eating their words now because they have read all these Angel Love deeds accomplished by a gathering of people of diverse personalities near and far. :-)

I remember these words from somewhere long ago although I may not quote it exactly but in essence it says: “Don't hold back in doing good. Don't hide the light within you -- let your light shine through and out to a needy soul or souls.” That's right cause you'll never know just how much it would mean to them. You could in a very special way help restore their faith in mankind, in themselves, and in GOD.

June 11 --

Allow me to quote these several beautiful lines penned by J.E. Javelosa, to wit:

---We look around and see many things breaking down, disintegrating. Our mindsets about ourselves, relationships, government and institutions. There is a negative force that breeds upon itself, often coming from the great virus of the ego where only greed, self-centeredness and power become the keystones upon which lives are played out in the game of survival. This is the primal energy that surrounds us today...

---Values are forgotten or thrown to the wind....or values allow themselves to be compromised in giving the selfish ego its supremacy.

---It is a negative energy which, imploding upon itself, destroys the very fabric & nature of what the Spirit is about---goodness-generosity-integrity-understanding-compassion.

---Wasn't it Ghandi, the great leader of peace, who said that for change to happen, we must be the change. or the Zen saying that goes 'start at the place where your own feet stand'.

---When the interior becomes steadier, our center becomes grounded in gifts of the spirit such as peace and love. Then something magical happens-- we act towards the outside world, not react, but act positively, consciously and purposefully. Suddenly we are awake. Suddenly we are in the Light, with the Light and we become lighter. Further fruits of the Spirit will be expressed ---- generosity integrity and compassion. When we touch another person's life with these, they too will be moved to change. When all of us strive and aspire towards this, a deeper revolution happens and true transformation begins; in our (families), communities, in our government and country, and with Mother Earth too. WE ARE, AFTER ALL, TOTALLY CONNECTED AS ONE.

With that I take my leave for a bit. I shall be back to post my part of the game. Take care, everyone. God bless you all! :-)

posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 6:08 PM

ANGEL LOVE 2 - Updates

2007-10-25T14:38:00.000+08:00

I think I've filled up the first post to capacity, so I needed to open another post for added space. :-) We're getting closer to the finish line - Saturday, but the heat is still on and Angels flexing their glorious wings doggedly get busy with their Love Deeds.

If there is anything which this Angel Love game has revealed -- it is this that we all have the huge capacity to love well and good. Our Love Angels have displayed to us that this can be done in small or great measure wherever we are-whatever we do with no thought of reward or preferences i.e. race, color, creed, rich, poor, and if I may add - the 'unlovable'. Wonderful people - Wonderful world!!

June 6 -

It's a tight race - Angel wings flappin' in the same frequency from both frenchita and lostpatrol53!! And we got Zombie delivering four good Angel Love deeds. You know, often it's love for family that puts us to the true test. Imagine lostpatrol53 sitting there listening to his wife's 'gossip' (to quote him) lolz. Ain't he just sweet?!! Zombie showing loving patience with her dad over a computer issue and on the phone yet! Simply grand! If you review the comment box (previous post), you will see how the others earlier have poured out their loving hearts in their homes with their families, respectively. It doesn't take much to make another person or persons happy. All it takes is the willingness to do it wrapped with love.

Remarkable feedback we're getting with these. Imagine how much love fills up a person's day and often we don't even notice. Let's open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the tremendous presence of love in our lives. And let's move this LOVE forward. C'mon, folks, there's room for more -- come flex your angel wings and spread blessings to waiting people - there's plenty. Yup, more Angles needed. :-)

June 7 -

Good morning! lostpatrol53 takes the lead now sowing a lot of Angel Love seeds in the home, at work, and with friends. From the growing list in my sheet, I can see a very common denominator -- an unselfish and giving heart! And the giving is made easier with humor packed-in, too! LP, if the triple 6 denotes the bad guy.. as your wife teased you with (she was kidding, pal!) -- you certainly did prove her wrong! And -- you certainly blasted 'him' off to where he belongs with your Angel love. Tra-la-la!! :-)

You know what, whenever I feel the 'blues' coming to me... I make haste to come in here and read all the Angel Love deeds posted by wonderful people -- actually Angels in disguise. It makes me feel better again. The love they spread all around impacts me with the realization that this life and world can be better -- so much better. All that it needs are people who care enough to give love -- who open up their hearts and unselfishly share this love with others friend or foe, near or far.

This is what we're celebrating with this game. Frankly, this has turned-out into something so grand and beautiful. Birthday or not, my cup of joy gushes out over the brim in torrents! It may be too soon to say this but --- my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone who came, be counted, and shared your hearts. Know this that you have not only loved so well but you have opened up yourselves to the most wonderful love of all - GOD'S LOVE. "Whatsoever you shall sow, so shall you reap." May God pour down upon you His boundless love and blessings where you need it most. :-) Love yah all!

JUNE 8 -

I was reviewing through the AL deeds early this morning and it struck me impressively seeing the diverse personalities going through the same ‘mission’--- Each one injecting his or her own unique and distinct character in carrying out the activity. To my mind and impression: Frenchita– sympathetic and a lover of animals; Mini– sweet devotion to family; Vrij– considerate and helpful; Rpramod and Sumit– solicitous and responsive; DecentMonkey - thoughtful and caring; Vani– gentle and compassionate; Zombie– sweet and responsive; LP53 – selfless with a fine sense of humor. You know, one doesn’t always get this out in the usual interaction in the blog. Whatever is written in the comments box by them and others more don’t always show their total persona or character. Sometimes it leaves one guessing – are they real? What are their real thoughts? Who are they? I have done a lot of cruising in the many blogs here, read through long lines of comments or chats, and seen such a diverse gathering of character and personality. This as many will agree, in essence, is what makes blogging a dynamic and exhilarating experience and activity. But that is all there is to it – unless…… something manages to nudge out to the fore the real person behind the often made-up bloggers' id or name. Then you’re in for a very pleasant surprise, to put it mildly--- Because finally you get to see the person in pure essence of character and not merely in form. More often than not, you will be pleased to see– beautiful people in minds, hearts, and souls.

This short week which is soon coming to its close, we have had the rare chance to take a glimpse of the faces behind several popular names in o3. There are more of them but have become shy to show themselves. lolz. :-) This early with great pleasure and pride I say – it’s such an honor and distinct privilege to know you all better. May God continue to pour down His bountiful blessings upon you, your families, and loved ones. May the light of God's love and grace shine upon you for the rest of your lives. :-)

June 9 -

Good morning! It's a lovely day outside my window I can see. What lovely surprise I got checking my blog today. This is addressed to Zombie -- you see, nobody in the past months have ever made me teary-eyed with warm affection and pleasure. I say you did just that to me with your warm message today. I don't know but it certainly hit a chord so deep in my heart. Maybe .... maybe I have had a visit from my own Angel Love --- Zombie!! :-) Thank you, my sweet dear friend.

This is what, I suppose, all those people on receiving their Angel Love deliveries must have felt-- a warm-tender feeling that wraps all over you! with your heart beating in gentle rhythm to the beautiful experience. And then it makes you want to gush all over the place praising the name of that special person-- thankful, grateful, & appreciating the blessing-- and finally... it ends up in a deep silent intense prayer lifted up to heaven--to please, dear Father, bless this wonderful human being! She just made my day! :-)

And you know what else on this fine Friday morning? Truly as Mom used to say to me 'when it rains, it pours!' --LP53 had me laughing so hard in my seat I was bursting all over.. lolz, to quote him -- “Target: Ellen AL: Prayer for fortitude to bear my ALs one more day.“ :-))) Yup, Zombie, this guy is amazing!

Evening: Ah what do we have now-- Mini! the sweet doting wife and mother...chalking up more Angel Love deliveries. :-) and.... sent our friend, Vani, a nice birthday greeting card! Happy Birthday, too, Vani! :-)

I think I'll need to open another post (Angel Love 3) to cover the last day of feedback - Saturday - which ends at midnight. This one's down to its space limit. So then.... see you there! :-) God bless you!

posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 9:51 AM

THE ANGEL LOVE GAME OF 2006

2007-10-25T14:31:00.000+08:00

JUNE is the 6th month of the year and this year is 2006. I like to remember this. It’s a special milestone in my life— it’s my birthday month. It’s not a perfect life, but good. ‘Been through the long stretch, lived the good and the bad times life threw my way, gathered baskets of pearls and still ‘gathering’. :-)

I’m in a celebrating mood and mode lolz. Let’s have some fun! I would like to engage friends, or anyone who would be interested, to invest a teeny-weeny bit of his or her heart, time, and effort in this game --- to be ‘LOVE ANGELS’ for this first week of June (June 2 – 10).

The goal: To deliver ANGEL LOVE to someone each day for 1 week

What: Angel Love –-- expressions of kindness,
generosity, loyalty, comfort, empathy,
compassion, forgiveness, joy, good cheer,
understanding, devotion, support, etc.

How to: 1. Zero-in on your target person.
2. Appraise where he/she needs love.
3. Decide how best to express Angel Love.
4. Deliver.
5. Return to this post and record your
accomplishment in the Comment Box, like so:

By: (Your name. First names only)

Target: Mary
Angel Love: Comfort in her sorrow

Target: Neal
Angel Love: Helped with his sales pitch.

Target: Sachin
Angel Love: Found him a place to stay.

Target: Mom
Angel Love: Surprised her with a bouquet of flowers
today. No occasion.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The game ends at the stroke of midnight of June 10, Saturday. The record of accomplishments will be reviewed and tallied here in my post to determine the highest record of Angel Love deeds committed by one person. The winner will be the inspiration and his deed or deeds the topic of a new post in his or her honor penned by yours truly. Okay, the game begins NOW! :-) Good luck.

One more thing before I go, I know that a few may draw back shy of joining this, but please don't. Don't lose the opportunity to make another person's day burst with sunshine, love, and good cheer. It takes only a tiny-little-sometimes insignificant-often ignored bit of love to make another person's day. Remember how you felt when somebody wonderfully made your day, too? It's something like it -- perhaps even more. You can make it even better - much better. So let me know you will. Just say “COUNT ME IN!” :-) God bless you!
--------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE ON ANGEL LOVE

June 3 - lostpatrol, frenchita, and Mini zeroed-in on family, neighbor, friends, strangers, and pets! DecentMonkey first to report an ALD has yet to post it in here. We're waiting, DM!

June 4 - Template Guru' Vrij chalked-up four AL deliveries. Am sure o3 friends will appreciate the template thing he just did.

June 5 - Good morning! These quotes tell about YOU - o3 Love Angels. Read on. :-)

- Give of yourself as the Angels do and wonderful things will come to
you.

- An Angel is a kind and lovable person; one who manifests goodness,
purity of intention, and selflessness.

- An Angel's art is his HEART.

- Angels have a hidden agenda - LOVE.

- Sometimes your best friend is actually an Angel in disguise.

- Strangers may enter your life for a short time but the healing they
bring can last a lifetime.

- Angels around us, angels beside us, angels within us.
Angels are watching over you when times are good or stressed.
Their wings wrap gently around you, whispering you are loved and
blessed.

May God bless you all! :-)

Here they are! More Angel Love deliveries from Frenchita, rpramod, and DecentMonkey. Frenchita appears to be taking the lead now. Hey, guys, read up (comment box) on what they did -- warms the heart so. :-)

Vani posted her Angel Love Deeds. I would like to include here her comment which I think is so typical of Vani - humble and sweet. To quote --“ :) honestly, it seems very strange to talk about your deeds. feels like you are blowing your own trumpet“. It may sound so to some, but it's not done in that context; we're doing this to celebrate the innate goodness of men and women everywhere-- and to share this goodness with a greater number of people near or far. And you know what, folks? It's Vani's birthday week, too. Let's wish her a Happy Birthday! Another birthday is coming up on the 4th week -- Mamsi's! who's also in our game now. :-)

Yup, more Angel wings flappin'! More blessings on its way.

posted on Friday, June 02, 2006 9:15 AM

GENIUS OR JERK

2007-10-25T14:28:00.000+08:00

I’ve met a lot of geniuses in my life – real honest to goodness brilliant people. Okay, genius per se is a big word to use everyday. But intelligence– they’re everywhere. I have so much respect for intelligence – clever brainpower. Am not speaking of the intelligence of books or mathematical acumen but rather of the kind which leads a person to do what is right and correct at the right given time and place with real understanding, zeal and compassion. One that cuts through the mumbo-jumbo of complex façade, veneer, or pretense which people oftentimes put up in many situations but for a certain reason.

Are we getting confused there?

Okay, I sort out intelligence into two kinds – the CC (cold cerebral) and the WI (warm intellect).

The first one is behind all the brilliant inventions or creations of our times then and now and in the future yet. It establishes principles, theories, formulas, systems, doctrines, ideologies, and space flights to outer space. It writes outstanding essays, books, manuscripts, and reaps oodles of recognition which our society could ever invent for them. And they deserve it all. I won’t argue over that. They have my respect and admiration.

The second one is where I would put my last money on, if I were to choose who I’d want to be marooned with on a deserted island somewhere-nowhere on the map. And I wouldn’t even care to be found or rescued or miss the companionship of my three lovely dogs…and a lazy but cuddly cat.

Hmmm, I sense a question forming in your mind now. :-)

Let's try this.

Marooned on an island with CC may assure me of an effective make-shift shelter or a regular supply of fish caught with an intelligent contraption made out of coconut trees would probably be a creative comfy and secure stay on the island until help comes along. But I’m such a big nervous wreck when things go amiss. I cope in extremes by either nagging on the issue or shutting up keeping it all inside. Now I wonder how CC would cope with something like that.

Maybe he’s going to quote me the emotional principles contained in psychology books to explain my fears, or the possibility percentage of being found and rescued, or at worst be so angry or flare up with my irregular behavior, or scoff at my efforts to want to contribute to his plans for a rescue. Duh! he's as cold as the icy wind blowing over the island.

Let’s try WI.

The shelter would still be made though but maybe not as sophisticated as the other one and the fish will still be on our menu but sometimes we may have to do with fruits if there would be some on the island or just have to go to bed without it at all.

When at times my fears get the best of me, he would be right there beside me and be such a comforting presence, explain things in a gentle genuine manner, or engage in a story to take my mind off my fears. Or if I opt to be a recluse instead, he would try to draw me out of it with gentle coaxing or maybe even with playful humor. He’s be so much in control of himself, the situation, and even of me (which I certainly wouldn’t mind lols with a genuine fella like that).

Such an environment of down-to-earth concern (which I would think is both his brains and heart working together) would succeed to calm down my fears and effectively draw me out to reciprocate in like manner towards him too. That would certainly earn my trust and confidence in his leadership in the situation to which I’d give my full support. So the situation now becomes an ‘us’ situation – where not one or the other would serve as the protector or the one being protected – but of two people working together intelligently to solve the problem.

Now isn’t that a show of good sound healthy intelligence of the right kind?! Something that warms the heart so.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against brilliant minds, nope. I admire intelligence or brilliance in any person. It’s a God-given gift. But it would help if such brilliance is tempered with a more humane approach towards life and the people around you. Genius may take you to the big time, fat paychecks, top scale jobs, and the adulation of your peers – true. But what worth is all that when there is so much lack in the other areas of your life.

- When your kids see you only on birthdays, sometimes not (why can’t you find time for that but always keep tab of your boss’s anniversary?)

- When your wife can’t even discuss some important event in the family without you muttering an obviously lame excuse and leave (are things of the home so mundane for your precious time and mind?)

- When close friends can’t do lighthearted banter around you without you brushing it all off as a waste of time (do you know that some worthwhile things are not found inside the boardroom at all?)

- When your small kid comes to you with a broken toy and you instead opt to buy him an expensive intricate brand new one as replacement (do you really think that’s what he wants from you?)

Know where you should put your brilliance. Put your genius to better use with people who mean the world to you. Okay, be the brilliant person that you are to the world, but be even a better one to your family and close friends.

A man may be a genius but he can still do things that practically break your heart.
–James Q. Du Pont

posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 3:14 PM

BUILD YOUR DREAM DAY BY DAY

2007-10-25T14:27:00.000+08:00

I know what it’s like at times when you feel that nothing seems to work or happen, that everything you’ve done feels like all going down the drain. I know what impatience is like. It’s like tying your shoe lace but your fingers won’t cooperate…like it has a life of its own. That feeling can be so frustrating when pursuing a dream. Feeling that way restricts your vision to seeing potential and curbs it down to feeling ‘I’ve lost it’. Wearisome thought. How it can gnaw at our reserves of courage, strength, determination, energy. It eats it all up wholesale.

In many instances in life, we often find ourselves stuck in a situation like that. The first thing that comes to mind is to hide in your room, sit on the bed, and stare down at your feet - Nope, no clues to be found there whatsoever. I guess a dejected person always looks down, hangs down his head or bows down – a message of complete surrender to whatever it is that confronts him and has won over him.

We have our dreams big and small cuddled close in our hearts. All we want and hope for is to do something great for ourselves or for the people we love. Just like a hopeful and excited fresh graduate who would head off to the big city to try his luck there. But the big city, as often it does, can be like an ugly ogre who can and will rip up weak hearts to pieces dashing dreams to the ground.

Then eventually we lose the will to fight as courage drains out of us like a broken faucet its water running wildly out. Sure enough the next thing that we do is we take down our bags, pack our things, and take the first plane home -- Defeated.

But wait and listen.

‘This is just one day of the many more days you will be having in your journey towards your goal. So do what you must do-- today. Whatever it is, big or small, do it and when you’re through at the end of this day, rest!. When the morning comes, you will do it again. And in every day that follows it – over and over and over till your eyes drop.

A carpenter hammers at a nail several times with sure firm strokes before the nail finally sinks into the wood, right? That’s how you follow a dream – you doggedly follow it one day at a time for many days, weeks, months, or years until you finally get there. See yourself as bubbling waters running through both calm and rugged terrain and river beds stopping for no one or nothing – just rolling along happily until it gets home to the sea.

Time isn’t the main thing here; it is your effort that goes into building your dream which counts. Work at it with sure deliberate steps one piece at a time, one step at a time --day by day. Just hammer at it with everything you’ve got and take it one day to the next. You’ll get there maybe even sooner than you think. Oh by the way, trust God too cause He’s right there hammering with you. ’

"You will achieve a grand dream, a day at a time, so set goals for each day -- not long and difficult projects, but chores that will take you, step by step, toward your rainbow. Write them down, if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build your pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become so cluttered that you neglect your most important goal -- to do the best you can, enjoy this day, and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished." (Og Mandino)

posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 8:05 AM

THE SMOOTH HIGHWAY or THE JAGGED ROAD

2007-10-25T14:24:00.000+08:00

We know that life is always fraught with concerns, issues, troubles, problems and that it certainly spares no one. Being people of microscopic patience, anxious minds, and weak hearts we tend to seek out immediate relief from all of our troubles. A problem is what it’s always known to be – a difficulty, trial, test, struggle, mess, ordeal, predicament, a snag or a dilemma. It’s very inconvenient, stressful, heart rending, mind boggling, catastrophic and life shattering, disastrous, and tragic. Nobody wants that ever. So then whenever such a situation hits unexpectedly, the quickest and immediate solution out of there would be a person’s natural choice. To achieve this -- he would turn his radar on to possible conventional ways and means available to him. Or if none is seen, he will undoubtedly create it notwithstanding its unusual mode. So we hear of stories of people who steal, embezzle, cheat, deceive, swindle, or become prey to loan sharks and the like, and in extremes kill -- All for the purpose of finding a definite or final solution to a problem. But this action doesn’t solve anything at all, unfortunately. In fact, it simply compounds further the issue or issues at hand. What was thought of as the solution -- is now the new problem to contend with – without having even solved the previous one.

Let’s try another view.

Not a popular one at all, if you ask me, because it’s not comfortable, fashionable, easy, effortless, or painless. So then why bother telling bout this, you would say. Well, I bother because I believe it to be – good and true.

If one is to travel to some place and given a choice between two roads to travel on – a smooth highway and the other an untried rough road, which would be chosen? Apparently the choice would be the first one – the easy one. Nobody would go by way of the rugged road. Same thing when confronted with life’s troubles.

Why?

Because pursuing the less traveled rough road of life exposes one to unimaginable inconvenience and doubles up the difficulty…

-- it is hard to stay consistently strong

-- it is tough to be unwavering in faith and hope

-- it is rough trying not to be afraid

-- it is tiring and wearying to the mind, body, and soul

I agree it is all of that yet it is the only path I can see which would get you there in a much better state than when you started. That entire thing bout being hard, tough, rough, and wearying is part of this so-called lesser path. It’s there for the purpose of bringing out the right stuff in you to enable you to cope and deal with life’s bad turns. Notice how we get better after winning over every difficulty strewn our way? -- A victorious and triumphant moment undeniably. You see it’s meant, actually, to bring out the best in you. Those rough times of your life collectively or separately work to transform you each time into the person you were originally meant to be – by God’s design – a brave, stronger, sturdy, wiser version of your old self. It just gets better every time.

Tough choice but a winning one. Believe this.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.
---Robert Frost / The Road Not Taken

posted on Tuesday, October 02, 2007 9:58 AM

LET US TRY FOR A POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN LIFE

2007-10-25T14:22:00.000+08:00

Different people would look at it differently but what I would be interested to know is– from what outlook or stance is a person looking at the world from.

It’s important to know that. It is important to see how or what your outlook towards life people or things is. When one of my daughters whine away or complain of something awful happening in her life, I would stop her dead on her track with a particular look. Then she would know and shift gear in her line of thinking. And the conversation would turn towards more positive ideas or impressions. It’s not easy because there is so much happening in life, in people, in the world, and most of it is what people would call bad or tough luck. I guess that is enough to drive a person into a corner to sit and growl. Often would feel scared – frustrated – helpless – hopeless - confused, and sometimes embark on a rampage of blame – blaming unfair office practices, an erring spouse, inefficient policies and people, nosey neighbors, flights delayed for hours, corrupt government officials, scheming relatives, false friends, rebellious children, or the cat whose tail you have accidentally stepped on and got a scratch from which needed an anti-rabies shot.

A friend countered with this --- ‘don’t we all react in that manner?’ Again true, but is that the only way that our reactions should move towards – a negative outburst? Can’t we exercise control over our responses to something bad? Well, can we?? His face went blank, mumbled an excuse and left me to deal with my own question.

I used to be all spit and fire when faced with anything that didn’t run according to my expectations. And if my fiery temper didn’t work on it, I would go to my room and sulk, cry and blame, typically. My mom (a small woman of wisdom and courage 10-feet-tall) would then come in and say to me….

‘You’ve already lost the battle without a fight. If you want to win it, then learn to see it through positive eyes. See that behind the inconvenience discomfort or obstacle is something God wants you to learn and grasp. It’s a nudge telling you that something needs correcting or review. Or maybe a blessing lies within but you have to strip the unpleasant layers off.’

I really didn’t know where mom got that but I always thought that when things happened that way – it was never my fault but somebody else’s or something. And how could a blessing ever be all wrapped up in a negative circumstance as that?!

‘You must learn and learn well to see life, on the whole, with a positive outlook. This enables you to see issues better, analyze situations well without emotions getting in the way, discern truth, and cut through the cover of falsehood. A positive outlook towards life gives us better control when things go bad. People would often mistake this type of control as weak because you will appear to them as – calm and perhaps slow. But there lies your strength and power – in being calm in the midst of a storm.’

It's not an easy task - never has been, never will be; rather more of a struggle -- to be positive -- but anything is worth trying if it would take a person away from being rooted in awful situations and mind sets. Maybe I can't change situations... but I can change the way I think about it or look at it.

To make a long story short, I was a different person from that day on. Although the learning still continues and bad things continue to storm my life, but I simply look back to that day and Mom’s words… -gets me back on track again. That’s enough to make me change gears in my thoughts – from negative to positive -- thereby making the driving down life’s road with better chances for a winning challenge.

Life is what we make it, Always has been, always will be.
-Grandma Moses

posted on Saturday, September 22, 2007 1:23 PM

DESTINY - IS IT OR ISN'T IT

2007-10-25T14:20:00.000+08:00

What I can say is simply my perception or view of what destiny is like. It runs parallel to the idea of a bridge in the picture posted here. A bridge that’s there before you… ready for you to cross… no other way ‘round it for you to get to the other side but through it. That’s destiny… a predetermined route to somewhere or something.

Is everything in our life predetermined? Perhaps --- to a certain extent. Preset by birth as white, brown, or black race or color… or tall short thin fat… those things are predetermined by a Supreme Being – our Creator. It stops where one begins to exercise God’s gift of free will and choice. Being rich, poor, ignorant, educated, catholic, protestant, successful, failure, popular, outcast, smuggler, philanthropist, etc. are things which we become by pure choice and free will, ours or that of another person, far from being predetermined by so-called fate or destiny. It’s all about the choices we make in life. "Within each of us lies the power of our consent to health and sickness, to riches and poverty, to freedom and to slavery. It is we who control these, and not another. " --- Richard Bach (Illusions)

If we suffer as in… losing our wealth, businesses flounder, marriage failure, a child is born a handicap, relocate to a foreign country and regretting it later, abuse life situations, murder, accidents, etc. … those are not found in the stars. They are caused by us making the wrong choices and decisions or by others making their own mistakes which in turn affect our lives. It’s a small world and we all stand connected (like it or not), so whatever one does, well or bad, could affect other people’s lives and vice versa, directly or indirectly.

Well then we could pretty well ask ourselves this --- is it my destiny to suffer illness? As I understand it, illness is the result of a person’s poor attention to health or the proper style of living. Undisciplined abuse of food choices, in laziness to exercise, in wrong attitudes, or negligence in doing the right thing, etc. bring about a cumulative effect on one’s body through the years. Diabetes (or some other disease) may be waiting just round the corner for such a person. I don’t look at illness as destiny. Always there is a reason behind something happening for good or bad. It still boils down to somebody making choices or decisions running contrarily to goodness or well-being. One holds the choice to be healthy or not.

Destiny may be that ‘bridge’ laid out for one to cross head-on. But WAIT before you cross it, there is something you should know…. that right there is the option NOT to cross it… because you CAN seek other ways to get to the other side or to another location perhaps, categorically speaking. Meaning create your own dream – your own goal – or build your own bridge to the future. The act of ‘seeking other ways’ is that act of carving out your own destiny. When you do that, then the idea of destiny transforms itself into ‘choice’ - The active use of free will. And the definition of destiny then immediately loses itself in it vanishing into thin air. You have taken control. Your life truly becomes yours.

Destiny – what then do you want to make of it? -An in the stars thing or… your own thing and creation. The choice is yours.

Footnote:
I am doing this post for a dear friend. The original content was a reply to his email. I didnt seek his permission though to print his name so I won't, but he did want me to post this. That's why it's here now with a few editing to suit the overall text. I know that we all have differing views on the subject and no one is wrong. My experiences are different from everybody else's and vice versa. So take this as perhaps an addition to what you already know. Thank you. Take care and God bless! :-)

posted on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:57 PM

ACTIVE WAITING

2007-10-25T14:18:00.000+08:00

If there is anything that one gets to do a lot in a hospital --- it’s waiting. One waits for lab results to come in, for medicines to take effect, for bodily functions to restore to normal, for the doctor who’s doing her rounds seven floors above you, for the bathroom to be cleaned when you called the utility an hour ago, for your turn at the long queue at the cafeteria jam-packed with people (fortunately hospital meals for the patient are punctual), and wait for your number to be called at the cashier’s lounge. It’s a long list of waiting for something or someone. It’s also waiting for days to zoom past and for time to fly with haste, if only.

I’ve got patience famous in the family for its ability to stretch itself to Africa. Mom, who wouldn’t miss the chance to bonk my head with lessons, would always remind me that ‘patience is a virtue’. But in a hospital situation where it’s put to the acid test, it fails miserably -- Because to my mind their sense of urgency seems NOT to jive with mine. Never does. Theirs are always off. Well, I guess that’s how relatives of patients must feel anywhere everywhere.

There’s one other kind of waiting though that’s an integral part of a situation such as this. It’s --- waiting on God.

This is the battle that rages in the spiritual realm of faith. One wrestles with the question – will I or will I not trust God? Will he answer my prayer …or not? We live in a physical and material world where to understand things we must see it – hear it – touch it – or talk with it. So what doesn’t fit into the criteria boggles our minds and gives us a hard time believing. And because we are a culture of ‘instant coffee’ and Mr. Fix-It-ASAP, anything that makes us wait indefinitely or grope in the dark goes against the grain and rattles our brains, not discounting the super ego too.

But if one leans on prayer in one’s darkest hour, then one will learn soon enough that in prayer one gets to do a lot of waiting. In fact, prayer is waiting too.

Waiting on God is different --- It’s not the dry lazy do-nothing wasted time of waiting as most perceive it to be. Because there’s so much that really goes into the waiting --- Things which one can’t easily rouse up in normal times and sometimes not even in extraordinary times. So it’s a hard battle between the opposing camps of “Will I” or “Will I not” trust God. Yet despite the fierce battle raging within, one does ultimately win the joust even before the waiting is over --- Hard to believe that? By God’s magnificent grace, the waiting bears fruit in the waiting itself. God uses whatever you can give him, big or small faith, to create something you will absolutely need in your circumstance.

Strange as it may seem something happens as one waits – it’s like something inexplicable pushes aside the curtain of doubt and uncertainty which veils across the mind and heart. A sense of boldness and clarity of thought takes its place. A fresh surge of confidence and understanding shoots up and out allowing one to see one’s place in the scheme of things. And hope becomes the light that carries one bravely through. Now where does that all come from, you might ask?

All these things happen in waiting on God. With an open and trusting heart you will see that He responds quickly in ways beyond an ordinary man’s understanding. Though He may not create the miracle you want in the way you may want it (He has His ways) but He will definitely create a special miracle inside you. What seems like a slump or setback in your life is actually God’s way of creating a better you -- like a product is refined through a certain process to make it better. Now why should this be important to us? It’s simple, we know that life is not easy… never was meant to be easy and we undoubtedly need something to carry us through the long arduous journey. Having prestige, influence, power, resources, and money may not be enough sometimes although it has its uses too. BUT... Of what use are those material perks when we cringe or flinch at the slightest prick or crumble at the tiniest of bad news? So much more is needed and that can’t be found outside of us but rather from within. God set life in that extraordinary mode for a very specific reason. This is for us to mature – develop – grow. The unpleasant circumstances of our life bring out our talents and skills of survival – it transforms us into persons of courage and strength, of diligence and perseverance, of wisdom and faith – the kind that God wants to see in us.

He wants us to grow in faith, in trust, in spiritual power and stature so that we are able to surmount the often impenetrable circumstances of our mortal life. Thus it can be said that the material and physical world only plays second fiddle to the spiritual growth of man and his soul. All that which transpires on earth work separately or collectively towards that sole purpose or end --- top of the line Spiritual strength and power. This is the spiritual blueprint of our lives – Becoming the person of trust, prayer, obedience, courage, strength, power, and faith which He wants and enables us to be. Armed with it, we begin to understand and experience that life despite its difficulties --- becomes perceptively a rewarding challenge, amazingly. Active waiting on God moves it forward every time.

Rejoice when God makes you wait --- for He is doing something magnificent in your life.

He just did ----- in mine. :-)

posted on Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:51 PM

SPRING IN MY WINTER MOMENT

2007-10-25T14:15:00.000+08:00

In every winter's heart is a quivering spring and behind the veil of each night is a smiling dawn. (Kahlil Gibran)

Nature reflects life. Its four seasons no doubt signify some bit of relevance, if not wholly, to the things we go through in our days spring, summer, autumn and winter. I am here now in the winter of my soul.

I took the usual early morning walk the other day trod through the same old paths round the neighborhood settled by the side of a mountain range. The walk started off glumly I must admit. Fresh from the hospital episode concerning a member of the family I was still left in a daze and hadnt quite got back my sense of equilibrium. As usual I had my ear phones stuck in my ear with the same morning-walk-music playing while I followed the paved roads up and down the mountain side. I felt relieved that there were no friendly faces met along the way because I wasnt too sure what face I could show to them. There was so much to think about and so much to do that I felt I didnt have anything left to spare for other things besides. Apart from feeling drained by the past weeks event (thats the understatement of the year lols!), I was now trying hard to recoup new strength for difficulties lined up ahead. Anyway in that early hour of the morning always the whole neighborhood would have their hands full busy with their respective morning chores which apparently worked well to my favor then.

The music didnt appeal to me this time although it was the same one which always enthralled me in my other walks. In fact I wasnt listening to it. I was looking down not up as if counting my steps to nowhere. The looking-down stance was on purpose as I didnt want to meet eyes peering at me with questions no matter how well-meaning they may be. I just wasnt in the mood for it. Some other times perhaps but not this time.

I reached an incline so had to look up as I heard a vehicle coming towards me I moved to the shoulder of the road for it to pass. On looking up in that split second I felt a strong tug in my heart. And suddenly everything seemed to be so clear and real to me right there---

the tall trees greener, the flowers by the side of the road brighter, the cloudless skies bluer, the rising sun warmer, the morning breeze cooler, and the birds singing cheerfully louder. And even the music in my ear seemed sweeter and pleasant. All seemed to bear down on me with a hug. .. a huge bear hug.

I felt a smile on my lips knew something or someone was at work that very moment. :-)I walked back home with these thoughts.......

Can you imagine having the universe come down to you for a bear hug?

Or envision how God can use ordinary things for an extraordinary moment just for you?

Or sense a Mighty God speaking to you saying that all is well and not to fear because He is in control?

Can you think of a better reason not to say that God held my hand that morning and walked with me?

Can you truly say to me that God did not touch my heart and talked to me right then and there?

Can you honestly tell me that God didnt say that He loves me miserable unworthy bloke that I am?

God just did to me. In my darkest winter God surprised me with spring! :-) New life, new growth, new hopes, new tomorrows.

And thats what God can do to you too and many times over as you may need. Believe this. I believe.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S.
With great pleasure I would like to put down here a lovely poem sent by Rekha who meant to help ease me out of worries and give my soul some rest. It's a beautiful poem -- inspiring and warm. So much like Rekha, a wonderful person and friend.

Dear Rekha,
thank you with all of my heart. God bless you.
Love,
Ellen

Here it is.
----------------------------------------------

In your darkest hour
When loneliness and despair overtake you
I’ll be there
In your darkest hour
As the fear and the doubt overwhelm you
I’ll be there
I am The Light shining in your soul
And the hope living in your heart
I am the dream you cling to
When your life seems torn apart
I am the friend walking by your side
And the family who loves you
On this long and bumpy ride
You are not alone
And you are not forsaken
Even in your darkest hour
When you feel your heart is breaking....I'll be there
I am with you in the good times
And when laughter turns to tears
I’ll be there in the days…and weeks…and as the months turn into years
You are not abandoned
Your spirit…strong and true
And even in your darkest hour
There are friends and loved ones…..and My strength to see you through.

By Mike Hall

posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 10:05 AM

A HUGE ROLLER COASTER RIDE OVER TROUBLED WATERS

2007-10-25T14:12:00.000+08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely wonderful friends who left encouraging messages and support in the previous blog. You will see who they are there. :-)

There are so many things we take for granted in life, but please not the friends who stay by your side in times of trouble. Treasure them cos you don't get these special people everyday. They are God's gift to you. May God bless you all -beautiful hearts- with tons of good things in your life!
------------------------------------

I don’t like carnival rides, especially so that I easily get dizzy with the slightest spin or whirl, slow or fast. But that doesn’t rub me of the thrill of watching others enjoy ecstatically those rides one after the other. Their excitement and enjoyment is so much fun to watch… with a bag of popcorns in hand of course -- Makes me wonder whether it’s the ride or the popcorn that’s really giving me that high.

But there’s a kind of ride that I will never get used to although it’s the one I most often get to ride on --- but not by choice. It’s a ride which life heaps upon me without any warning or hint. It simply plops me on the hard seat and sets up the engine to high gear….. And there I go up – down – all around – over and under in break necking speed… riding the huge roller coaster ride of life. Nope, it doesn’t make any stops for any reason I may ever think of or concoct – and believe me I do. It’s this kind of ride that will make you want to yell at the top of your lungs “Somebody, stop this thing --- I want OUT!!!”

That’s how I felt last week.

I won’t dwell on the details of that particular episode in my and my family’s life. I would rather want to ferret out the insights or lessons derived from it, to wit…

FAMILY is the steady solid pillar of support and strength for anyone. In the deep of the night when things seem to bear down harder and there’s no one there for you, it’s the family that gives you that sense of hope courage and strength. It’s the family that loses sleep over you as it stays by your side every night watch, that puts their work aside as you are placed in the forefront of their lives, that seeks out ways and means and miracles to give you the much desired relief, that selflessly sets aside hurts bitterness resentment and the times you weren't allowed to bring home a boyfriend (my daughters' dad is quite strict on the subject of boys lols!), and gives you all the love affection and care you need and even more. You'll never get a bunch of wonderful people all in one place as a family is.

FLEXIBILITY gets you through the humps and bumps without feeling much of the pain (you learn to adapt - adjust). You bounce back from a disappointment or frustration without feeling the prickly pangs of despair. Flexibility gets you moving and doesn’t let you remain stuck in one place. It teaches you to go with the flow - not putting up foolish resistance and false courage.

FAITH Believing that there is a Supreme Being who is in control of everything sets your eyes steadfastly on hope. God reigns supreme. We may not always understand his ways his thoughts nor his timing, but we know in our hearts that he never leaves a prayer unanswered. Never! He answers a prayer but we must understand that he answers it his way. Faith, no matter the size of a mustard seed, is all that he requires from us. Let us learn how to give him that faith. It's not easy, never is... but it's the key to peace and calm.

WE ARE STRONGER THAN WE THINK WE ARE Unbelievable? Maybe to some, but it is what it is – we are truly stronger than we think we are. Something within us pushes us to take one more step, make one more call, plan where it seems impossible, and makes us rise every morning and trek down the same difficult path again. We can stand tall in the midst of turmoil and strife. We can hold our neck above the lashing waves and swirling waters and not get sucked underneath. It’s the indomitable spirit of man that rises to the occasion – unbending resolute tough determined and feisty. God did not create fearful hearts. Yet as we are creatures of habit... bad habits... 'not to fear' becomes a huge challenge to us. But when we learn to overcome fear, the doors to blessings open up wide and clear.

TENDER HEART Yet it’s not always tough and feisty that gets you through though, not always. Sometimes it’s a tender heart that knows how or when to bend to the wind and wait out the storm. Not everybody can be strong 100% of the time, some may buckle down under pressure and stress, some will tire and weary with the battle. It’s a tender heart that can ease the weariness away; help it renew its courage and strength; help it rise from every fall; and restore your heart to where it should be. You can use this with others and with yourself.

FRIENDS It’s a lonely world and life without friends. In times of distress a person needs a friend to walk with him by his side. Just being there in that moment is so much already. Saying a kind word, a sympathetic look, a touch – these things can make such a huge difference in the troubled day and life of a person. There are no small efforts in this area -- every good thought word or deed is a treasure. Give generously of your heart; you’ll never know just how much kindness and compassion could help another towards recovery and healing.

SENSE OF HUMOR What a sense of relief to be able to smile and laugh in the midst of one’s troubles. There will always be lighter moments even in strife. It is a gift to be able to see it and seize it and enjoy it heartily – alone, with family, with friends. The world may seem to have tumbled down on you... but somewhere there is something you could laugh at. Or maybe yet try laughing at yourself.

These things did its role in helping us go through our difficult moments in one piece. But above all that, we anchored our hope trust faith and strength on one source ---- our magnificent God.

We’re back home now but the rough and tough roller coaster ride isn’t over yet. In fact, there’s more twists-and-turns up ahead but we will take it one twist-and-turn at a time. Anybody got a pill for dizziness? This is going to be a long wild tough ride. :-)

posted on Monday, September 03, 2007 8:29 AM

WHERE DO OUR TREASURES LIE

2007-10-25T14:10:00.000+08:00

Tuesday it says on my calendar already half the month gone. How fast time flies. How do we count time? -- In minutes, hours, days, weeks, or years? Normally yes. But ideally is to count time in terms of the moments we felt, did, or had ..

Joy, Enthusiasm, Delight, Wonder and awe, Tenderness, Gentleness, Kindness, Trusting and believing, Unselfish giving, Reaching out to others, Magic and excitement, Love and loving, Selflessness, Concern and consideration, Achievement and victory, Winning and fair play, Failing and rising, and the number of times that lickin good ice cream dripped on your shirt! J

But of course what tops the list is living life not by simply cruising down its road oblivious of the guidance protection and provision of a loving God.but in remembering to say thank you to Him.

The list can be long. Theres a lot to be thankful for. Were so rich but we dont even know it nor see it nor understand it. Those things literally fill up our days from morning till night and yet we dont notice. Why? Whats keeping us from seeing it? Its right there before us and all we have to do is open up our eyes to see. But where do we set our gaze upon? In what direction or directions are we taking it? I think its on thistreasure hunting. Thats funny, what treasures more do we seek when we have everything right under our very noses?

But dont get me wrong, theres nothing incorrect in seeking the finer things in life which could make us happy, true a good education, good school, good job, good food, smart clothes, beautiful home, big car, travels, a successful business venture, a prestigious position or title. These things have their uses too. As much as they are important and sometimes necessary in the course of our earthly life, still these are not the real gems which matter most. These are merely temporal and material pleasures or perks. Easily they can disappear or be taken away from us today or tomorrow. Or maybe we wont even be here long enough to enjoy it either.

There are real treasures which undeniably enrich our life with genuine value and meaning family, relationships, growth and development, wisdom and maturity, values and character, hope and courage in the midst of trials, faith and trust in one supreme God, new strengths acquired from overcoming difficulties-failures, the gift of laughter, confidence and self-esteem, and the beauty of a grateful heart. These have great significance and are distinctly remembered by your family and friends and even strangers (who have crossed paths with you) now and perhaps long after you have gone.

Maybe we should be asking ourselves this question .....

What are the things we consider treasures in our life? Or What are the pearls in our life?

Blessed is he who knows his true treasures and sees them clearly where others dont or cant or think none exists.

(Hi, folks! :-) Here for a bit. How's everybody? Raining cats and dogs over here. Take care okay? God bless you.. and that means everybody.)

posted on Thursday, August 23, 2007 8:32 PM

IF YOU MUST COMPETE - COMPETE WITH YOURSELF

2007-10-25T14:08:00.000+08:00

The place overflowed with customers so I made to leave but Thor motioned for me to wait and pointed towards the corner table. The customer there was just leaving as she gathered up her books. As soon as she was out the door, Thor went to clean up and prepare the table for me. And before I could speak, Thor said

“A hot cup of cappuccino and a slice of apple pie, right?”

I grinned with amusement quite pleased that he hadn’t forgotten because I really hadn’t been here for some months. I then leaned back comfortably in my seat and while waiting for my famous duo I looked around to see if I might see a friend in the crowd. It’s not impossible to stumble among friends at the mall or coffee shop. -happened several times to me. A small group of corporate men in boring ties occupied a table to my right. Four young attractive ladies filled up the table to my left. And facing me were two men in tennis garb with their rackets lying on the floor under the table beside their Adidas sports bags. Without meaning to, I gathered snippets of conversation which trailed to my table and reached my innocent ears. :-)

“He’s president of the company at 37! I’m going to rake in promotions and get there at 30, you’ll see. I’ll build my own connections now and fast to beat him at his game.”

“Oh but she’s smart, well-dressed, and sexy. Mark is going to fall for her, that’s for sure. But she’s going to be yesterday’s fashion when she sees me!”

“The neighbor next door has his new plasma TV and DVD player, Imagine?!! I’ll put in long hours at the office, earn a fat bonus and will get a huge entertainment system sooner than you think.”

Wow! Couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It’s all about this mad-mad race against someone or something. But noting down their serious faces and the tenor of their conversation, I began to wonder -- Now why should the good fortune or success of another set the mood and mode of a person’s intent or desires? Why must the lifestyle of a neighbor down the street be the gauge for one’s effort in his own? Can a person be truly happy with choices which only echo another’s? Is there a guaranty of lasting happiness done in this manner? Nobody knows the real issue behind these supposedly ‘success’ stories. They may look successful on the outside but utterly miserable within. There always is a behind-the-scenes tale lurking behind every occurrence. (The grapevine is not a reliable source and should not even be considered a source.) There’s a trap in this kind of mind set – quite an unhealthy obsession -- a vicious cycle fed by change every time a person finds that someone or something else is much better than the last one.

Let’s take another perspective, a positive one.

It's possible that the persons referred to by the groups above may possibly have deserved to be what they have become and what they have acquired. Perhaps they earned it by sheer hard work, brilliant planning, diligence, and self-improvement. The employee can’t get those proper connections for himself if he hadn’t been quite adept at networking and good pr. The young company president can’t get to be in the top echelon of the company if he didn’t do his homework well. The girl won’t be as attractive as she is now if she allowed herself to go sloppy, shoddy, and stagnant. That neighbor won’t get to acquire some luxury or convenience if he hadn’t planned his finances or resources well, saved for a purpose, and stayed with it. Their lives turned out exactly how they had carved or planned it by turning themselves into better persons. This was the requirement to qualify for a better state of life.

So what is this telling us? It’s simply this - to race the good fight, one must race not against others but against ‘self’. Strive to become better than your old self – not better than the guy next door (or in the next cubicle) who apparently is doing things his way. He’s actually running his own race. So shouldn’t you be doing yours your way too? Qualify and fight on your own merits and aim to be the best with it.

You are your own benchmark, standard, yardstick, motive, incentive, stimulus, purpose, point of reference. Everything that you want to achieve or hope to become one day begins with you, continues with you, and finishes with you. It’s not some John Doe or Jane Doe who will provide these for you or set the pace at which you should run the race. This is YOUR race, not theirs. YOU are in it, not them. And YOU are your own reason for running it.

There’s more to be said about this but I think you just pretty well understand the crux of this piece. . . .

If you must compete -- compete with yourself!

posted on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 8:14 PM

BOOKS IN MY LITTLE LIBRARY

2007-10-25T14:04:00.000+08:00

In my little library is a collection of tiny books – small enough to be placed inside my tote bag and carried with me wherever I go. On some days when frustrations are most felt, I go back to these books to be reminded once again that life is not and cannot be just one basket of rotten apples.

A lot of things in our day and life disappoint us – things, events, or people. Maybe a few are but trivial or petty and could be allowed to pass through without the slightest of concern, but often something comes up with earth-size issues that can truly overwhelm and bog us down if allowed to. I often find myself exhausted, drained, and weary by it all. I turn to my books for comfort and solace.

My collection of books covers a diversity of subjects a portion of which is about favorite essays poems and quotes by noted authors and personalities through time. Some of them I know by history and literature, yet also others who I regret have not had the pleasure of knowing their good works. But always I can find the right one to suit the need of the moment.

May I share with you some of my favorite quotes from my minute collection?
===============================================

We live in deeds, not years; In thoughts, not breaths; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. –Bailey

To live so completely in the future, or in the past, dulls one’s enjoyment of the present, and robs life of its richest pleasures. To live the well-lived life means that we learn to enjoy intelligently each day and hour in the here and now. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

The further I advance in life, the more convinced I am of the necessity of that principle of wisdom which befits our nature: enjoy what lies in your own hands. –Eugene Delacroix

Every year I live I am more convinced that the waste of life lies in the love we have not given, the powers we have not used, the selfish prudence that will risk nothing, and which, shirking pain, misses happiness as well. –Mary Cholmondeley

If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, and ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for. –Thomas Merton

It’s a funny thing about life: if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. –W. Somerset Maugham

Your attitude is most important, for it finally decides the quality of your life, and ultimately makes you the kind of person that you are. –George Bernard Shaw

Making a life is infinitely more important than making a living. It is sheer folly to be ever reaching for the moon while ignoring the things for which we really live. Let us make happiness a daily duty. Let us find it in the little things of each golden moment of time. –Sir Humphry Davy

I believe in my fellow man– in my obligation to respect him as ‘him’ and not as a unit of ‘them’ or even of ‘us’, and to accept him as a neighbor who has as much right to enjoy life as I have. Since my own tastes are not everybody’s, I must tolerate differences of behavior, and since many of my opinions may be wrong, I believe in the value of saying ‘perhaps’ and ‘probably’ very often. –James Hilton

A man may be a genius but he can still do things that practically break your heart. –James Q. Du Pont

We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in GROWTH, in fluidity. –Anne Morrow Lindbergh

True faith is not a fruit of security; it is the ability to blend mortal fragility with the inner strength of the spirit. It does not shift with the changing shade of one’s thought. –Helen Keller

Don’t seek to live someone else’s life; it’s just not you. You have no right to put on a false face, to pretend what you are not, unless you want to rob others. Say to yourself: “I am going to bring something new into this person’s life, because he has never met anyone like me nor will he ever meet anyone like me, for in the mind of GOD, I am unique and irreplaceable.” -Anonymous

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. –Dale Carnegie

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

-Sir Walter Scott

Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass;
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can
No delay, for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again.

-Unknown

===============================================

There you are – each one of these quoted here have served me well --- in putting my feet back on solid ground, in believing in the good and understanding the bad, in seeing differences in a better light and perspective, in knowing where I stand in the midst of everything, and continuing to hope – have faith, and believe in the goodness of people – the beauty of life – and the magnificence of God.

posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 8:55 AM

EVERY TOMORROW HAS TWO HANDLES

2007-10-25T14:00:00.000+08:00

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith." -Henry Ward Beecher
--------------------------------------------------------------------

So which one did you turn on or would turn on for your tomorrows?

I’ll tell you this… many choose the first one rather than the second. Why? --Because it is closer to one’s nature --- worrying. Anxiety is defined by Mr. Webster as worry, fear, nervousness, apprehension, fretfulness, unease, angst. That’s you and me and others more. Quite a normal human thing, as most would say. No big deal.

But what does worry or ANXIETY exactly give you?

Just about EVERYTHING YOU DON’T NEED for a healthy confident peaceful happy existence. I know that will ring a bell or two (perhaps a dozen more) for you as it does for me too.

Certainly you’ve been through anxiety repeatedly throughout the years and which undoubtedly ate up a big chunk of your life; but you now realize that it has served you no good purpose at all. Not one bit. It simply brought you to an unhappy and unhealthy state of mind body and soul. And maybe there’ll even be more tomorrow. But there’s no need for me to go into the nitty-gritty process of explaining how. You have experienced it thus you know just what I mean.

That defines the handle of anxiety.

Let’s try the other one --- the handle of FAITH.

Do I see a faint smile on your face? It looks like you’re half there and half nowhere. Oh but I get it--it’s an old fashioned thing incongruous to our modern times, isn’t it? We believe facts, science, and technology – things which we could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. This ‘faith’, what’s that?

Okay, let me tell you a little story.

My life has been one long tough journey and it’s not over yet. I guess it never is over until it is over. Now with every turn or corner down the bend I always thought that one sorry surprise would lurk behind it (I was that anxiety freak)– a sure-fire joy buster! That was enough to make me want to stay rooted where I was and not move forward even an inch and now --as a veteran of life’s bumpy roads and paths (oho! I got many years behind me), I know just what and how it’s like when you come face-to-face with an ugly upheaval monster or monsters. Yes, it crazily throws you off-course and coldly leaves you feeling quite shaken lost inadequate and defeated on the lonely wayside. Adding to the pain is that nobody stops to pick you up and stand you on your feet again. I wondered then just ‘where did the good people go?’

Not a pretty picture, I agree, but from out of that sorry state was born the ‘mustard seed of faith’ which I remember God requires from His children -- meaning you and me and the rest of the human race.

It’s not such a big thing asked of us. Fact is, it is simply a small sized measure of faith, belief, and trust – tiny as a mustard seed known to be the smallest seed in the world. Can you believe that? It sounds too simple, doesn’t it? --Because it is. But you won’t find it in your head. It resides in your heart and without fail will rise when called upon.

What will summon it to the fore? It is this -- that despite being in the midst of pain suffering and tears – and having done everything which you possibly could and lost --- you turn your gaze to God and with all the strength left in you and the faith you can muster up, you say to Him…..

‘Here, Lord, You take it; you can do a better job of it than I can.’

Then the miracle happens!

So then, which handle did you turn on or would turn on with your tomorrows? Your anxiety handle or your faith handle? The answer is there in your heart.

posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 5:55 PM

LET GO - GOOD THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU

2007-10-25T13:58:00.000+08:00

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. -Andre Gide

I admit to have missed out not on one but several chances to enjoy new places, meet new people, or savor the thrill of new experiences -- all because I could not wrench my eyes away or my heart from what I had at hand. These which comprised my life had me in a firm hold that I couldn't make myself imagine leaving them all behind.

It was Canada, Australia, or America three places which strongly beckoned to me in my youth long ago. My friends were processing visas and passports while I was still pounding at the computer 24/7. They tried so hard to get me to leave my 9 to 5 job telling me of juicy job offers and opportunities, exciting places, exotic people, land of milk and honey so to speak. But I wouldn't budge; I had my reasons. Until they finally gave up and so boarded their planes with sad faces-misty eyes on that final day and thus flew out of my life. Never heard from then since but thats okay cuz life often does that to people. I'm sure they're alright and am even surer that one day we will meet again.

Did I regret staying behind? No, for reasons I now know were the right ones for me. But regret isn't what we are talking about here.

But rather this......... (and this is also addressed to a dear friend)
---------------------------------------

When something you want very much comes to you and you have thought about it a dozen times over and yet still come out wanting it if not even more, I will say to you to..... go for it. Let go of sentimental mumbo-jumbo tugging at your heart or of the unyielding grip and unwillingness of people close to you (family, friends, sweethearts etc) --not wanting to lose you. Slacken the ties which bind you to them or them to you. This is all about you now, not about them.

This is you writing your own book of life and you're holding the pen to write it. You alone decide what you want in it or what you'd rather do without. You will give it new direction but one which you think will lead straight to your goal without needless interruptions. No one else can do that for you no matter how well-meaning others efforts may be. Nobody can understand the dreams you have in your heart. Even if they say they do, still you alone can and will feel the tug or the pull towards the direction you are being prepared for by one unseen hand and finally meant to journey.

So you must learn to let go, to wrest your eyes away from home and familiar shores or everything that has tied you to it for the past several years of your life. But do this with a grateful heart because everything that was had helped shape you into the person you are now and made you ready for this crossroads of your life. You may be leaving them and other things besides, but you are not saying goodbye only saying I will be back. Because nobody really closes the door to family and familiar things; one keeps coming back to it for reasons only ones heart would know.

Further, you must also let go of attitudes, perceptions, habits which do you no good discern what those useless frilly fickle flighty erratic capricious things are which served only to hold you back at certain times or managed to mess up or badly upset your life. This is the time to clear your mind and free it from that old mess. Take with you those things of value which you can never do without and shouldn't. Its all there in your heart. Prepare and be ready to receive new learning, growth, insights, perceptions, observations, new wisdom and experiences. Remember these familiar lines or something which runs like this --- "One can't put good new wine in an old worn sack cloth for it would only burst it; thus new wine goes into new cloth." Thus you must be of new mind and new heart to be able to receive new wisdom from the new world and life you are heading for.

You're moving out to a new world where everything that would come to you will be of wonderment, awe, and thrill. Well, maybe there would be a dash of difficulties and tears here and there but that too is part of the package. Its all for your learning too. You cant have one without the other. They go hand in hand and work their separate purpose in your life but for a mutual goal of turning you into better or best. Trust that unseen hand which directs the way you should go like it was all written in the heavens from the benevolent hand of one magnificent Supreme Being.

Now go, my friend....... go sail away or fly away to where your heart is. Good Luck! God go with you!

posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 2:01 PM

CHANGE OF HEART

2007-10-25T13:53:00.000+08:00

It happens to us when with something which we seem to be very sure of suddenly isn’t anymore. Not by its own fault but by something happening to us. It’s like putting on a favorite dress we’ve had for several years and suddenly finding out that it doesn’t fit anymore. Of course we may have gained in weight over the years but still the realization that we can’t wear the dress anymore like we’ve been used to is like a huge rock hitting us right smack on our unbelieving head.

We bond with things and of course people the latter giving birth to relationships. Without further ado, let’s zero down on friends and friendships.

Everybody has a best friend, one or several. All through our life friends abound and then after sifting through the sea of faces, personalities, characters coming through --one or two get to stand out above the rest. The bond and bonding tightens up even more. The other person may in a gradual process over a period of time endear himself or herself making the friendship stronger. It works both ways.

The friendship grows and entrenches itself resolutely through our days and life creating its own permanent niche therein. Permanent seems to be the right word cuz we couldn’t possibly even think of anything that might happen to separate or break it apart. That’s so improbable. Preposterous! So days turn into weeks into months into years and we become even surer through it all.

Then it happens.

Suddenly a feeling, a foreboding sense of ‘losing’ something, settles down quietly -- causing an unexplainable distance which appears to be steadily widening, increasing, and larger with every passing day. Despite frantic efforts to bring matters back to its original shape, the distance just seems to get wider even more. We then begin to wonder.

Here’s an old song by Jim Brickman, songwriter, singer, and pianist. Maybe some answers can be found in it.
------------------------------------------

CHANGE OF HEART

I feel that I’m at a crossroads
I don’t know which way to go
You say that I am changing
Into someone that you don’t know
Who I am and who I’ll be
Is locked inside, inside of me
And if I follow my heart
Will you still be my friend?
If we break apart
How do I make, how will you take
My change of heart
For years you have been my best friend
I thought that would always be
You know that I just can’t pretend
It’s written all over me
‘Cuz where I’ll go and what I’ll do
I just can’t see my life without you
If I follow my heart
Will you still be my friend?
If we break apart
How do I make, how will you take
My change of heart
Moving on is gonna take sometime
When I’m gone
You might have a change of mind
Gotta take a chance
No matter what I find
No matter how far I travel
I think of you as home
It’s not about finding someone else
It’s all about being alone
‘Cuz who I am and who I’ll be
Is locked inside, inside of me
‘Cuz if I follow my heart
Will you still be my friend?
If we break apart
How do I make, how will you take
My change of heart
How will you take
My change of heart

-o-

posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 11:59 AM

WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE

2007-10-25T13:50:00.000+08:00

Whatever we find ourselves in we always have a choice, whether its the humdrum choice of a toothpaste brand at the supermarket or the crossroad choice of taking that rickety bridge to dreams or having your pet dog sleep on your bed.

I wake in the morning and from there my choices begin. I think of how to get out of bed --- bouncy like my daughters were as kids before or sensually as in my first day of the marriage. Whichever way would surely set the mood and mode of the rest of the day. I decide to get up out of bed cheerful light and bouncy - yes! Now don't ask me bout the other one cause that I think would need a lot of help from a box of chocolates, roses, some mood music, and perhaps Estee Lauders Pleasures.

But something comes up two hours before lunch --what to cook! Ah wait, let me rephrase that -- what dish should the maid cook for lunch. That sounds more real cause this ole lady here by family consensus is 'unwanted persona' in the kitchen. They say am a lousy cook. I say I dont cook! Or should it be said this way --- I dont cook! Or I DONT cook! Or I dont COOK! Sheezz! They all look the same to me.

But I was never given the chance to develop cooking skills even if my mom was the best cook ever this side of town. I was thrust into the work place as a young teenager. Dad was ill, Mom took care of the home while I took care of the family coffers. Yup, prematurely thrust into something I shouldn't be doing at that early age yet but -- I made it my choice. It was my choice too to finish school on my own paying my way through with a job at the school admin office -- Choices and even more choices as I would later find out in life.

It never stops, it never ends. You make choices morning noon and night, alone or with company, with family friends or strangers, in health or sickness, in wealth or poverty, with humans or with animals, with living or non-living things, with yourself. The choice is always there. It moves us from yesterdays to todays and on to tomorrows. It brings us from one action to the next, good or bad. It moves us farther or closer to our dreams and goals. It can lead us forward or backward. It can fortify relationships or break it apart. It can bring a loved one closer or push the person away. It can make good friends or create enemies. It can pardon faults or magnify them. It can build fortunes or make it crumble. And the choice is there too to be good -- or bad.

Everything starts with a choice -- like achievements begin with a dream. And that again involves choices.

Be careful the choices you make though; weigh it carefully. What may be so trivial or insignificant to you may mean the whole world to another person or to the people you love. Your choice or choices not only can change your life but will certainly affect the people around you and maybe change something in their lives too.

Wrong choices can happen too I know and that cannot be taken back or withdrawn. You did it; its there. What to do? Stand by your choices; don't shift the blame to others nor find a convenient escape goat to cover up for you. Opt for objectivity, see your mistake for what it is and learn from it. Understand that a mistake cannot be ignored, cast aside, disregarded, hidden, nor glossed over by any possible brilliant excuse because a mistake will always stand out like an ugly sore thumb to one and all. Be humble to admit that you have been wrong and make serious effort to avoid it recurring at any time again. To quote -- "Once is enough for a wise man." - Unquote.

But if you were given a choice between others and yourself --- choose you. Because if you have you sorted out first and foremost, then the rest can be ably take care of for better or best. If your day begins with a choice, your choice should always begin with you. Don't let anybody or others do it for you, no matter what they say that its all for your own good or welfare. Thats baloney because choices are influenced by personal preferences or desires. Therefore its certain that there is something labeled "they" in greater measure and not much of "you" in what they did. It's your life; take it where you want it to. You can't live your life with or through other peoples choices. This is you make it YOUR choice. No matter how difficult tumultuous chaotic or complex the situation can be, remember that you always have a choice. And choosing what to do under any circumstance is your sole freedom privilege and responsibility -- and if I may add to that --accountability.

We always have a choice but do try to make it right every time.

OF BLOGS AND BLOGGING

2007-10-25T13:49:00.000+08:00

One of the reasons I make reading blogs a regular fare in my day is that almost always I come across a blog on which I see myself reflected in it at one point in my life or several. One blog writes about the confusion of unrequited love, another writes on the travails of a first job, another tells of exciting experiences in a foreign country, another narrates experiences of a working wife and mother, and one particular blog I liked so much was about the struggles of a young girl away from home and trying to make it on her own. Each tale or story holds a lesson or two from which I could learn from or a gem of wisdom which helps me understand life better. Its a privilege to be able to read these blogs each one important in a distinctive way. Far more do I respect and admire the writers for their candidness and transparency in their work.

Cruising down the blogs enables me a tiny glimpse into the moods of people different from each other. The whole length of the spectrum of emotions displays itself in the blogs of every person man or woman -- Happy, sad, humorous, angry, frustrated, disappointed, fearful, anxious, and many others more. It never fails to remind me that as different we are from each other in culture and beliefs, we still think and behave similarly basically on some or several topics or issues. And that even in our differences we are still so much the same.

The blog, although in essence is a personal journal wherein one can pen down everything he or she so likes, is still an online public place open for anyones viewing. In this regard I appreciate bloggers who are careful in their choice of language and seriously regard the sensibility of their readers. Freedom of expression does not mean being insensitive to others. Freedom of any kind is not something you deserve but should worthily earn. You do that by being responsible to yourself, to others, to life. With freedom is attached responsibility -- the responsibility to be correct, honest, trustworthy, proper, respectful, and compassionate. Aiming to be 'entertaining' in the blog shouldn't be at the expense of being insensitive to others. We all stand connected, what one does will undoubtedly affect the next guy, like it or not. Irresponsible writing may or can negatively influence somebody else's thoughts or feelings towards odd false confused or muddled-up issues or beliefs. Why aim for this when it is more satisfying and fulfilling building up lives instead of tearing them down. Yes, tearing down people is when by our negative thought processes other people become less good, less better, less nice, less positive, less confident than what they ought to be. Building up people is by constant affirmation of their worthiness, their inner beauty, their potential, their positive can-do attitudes towards life, their goodness of heart, the beauty of their minds, and in their abiding faith in themselves - in people - in the world - and in God.

Since I started blogging I have gathered memorable experiences and several wonderful friendships which made the experience even more treasured. Friends in real time have reminded me that blog friends are fleeting and that it cant be solid ground for building friendships on. Consider that one doesn't even know their real names (some prefer to remain incognito), or see their faces (like putting up comic icons in lieu of their picture), and never will get to meet them in person (wide distances and far-away countries). That may be true but so are friendships up close just as fleeting in nature. One can never tell when fickle life would suddenly make friends part ways for some reason or another. It will be truly sad when partings should come but why dwell on that? People will leave, they cant always be with us -- same thing that I wont be here in the blog for always (frankly, I must admit that it is becoming so frustrating dealing with the SERVER GLITCHES in o3. The response quotient, if any, has slowed down tremendously to a drag).

Change is inevitable. But what matters is finding these friendships. Lets hope to keep it a little while longer - for as long as it may or can.

By the way, thanks to everyone for coming to my page each time. The pleasure is all mine. God bless you all! :-)

posted on Thursday, July 05, 2007 11:18 AM

FRAGMENT PHRASES - DISJOINTED THOUGHTS

2007-10-25T13:45:00.000+08:00

MY LITTLE GREEN NOTEBOOK

Inside my tote bag is a small green notebook the size of the palm of my hand. Have chosen the color green as it is my favorite along with blue, pink, and lilac. Nestling comfortably inside my bag it goes with me wherever I go. And when taken out of the bag and set down on the table at my favorite coffee bar, it cues Thor to bring over my usual coffee and apple pie on the side. Further this trusty companion sets itself up as a handy do not disturb sign to keep nosey strangers at bay. They dont dare come close when they see me pen in hand with my nose buried deep in the pages of my notebook. It works all the time. Lol! Within its lined pages are written bits or fragment phrases, fragmentary thoughts which chew at an idea for a possible writing task. How do I find it? I dont know its like a bulb which lights up when an idea walks in. These fragment phrases lie there for quite awhile sometimes before I can come back to it and work on its whole. Right now it looks like my tiny green notebook has just a few more leaves left to it, thus a quick visit to the book store along with other errands will be lined up for my day tomorrow, until then. Lets now take a glimpse and try catching snippets of thoughts inside its pages.

IN YOUR EYES (Dedicated to Lucky)

I want to see your eyes.. Light up when you see me Hold me in the moonlit night. Laugh at my foolish ways. Care for my pain and sorrows .Understand my confusion. Love me through my imperfection. I want to be special in your eyes. I want to be your world.. Your life, Your all, Your everything in your eyes.

CATCH ME IF I FALL -A weary plaintive cry.

I want to take my entire dream into the present - I cant wait for tomorrow, I want it all now yet life wont let me. It pushes me hard and harder over an immeasurable stretch of time and over rough and jagged roads it has chosen for me flicking its whip like a stern uncompromising taskmaster. It doesnt care. Nobody cares if I be torn, battered, bruised, beaten or hurt from slugging it out on the floor alone? Tell me, if I should stumble a thousand times, pray tell me who would catch me if I fall? (Anonymous)

Wow! Exhausted isnt he or she?! Yet come to think of it, whenever life does something like that to us (it did the same to me) we always think its a bad, bad deal were getting from it. But is it? You know, there's more to gain from using all of your faculties and energies towards a definite goal. It hones talents in you and brings it to a better state. Nothing is put to waste with that. So then exhaustion catches up with you but of course it will and it does. The body, mind, and emotions have its limits yet the wonderful thing about it too is that it can recharge itself given the chance. Life is never a villain to our dreams. If it gives us a hard time, it does so for our ultimate benefit and good. We in the long run would reap the reward from all that hard work. Like gold is tested through the fire, we too must go through the furnace of hard work and difficulties before reaching our goal. But that doesn't intend or mean to melt us down to nothing but rather it buffs and polishes us until we sparkle and shine through with improved and better talent, skills, and abilities. This undoubtedly will take us straight to our dreams and goals. That's for certain.

As to who will catch you is when you fall ten, hundred, or a thousand times? I know that God will. When you lose yourself each time, God will find you every time. He's more than enough for your every need -- a father, brother, friend, provider, counselor, healer, and loyal companion all through your journey. So then --rest your weary mind and heart in His presence and be restored to strength once again.

THERE'S MORE TO LIFE

I hear my neighbors car gearing up for another day of work for the man of the house. And soon after it had gone the washing machine kicked alive and whirred away with the mornings laundry under the watchful eyes of dear old housewife. In a bit the school bus screeched to a halt at the gate to fetch its ward and carry him off to school. So thats life. Is there more to the routine and drudgery of the day?

I believe there is. But you have to be willing to learn if you want to transform a jaded boring day into one of wonderment and pleasure. It's an old lesson that of learning how to appreciate our world and all that it contains. Can you just imagine how something wonderful could happen to you anytime? It can. Thats not an empty promise. The possibility is there in your day. When you open your senses to the things around you, you will see how ordinary things are instantly transformed into things of beauty, awe, wonder, marvel, and magic. Theres more to life than our plain ordinary days -- so much more. But you should be willing to find it see it. You can make it all yours --- everyday. Set your heart to it.

I COULD TRY

There is so much Id like to do with my day and life. Id like to do them all. Id like to go on that long desired trip, buy a piece of land for a farm, build another house, drive my dream car, and spend a vacation in Amanpolo. And so does everybody else with his own version of desires and wishes and dreams I am sure. So whats wrong with that? Nothing; in fact, its all good. All magnificent achievements started with one simple dream. And I believe that inside all living breathing normal person is a special dream or dreams just waiting to be born. So bring out that dream no matter how absurd it may seem to others. Because there is a big fat chance that you just might have one or two or three coming true. So try! Make that dream, build it with deep desires, and work it. Then one day near or in the future you will finally hold it in your hands and you will be thanking yourself that you even tried. And if that somehow should take you a whole lifetime, at least you can say to yourself I tried! Oh brother, I tried!! You know what, in my book thats just as good as having it all come true.

NOTHING WORKS THE FIRST TIME

Nope it doesnt, except when youre putting on your shoes. Because as far as I can look back in the past, I went through a dozen backbreaking tries before I finally got it right or made it mine. I remember one time not so long ago doing twenty drafts before I finally got the writing right. It must be the same case with others too. And with something which you desire so much you will do certainly everything you can within your power or resource to get it. That includes even doing it a hundred times over just to get it right. But with something worth doing its worth trying every bit every time. So if something doesnt work the first time you tried, brother, give it another shot! It just might work this time!

IT WON'T BUDGE

It wont budge Oh am not talking about refrigerators or sofas or some other heavy piece of furniture around the house. Because if I grunt and heave long and hard enough I can make it move albeit with the risk of breaking my back in the process. But the thing that wont budge no matter how hard you try is a huge rock of imminent failure right smack across the road youre traveling in life. It just wont budge. So you kick and push and shove with all of your might, bleed your brains dry thinking of something that would do the trick, and yet it wont move. Give up? Dont! Youve got it all wrong. The rock or hurdle or test or whatever else it may be called isnt there to end your journey for you. It is there just to shake you up a bit maybe shove you to try a different approach, some thinking out of the box, so to speak work-in some fresh idea or new plan or new insight which could help you look at the dilemma or your difficult journey in a different light. Perhaps zero in on what you may have been forgetting or ignoring for the past several times. There are zillions of neutrons (is that what its called?) in your brain and youre using up only 10% of it (so weve heard it often said). So get those neutrons to work and make that thing standing in your way to progress budge!!

WISH UPON A MOON (Childs whim)

My evening sky sparkles with zillions of twinkling stars. All for me Mom would say. And I could have all the wishes I would want to make with every shooting star that would blaze its trail across it. She taught me this poem

Starlight, star bright Wishing on the first (shooting) star of the night Wish I may, wish I might Make all the dreams come true tonight.

Every night I would then look up to my sky and watch for that shooting star cause I had a fond wish to hang up on its tail. Many nights I would sit at the steps of our front porch looking up searching the heavens for my special star. Only the moon kept me company each time standing by like a good trusted friend. One night at the usual front porch I gazed up to the night skies hoping to see my elusive shooting star but.. the sky seemed different --brighter this time. Yet its light came not from my stars. I looked.And there I saw peeking shyly behind a faint mist was my friend moon -- so big round bright and pretty! When she saw me gazing up, she slid away from the cloud and revealed her full brilliant light. Something crossed my mind then and I heard myself say

Oh friend moon, shining so prettily and bright. Wish I may and wish I might Make all my dreams come true tonight!
------------------------------------------------------------

There you go just a handful of disjointed thoughts. Ill come back for more with my little green notebook soon. Until then, take care and God bless you. :-)

posted on Monday, July 02, 2007 3:16 PM

ON A WEATHERED BENCH ONE LATE AFTERNOON

2007-10-25T13:35:00.000+08:00

Whenever my world spins too fast or too slow, one thing gets me on even keel again --- spending time with my dogs. Sometimes my world shrinks to the size of the puny ball Maxie and I play with. But when I see her chasing after it and coming back to me for another toss with a glimmer in her eye, my heart melts. Same thing when Lucky and Buddy gaze up at me with tails wagging wildly, I weaken in my resolve to be sad.

In this particular afternoon, the four of us cramped ourselves on the weathered bench in the garage. It’s placed fronting the street and affords us our favorite pastime – watching people (mine) and animals (theirs) go by. With Lucky sitting on my lap and Buddy and Maxie filling up the space at the other end of the bench, it felt good just being there – all four of us.

With such an idyllic moment you would think that I would let it ride without a single thought crossing my mind. The answer is ‘No’... and you know that by now I’m sure. It’s especially on moments like this that thoughts come tip-toeing their way into my mind. :-)

Let’s see what we have this time.

Look behind you and see who or what has fallen off your backpack. --- Somebody once said that “One day at a time, whether you go slow or fast, will still get you there.” So then perhaps there really is no point in the maddening race to get where you want to be -- Unless you are to die tomorrow. In which case good sense will tell you that you’ll be smarter to enjoy what you have today – in the here and now.

A good friend’s son is rushing through his masters while holding on to his job because he has his eyes set on making it big at thirty-five. So he burns the night lamp studying and works at the grindstone during the day with meetings, projects, reports, and series of office events. It’s good no doubt. But in the mad rush to get there he failed to see that essential things have fallen off his backpack. These things he carried with him at the early start of his journey but these got tossed and shoved about in his pack that it fell off it by the wayside quite unnoticed.

Two things undoubtedly fell off his pack and – will fall off yours, too... if you’re not careful.

The first things which become greatly affected by the harried race you take on towards your goal are family and relationships. They are the ones who you stand up or pass up for dinner, or forget to remember their special days and occasions, or push aside requests for your time and attention, or come home very late nights to, or gruffly shut your bedroom door to, or make promises to which you know you can’t even keep. They are the first to fall off your backpack -- the first ones to be hurt by you, intentionally or not.

Secondly is -- you. I mean ‘you’ before you started out on this mad mad race. Tell me, where now is that person who had time to be with family and too enjoy good banter with buddies and friends? Where is that hero who used to sit next to a nephew or niece and together contemplate the mysteries of the universe? Where is that poet who would stand in awe and wonder at a gorgeous sunset or thrill at the signs of early spring? And where is that adoring son or daughter who would come home to Mom with a bouquet of roses on Mother’s Day or bring Dad his favorite beer on Father’s Day? Where is that person who held priorities were it should be – in one’s heart? Look behind you, my friend, because SOMETHING of you might have fallen off your backpack, too!

Wisdom from Baby’s Do-Day ---- When I saw the small child shake himself free from the father’s hand, I thought to myself “Oh...Oh... We got a problem here.” The kid wobbly on his tiny chubby legs wasn’t yet a walker, which I could see. Yet he was determined to set out on his own unaided. So he ambled zigzagging to nowhere as his father, a bit surprised, yet keenly watched close by. The little one now quite giddy and giggly by his tiny adventure upped his pace faster. That apparently was a mistake. He tripped himself and fell on his butt on the ground. I immediately shifted my gaze to the father, saw him quickly assess the situation but seeing that the child was unhurt coolly approached intent to help him up.

Funny thing is, the child on seeing his father coming near turned to face him and went on all fours crawling until he got close with nary a whimper or tear. When he got to where his dad was (who now stood still), he clutched hard on his lower pants with tiny hands and pulled himself up until he was standing on his feet! Having done that, he looked up at his dad and smiled brightly. And if I may say so, he seemed quite pleased with his achievement. With a hearty laugh, the father scooped up his son and gave him a big kiss of approval and off they went back to their house.

Sure enough the kid made it good on his own brand of spunk and guts. And his wise father was unlike most parents – he understood very well the need for his son to try out things on his own but safely. He wisely gave his son the room and space he needed to discover things by himself, to grow, and learn. Yet he made sure that he was close --to be there when his son needed him to be there. It worked beautifully all in the right places!

Oh gee, there’s more to tell you but my tummy’s grumbling. I didn’t realize that it’s close to dinnertime already. We have it early here. The sun having now gone down the horizon behind the mountains has turned down the curtain on the day for me and my dogs. So then see you with more in the next ‘ish. Bye for now. God bless you!

posted on Friday, June 01, 2007 7:29 AM

A MORNING WALK CAN DO SO MUCH MORE

2007-10-25T13:32:00.000+08:00

Am just standing out the gate of the house, not yet walking. I don’t know, things just sweep into my brain and get me into thinking mode just like that. I can’t put it aside, nope, because it won’t let me until I get it all sorted out clear through.

For instance, I look down at my walking shoes and I see just how good it is to have one as perfect as this. It hugs my ankle firm and its thick undersole lets me go over gravel and stones with ease. I’d like to think that a person should arm himself with that kind of attitude – firm and thick. Oh yes, firm in his values or goals with thick or solid principles which certainly will help him walk through life’s challenges with no or minimal difficulty.

I look up and see the road I will be walking on stretching out before me. At this starting point of my one-hour-walk, the road I see is quite smooth wide and paved. As I go farther down it, the road changes its terrain. Cracked and uneven in some parts, blotched with pebbles, stones, and rocks in another, and strewn with nature’s mess --- bird droppings, dogs’ shit, fallen leaves and fruits rotting on the ground. I must look like a funny sight skipping over the shit or zigzagging my way through, over, or around the mess. Doesn’t that remind you so much of life – this life journey we each embark on? Sometimes we get it fun and pleasurable; at times it becomes so disjointed and utterly aggravating with odd situations; and then in some again it gives us the darn annoying and maddening circumstances which try our patience and test our resolve. We get it all, don’t we, in this uneven terrain we travel on. But when faced with such challenges, I fall back on the famous words of Michael Jordan ---

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

There’s so much I can see in that walk, so much like life itself. But uncannily when I get to the end of my hike and am back home where I started, I get this feeling that nothing has ended but simply stands on temporary ‘freeze’ -- poised to resume again. And that’s what happens on my next walk. The walk comes to life again with fresh observations, insights, perceptions, and learning. It’s never the same experience every time. Always something new unfolds itself before my eyes.

Isn’t life like that? Nothing is ever ended with finality -- it just goes on or is being arranged in chapters, like a book wherein several chapters are opened and closed but it doesn’t finish the whole book until its very end.

When I feel so low and blue, I get on with that walk not letting anything stop me. Nothing works so well to lift me from the blues, rearrange or straighten my muddled-up thoughts, or get my unsteady feelings lined up positively. It’s like feeling the fresh wind on your face –cool and refreshing feeling like new again. Feels so good! Nature undeniably is unbeatable in the wonder and beauty it weaves into our lives …

--a low-lying bush with lavender blossoms

--a tall tree swaying in the wind and a nest nestled in its branches

--a tree laden with yellow leaves you’d think were flowers

--a bird picking up a tiny twig on the ground and flies up away with it perhaps building a nest somewhere in those trees

--a wisp of smoke from burning leaves filling up the morning air

--a group of birds flitting from tree to tree chirping merrily

--a new plant small and fragile easing its way out of the ground

--a shift in cloud formations and shapes with the backdrop of the bluest sky you’ve ever seen

--a lush vine crawling up a high stone wall lending it color and interest fit for a poster card picture

--a play of light and shadow in the lush trees as the yellow sun peeps out from behind the mountain just beyond the ridge

…and so much more!

In each of these, we are reconnected with what truly matters in the core of our being --- our God-connection.

Okay, am quite sorted out with all that I think --- Time now to get on with my early morning walk. J :-) You bet, there will be more, new ones and so much more!

posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 7:36 PM

WHEN WE GET LOST - GOD ALWAYS FINDS US

2007-10-25T13:29:00.000+08:00

(I created this story for a special friend for a special reason.)

One day God was holding court dispensing miracles where He saw needed. Then He had a surprise visitor -- the Bad One (BO).

'So what brings you here?' asked the Magnificent One, not that He didn't know already.

'Oh Holy One (HO), I am going to bring misfortune to Morrison the town baker' replied BO.

'Morrison already has his fortunes floundering. His wife has left him. His only son is into battle and will be killed. What bigger misfortune could beat all that?' tested the HO.

BO countered 'I will make him very sick'.

HO with brows knitted in deep thought replied 'You do know that will make him die'.

“Exactly! -- And I will have his soul' retorted BO with a gleeful snicker.

There was a deep holy silence. The angels around dared not cough or speak. 'Go! Do it.' spoke the HO finally.

'You won't stop me?' queried BO with suspicion.

'No. Now leave. The angels will show you the door out.' Then HO turned His Holy Face towards the next miracle case.

So Morrison became sick, very sick, that even the whole village was concerned for him. Word spread around that Morrison the town baker was going to die. The news reached his wife in the next town. And she wrote a long letter to her son in that battlefield afar. Then she packed her bags and traveled to his bedside. Greatly surprised as he was to see her, still he welcomed her with a weak faint smile and sad eyes. She stayed and tended to his needs, nursed him with food and medicines, nourished him back to health.

Five days after, a letter arrived from their son expressing his love and deep concern for the father. He wrote that the night he received the letter from his mom he cried so deeply and hard that his officer had to send him off to the forest nearby so that the rest of the soldiers wouldn't hear him. As he poured out his sorrow and prayed in the deep forest, the enemy attacked their camp sparing no one. He alone survived the massacre. Now he is being sent back home by his superiors and will arrive back in town in two days.

That day arrived and tears of joy flowed out from every eye. Reunited the family became closer than ever, hurts forgiven. Weeks rolled into months. On the fourth month on the second day, Morrison’s condition worsened and lay dying. Calling his tearful wife and son to his bedside he said to them....

'I have never been so happy than these past months you're here with me. I thank God for this precious gift. I shall die and be glad that I have lived long enough to love you and be loved by you.'

Morrison died with a peaceful smile etched on his calm wrinkled face.

Down in the smoldering fiery courts of BO could be heard….

'What th....??!!! Where is Morrison's soul?? What's happening??' fumed the BO at the gates of hell as his voice boomed through the walls of the fiery halls.

'Who made the wife come back to him?? Why did the son come home? He was supposed to die in battle?? How in hea..... hell's name were they reunited??!!!' fumed BO.

The Holy One heard and looked down from heaven...

'So you think you could have him?! You can do your bad to my children --- but I never lose my sons and daughters, not a single one of them. No one can take them from me. They are mine -- and always will be.'

And holy laughter was heard like a thousand bells and cymbals ringing all throughout the heavenly space and throng ---and pierced the dark blazing corridors of hell below blasting BO from his fiery throne.

-----End-----

P.S. When this post had served its purpose, I thought it best to delete it ---and I did the other day. But....... My friend asked me to put this post back in here. He says it has work to do and that its work must not be hampered. :-) So why you are seeing it again now. Thank you for bearing up with the inconvenience.

posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 7:06 PM

STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN

2007-10-25T13:25:00.000+08:00

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again. - Andre Gide

The other day my friends complained of how tough life is and how baffled mystified bewildered confused and totally clueless they are about it all… I replied to that with.

“It’s everything you say it is. But maybe still a lot more which you don’t know -- yet.”

Apparently despite the many inspirational and motivational writings filling-up the shelves in book stores everywhere and talks given by good life coaches, it seems that the issue is as befuddled as ever – about what my friends now call the ‘clueless life syndrome’. Well, no matter how many more new words they aptly or ineptly coin for it, it only boils down to one thing which my buddy Sienna uttered in exasperation one day – “I just don’t understand it!”

So this lead me to try something … maybe if I retrieve this old post for their benefit as they seem to be at their wit’s end trying to figure it all out. Perhaps this will knock them into their rightful senses and lead them to fresh new insight and perception which apparently they failed to grasp the first time. Now if only they forget their angst for one bit and try to see what this little story is meaning to tell them.

Maybe also try for a little patience and some one-track-minded focus to see that all this is leading to something good. It could only be for better if not best. I should know – cos I had that in my backpack of lessons learned too. :-)

Okay, buddies, this one’s for you.

POTPOURRI #8 - WORKING TOGETHER TO COMPLETE YOU

Here’s the story.
---------------------

I had a dream one night. I saw myself standing on bare dry ground not a mountain or tree in sight -- nothing there but an odd-looking weighing scale. Odd with huge and I say huge, empty plates. Then out of nowhere appeared an old but distinguished-looking man with long gray beard which oddly touched the ground. He looked at me with nary an expression on his old wrinkle-lined face and raised his right hand in the air. I followed his hand, looked, but saw nothing there. Then he lowered it pointing to the right empty plate on the scale. Soon enough the plate began to fill with the events of my life –

The good memories of my life --- One by one it filled the plate now almost overflowing. I smiled at the thought of those wonderful moments and memories of the past. I felt so good and happy that I wanted to stay there forever.

The scale tipped down apparently under the weight of its load and thereby raised the opposite empty plate high. I waited for the old man; I felt the show wasn’t over yet. The opposite plate was still empty. As if reading my thoughts, he raised his left hand the same way he did with his right. It seemed like a gesture or motion to someone unseen to begin. And similarly when he pointed down to the left empty plate, it right away began to fill up with the other events of my past –

The sad memories there --- As it piled one after the other on the plate, I felt my tears fall. The hurt and pain I could not deny despite leaving it all behind with time. Sometimes it haunts me in the present… it still can prick hard.

And then something strange caught my eye ---- the scale stood evenly at that particular point. It stayed there so still --- So very still, unmoving.

Finally, he turned to me and spoke his deep voice cutting through the hallowed silence felt in my bones……

“The good and the bad times of your life
stand equal on the scale.
Neither is greater or lesser than the other;
both stand mutually invaluable
in the work that they do in you.
Be grateful for the good that happens
and humble in misfortunes when they occur
because both essentially and equally
work together to form mold transform create --- YOU.”

---The End---

posted on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:55 PM

THE LOVER NOT LOVE THAT BROKE YOUR HEART

2007-10-25T13:22:00.000+08:00

A line in an old Burt Bacharach song goes this way…. (if I remember it right)

What do you get when you fall in love?
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
That’s what you get for all your trouble
I’ll never fall in love again……
I’ll never fall in love again.

Well, anyway it is a lovely song and the singer who sang it a very good one (Dionne Warwick). She is actually the aunt of Whitney Huston, my favorite. Good singing genes, huh? J

Let me tell you a little story.
………………………………

Her name is Amelia, young and pretty, a single parent with one 2-year old boy. The father is out there somewhere and never was heard of since the day Peter was three months in her mother’s womb.

Her story unfolds with Act 1 –

- in the usual-boy-meets-girl-and-fall-in-love scene. And everything comes out light and rosy of course. She never got down her cloud 9 with the usual sweet nothings and honey promises of the young and in love. He would take her to work and fetch her at the end of the day. He would bring her flowers, chocolate bars, teddy bears, and her favorite chicken barbeque at any time to surprise her. They would take long walks in the park, share cotton candies, and talk bout mundane ordinary things. She cared less what they talked about anyway because it was heaven just having him by her side.

Act 2 – When two are one and stars collide in the starlit skies.

Then came Act 3 –

He missed the usual routine that day. She wondered and tried to reach him on his phone. Five times, 10, 20… asked his friends if they knew where he was. Worried that he could be sick she then went to his house. His worried mother told her that he hadn’t been home for days and wouldn’t know where he could be. Not even relatives and friends knew when she asked from them.

The days stretched on to weeks, the weeks to a month, the months to a year. Amelia, heartbroken, lost hope that he would return to her and carried on with her shattered life alone pregnant with their love child.

Act 4 –

was when Amelia gave birth to Peter. With her mother’s help, she raised the baby, watched him grow into a lively precocious bundle of joy. But she never mentioned the father’s name.

To this her mother urged her to try to find him for the sake of the child. She further said to open her heart once more to admirers who undoubtedly were good in their intentions too. Amelia simply replied…

“No, ma; He had all the time and chances to come and make up for his wrongs. All he had to do was come here -- but he didn’t! I say no more to love. It broke my heart once before, I don’t want it broken again.”

-End of Story-
===========================================

To all the Amelia’s in this life --–

Love is beautiful – always is. It colors our world, our life. It brings out the best in people and rouses such beautiful sentiment in the mind, heart, and soul. There’s nothing like it and none can hope to equal its splendor. It lends brilliance to the meaning of life. It is life itself.

But if you say that it causes you so much hurt and pain, intense heartache and remorse, look again. Not at love but at your --- lover.

Because, Amelia, it’s the lover and not love that broke your heart.

posted on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:06 PM

AN EARLY MORNING WALK AND THROUGH A MEADOW OF THOUGHTS

2007-10-25T13:20:00.000+08:00

This is the earliest morning walk I am able to muster up in my whole morning walk history -- unbeatable in my record – by me and just now. Because I don’t think that I could and would duplicate that at any other time after this. The warmth of the bed covers still hold a strong attraction for me at any time. :-)

Anyway, with ear phones stuck in my ear and listening to my favorite music, I walk my regular familiar paths in the neighborhood. It’s an ordinary neighborhood with ordinary people living ordinary lives. And because it is situated on a mountain range we, better than those living down the valley, are able to enjoy the company of lush trees and the pleasure of free-flowing breeze at any time of the day. Even in the heat of an intense sweltering hot summer day, an unexpected breeze suddenly blows refreshingly cooling our senses and offering us much welcome relief. :-)

Here we go, as I round the first corner I see…

- A middle-aged housewife watering her small modest garden … Such a lovely garden kept lush and green, flowers in bloom in every nook and cranny of the small lot all cared for by her nurturing hand.

Come to think of it, isn’t that quite so much what a human being needs– this kind of nurturing in his body, mind, and soul? A human being can’t always cope fully alone by himself in this world of continuing change and challenge. Can you imagine just how a well-meaning encouragement, hope, faith, care, inspiration, stimulation, motivation can do wonders to another person weak in his own resources, power, and strength? People need nurturing too and other things besides– homes, family, children, old folks, friends, relationships, ambition and dreams, business, projects, organizations, companies, towns, countries, pets, environment, etc and etc. Life and all that it affects undoubtedly need nurturing and constant care no matter what. How can there be continuity in our lives if everything is allowed to wither away and die left alone all by itself?

- A young girl sweeping away fallen leaves … Quite in an efficient and meticulous way she swept the fallen leaves on the ground bringing them all to a mound on the side of the road. What does she do with this? It’s either put them all in the garbage can or lights them up with a match stick to burn away in flame. I suppose she does this every morning everyday.

Funny to think of it, but can we do the same with the clutter in our lives or those in our minds – hearts – souls? We have gathered so much clutter though life that we can’t see nor think nor feel straight anymore. Everything seems shrouded or clouded with dirt, suspicion, perversion, doubt and mistrust, twisted and slanted, distortion, untruth and lies, envy and jealousy, ego and pride, and sometimes downright evil. Oh don’t tell me that it isn’t true cause all you have to do is look around you and see what’s happening near and far. The world is a big mess and we have made it so. And the funnier thing is, we blame a lot of things outside of ourselves, pointing our finger to failed institutions, policies, laws, systems etc and etc – like we have nothing to do with the state of our world or life. Think again. Who runs the affairs of the world? Who runs these institutions we so speak of? Who runs life in this human form? People! And people is you and me and others more – all of us! So if nobody (meaning us people) would at least try to clear up that clutter, we are all going to explode without and within – and the world in one big bang! Maybe this is what is meant by the ‘end of the world’??? Quite a pessimistic point of view I must agree, but doesn’t that make some sense too? Think about it.

I come round to the next corner… and see …

- A wrinkled old man bent down over a heap of dry leaves and other debris and lit it up in fire. That done he stepped back and watched the flames gobble up and destroy everything it laid its consuming fiery hands on. Yet fire has many good attributes to it too – cooks our food, warms our cold bodies, heats up our homes in winter, and other beneficial things in the name of development and progress.

What about the fire in the souls of men and women? Is it a fire which consumes itself in its small narrow self-centered world? Or one which can scorch without thought or conscience anyone who draws near? Or does it blatantly pave destruction along its way? What kind of fire do people nurture in their hearts?

One thing I know… Raise the fire of good in your hearts. Fan the flames to better other people’s lives, warm them with your goodness where they are cold and neglected by the world. Let your fire burn fiercely in pursuit of better hopes and dreams not only for yourself but for others too. Take your fire to greater heights where your light can best shine through to others in service and compassion. Let yourself be on fire for the right reason ---with peace and harmony, honesty and truth, hope and faith, brotherhood and fair play, mercy and gentle compassion for the underprivileged and deprived, determination and hard work. Shine brightly for others to see how blessed is the fire of good in life!

Finally I come to the bend rounding the last corner leading back to my house... I see

- A scooter coming down the road in my direction on a slower pace. Two men were on it, one younger-looking drove and the older one sat behind him. Apparently the older one was carrying on a conversation blabbering on something which the younger one quite didn’t share enthusiastically. Actually he appeared bored by it all. Just as they were passing past me I saw the kid (he looked not yet over his teens - cute too I must say!) puff-out his cheeks and slowly let out a silent air of exasperation and resignation. Seeing it I almost bowled-over with laughter and missed my step. :-)

Well, that quite ended my early morning walk in a bright funny mood, didn't it??! And nothing too can ever beat a good tall glass of ice-cold lemonade right after, not cappuccino this time nope --- And last but not the least a fun romp with my darling dogs!

Ciao for now! Until the next –ish, meantime let your light shine! God bless you. :-)

posted on Monday, May 07, 2007 11:01 AM

I'VE GOT A PUPPY IN MY SOUL

2007-10-25T13:17:00.000+08:00

Remember Annie the little girl with the bright sunny cheery positive disposition in the movie Pollyanna? Remember her song…

The sun'll come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
that tomorrow there’ll be sun!
Just thinkin' about tomorrow
clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
'Til there's none!
When I'm stuck with a day that’s gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin and grin and say…
Oh! The sun'll come out tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow!
You're only a day away!

Of course I can say that I do a lot of Pollyanna resolve to my days. Because it isn’t always that I wear a big grin on my face. I get lucky to succeed half of the time but then even that half crumbles down when these Five Bandits creep slyly into my territory.

Here’s who they are.

Bandit#1 - WEARINESS

Oh yes, how life can truly weary us down – family – children – finances – health – school – job – business – religion – community – and lots more. Each or collectively, sometimes simultaneously, bear down on me like a landslide down a towering steep mountain and which mercilessly buries me under the heap. Easy to die with but I’m expected to rise from the rubble fit and sprightly ready to have another go at it – at life in general. Who wouldn’t weary with that?! That’s certain to drain the life out of a monster.

Bandit#2 - WORRY

Worry is a joy-crasher; it robs you out of the thrill and fun of your day or days -- Of life itself. I’m an expert at worrying. I worry bout a lot of things --- from is it going to rain today –to- what am I going to tell the maid to cook tonight. From what am I going to wear –to- why is Miko the cat blinking like that-is he sick? From what is my friend up to now with a plane ticket for Africa –to- that tree across my window has its branch hitting the telephone pole, my telephone pole. Worry is my eternal bedmate!

Bandit#3 - LONELINESS

Oh but some days can just be so darn lonely. The book has gone stale, TV is terrible, music seems unappealing, and food unappetizing to the palate. Children out of the home, friends nowhere around, and nothing that I ever do brings any comfort at all. Where do I go from here?

Bandit#4 - FEAR

Many things hold me in agitation and fright Silly? But true. It’s easy to push my panic button. Just do me one of these things… but I hope you don’t think of doing it all!! --- Centipedes, snakes, strangers, speeding cars, mountain tops, kidnappers, hijackers, thieves, fire, flood, lightning, health crisis, financial bungle, and dozens more known and unknown to me Ugh!! And last but certainly not the least --- the uncertain future!

Bandit#5 - BOREDOM

When boredom hits, everything goes monotonous, tedious, dull, dreary, unexciting, and everything else that points to a blah-blah day. Everything seems to stand still, tenaciously and resolutely. I can’t even get myself to lift a finger (not even my tiny finger!) to do something – anything – to get the wheels moving – grinding – bungling – just anything to get me out of this and into the light. I was hoping cappuccino would do the trick but it didn’t this time. Aaargh!!

So what do I DO? Here's WHAT...!!

Guys, meet my MAXIE! :-)

- She’s now 6 months old, of police dog lineage, and was given to me by my daughter’s friend last December. Maxie eats cat food-dog food-meat-fish-mangoes-vegetables-pizza. And drinks rather slurps down fruit juice-milk-cola and loves water every minute of the day; romps around the garage playing with her bone-shaped rubber toy; jumps into the kiddie plastic pool chasing after water bubbles she herself created splashing around; pokes her nose at Lucky and Buddy's noses prodding them on to play with her; wags her tail no-end for the slightest reason; and sleeps stretched out fully on my bed! Nothing fazes Maxie. I see not one thing that could ever deter, daunt, intimidate, scare, put off, frighten, bully, or dampen her high spirits. She may back off a bit but will come raging back in with even more gusto and joy. She's a happy puppy -- yesterday, today, tomorrow.

Why am I telling you this? Because I have regained my resolve but it’s not the sweet little girl or the feel-good song…

I’VE GOT A PUPPY IN MY SOUL :-) .

Cheerio, folks! God bless you… and the puppy in your soul too! J

posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 9:13 AM

PROMISES - PROMISES

2007-10-25T13:13:00.000+08:00

(Firstly, I extend sincere thanks to friends who were so encouraging as this rookie lady here struggled with posting sketches in the previous blog - RUN HARD TOWARDS YOUR DREAM. Thanks so much! :-)

Now let’s see this…..

What can affect me so much and I suppose others would agree too is, in its spoken term and essence, a promise -- A word or words which contain a pledge to do something at an appointed time regardless. Promise! I remember an uncle say that when someone promises something to him – correspondingly he pours out to that person a bag of expectations, anticipation, trust, hope, and zeal too. A promise he pointed out is a guarantee, an assurance, or a pledge of truth – genuineness – goodness - integrity and honor. Well, don’t we actually lean heavily on such things in our day-to-day encounter with people? Isn’t it part and parcel of a two-way human traffic built on a desire to keep things moving along? We promise loosely, tightly, falsely, or truthfully just to get things done or undone, don’t we?

Unfortunately though, a promise can end up or swing in two diverse directions, if one is not careful – one is pleasure and the other is hurt. The funny thing is many of us think that a promise is a head activity. Actually, it isn’t. Well, not in essence I believe. For instance, when you promise to come back on Tuesday to return the book you borrowed as you very well know that that book is a treasured one for its owner – you tend to act on the concern and thoughtful consideration contained in your heart. That’s where such gentle feelings come from as we know. Although your brain may tell you that you can do it another day as you’re very busy (just when are you ever not busy?) and that it won’t be missed anyway (are you sure of that every time you delay or put it off?) or that your friend would understand (stretching it again for the __nth time?). Well, maybe or maybe not. So then right there before you stand the potential or prospect of causing either happiness or hurt. Which one would you rather do?
-----------------------------

Let’s go over a life scenario or two, real ones.

“Billy, we’ll go to the carnival on Saturday night…..and ride on your favorite carousel for as long as you want.” a beaming father tells his young 5-yr-old kid whose eyes sparkle with glee over the prospect of getting on his favorite carnival ride.

Come the promised day, the father stayed at the office till 9pm on overtime work. He forgot about his promise. Do you think that it crossed his mind at all while working at his desk that his child was waiting back home expectantly trustingly? Can you imagine the fragile thoughts and feelings of a little child who must have hoped so hard for that promised thrill only to have it blown away just like that?

Drawing 1 - Will attach image later.

“Darling, I’ll be away for only a year to work there and save up for our wedding. When I return, you’ll be my Mrs. Hart.”… He sweetly promised as he gently wiped away the tears from his sweetheart’s eyes.

A year and several months after, a relative who saw him there told her that he was with another girl. Distraught and shocked by the news she broke down and cried her heart out pitifully for days -- one broken dream, one broken heart. Soon a gentle child will be born too---fatherless. How many lives do you think will a broken promise hurt this time?

Drawing 2 - Will attach image later.

I could rattle up more stories like that. There are a thousand-and-one real life episodes in every corner of the world which tell the same old story of shallow and phony promises. None is spared, young or old, rich or poor, man or woman, families, and relationships in diverse circumstances unthinkable. Definitely heartbreaking to see how empty or failed promises can shatter lives and cause so much hurt and pain. Especially that we (you and me) and others too could very well be hurting the people we love most. Do we want that? I don’t think so. Thus shouldn’t we be more careful in making or giving out promises --- and not treat it simply like candy passed around unrestrained without thought or feeling?

That brings to mind another of my favorite uncle’s wise sayings -----

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU PROMISE -- BUT WHAT YOU DO THAT COUNTS.

A dear close friend long ago told me this, referring to her suitor --- “I don’t really care what he says, he can promise or not promise the entire world to me; but what he DOES or DOES NOT DO --- will tell me all I need to know ‘bout him.”

posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 10:29 AM

RUN TOWARDS YOUR DREAM

2007-10-25T13:08:00.000+08:00

A friend in school long ago did a special sketch for me. Seemed hilarious to me then but looking back at it now I realize how true and real the drawing was. It was a good drawing as his talent was famous around campus. He was with the art department in the same school paper I was. Often he would do a sketch to go with my article. It was a big hit. Unfortunately I lost that particular drawing he specially did for me in the big flood that hit our town. And he, after our graduation, went away and was never heard from since. That was sad but I guess he had to do what he had to do – follow his dreams. Let me try to give you a rough representation of his drawing …..

(Drawing#1) Will attach the image later.

Uncanny – hilarious – silly – absurd – amusing – ridiculous – incongruous??? All of that I must say. Well, as you may well surmise he did a much better job than this lady's wacky effort, absolutely! J

Well, my friend despite his young age managed to encapsulate through his drawing the issues and challenges of a young person at a crossroad in life. Thinking back on his drawing now, I see how keenly and perceptively he imagined the struggles that a person would go through (the situations may vary) at this particular point in his life.

No, I will not try to explain those things written inside the ghostly shadow on the left (there could be even more than those specified here). I dare not, because I think each of those issues may vary from person to person. There is no general way of looking at it but subjectively. I live that open to interpretation by the reader himself for he alone owns up to individual and distinct experiences to lend him the mind and heart to understand it.

What I would venture out to do rather is to try to let that proverbial ‘key’ in the cartoon character’s hand be where it should be --- to free the chain that binds down our character.

Wrestling with these real issues is a daunting task -- Overwhelming, intimidating, and downright scary. You’re up not only against that but maybe against the people you love too and even much scarier – yourself.

What are we talking about? We are talking about following your dreams. You have dreams and so have I -- everybody has a dream tucked up somewhere inside. Some may be so lucky to achieve it without fuss – good for them. While others may still be biding their time, and others yet may be hanging it up on the shelf temporarily-- in the far recesses of their mind – to be taken up again when we’ll never know. Whichever one you may be, you will still come to that essential point in time that you may have to make that decision finally.

Understanding where you are at --- is the first step to the journey you may want to take. Size up the total picture of your circumstance.

--Know your present circumstance or situation – the good and the bad. See what things are not working for you anymore and which need to be changed. (Life’s imperfections can push you to want better.)

--Appreciate what good there is too but seek more to better or improve upon it. There is always room for improvement -- always. Even better can still be best – and best be excellent! (And when you have become ‘excellent’, don’t forget to share your success story, okay? Others may have need of it.)

--Anticipate some risk-taking too. Anything in life is laden with risks, big or small. Gear yourself up to risk but come out of it winning. You run the risk of coming across or may be get bruised and tossed about by the ‘villains’ in the race for your dreams, but that too –risks & villains- is part of the landscape. (No guts, no glory, remember?)

--Know the minds and hearts of the people around you – those closest to you. Sift through those feelings to see what things are rooted in unadulterated love and unselfish understanding of you as a person. That they truly see you as a unique and distinct individual -- a person in your own right; that they see you as who you are – not only as a son or daughter or ward. (Sometimes the umbilical cord never gets to be cut by parents who haven’t learned how to ‘let go’.)

--Then know what or which of all that can still be counted upon to be there for you or help you in the next step you will take. Most essentially see and know which ones are rigidly rooting you down, holding you back hard, chaining you to the mire, snipping you of your dreams, and trying to douse the fire or spirit within you – a spirit which is your birthright.

Be honest - Try to find it in the core of your being what you really want to do with your life. The future which lies ahead is still unknown and you don’t have the answers to it either at this point --- yet. But it’s all there waiting to be tapped. Are you ready for that? Are you ready to pursue your dream or dreams no matter what? Are you ready to win or at the worst scenario --to lose too? Nobody says it’s going to be easy and there are no promises for you either. But you can work at it because you know very well that only through hard work will you get there. And as for promises… who needs theirs?!! Because you can make promises to yourself – promises you will surely keep -- Promises you are in full control of. Who can stop you from doing that?! Lest you forget, God did not create a fearful heart inside you – but one that will do Him and yourself proud.

When you’ve got that all down pat, take one last and long hard look -- this is the time when you are still allowed to change your mind. And worry not cos it isn’t cowardly to tarry or delay a bit --if it means you need just a little more time to think. When you’re ready -- make up your mind. But don’t wait too long… cos time waits for no one.

Going back to the same drawing, I thought that it was …‘incomplete’. Something yet was missing. I guess my friend couldn’t see that far because he may not have the answers to his own questions then. Maybe that’s why he had to leave to seek those answers too.

Well, again let me try to sketch the end part of the drawing – to put in what I thought should be in it too.

Drawing#2) - Will attach the image later.

There you go – where this whole exercise is leading to. Where you are going is what truly matters! And not where you came from. So then get that key into the lock, set you free, and start walking… Err… running! :-)

Run hard towards your dream. The race belongs to the one who FINISHES. Not necessarily to the one who finishes first or how fast he ran or flew towards the goal. Your power lies in how you run the race – not necessarily in winning it.

God bless your dreams. God bless you. :-)

posted on Thursday, April 26, 2007 10:54 AM

A PERFECT HEART IN THE MIDST OF AN IMPERFECT LIFE

2007-10-25T13:05:00.000+08:00

Imperfect life this is indeed. There is nothing you can call perfect of a life situation or in people we meet. Fortunes fall, hearts break, and we may lose job - home – money – relationships and sanity. Our peace and calm is often shattered by this turmoil and chaos which runs through the whole length of our existence, it seems. This life takes us on a roller-coaster ride which we can’t get out of – unless we say to the world “Stop! Let me out!!”

During that lunch meet I had with my lady friends recently, previous post I wondered at how they had changed. Oh not in a big way but rather faintly, slightly. One may not even notice it; but it was something I saw in their eyes and in the nuance of their thoughts vacillating from can-do and can’t-do. The verve and vivacity of their personalities which engaged everybody in lively repartee over meets of the previous years seemed to have watered down.

The thought saddened me as I realized that life’s troubles had managed to nip at their joy transforming them into shadows of yesteryears. Life’s imperfect twirl had finally caught up and taken its toll on them.

I don’t know if they sensed the change themselves; I dared not ask. That could trigger or invite a flood of tears on my tiny shoulders. Lol They seemed to be so fragile that a slight trip could burst the dam and unveil their pain. Now wouldn’t that spoil my enjoyment of that scrumptious lasagna on my plate?! We wouldn’t want that, would we?! J So therefore I thought it best to appropriate it for a better time when they would be at ease with the peeling off of layers.

So then, we know that life is imperfect, now what are we doing to do about it? How should we conduct ourselves in a way that we gain rather then lose what treasure is contained even in an imperfect life such as this?

Believe me, the treasure or treasures exist. God may run us through the fire for our learning but in the same breath He also wisely sends us an oasis to rest our soul and quench our hunger and thirst. These are the so-called blessings which God pours out into our lives without fail— blessings which are poured out generously in our splattered lives for our joy, power, strength, courage, hope, comfort, encouragement, inspiration, and help. Yet these things we shall unfortunately not see with our ordinary eyes but only through the eyes of faith. We must seek this ability --- otherwise we shall be missing the joys, glory, and richness of God’s divine gifts.

I believe that we all know by now that our God operates not in the minds but in the hearts of men and women. A person may be intelligent and brilliant above all minds or possess the greatest wealth in the world or sit in the loftiest of titles and positions man has created for himself --- but these in truth do not impress God at all. It is the person’s heart that He fixes His gaze, relates to, helps, and blesses.

Thus let us ask ourselves this question – how are we in our hearts?

Do we bemoan our misfortunes easily at the slightest drop of discomfort?
Do we rant and rage at the first sign of a letdown?
Do we sink in utter despair when chances or people let us down?
Do we easily give up our battles?
Do we compare ourselves to the successes or failure of others in a way that would make us proud or envious or smug?
Do we bash people down at the ranks to make ourselves look good in our jobs?
Do we blame God for everything going wrong in our life?

What does lie in our hearts when life heaps its imperfections upon us? – Hate, envy, jealousy, disgust, loathing, antipathy, greed, fear, spite, resentment, bitterness, hostility, antagonism, aggression, or violence? How easily we fall in one or two or all of those categories in every unpleasant turn in our lives. However these serve no purpose at all but hurt other people and ourselves as well. It’s a vicious cycle of negativity if unchecked or removed.

So very true that life’s imperfections can simply and easily overwhelm and defeat a weak and fearful heart -- ‘have heard so many stories about that. That is just the reason we are often called to grow in wisdom and maturity particularly in our hearts. We must keep pace with the complex demands of living --- cope with life’s imperfection to make it through. With a heart formed in goodness and truth, courageous and firm in faith, one can trust that life’s difficulties or its imperfections will lose its power over us.

The level of faith, mustard seed of faith which God so requires from us, is worked-out not in our minds but in our hearts. Not easy to come by and difficult to work at. Still a heart perfect in its desire to learn what its been called to learn can hope to achieve that faith and succeed in life – a perfect heart in the midst of an imperfect life – and without a doubt a perfect heart blessed in every possible way.

Bye for now. :-)

posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 3:37 PM

LUNCH WITH LADY FRIENDS

2007-10-25T13:03:00.000+08:00

I now look back to that wonderful meet I had with my buddies a week ago. It’s been a long time since our last get-together lunch. And Siena’s 14th floor condo home was still as lovely as ever with the same old view ---still breathtaking and mind-blowing view. I stayed by the window admiring the breathtaking panorama spread out before me while the rest of the ladies chattered on with their hello’s and hi’s. You won’t believe it but one hello means miles and miles of stories attached to it that you’ll never know where it began or ended. Anyway after my romance with the view tapered down I walked over to join them at the table with the lively chatter still in full swing.

Such a feast (quite predictably) Siena had prepared for us – grilled chicken on sticks, mushroom soup, lasagna, fresh vegetable salad, potato salad, and homemade pizza pie! Plus an assortment of desserts to choose from - fresh fruits, pastries, peanuts, candies, and ice cream. For drinks we could have either – fresh coconut juice, iced tea, lemonade, or a cola drink. Yummy!! Oh yes, that never gave us reason to leave the table up to the last hour of our meet. Coffee punctuated that sumptuous feast, but of course.

After saying grace led by Siena, we then pointed our forks at the one dish we wanted to taste first before the other mouthwatering dishes. And by unspoken consensus it was the – lasagna. Perfect, just perfect! Then I went on to get a little of this and a little of that remembering to eat slowly as I was sure that the conversation would stretch and I mean s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Oh boy!

The conversation was a potpourri of subjects, experiences, perceptions and insights. After all we haven’t seen each other for six months or so, I think. So a lot had accumulated in our respective lives in that span of time spread out between us. You’ll be surprised how sometimes so much can happen to us in just a month, a week, or a day.

So I was pleased at how the conversation was getting along. I love these ladies because they don’t gossip. Only when some dire news is heard about do they express their concern and sympathy but quickly ends right there as they accord due respect for its people and their lives.

I will try to snatch bits of the conversation which transpired over lunch. Forget that the chat was among ladies because the topics were generally what most of us would be concerned with. By the way, I posed a question to them and their answers can be seen below.

Here goes:

--- So how do you feel now at the threshold of your golden years?

Friend#1 - Ugh! Feeling new aches and pains in my bones --- Am looking at new pills in my purse along with my other stuff.

Friend#2 - Lonely. The children now have all grown and are living lives separate from me. They don’t need me anymore.

Friend#3 - Scared. I begin to wonder what the future holds for me now.

Ordinary question, familiar answers – and these could come from either man or woman. Age or aging is as regular as waking up in the morning -- happens to everybody. Life is all about being born, living, growing old, and dying.

Growing old may seem so depressing, dismal, and sad --- But only if we allow it to. The body may slow down, perhaps atrophy, but the mind does not nor the heart, not that fast anyway. It can be made to burst forth with fresh interests, ideas, inspiration, and even new dreams. It need not go stale --- but only if we do something about it. That can make a load of difference.

If health becomes an issue then one must strive to adopt healthy habits – healthy food, good regular exercise, and seek correspondingly food for the brain and for the heart and soul. If the children have began living their own separate lives then one must embark on a fresh quest for new interests, knowledge, and wisdom – engage in activities that would fill up the empty days of one’s life. If the thought of the unknown future seem so scary then one must teach oneself to learn how to live life one day at a time. A day would be enough to fill us up with sufficient joy, experience, and wisdom – same with sorrow, hurt, and worry. There is no need to carry tomorrow’s burdens today.

Two things one can do when confronted with age or aging. A choice must be made.

One is to sit back in our rocking chair and reminisce on the years gone by – relive those old memories of good times and loved ones, yearn for the good old days.

The other is to step out of that rocking chair, look out to the world outside, and appreciate what you have and where you are at. Embrace life anew. Thank God to be here. That is the biggest blessing of all.

Frankly, I don’t know how the ladies took this but I think I have given them something to ponder on in bed back in their respective homes.

We also talked about marriages --- its joys and sadness. But I think this would deserve its own space some time in the future. The views and insights presented were very interesting. Also there was talk about the corporate life (three of us were working girls while Siena was the princess in her golden tower Lolz) - its perks, frustrations, and buckets of stress. We discussed about friendships --- the good and bad ones we had, others we lost, and a few we still keep to this day.

It was a lovely day with the ladies and I wished that the next one would come soon. They shared the same sentiment too. Well, we made arrangements to meet in two weeks time, perhaps take our meet to a different venue – up in the mountain city of Tagaytay where the climate is cooler with the view of a volcano situated in the midst of a serene lake to boot. Now wouldn’t that be simply grand?!! Will post on that one. :-)

posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 8:38 AM

YOU CAN DO IT, CHILD - I LOVE YOU

2007-10-25T13:00:00.000+08:00

A Letter... http://o3.indiatimes.com/divyarocks
-----------------------------------------------

When I fist saw this post titled LETTER… from Divya I was taken by surprise and reading further literally made me cringe with embarrassment for all parents who she was referring to --- but only for a bit -- Because I knew that she was telling the truth – with downright candor honesty – and fearlessly. She meant well I could see and have understood.

Allow me to quote some points which had particularly struck me with great interest, to wit:

…because you don't have the time or because you don't think it important enough to listen to kids whom you 'own' anyway; or both!

…you continue to treat us like table-tennis balls, to be smashed around and top-spun out of our sanity; and sometimes out of life itself!

…who have chosen the wrong four-letter word to be the centre-point of your relationship with your children : FEAR.

…many of you exert undue pressure on us without even realizing it. You give us complexes and phobias right from the time you start comparing us with other children -

…Sometimes. one child in a family gets into the 'best' school and the other doesn't. Your disappointment, anxiety and depression rubs off on Baby No. 2 who begins to feel like a second-class citizen

…you want us to be one of two things: either your clones, or what you wanted to be and couldn't. …trying to make robots out of us

…We realize that you did give us life, but you have no right to take it away from us. …

We want to love you; not fear you!

Unquote.
-----------------------------------

Guilty as charged. I hate to say it but yes some of us parents are what she says we are. Oh no, people, don’t be angry now or brush this away as a young person’s foolish whimper… instead, how about looking at this through the eyes of an observer. That would allow some bit of unemotional neutrality in thinking and response.

May I forward my humble opinion about the role of parents in the children’s life. This was the principle I was raised in and which I have raised my own children too.

First and foremost is that --- we don’t own our children. Even if they came from our wombs, mothers, we don’t own them! They were given to us for the sole task of nurturing them until they are old enough to fend for themselves and take on the life tailor-fit for them as laid out by one God. If we should talk of ‘ownership’, then know this that our children belong to God and are owned by God --- as we all are too. But God chose to enlist our help as parents to raise them, nurture them, guide them, and help them in their own respective journeys in life, although God can do that by himself, not needing any help from anyone, but instead He gave our children to us because He believes in --- family. Because only in the environment of family and a home will an individual grow to his full potential and worth. And families are supposed to love and support each other 100% all of the time. This love means allowing the person we love to be free to grow and mature without any unnecessary interference from us but with our close guidance to help him or her develop to his/her fullest potential. In fact, they should even be free to make their own honest mistakes in life.

Our role is to be there for them – loving them no matter what.

Secondly, our children are not our extensions. We can’t make them live out and make real our own personal failed hopes and dreams, unmet expectations, or beliefs or unpaid debts. You may probably think that all that are now gone but believe me, those dreams were not ended when we had our children – they were just placed on hold. We can take up where we left off or dream new dreams and pursue it as individuals would. But not through our children! No! We cannot impose our dreams on them. They have their own dreams to follow and follow them they must.

Thirdly, we guide them not dictate to them. We are their first teachers in life. We teach good values, wisdom, truth, knowledge, faith, and everything else which they may need later when they will be on their own. We show them both good and bad and help them decide the paths they would traverse someday. We teach, we guide – but definitely not dictate, particularly not to dictate our wishes upon them! You know, even God gave us our free will – when He could just simply dictate His wishes upon us.

Last but not the least, we must love them with all that we are and with all that we have. This love must be free from all personal influences and expectations. This love must rise above the petty and trivial and smallness of our lives -- because when God made us parents, attached to it was the commandment ----- to love our children well as He has loved us so well.

Okay, I guess with this post I would be losing some readers to my blog but never mind. But I stand behind this post and with Divya. Let’s look at this honestly with our hearts. Soon our children will no longer be with us or we will be leaving them, whichever comes first. Let us not make this big mistake of stifling our children’s hope and dreams for themselves. Let them be who they want to be, even if it may look unappealing to you or isn’t in the slightest what you want for them. Because truthfully -- It is they who are charting their own lives. It is they who will be living it. Let them! Let’s cheer them on with these words imprinted in big bold letters with our hearts --- “YOU CAN DO IT, CHILD. I LOVE YOU!”. And add to that --- "I'LL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU."
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P.S.

I thought it good to bring in the links of both Savy's and LostPatrol's blog because they have presented their own views on the subject with different perspectives. It makes for an interesting read.

http://o3.indiatimes.com/savy
http://o3.indiatimes.com/lostpatrol53

Divya, you seem to have raised a din .. :-) .. with your post (Letter...) but it's okay. It is good that both sides -- parents (fathers & mothers) and children) air their views on the subject because this lends us all a wonderful opportunity to learn and understand bout the very interesting topic of parenting. I don't think that the authors of these pieces are pointing their finger at any one side or finding fault. The 'discussion' which has ensued is just a matter of different individuals presenting their own views on the same subject perhaps speaking from their own experience insight and perceptions. Personally, I find each one (and if there are others more) as intelligent and true in his or her wisdom and views.

posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 3:30 PM

HIGHSCHOOL NOTEBOOK - One Last Memory

2007-10-25T12:57:00.000+08:00

WHEN EYES SPEAK A THOUSAND WORDS

The school bell rang telling everyone that the school day had come to an end. Friday and the thought that another long weekend was up ahead seemed so bleak. Never had liked the weekend, never had liked anything which took me away from school and --- ‘him’.

“Hey, let me give you a hand with that” and flashed his gorgeous smile. He picked up all five books I had dropped on the library floor. “You’re not going to read this all, are you?” he teased.

“Uh…it’s for research… on a project..” I blushed and stammered badly.

“Save your energy. All you need is this one” and lifted up the blue book “it covers everything you need to know”. And smiled his million dollar smile and before I could even hear myself say it, off he went to meet up with his friends waiting by the corridor.

“Thank you” beeped a low whisper from my lips. And my heart was never the same again. That was July, seemed like ages ago.

Senior high was in a flurry of activity and preparations the past weeks for the upcoming big day two months away – graduation. I was in the midst of preparing my paper to qualify for top honors. We were three vying for the coveted honor. For the final selection we were asked to submit a paper on a subject set down by the panel. The score would comprise 20% of the final rating. We three having tied with other scored areas were now racing side by side in close pursuit of the goal.

I wasn’t impressed by him in early senior high though he was apparently good-looking with brains to boot -- Quite a combination. But I don’t know it never struck me to notice him at all. Books, projects, choral practice, drama class, and the school newsletter all took up my energy attention and time - Plus working two hours every night at the principal’s office doing work stuff. A routine started since I was in freshman year paying my way through school.

He was himself active as captain of the basketball team, a book club, and president of the school’s student body. He was everywhere with friends on campus grounds, auditorium, canteen, and principal’s office meetings -- Popular. And all through that he never lost his cheery smile and pleasant disposition. Not a surprise then that he had the girls swooning everywhere he went.

I was halfway through the blue book, the library now quieter, and having begged off from work to do the research, was in no hurry to leave when I felt someone standing there near. Looking up – I saw him and his megawatt smile.

“I knew you’d still be here” he said. “May I?” and took the chair to my right. “Oh so you’re half done with the book” he noticed. “Look, I’ve done this a month ago and if it’s okay with you let me show you the pages where you’ll get a good understanding of your material.”

I just sat there – stunned with not a word, tongue-tied.

“I’ll take that as a yes” he looked at me with his deep brown eyes, smiled again then proceeded to write down on my notebook the notes. I simply sat and looked at him.

Why oh why – and what is it that makes you see a person in a different light now than ever before? What ties up your tongue and renders you speechless but divinely speechless? Why does it seem that you have been transported to a strange new place of stars and moonbeams where not even that matters but the person there beside you? Why can’t you hear anything but the drone of his sweet voice? Why does it feel to be so good so close like this? And why oh why do I feel the way I do?

“There you go” he finally finished and gave me back my notebook. “I hope it’ll help you like it did me.” Rising to leave, he hesitated and sat down again …” Uh…You’ll not find this in any book... but does pizza sound good to you? It’s quite late and I presume you might be hungry?”

Couldn’t believe what I was hearing but I heard myself say… “That sounds good to me!” Ah! Finally found my voice.

So there it all started. Everything that followed through the weeks and months was of stars and a moonbeam, red roses, boxes of chocolates, hamburgers and fries, shared books and walks in the park, lover’s brief senseless spat, endless phone calls, and gazing at each other’s eyes. And… he taught me how to play the guitar! All so heavenly – how else can you say it?!

All but that one day a week before graduation.

I was sitting in my grandmother’s garden. Grandma asked Mom that we live with her as she was old and needed company in her big house. So we did while Dad commuted and worked in the big city. He came up to me with one big beautiful red rose.

“Every time you see a red rose… remember me and my love for you”.

Something felt different my heart told me so. I searched his face and saw deep sadness embedded in his eyes I adored. Something was wrong.

“Tell me” I said.

“Dad is taking us all back to America. We’re leaving on Saturday” and tears fell from his eyes.

Speechless again was I -- Now for a different reason.

How does a heart break? - In bits and pieces scattered all over the floor? - In broken dreams and lost promises? – In unspoken burning pain cloistered within? – In coming to the meaning of gone forevermore? – In seeing happiness take up wings and fly away? – In seeing tears in his eyes and feeling it in yours too? So how does a heart break?!!

Nothing remained but the memory of the look in his deep brown eyes--- never will forget the thousand words spoken within – ever.
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And now I shall close the pages of my high school notebook. Maybe at some other time I shall come back to this old box, take my notebook out and let the memories hug me once again. Ciao!

posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:52 AM

HIGHSCHOOL NOTEBOOK - Part 2

2007-10-25T12:53:00.000+08:00

One Friday afternoon after class she (my Literature teacher) called me to join her up front --with my notebook. She was at her desk reviewing the essays the class made- our assignment the day before. When I had seated myself across her writing table she looked up and said “So what have you been scribbling while I wasn’t looking?” she teased with a smile. I smiled back sheepishly and showed her the notebook. She went through the quotes and looked at me with a merry glint in her kind eyes “So tell me your thoughts”.
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"We are all cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." -Ray Bradbury

I am a cup holding immense treasure of insights, perceptions, imaginations, and experiences which can enthrall a willing listener or encourage some troubled soul. I can touch other lives with what is contained within me – my life story, my uniqueness, wisdom and distinct creativity -- All wonderful gifts from a wonderful God. Yet all that would be for naught if I do not try to share it or work it that others may benefit well from it. So therefore I must choose to empty the cup that is me and trickle out the best from within – bring it out to where or who it can best serve for a bigger greater cause – sharing and learning. And that is so beautiful whichever way you look at it!
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"The way to get things done is not to mind who gets the credit for doing them." -Benjamin Jowett

Many have tried to beat this and yet failed because man in his seemingly human frailty would always desire for recognition, admiration, appreciation, praise, acclaim, glory or whatever it takes to beef up his ego and pride. Ask any person or group working on a particular project, this attitude almost always gets in the way of efficiency. I’ve heard this often from Mom that “too many cooks spoil the broth”. Ah but truly with everybody wanting to get his own finger into the same pie – would certainly spoil the pie. We all think that only our ideas deserve to be considered - our system adapted - over the other guy. Ours is the right one; his- the wrong one. One other thing that always gets our goat is when our supposed effort isn’t accorded the recognition or accolade we think is its due in bit or whole. We feel slighted by that. So we quarrel, backstab, argue, bicker, squabble over who is better and who should get credit thereby leaving the said project to fry by itself alone and untouched. Thus nothing gets done, nothing is accomplished –and all for the love of -- not money but ‘credit’.
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I hate goodbyes-- am not very good at it either. I can’t make sense with my goodbyes, I simply ramble on with words I don’t even recognize or feel. So I guess it falls flat – sounding unconvincing to the person I may be saying it to.

I generally like people although I may not like everybody I meet, do respect and admire a good number, and love several. They matter in their respective individual space or niche and in turn may in some way or another affect me in diverse ways and manner lending color or interest to my small life. Some can be so endearing and others quite offending. A few succeed to be quite obnoxious and pesky while others warm the heart so delightfully. Truly without them life would simply be such a bland and boring existence. People indeed do make the world go round.

Too, people come and go in our lives. Some may stay longer, others for a short bit, and a greater number perhaps will simply be passing through. Every one of them and in every way possible touch our life and we theirs. Here we create a bond or relationship, and friendships carrying us through wonderful experiences, moments and memories -- The stronger the bond, the harder to let go when it will or should.

When time sends off a friend to another journey or direction leaving me or the relationship behind, I tend to ache deeply inside. This act of saying ‘goodbye’ seems so final – like a pair of scissors cutting or severing this precious tie, connection, link, attachment or whatever other name it’s called which has already been created with another person. Can you imagine investing your emotions, energy, time and effort nurturing that relationship and nonetheless lose it in the end not through anyone’s fault but because fate intervened?

A friend had told me once before that ‘departure is the close cousin of arrival’, inseparable duo-- Corny fella but wise. I guess it’s now up to me to live with that. So what is there left to ease the pain?

There's no use in weeping,
Though we are condemned to part:
There's such a thing as keeping
A remembrance in one's heart...

-Charlotte Bronte, Parting
-------------------------------

Teacher looked at me – her face lit up with a light I’ve never seen before. Then she picked up her books, which I took as a sign that our session was over, and made for the door. Before stepping out, she turned to me and said ‘put this down in your notebook too ---

Their story, yours and mine – it’s what we all carry with us on this trip we take, and we owe it to each other to respect our stories and learn from them. -William Carlos Williams

posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 7:02 PM

LEAFING THROUGH THE PAGES OF MY OLD HIGHSCHOOL NOTEBOOK

2007-10-25T12:50:00.000+08:00

The old forlorn looking boxes lay in the far corner of the storage room. Why was I in the room in the first place? --Hunting for old photographs of mom and dad which I wanted to update with Kodak’s new restoration technology advertised at the mall the other day. After 2 – 3 boxes I found one which I liked and as I took them out of the box, out tumbled to the floor a worn and familiar notebook. Oh yeah, my high school notebook and how it plainly revealed an old penchant for writing oodles of familiar verses and phrases especially when teacher wasn’t watching. I got to do that in my Literature class where I have access to books… dozens of them. My teacher often caught me at it but would give me that gentle look and simply smiled. She was a true darling, my favorite. Sometimes when she could she would ask me to stay after class and we’d talk about several of those quotations in my notebook. She more than any other teacher in my school opened up many doors and windows in my mind. I learned from her far more than the rest ever did in our class. Here are a few of those quotations intertwined with new ones from recent years -- Each one timeless in its thought and wisdom.
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1) A university professor set an examination question in which he asked ‘what is the difference between ignorance and apathy’. The professor had to give an A+ to a student who answered: ‘I don’t know and I don’t care.’ -Richard Pratt

As we know an ignorant person may not be faulted for his ignorance but he could be for his laziness to learn though. But one of indifference bears the burden of knowledge but in the same breath ignores it and does nothing about it. It bothers him less or not at all. Here’s what Ralph Chaplin says in his poem ‘Mourn Not the Dead’… To quote... “But rather mourn the apathetic throng, the cowed and the meek, Who see the world's great anguish and its wrong And dare not speak!” Unquote.

2) "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Confucius

A friend once said to me that he never falls, that he thoroughly studies a new venture checking all angles making sure that mistakes are not made ever. Every move that he makes is well thought-out leaving no room for failure -- Admirable maybe but not for me. I would be much awed rather by one who though he may fall a hundred times over but then resolutely rises a hundred times over too. So what new challenges or new learning could there be if one has it all figured out from the start? Where would growth and development come from when you already know all the answers? How better are we shaped and molded but through our mistakes and failures, taking falls but picking ourselves up each time and starting afresh with new resolve and tenacity. An uncle once said to me – “Honey, I will be counting your successes by the scars you took from rising with every fall.”

3) People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate & muffins they wonder whether they are catching cold. -John Jay Chapman

Oh yeah, worry-warts everyone! We worry ‘bout every little thing there is to worry about on this planet. Name it-- we’ll worry about it for sure. But why do we worry? I can think of a dozen reasons; you may have two dozens more. The thing is we worry about things we don’t even comprehend. We worry when we don’t know how it’s going to turn out or where it’s coming from or even why it’s here. We worry over things which don’t even need worrying about. Can you imagine that? It permeates every thread of our daily lives. When I was in my first day of grade school, Mom worried whether my shoes fit or not. When I was in my teens she worried over my lack of fashion sense. When I was in my twenties she worried whether I would get to meet the right man for marriage. When I got married, it was my turn to worry bout the itsy-bitsy details of raising children as a working mother and wife. Now much older, I worry if my health would last me another century. See it never ends?! Ugh!

4) If he could only see how small a vacancy his death would leave, the proud man would think less of the place he occupies in his lifetime. -Jean Baptiste Legouve

Remember this -- “whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make proud”? Pride will take you where you don’t want to be but which you will ultimately deserve – your downfall. Now I don’t understand why some people have such a bloated idea of their own worth. Though we matter in this big wide universe we are but still merely a simple dot in the whole tapestry of life and the universe. Neither will anything that we do please or call God’s favor to us because apparently He doesn’t judge us by our intelligence, beauty, masters’ degree, positions and titles, trophies and medals, or the length and breadth of our solemn prayers (although the world uses all this standard on us). So therefore what would make Him look to us with favor? It’s the lack or absence of pride, sez my teacher. Pride, she pointed out to me, is arrogance superiority conceit smugness egotism haughtiness vanity snobbery snootiness and every other thing which points to self-importance self-righteousness or self-centeredness. It was quite a long list of descriptions she thrust upon me and insisted that it be included in my notebook. Lest I forget, she winked.

5) "Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or doing it better." -John Updike

I saw this in a friend. It led him to greater heights and achievement at the workplace. That even the minutest task rose to become benchmark for the rest of his department -- All because he strove to give it his best shot. I would remember my teacher’s words every time I would see him working at his desk (he was on the staff of the sales manager then on the ground floor)-- cared neither for the size or weight of the task at hand but rather in doing it right and doing it better. Wearing that attitude consequently engaged his innate creativity and ultimately won him much deserved recognition and promotion.
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These are only but a few, there’s more. But I think this should do for now lest more and longer might bore you. ? Well, it felt good going back through all those memories, especially about my favorite teacher. Maybe in the next ‘ish there will be stories about the ‘love’ of my young life. Hmmm… am I getting you curious and intrigued by that now? Lol Until then, ciao! God bless you and your families. :-)

posted on Thursday, March 08, 2007 5:29 PM

STANDING BY THE WINDOW ONE FINE MORNING

2007-10-25T12:48:00.000+08:00

I like standing by the window and looking out to the wonderful world outside. Interesting things can reward you immeasurably if you look enough and pay close attention.

- The mother pulling her little kid by the hand urging him to hurry in their walk to somewhere. Gee, those little feet surely cannot be expected to catch up with the huge steps of an adult, an impatient one in this case.

- The taho (soya) vendor calling out his wares down the street in a fine baritone voice. He gets a lot of practice calling out with that voice every morning. Maybe he should consider a singing career?

- The neighbor down the far end of my block passing by in his car with furrowed brows. Whatever it may be causing him much concern, I hope that he still gets to see the brighter side of his day.

- The wind blowing down the tops of lush trees lined up across the narrow pebbled street. When Mother Nature weaves her magic, it is wise to stop look and listen. She is sending you a message of peace, tranquility, hope and comfort.

- The maya birds flitting from branch to branch chirping merrily. They don’t work for wages, but look how happy they are. There must be somebody they look up to for care and love.

- The constant barking of my other neighbor’s dogs from their cages – wanting to be let out I suppose. Dogs shouldn’t be caged in; they should be free to serve you with their devotion and loyalty. Dogs are a man’s best friend oftentimes even better than humans.

- The warm sun beating down happily from blue skies without a care in the world. That, Mr. Sunshine, is the mood I’m in!

This is a fine morning -- not that the world has solved its problems or that my friend next door has resolved his old issues in his home or that I’m worry-free – but it’s more because I’m feeling good with the day. Oh I’m quite sure that things could turn out differently as the day moves along but that’s fine with me. Who says that life was supposed to be predictable anyway?! Anyway, standing here by the window feeling good almost always sets the stage for thoughts hip-hopping into my mind. Here are a few scooped up from that bucket.
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Do or do not. There is no try. (Yoda, character in the movie, The Empire Strikes Back)

This line fascinates me most. It seems so simple, isn’t it? He makes it sound so easy. ‘Love that small guy. Don’t we always start out considering first so many odd things before making decisions? It’s like being at the door of opportunity but having only one foot in. I think it’s fear that’s mainly eating us up – fear of the unknown, of rejection, of failing, of being different, of someone’s displeasure, of losing, of censure -- So many fears, normal maybe, but we cower in its presence - but should it? Like the little guy says ‘Do’ and discover the surprises in store for you. ‘Do not’ and miss out on what should be yours to enjoy. ‘Try’ is a feeble attempt at neither sanity nor wisdom. The middle ground is not always the safer ground.

In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. (Laurence J. Peter)

Oh but do I know that! Taking on too much doesn’t fill out a good evaluation or performance report card. Yes, because you are surely bound to fail in one some or several of the tasks you’ve taken on for yourself. Remember what’s said that ‘no one can serve equally well several masters all at the same time’? You may succeed in one yet fail poorly in another. Imagine that doubled up or trebled. That’s catastrophe right up your door. Don’t spread yourself thin. Focus on what you know and do best and give it your best shot. To excel in one is much more impressive than bungling up a lot of projects given you. Besides who’d care for a guy who’s a jack-of-all-trades but a master-of-none?! I’d rather have a few ‘masters’ on my team than a dozen ‘jacks’ who can’t finish even one.

There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Emerson is on the subject of ‘manners’. The peace-maker and joy-giver is indeed a person of impeccable manners. Doesn’t always speak his mind or push his own views when he knows that it could possibly rub the other person the wrong way, hurt him or make him feel bad about himself. Is careful not to embarrass or annoy or disconcert anyone no matter how right he may seem to be to himself; always is considerate of the other person’s set of beliefs, insights, and perceptions. Tolerates and understands people’s diversity and differences; unselfish and generous in his thoughts ways heart and soul. In every word and deed truly a gentleman (or gentlewoman) gentle to the core. Does that make that person a freak? No! But rather it makes him a treasure find in our world sadly thriving with the other kind who insensitively and meanly scatters fear and pain around him.

If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not a poet enough to call forth its riches; for to the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place. (Rainer Maria Rilke)

‘We are creators’ – Read this somewhere long ago. That’s a good line to remember too, especially when you feel down in the dumps or up with a bland boring day or when challenges are nil and hard to find or when you think there’s nothing else you can do bout a situation. That line tells us that we can turn things around using our innate and inherent -- creativity. If you’ll ask Mr. Webster, he’ll tell you that it’s – ingenuity, cunning, intelligence, inventiveness, cleverness, resourcefulness, and imagination. Wow! We’re all that? And it’s right here in our hands to work out something better for ourselves? So who’s been telling us all this time that it’s out there whatever-it-is that we need to be to make good?! So why then don’t we do that? Why do we instead bewail the poverty of our days and times when it isn’t so hopeless and dire as we perceive it to be? Who’s been pulling the wool over our eyes?! We can do something about bad days and bad lives; transform it --from poverty to immense wealth in experiences, challenges, opportunities, riches, learning, and wisdom? Why not give that a thought. And while you’re at it, think about this too --- We are indeed ‘creators’ as we are created in the image of God – THE Creator of all things then and now!
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Hmm, I smell coffee in the kitchen. Oh yes, nothing but a good hot cup of coffee to crank up a day with -- so then ciao for now. See you in the next ‘ish! God bless.

posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 6:12 PM

THE GRAIN OF SAND IN YOUR SHOE

2007-10-25T12:46:00.000+08:00

Shoe…shoe…’ cried out the little boy to his mother. She immediately took the little one to the safer side of the pavement; bent over to his shoe unlaced it and peeked inside to see what the problem was. Out poured grains of sand! As what mothers would naturally do, she got rid of it made sure there was nothing left inside the shoe and then put it back on the kid’s foot again.

I was watching the whole thing a few meters away from where I stood at the bus terminal waiting for my ride. Grains of sand, what is it about small things that they can make you cry and stop your world for a moment!

Well, having grains of sand in my shoe would surely be quite prickly and may even hurt my foot, just like the kid But more so would be the fact that it would irritate me, anger me, turn my otherwise happy frame of mind askew-out of kilter and that in itself would take care of the rest of the day – ruined for sure!

Let’s take that over to the bigger picture which is life.

What are those things which bog you down, divert you from your destination, annoy you, or make you clench your teeth in rage? What is it that makes you stop dead on your track or take you up to an immovable block on life’s road? What would upset you so much and almost make you want to give up?

There are plenty and you would be surprised to find out that they are made up of the small irritations or vexations of the day. Not only that but also the bigger issues and concerns which may keep you from moving forward or may even take you a few steps backwards or sometimes take you to a full stop.

Altogether these can absolutely wear you down. No one can stay on tough and hearty 24/7 through all the bump-and-grind of our respective journeys in life. No smooth journey for anyone there for sure. Well, nobody said it was going to be easy. Instead we have been distinctly forewarned that things may even get tricky, tougher, risky, thorny, uncertain, and vague. True enough it’s everything they’ve said it was. Life is truly everything that’s been said about it.

I had my share of it. Many times did I battle issues and concerns, big and small, and many times it made me cry. Sometimes I would find myself just standing there beaten and tired so worn-out that I didn’t think I could go on with it all. Oh yes, it feels that way when you’re downright exhausted from your battles.

But at this particular point you must pull yourself together and stand up again mighty and tall. And you may ask with what? --With a clear understanding of this that…..

“It isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out,
it's the grain of sand in your shoe.”

Unfortunately, nobody knows who wrote that. But it sure is wisdom that hits you straight up so true -- It’s the nitty-gritty business of’ pursuing ‘winning’ a battle or a goal or a dream that is truthfully tiring, exhausting, wearying to the body and soul. But then we can’t let this halt our dreams, can we? So then we deal with it, cope with the vexation thrown our way – with everything that we are, with strength and courage we may have even thought wasn’t there. Lest you forget, we have been fully equipped for the task at hand by a wise Benefactor, so simply access and retrieve it from within you. He placed it there.

Well, here comes my bus. So much for now, see you guys in the next ‘ish! Ciao! God bless you.

posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 10:19 AM

DESIDERATA - My good friend

2007-10-25T12:43:00.000+08:00

This is not new but this is a beautiful piece of writing by Max Ehrmann of long ago. I had it on my wall in all of those years of struggles in my difficult youth. It kept me steady where I could have been easily blown away by life’s merry-go-round. I appreciate it now as I have so appreciated it before. It continues to serve me well and I know always will. Just like a dear devoted friend, it’s always there when I need it where nobody was there for me. I hope that you will somehow draw your own inspiration in one or maybe several of these lines.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

-----Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952

posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:34 AM

WHATEVER YOU ARE - BE A GOOD ONE

2007-10-25T12:41:00.000+08:00

Many times have I heard this from young boys and girls raving that things aren’t working at all or are not what they hoped for. They feel that they’ve come up to a huge blank wall --- stuck with problems about jobs, studies, relationships, and other odd things life throws their way each day. Like the magic word is somewhere out there yet so well hidden --- but if they finally get to find it --everything will be alright or so they think. But will it? Because if it’s like that then I, their parents, and other older people generations before them would have found that ‘magic’ and subsequently enjoyed Utopia in our lives, then and now.

But it’s not out there, no! So ‘want to know where to find it? Then listen and listen well.

We seem to be such shortsighted people with ‘out there’ minds. We can’t see the trees for the forest or vice versa whichever applies. It’s always that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. It’s always that the big break, chance, opportunity is ‘out there’ with some other guy. Well maybe it works that way for some. They go ‘out there’ and come home with their prize. But to a languishing many it doesn’t happen that way at all -- And thus this 'self-bashing' because they don’t get it whatever-it-is.

We often are perceived to be or seen to undervalue what we have – what we are – who we are. Why? – so why is it so hard to appreciate ‘self’? Why do we think so small of ourselves and so highly of others whose talents appear much the same as ours anyway (or ours even better)? I posed this question to one kid who believed that he didn’t have it to make it – “Do those talents (you have) look better wearing his face and not yours?” It drew a big blank stare from him. Oh boy, it’s the same old crap – selling one’s self short. “Well, kid, you better kick this odd habit fast or soon enough you’ll find yourself truly short of a lot of good things in your life.”

Now then if this ‘you’ isn’t straightened out at the onset, it easily follows that the following results will image what the ‘you’ has put into it.

Say do you really truly know yourself? Do you know your own strengths and weaknesses? How do you behave under stress or in failure? How do you motivate yourself to keep on pushing under fire where there’s no one to do the pushing for you? How excellent (or mediocre) is your people quotient? How do you handle praise or success as you move up the ladder? How do you resolutely (or sluggishly) work at an obstacle staring you down hard in the eye? How do you hone up on your skills or train for that big fat break you’re so hoping for and which surely will come one day?

Whatever your answers will be to that -- will show you who you are. And what you see in you – raw in some parts or polished in others - is what you should work at first.

Whether you are ---a student working at good grades, a clerk toiling with stacks of paperwork, a service crew wiping kitchen tables, a bus boy or other things you find yourself in or doing --- be good in it. Always be good at what you do, up there or at the bottom rank. Be the best of what you are or what you can be. This phrase was originally said in a different way, but for us it is --- “there are no small jobs but small minds”. You know what this means.

It’s simple. It connects one to the other. A good man, employee, or student puts in his best performance in every undertaking at all times. A good attitude or character will positively attract and open up opportunities and doors – the same doors that would be closed to men and women of lesser minds and warped attitudes. Everybody likes and loves a good job, a good guy. It's the good sales person that creates good sales, it's the good teacher that shapes good minds, it's the good mother that raises good children, it's the good cop that delivers the law fairly, it's the good doctor great at his/her craft who treats patients without unnecessary frills or fuss, it's the good waiter who makes you satisfied and want to come back for more, it's the good carpenter who builds a sturdy house, it's the good bus driver aware of the safety of his passengers who drives carefully, and more. It's always the good job done by a good person that makes the mark and finishes the race and wins the prize. It's always the good job and the good person who gets genuinely noticed and admired and emulated. It's the good person who blazes new trails and inspires others to follow. So be that good guy, whoever you are whatever you are. The good always wins where it matters most, no doubt. Open your eyes, mind, and heart and see how that works in good men and women around you.

Abraham Lincoln has this to say.......

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”

The magic is not out there, no! It’s in here ---- the magic is in you. Believe in yourself, in your potential, in what you are and in what God-given talents you have. It’s there for a sure definite purpose – that is to help take you to your dreams. All you need to do is harness and use it. And you’ll surely get there!

Have a good night, people. May God fill your hearts with peace, joy, and contentment. God bless you and your family. :-)

posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 6:17 PM

NO ONE IS WRONG - JUST UNINFORMED

2007-10-25T12:37:00.000+08:00

Looking out the window from my side of the seat row, I could very well see the incredible beauty of clouds up close – billows of cotton-like pillows, layers, carpet and maze -- some clouds white as snow and others threatening darkly foreboding of rain. The pilot had a quick solution to the latter as he steered the plane up way above the clouds. Well and good but then that gave me nothing else to look at but an endless stretch of blue. And that became quite boring after awhile.

So I turned my attention inside the plane. What did I see? -- Passengers dozing off, others trying to, a few reading a pocketbook, two munching on packed snacks, and most just staring out the window. I don’t think they see anything there because I am sure that their minds are somewhere else (one could read that on their faces) – maybe back on the ground thinking of someone or something left behind. Or maybe racing up ahead at the destination and wondering what things might be with their plans, business ventures, transactions, contacts, hopes and dreams. The question looming in their minds would probably be ‘how would things shape up or turn out?’

Well, I had that thought too but fleetingly because I was bent on enjoying the jaunt and the stay more than the purpose of my trip. So having brushed that aside I leaned back comfortably on my seat, looked out the window briefly and closed my eyes.

The thing about writing is you never get your mind to rest. Always something glides in and sets your brain cells to working. And this time mine was pushed up to high gear. Oh yes, there goes my nap. J Thoughts took me back to the blog to the varied and interesting comments posted in there. Each one of them made for a worthy read and I take great pleasure in doing so each time I come to it. Amazing, isn’t it? --So many diverse minds crossing the same path – agreeing and disagreeing yet so much a fantastic and exhilarating exchange. It never fails to amaze me.

This came to mind…..

“No one is wrong. At most someone is uninformed.”

We all are similar and different both in many diverse ways. Sometimes we disagree and then again we don’t. But it doesn’t make our disagreements wrong. Do you know why this is so? --Because you may be looking at a different reason and me also another one although we both are looking at the same thing. It’s like looking at a lovely rose – I see the flower but you see its thorns. But both are not at all wrong, just simply looking at the same thing differently.

Something like this ---you talk about dysfunctional families and heap the blame on the father. Then I forward the idea that it’s the mother’s responsibility to keep the family together. But then a third one presents his opinion that it is the pressures of the modern age that wrecks havoc on homes and families. Wow! A bombshell of a disagreeing conversation and it can explode right in our faces if we are not careful. What to do? Instead of pressing with our own views to be the right one, we should --- listen. Because the other person’s point of view may be something we haven’t really thought much about or have simply ignored as we are so much closed and entrenched in our own beliefs and opinions. So why then don’t we take a different stance on the matter -- try learning to open our minds to this idea that -- a person can’t be wrong just because his or her views are differing clashing or poles apart from ours? Try putting twenty minds in the same room, what is the probability of having all twenty thinking the way you do all of the time on every subject presented? Truly improbable! What could be sure though is this ---which is that all twenty may or could be genuinely uninformed, separately or collectively, on certain other aspect or aspects of any subject that would be forwarded to them.

But do we really have the capacity or ability to own up to a perfect understanding of all things this life offers up to us? Nope, I don’t think so. What we do is learn all that we can in everything we see or experience through this long journey of our respective lives. Everyday lies a new lesson for us to learn and this adds up to our resident understanding of life people and things around us. We grow with this learning. We grow up to wisdom.

Thus……..

No one is wrong. At most someone is uninformed. If I think an individual is wrong, either I am unaware of something, or the other person is. So unless I want to play a superiority game I had best find out what he or she is looking at. (Hugh Prather)

One more thing we should learn well……

Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes. (George Soros)

And ….

Be humble, if thou would attain to Wisdom. Be humbler still, when Wisdom thou hast mastered. (Helena Petrova Blavatsky)

This too would be some good food for thought….

That God created diversity for a good purpose. No two people or things are alike. It is in this beautiful diversity that we flourish and enjoy our lives. So then let’s value and cherish this beauty. It too is God’s gift to us. :-)

Take care, everyone. God bless you!

posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 10:29 AM

LOOKING FOR MR or MS RIGHT

2007-10-25T12:31:00.000+08:00

Deedee sat across me. Pretty, not yet in love but hopes to be someday – with the right man. “So what’s your idea of a right man?” I asked her over coffee. In a flash she rattled off a long list describing her ‘Mr. Right’. Then after that she turned the question back at me; smart kid huh?!. :-)

“Let’s try this first, and then I’ll tell you.” I replied.

‘Mr. Right’ is explained as an image of perfection --- Looks, thoughts, behavior, personal history, lineage, performance, character, and everything else that completes the whole package called person -- which you have put together in your mind. To you nothing he does would or could be wrong -- even if he is found to be entirely indeed wrong. And this image you have conjured of that person holds you in its sway gripping you tight and blocking out anything or everything which would try to change your mind or heart. Nothing else comes in, nor goes out your self-created ‘fantasy’. You stay rooted and believing in what you have created. But then who can hope to change that seeing how you -- swoon – sigh – adore – pay homage – and fall in love with the image you now call ‘Mr. Right. That makes you smile I can see. :-)

I’m no expert though on the subject of love and lovers. But come to think of it, nobody is. Because the subject is inexplicable even to wise men and how much less to fools. Although I have loved and lost, was loved but loved not, loved and was loved in return just like everybody else. I think though that what I know about that would also be the same things others have known before me and others yet would come to know after me. Makes the world go round, doesn’t it? I love it. It’s old but the experience makes it new every time.

Think about this. If you are guided by your fantasy or conjured image of the ‘right’ man or woman, you could be in for some bit of disappointment. Why do I say that? Because always there will be another who is lovelier, more dashing and attractive, suitable, ideal, and seemingly perfect that would come after the person you think is the perfect one. There will always be another better person than the one you have found. So then would your idea of ‘right’ shift each time a better girl or boy comes along? Would that be called ‘love’?

Presuming that you have finally found someone to love, but he falls short of your set prerequisites – remember your fantasy of Mr. Right? What then would you do? Hold back on loving that person despite truly feeling love? Restrain yourself from going head-over-heels in love? Hang-on secretly to that old ‘fantasy’ while pretending to love the present one? I think that’s just asking for a heartache – his and yours.

Forget Mr. Right (or Ms. Right, for the gentlemen). He doesn’t exist. Setting up prerequisites or criteria or benchmark for one to be worthy of your love is not the way of love. Instead why don’t you make the person you meet and love someday -- the right one…? Regardless if he forgets to buy you a bouquet of roses on your birthday, didn’t go to law school, whose parents aren’t well-off, who is short stocky and has a Cyrano de Bergerac nose, and drives a wobbly old jalopy. I am sure that he has much more to offer you than those silly trappings of life. See that he offers you his heart? None can ever be more Mr. Right than that!

Deedee, finishing off the last bite of the apple pie we ordered, stood up and made to go saying “Got to go”.
“Hey! Don’t you want to hear bout my list?” I said with feigned anger.
“Nope…… Because you don’t have one!” She replied laughingly.
“And where do you think you’re going?” I countered.
“There’s a wonderful man I have to see.” She beamed with a twinkle in her eye.
------------------------

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, everyone! May God fill your Love Day with all the love your precious heart can hold. J

posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 8:09 AM

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU THINK

2007-10-25T12:26:00.000+08:00

Many times this simple statement was posed to me by some person, most times a young person. Unfortunately, I sensed no serious purpose to it but what was seemingly obvious. Well to rationalize his ‘odd’ behavior, I’ll say that he possibly was simply being honestly curious if this little ole lady would be stumped for an answer. Or perhaps he toyed with the idea of seeing her embarrassed rambling nonsensically on the subject. I find it quite amusing when the so-called smart young regard their elders with such disrespect, presumption, and odd humor. I wonder if that makes them feel better bout themselves or wiser. It’s rather amusing because it doesn’t really point to how ‘stupid’ the older one may be but rather to how grossly immature the younger one is. J But I’d give them the benefit of the doubt – in thinking it’s got nothing to do with evil intent. Lol Young and foolish could perhaps be an apt title for this piece.

So then, to this young fellow do please be forewarned …

That succinct phrase is a powerful one and the sooner you understand it the better for you. Because whichever the thought goes could be right about you or saying so much about you. C’mon, that’s no threat but a piece of wisdom you don’t want to be without I’m sure.

Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. Henry Ford (1863-1947)

That’s a mighty thought – You are what you think. Your thoughts are you. Let’s try to understand that. If you BELIEVE AND THINK that you can climb Mt. Everest, or win the marathon run, or come out with a brilliant idea that would rake in millions for your company. You mighty well WILL because you thought, believed, and consequently acted upon it! On the other hand, if you DON’T THINK that you are up to a challenge as climbing Mt. Everest or winning the marathon up front or discovering the surefire solution to a bigger and better sales performance for your company… you surely will NOT! Because you stopped short of what you wanted.

There’s great power in your mind but – know how to harness it or point it in the right direction. If you want to succeed, then THINK SUCCESS – big success. Eventually you will act towards that goal. On the other hand, if you want to succeed but WON’T feed or nurture your mind with positive thoughts -- then you WON’T GET THERE where your hopes and dreams are because firstly your thoughts AREN’T GEARED TOWARDS THAT CHALLENGE. Without the right thoughts, there will be no corresponding right action.

Big dreams and small dreams start with one thought and then are fed after with the same matching thoughts consistently, continuously, incessantly, and perseveringly. See then what your thoughts can do to you? -- That your thoughts can make or break you no doubt. It’s actually the biggest influence on your life, for good or bad. Hasn’t anybody told you that? --Because if they did or had --- you wouldn’t be playing this game with me, kid. Lol :-)

So do be careful what you think. :-)

posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 4:11 PM

AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES

2007-10-25T11:44:00.000+08:00

Two things will indisputably happen when I sit at Thor’s coffee bar. One, I get to enjoy a good cup of cappuccino and be fussed over by Thor, good waiter and friend, with an apple pie on the side to boot. And two, my ‘radar’ will hone in on the conversation at the next table. Eavesdropping? I wouldn’t call it that though some just might. You see, as a person whose first love is writing – I consider every bit of life play around me as always good reason to work brain cells and heart muscles and my dependable standby paper-&-pen. You do know what the brain is for and as for the heart – without it life will only be mere existing, not authentic living. Several writings have been born in this coffee shop and again several more on my early morning walks, lunch dates with my buddies, pocket get-togethers in my home, and the ever constant weather changes. Even in bloggingJ you’ll be surprised how several o3 bloggers have inspired my writing though they don’t know it. There is so much to see in everyday life and in people sufficiently or even more than enough to provide subject for writing. That is if you put your mind and heart to it. I like studying people particularly – what makes them tick, their weakness and strength, power, cunning, contradiction, ego, simplicity, complexity, habits, quirks, and ordinariness. Looking at these closely grants me the special privilege of learning more bout life and living... and of course, of understanding myself. . Looking at them is like looking at me in the mirror – what I am and what I fail to see-- good or bad. They mirror me and I guess the reverse is also true. A word of warning though, the view may not always be pretty. :-)

Right now what trickles in my direction is a conversation carried on in the next table (but of course, lol) just two elbows away. Seated are two guys and three girls, around their middle twenties, obviously employed, and maybe married. Looking like they have long been friends. Anyway, these things rang in my ear long after they had gone.

- “I don’t go for the big adventure -- too much risk there. I can’t
afford to lose what I have managed to gain this far. Can’t afford to make
a mistake; can be costly.”

- “Shucks, no mistakes for me ever. It’s like bashing your own head
with your own hand. I’m fine right here, cautious and careful, Thank you.“

- “Yeah, what if a mistake creates a bigger mistake and lots more?
How can I get through that?”

- “Are you kidding me –what if I made the wrong move? What if I made
a big mistake – one that I will regret for the rest of my life?”

Does that sound familiar to you? --Because it does to me. I’ve been there – I know that feeling. And whenever I see this in the people around me (especially young people), the first temptation I get is to bonk their heads together. Forgive the expression, my friends, but it’s really what they need.

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be -- continually fearing that you will make one Ellen Hubbard

Oh! That’s not me; that’s Hubbard. Lol But I sure agree with the lady a 100%.

You will make mistakes in life, like it or not. But you can’t live your life each day being afraid that you will. Think about this. Are you sure that you have all the answers to all the issues and problems of your life? That knowing it you can be assured that nothing will ever go wrong someday? Is there a guarantee that people, circumstances, situations, conditions, systems, principles, technology, beliefs, and similar others more won’t change with the passing of time? Are you sure that the people you have around you won’t change a bit in their thinking ten or twenty years from now? Are you sure that they would always agree with you all of the time forever? Are you sure that you won’t change too?

Where there is change, mistakes are not far behind. Now don’t tell me the kinds of mistakes one makes in life cos that’s not what this piece is all about. This is all about being afraid to commit one.

C’mon, so what if you make a mistake? –Tell me, how else one can effectively learn good lessons but through ‘mistakes’. Do you know of a better way? You see, there may be many ways to learn a good lesson, but this one is the only way I can see which best can sink-in the lesson that a person should be learning and with such greater force and impact. Sometimes we need to be pricked in our stubbornness, ego, shortsightedness, complacency, and pride so that new knowledge, principles, values, insights, perceptions, and learning can enter and take place. That’s what mistakes do to us – shake us up and hard.

Besides aren’t you just one bit curious on how much more you can do with yourself where you are-with what you have? Perhaps unleash your latent abilities and potential for success and something greater? Push the standard higher? And then be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams when you’re there? Oh! so you think that you don’t have it in you? Wrong again, junk that thought cos God doesn’t create dummies or losers. It’s you who’s doing that to yourself. You already have it in you, but the thing is you fear too much, especially afraid to err.

Don’t be afraid of mistakes, it’s not your enemy but a friend – a good one. Yet you have to meet it on the same turf its meeting you – learning and challenge. But if you can’t swing that, amigo, then brace yourself cos mistakes will hurt you a lot harder than you expect it to. Definitely it will cos you have the wrong attitude to start with.

“Need to change that cup, ma’am.” Came Thor’s smiling voice. Sure enough my coffee had gone cold. “So when are you going to write about me, ma’am?” teased Thor grinning wide. I looked at him and smiled “Sooner than you think, Thor, sooner than you think.” …And gave him my cold cup. :-)

posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 1:53 PM

An addendum to the previous post -- DIFFICULTIES

2007-10-25T11:42:00.000+08:00

(An informal conversation with a friend.)

-------

That’s a very good insight into the matter, my friend. So true that often when confronted with a huge insurmountable problem, the mind inadvertently or purposely shuts down it seems. It’s like taking on an overload which somehow breaks down or affects the cerebral process. So then there we stand with our feet feeling like it’s become rooted to the ground, so to speak, and trembling unable to think, much less do something or anything at all. Falter is so true.

As for the idea that a human being is weak, the answer to that would be a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’. ‘Yes’ he IS weak -- if that person is unenlightened or who isn’t aware of his own birth right – his distinct potential and capabilities. ‘No’ he is NOT weak -- if that person has a heightened awareness of his innate abilities to overcome cope and survive. Sometimes the mentor or guru or friend sought or needed is not there when needed, thus a person is ultimately left by himself to cope with a particular situation using his own available resources and capabilities. A person who is strong in this belief and principle stands a fat chance to overcome and ultimately succeed in the strife or all strife as the case may be.

This is the point I am driving at --- that we shouldn’t let difficulties turn us into weak persons, as is the normal course we see. I can see no plausible excuse for us to allow it to happen when we already have it all within ourselves to survive and win – again to quote Abraham Maslow:

“We are not in a position in which we have nothing to work with. We already have capacities, talents, direction, missions, and callings.”

Maybe you can call this a paradigm shift -- or some other name known to you and your studies. But we must look out for opportunities to change if we are to improve our lives. I particularly urge the young men and women of today to try for new mind sets, new thoughts, and new ways of doing old things. You cannot be content with tried and tested paths. There are no more challenges there left for you to explore. They who have come before you have already done that. Why not blaze new trails, create new paths to walk towards your big dreams and hopes and adventure. Get off your comfort zones; they serve no purpose except to make you lazy and comfortable. A comfortable life is not always the way to your dreams. You’ve heard that said and written about many times before. This time do something about it. And if you’re overwhelmed or daunted by the enormity of the task before you, overwhelm not because it simply starts with one tiny step -- That’s where you begin. That’s where all great things begin – with the first tiny step.

Want to think about that? :-) May God bless you whichever road or path you're taking.

posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 2:54 PM

DIFFICULTIES ARE MEANT TO ROUSE - NOT DISCOURAGE

2007-10-25T11:36:00.000+08:00

"Difficulties are meant to rouse not discourage"

That’s a quote from author William Ellery Channing. It’s a good one and I use it often in my chat with my daughter’s friends -- Young kids in their twenties, some searching, others struggling along life paths more often not of their choosing. Yet no matter how simply put, explained or presented to them, they still miss the point. I guess it is truly hard to understand that something as negative as a difficulty can be turned into a possibly positive thing. Not everybody can see that or swing it, it seems. It’s an old mind-set forced or thrust upon us or we’ve inherited through many generations before us.

Whenever a difficulty comes across, admittedly its impact on that person always is hugely and immensely disrupting, so disturbing and quite unsettling -- Plus the fact that it sure can hurt and hurt deep.

But what is a difficulty? I posed that question to the kids. Here’s what they say.

- When things come to a standstill and that no matter how you try it
won’t budge.

- When a mountain of woes stands so high and steeper to climb

- When resources are scarce and inadequate for the challenge

- When ‘roadblocks’ appear where they shouldn’t

- When a ‘detour’ may be smart but not feasible

- When people say you can’t and you hear it said a thousand times
that you come to believe it yourself

- When doors close to you and windows won’t open

Tough luck some people would say to that. Naah, I don’t believe in luck. To quote author Abraham Maslow ---

“We are not in a position in which we have nothing to work with. We already have capacities, talents, direction, missions, and callings.”

Therefore what then is required of us is to work those God-given talents and gifts towards our goals. God already knew bout difficulties when he created us, so He made sure that we would be well equipped to handle those…thus our talents.

Do you know where the real difficulty lies? It’s not in the problem itself. It’s in you. Surprised? Well, think about this. The difficulty a problem poses is more often than not surmountable and resolved with good attitude, smart planning, and hard work. But the difficulty which you present is the weight that makes your problem a bigger burden than it really is.

Not understanding the purpose of difficulties in our lives makes us lose the battle right from the beginning. If you see or approach a problem as a problem per se, that won’t get you anywhere, not even an inch closer to where you want or hope to be. Because with that attitude you become to yourself a hindrance – obstacle – drawback – impediment – weakness – disadvantage – snag which unfailingly halts your pursuit of progress. Because you set your focus and energies in seeing the difficulty rather than focusing on how you can overcome it. On the other hand, when you shake yourself out of that negative mind-set, something splendid happens. Self-assessment gives birth to self-knowledge. And wise is he who knows what he can or can’t do and doesn’t stop there but pushes himself beyond to make his ‘can do’s’ bigger and create possibilities out of his ‘can’t do’s’.

Notice something there? --That in trying to hurdle or overcome difficulties, within you and without, you have been roused to action? Action begets action ---and begets even more action. Before you realize it you’re there – where your dreams are, where you want to be.

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. And further try think about this,

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” Seneca (3 B.C. - 65 A.D.)

posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 9:31 PM

YOU - THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE

2007-10-25T11:33:00.000+08:00

Firstly, allow me the singular pleasure of expressing my sincere thanks to the following dear o3 friends who came to my 'farewell post' and wished me well through their wonderful and warm messages. It cannot be said enough how much those messages have meant to me. You’ll never know. This I will say, it will always remain a fond treasure in my heart from this day on. Thank you so much for your beautiful friendship. God bless you all.

Amita – AmitMakwana – Umesh – Decentmonkey – Samyukta – Zaki – Pearl – Mini – Jojo - Thisisme (China) – Archie - Lostpatrol53 – Aj – Vish – Sumit - and Seema.

----------------------------------------

This post is dedicated to everybody. :-)

A group of girls and boys in their mid-twenties were sitting next to my table at my favorite coffee shop. Thor, my friend, was fussing over me as his usual self thus assured me a constantly hot cup of cappuccino on my table. I was biding my time just waiting for my daughters to finish with their shopping down the long corridors of this Robinson’s Grand Mall. Well, back to this young group in the next table, their conversation trickled in my direction as they talked seemingly oblivious of others, as always with vibrant energetic young people gathered in a group. This wasn’t eavesdropping but my ‘mom radar’ was quick to catch in on the subject of their chat which rather intrigued me in part. It was interesting. Here’s what I gathered.

Boy#1: You know, this never thrilled me one bit – mom meeting a married man in her young life and got me instead. I grew up with my grandmother cos mom had to work in the big city. And she married there, had a family with three children. Yeah, I know she kept in touch but I always felt that I was the odd one out. All this sucks!

Boy#2: Shucks! You wouldn’t like it at home. I got an older sis who’s always on my back telling me to do this and do that. Three kid brothers who have made my room their headquarters and hijacked my PS2! Now I can’t get a peaceful moment in my own room and house. I got to work on my masters, you know, but they just won’t let me be. And I got these pressing reports at the office … Things are getting up to here!!

Girl#3: Well, I hope to leave by December, guys. A job waits for me in Canada. Have worked on this dream for long, finished the course, and took on a job that honed and shaped me in that direction. So am hoping that whatever is there left to hurdle would be quite manageable and that things will turn out well in my favor by the end of the year.

The rest of their chat trailed away in my mind because I was focused on these three.

Allow me some thoughts.
---------------------------

You are the product of your past, the realities of your present, and the potential of your future. Exactly how these three young people depicted by their very lives. I hope though that they will be able to see the built-in challenges posed by those varying situations.

The first young man shouldn’t waste time bewailing his lot in life. Things are what they are and can’t be changed but they certainly do not limit him or his chances for a better life. It is not what has happened in the past that’s so much important as what you would do with it or how you would cope or handle its effect on you. Your past created you in part yes, but it does not finish you at all. Things don’t just end there. There’s work for you to do. The challenge is clear that you must labor to get yourself out of the mire and muck. You’re not happy where you are, so go out and find happiness where you wish it to be. Shake off your unpleasant layers and bring out to the fore and reveal your innate goodness talent and skill -- God-sent, by the way. Take your chance – create your chances – build your dreams and believe in them.

The second young man should learn how to exercise control over his situation. Things are what they are, yes, but he can shape it – mold it – rearrange it - make compromises – seek cooperation - redesign – restructure – reconstruct – or move. This all means that he has control and that he can do something about it instead of complain or rant or rage. You see, when you make people see how their insensitivity or inconsiderate behavior is affecting you, there is a good chance that they may change if made to understand this. On the other hand, if still they persist, then you can put your feet down and firmly demand their attention to your concern. If still that doesn’t work, then maybe you could try looking for better conditions somewhere – a temporary respite or alternative. Anger is never healthy nor is hurting feelings nice, especially family and the people you love. You can’t change people’s attitudes but you certainly can change yours. So work on that.

The young lady has it all working well it seems-- apparently everything well-thought out and planned -- Lucky streak? Nah, I don’t believe in luck. She planned it all from A to Z with what she’s got where she’s at. That’s a lot of work in it… and maybe a lot of prayers, too. I’m hoping there was. Listen, when you have something good in your hands, work it to build your dreams on and with. Don’t let anything stop you nor the thought of failure stump you. Success can be yours, but you won’t know it until you try. Try – hard, harder, and hardest. What you make out of it lies in your hands. Not in somebody else’s brains, effort, or money. It starts with you --- and ends with you. But one piece of reminder --- when you’re there whether it be in success or failure, do not forget that Somebody up there is watching. He’s watching what you do with the precious life and gifts He has given you. And what you do with it is the way you say ‘Thank You’ back to Him. Oh don’t worry if you don’t make the grade. Saying thank you inspite of… would still make Him smile! And releases blessings more than you could ever imagine.

Oh here come my three jems now… and I can see bags full of goodies to charm any young lady’s heart. Got to go before they dig a bigger hole in my wallet lolz! Bye now! God bless. :-)

posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 12:51 PM

CRIMES OF THE HEART

2007-10-25T11:29:00.000+08:00

When you go around hurting people, with intent or not, you’re ‘killing’ them. It’s an abominable crime breaking hearts -- A crime and you a ‘killer’.

Harsh, huh? Yeah, that was my reaction when I first heard that from Marcia. We were in our usual meeting place and having our first group lunch for the year.

“Aww, c’mon! We haven’t gone a distance yet from the holiday stupor of revelry and here you are talking about crimes and killers. Ugh!” protested Cindy, a long lost friend now found. She was gone for several years blazing a trail in advertising and was successful at it in San Francisco. Now she’s back to try the domestic setting for a change.

Anyway, I was getting busy with my scrumptious gorgeous dish of pasta – seafood pasta in rich mozzarella cheese and tomatoes – when I felt a nudge to my side. You know, I was really meaning to ignore serious talk in this meeting and hell-bent in not tolerating any interference to a blissful moment with my pasta… not even by a great group of buddies as they. But the nudging was persistent.

‘What in pasta’s name are you doing?” I turned to my right from where the nudging came. Maria with big doe-like eyes drew closer and whispered “Do something; she’ll ruin our lunch. We’re celebrating??!” You know, when a pair of huge brown eyes menacingly stare you down like that… you’ll do anything to get rid of it…Or risk losing your sleep to horrifying nightmares in bed.

Okay, I pushed my plate away, just a bit not too far anyways, and turned towards the conversation. “Oh Marcia” I butted in with nary batting an eyelash… “Have you broken any hearts?” I could hear Maria groan beside me. Yup, she was in for some torture now. Yeah, don’t anyone dare to mess up with me and my pasta! Kidding, of course. :-)

But here’s what Marcie had to say.

“Don’t we all? You’ll be surprised how often we do it – to people around us, to people we say we care so much about. ‘Want to see a list? Let’s get down to brass tacks and quit the frills. See if these are familiar to you.

- Remember that time you hastily turned over the broken toy to the maid to fix – even when your 3-year old kid ran to you to fix it? Did you miss to see the disappointment in your little angel’s eyes? So what if you might miss your bus?!! He wants you – needs you.

- You come in through the door to a well-set table, your favorite stuffed chicken laid out in full dressing. You look at your watch – 1:00 am in the morning! You have worked through the night on your Anniversary! Ever wonder how your trusting loving wife must feel about that?

- You fly into your home, unload your things in your room, and rush out again to your friends waiting in the car. You simply breezed through the living room where your mother was waiting for you with furrowed wrinkled brows visibly upset. Ignored by you. You think that was nothing to her?

- At the office, papers are a mountain-high atop your desk, the phone’s ringing intermittently, and your high-strung boss is hollering for your reports. Here comes your girlfriend in the next cubicle gushing with delight wanting to tell you bout her cute new date for Friday’s office party. You curtly say to her “ Let’s talk later; am busy!” Hey, what are a few minutes to spare for a friend? It could mean the whole world to her, you know.

- An old dirty-looking man sits on the pavement apparently exhausted and hanging on to a big bundle of possessions which apparently seems to take up almost a huge slice of the pavement. Here you come loaded with parcels of Christmas shopping hurrying to get home. Then you bumped on the old man’s bag thereby throwing your things to the ground. Angered by this you turn to the man and scold him for crowding the sidewalk with his person and things. Didn’t it occur to you that he was simply trying to catch his breath, resting a bit, and would be moving on after? Where’s your heart in this?

You know poor man or rich man – all hearts can break for even the slightest insensitive cause or reason. But no reason is big or small enough to warrant a cold and heartless hurting word from you. Oh sure you will say that ‘hurting’ can’t be avoided because that’s how the world is, people and relationships what they are, life cruel and harsh. Of course I know that. But still that’s no excuse for committing crimes of the heart. Why break hearts when instead you can be the ‘healer’ of wounded hearts? Want to try that for size?”

There you go – Marcia at her best. And Maria (?) ---She left after a bit saying that her daughter’s new dress needed a bit of trimming --- but with a fresh twinkle in her lovely brown eyes. Pushing a fresh plate of scrumptious pasta, bussed me on the cheek saying “You’re a sweet devil you!”

posted on Saturday, January 06, 2007 2:10 PM

BACK TO THE GRINDSTONE - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

2007-10-25T11:22:00.000+08:00

The old yellow school bus came right on schedule and my neighbor’s children in crisp school uniforms got on in apparent expectant haste. I guess they are so thrilled to be getting back with friends in school. Not with the driver though who didn’t seem too happy with his task, actually looked so bored. Oh well.

Bit by bit my small neighborhood comes alive with fathers driving to work, mothers seeing their children off to school, several twenty-something maidens walking to the jeepney station for their usual rides off to work or some other destination, a handful of pedicabs stirring the village streets with its ear-splitting noise ferrying people in-and-out of the area, and topping it all are the neighborhood dogs with their own distinct welcome to the new day - a rousing barrage of intermittent barks! -- a language all their own. Ugh! What an odd symphony. Are my eardrums splitting?

Welcome, Father Time! You’re another year older. And it’s back to the grindstone once more for the rest of us.

I see some of my friends delighted for the coming of the New Year. To them it means another set of fresh beginnings – another brand new start. A chance to create once more new hopes, plans, dreams – or hurdle anew those challenges of old unsettled in the year that past.

In another camp I see a good number tittering on the edge of indecision, hesitancy, uncertainty. The question being ‘where do I go from here?’ ‘What next?’ ‘What lies ahead?’

Scary stuff, huh? The future always is ‘scary’ because it always scares us not to know what’s going to happen to us in it. C’mon, this is the future. This is where we are at now. Like some wise man once said – ‘this is the tomorrows we so speak of and thought of yesterday’, or something to that effect. :-)

How it looks to you now is going to tell you how you have prepared for it or whether you have diligently done your ‘homework’. This doesn’t only refer to the tangible and material things that we do to prepare for this. Obviously everybody embraces that as a major concern in life, I know.

What I am pointing at is how you are prepared in your thoughts, attitudes, and in wisdom. You know, the past year shouldn’t just go by with nary a lesson or lessons taken from it by you because every bit of those life lessons (good and bad) help you in your self-growth and shaping. What priceless fruit/s you get out of it or gather from it will comprise your personal arsenal of tools --- Tools which you can use to tackle the future, any future for that matter, and all its uncertainties confidently and fearlessly as should be. You see, God didn’t give us a fearful heart. Instead He gives us the resources, all that we need, to stand up and hold our heads high as we journey through this life. But, mind you, you have to make it your own or it will simply pass you by. God doesn’t take it back but you certainly stand the chance to gain it or lose it. It’s all up to you.

So what do I mean by ‘tools’? Allow me to lend you a brief glimpse into my backpack in my own journey. I’ve got several tools packed in there.

-Like and love life and living

-Understand at best existing differences and uniqueness of every
person you’ll cross paths with.

-Love yourself. You must be so special to merit God’s dogged
attention, care, provision, and love.

-Connect with Mother Nature. She’s your best friend.

-Don’t be afraid of challenges, of change, of making mistakes.
How you face it is who you really are.

-Be patient with everyone, things, and the events of your life,
especially when all of time seems to stand still. Remember,
“They too serve who only sit and wait”.

-Think not only with your mind but also with your heart. These two
are inseparable; one can’t live without the other.

-Grasp every piece of learning that life sends your way. Grow with
and from it.

-Understand your ‘baggage’. Accept that it is part of your own history.

-Be kind and kinder in thought, word, and deed. You’ll never know
how much that could mean to another soul.

-Be of good faith. Pray. Pray for others too. We all need a prayer
at one time or another in our difficult lives. Prayer is active love
and compassion for one another’s plight. Anyone can do it, regardless
of religion, race, beliefs, and culture.

It’s a perfect set of tools --- though often I work imperfectly at it. But I am confident that as I go along and use it, I will become better at it. There will be more added to my pack, of course, because after all this journey isn’t over yet.

Fear not. Just go back to the grindstone and work your old or new hopes and dreams. Don’t waste life – don’t waste you. And let’s not waste the New Year upon us. We’ll never get a second chance. Like Mom would say --- “Honey, give it your best shot! Take care of today, that’ll take care of your tomorrows.”

posted on Thursday, January 04, 2007 10:21 AM

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - BELIEVE IN YOUR DREAMS

2007-10-24T18:42:00.000+08:00

I was browsing inside my favorite book store yesterday hopping from one shelf to another. Not really intending to buy anything but was just waiting for my daughters to finish with their purchases. I was finished with my shopping a couple of days ago. The store was swarming with people shoulder to shoulder. Apparently everybody was looking out for fitting gifts for their family and friends. Nice thoughts in those bobbing heads I see. Christmas does this to us, doesn’t it? We become kinder, selfless, generous, giving, forgiving, gentler, softer, and more loving. Love -- the spirit and essence of Christmas. Well, don’t you wish that it was Christmas everyday all year? It’s just a thought crossing my mind, but it would make for a nice wish for the New Year.

Anyway, back to my waltz with books. Oh boy, hundreds of titles and subjects and authors to choose from. I wonder how anyone could pick out the book he truly wants, unless of course he saw the best seller list in the papers. I saw several of those on the shelves but this time was merely being ignored by everybody. Yup, that's not the priority this time. So I hopped on to the next shelf. Oh my, it was in big disarray. I just can’t imagine how people could take out a book from the neat line-up and not put it back properly when through with it. I’m truly appalled by that. Just then a book fell down to the floor. Oh no, couldn’t just let it stay down there and be trampled on by unmindful persons passing by. So I stooped to pick it up and was about to put it back on the shelf when the title caught my eye – “Always Believe In Yourself And Your Dreams”. It was sealed in plastic, unfortunately, so I couldn’t peer inside it. The book was about only a half-inch thick, lightweight, just a little bigger than a regular pocketbook. But the title was something else. It struck me hard like a lightning bolt and something popped in my brain. J Right, when something 'pops' in my brain, you can bet your bottom dollar that a new piece of writing is going to be born . :-)

I have a dream; you have yours; everybody has a dream. I’ve hugged mine for years and nurtured it in my heart. Even if life packs in other things for me to do and takes me in other directions and pursuits, that one dream remains in my heart like a spark that won’t be snuffed out ever. A close friend would tease me often bout this -- that it was like hanging on to flimsy straw, like chasing hopes in the wind, and that I should let go of my dream because it was never going to happen -- Never!

Maybe she’s right, but neither am I wrong. I remember Mom telling me that if there was anything she was so sure of – it is that life and this world is teeming with possibilities. Possibilities that could make dreams come true. And that we could make it happen to us if we believe that we can and we believe in our dreams.

My dream is out there as it is in my heart too. And someday --- someday… my dream will come true.

Believe in what makes you feel good.
Believe in what makes you happy.
Believe in the dreams
you’ve always wanted to come true,
And give them every chance to.
- Dena Delaconi

Believe in yours, my friends. It will come now, tomorrow, or maybe next year. It may be a short wait or a long wait, but it doesn’t matter when. Really! The possibility is there for you to claim for your own. All that matters is how you feel and how potentially happy you can be with it. So then give yourself the chance to have it all come true. Believe!

With this, let’s face the New Year with hope, faith, and courage to make our dreams come true.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! May it bring you blessings overflowing through the wondrous love of a magnificent God of all. GOD BLESSES YOU NOW AS YOU READ THIS! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

posted on Thursday, December 28, 2006 8:19 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #12 - LET THE UNEXPECTED HAPPEN TOO

2007-10-24T18:40:00.000+08:00

We do get upset with the ‘unexpected’ when it occurs. Like it or not, we come face to face with derailed plans, setbacks, halted dreams, unwanted intrusions, and perhaps altered goals. Frustrating, disappointing, exasperating are simply understatements to how we truly feel because it undeniably bogs us down to a huge extent. So we’d rather have it the other way when we get everything down pat on schedule and smoothly without any possible kinks or startling drawbacks.

But look again. What happens when something unforeseen occurs and upsets your applecart, so to speak? Well, aside from pulling hard at your hair in anger or dismay, there is one other thing which I know you do. Don't you ‘push’ yourself to investigate, evaluate, reassess and in effect try for some change to improve things? Of course you do, we all do that. We always do that.

So then instead of being upset by the unfortunate events, why not try something else, like look hard and seek out what the ‘unexpected’ is trying to tell us? Because surely there is something in there (aside from the apparent, of course) --which is calling for our attention…pulling us towards it. Perhaps something we’ve neglected? Glossed over? Forgotten? Ignored? Disregarded?

“(Life) It is something bout letting the unexpected happen
And finding things you never searched for.”

*****

There you have it. I’m sure you can patch all three to see the original text message. You see, life is beautiful. It always is --- Despite the foul up’s, the bad times, the unhappiness at some point, or the hard driving grueling struggle for fortune and fame. There’s a lot more than just that. A lot more -- And we shouldn’t forget. Ever! :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! I PRAY THAT OUR GOOD LORD BLESS YOU WITH WONDERFUL BLESSINGS TO FILL UP YOUR LIFE WITH PRICELESS PEARLS OF LOVE, FAITH, HOPE, WISDOM, AND TRUTH.

posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 3:21 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #11 - DRIVEN IN THE SEARCH FOR MR. RIGHT

2007-10-24T18:37:00.000+08:00

That’s been hammered into our heads since grade school. We slept with it, ate with it, studied with it, worked with it, lived and loved with it, grew up with it. We toiled hard over decisions in the effort to choose the right ones. The right clothes to wear, food to eat, universities to study in, careers to pursue, the right persons to connect with, the right person to marry, and many more. But of course all that is well and good without any doubt. It serves a particular purpose too. So these are the things we aim for and luckily find it as we move along in the days of our lives. But why do we act so driven in the search for things which will surely happen anyway (for some who believe in destiny) and which we would surely find with sufficient resolute effort? Is that all there is to life and living – making it right, chasing for things?

“We search so much for the right choices,
for the right paths to walk through,
for the right time and for the right reasons.
Life isn’t only about searching for the things that can be found.”

--------------------
Still up for #12? See you there then. :-)

posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 3:13 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #10 - SIMPLE PLEASURES FROM SIMPLE THINGS

2007-10-24T18:36:00.000+08:00

A friend sent me a long text message on my phone with a beautiful thought in it. But I saw not only one single divine thought in it but several. Allow me to break it down in three parts (#10,11,12). The special text portion in part is at the bottom of each piece.

----------------------------

Small pleasures from simple things -- now that’s easy, you’ll say. But is it really? When was the last time you watched a beautiful sunset? Or walked on the seashore, felt the sand shifting under your feet? How bout sitting down with someone over a hot cup of coffee and a chat? Noticed the warm smile on your mom’s face lately when you gave her a kiss and a tight hug before leaving? Have you tried eating an ice cream cone and licked ice cream dripping down your fingers? Know what the world before you looks like from a bench in the park munching on peanuts? Have you been with your son or nephew together watching a Walt Disney movie on the big screen and shared childlike amusement and glee? Or perhaps cooked your own pan cakes for breakfast? It may not be as perfect as your Mom’s and you probably will burn it halfway through, but it could be fun! Simple things and simple pleasures -- It’s all around us. All we need is to find our simple hearts again.

“Sometimes we put too much passion on the
biggest dreams and priorities in life
that we fail to love the smallest pleasures
from simple things.”

SO THEN LET'S LEARN TO ENJOY THE SMALLEST PLEASURES FROM SIMPLE THINGS TOO.

No. 11 coming up! :-)

posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 3:05 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #9 - LIFE LESSONS

2007-10-24T18:32:00.000+08:00

I have learned that….

- Life doesn’t throw you punches if it doesn’t know you can’t take them
- Freedom in everything means accountability and responsibility too
- It is okay to be yourself but it is absolutely not okay to behave
insensitively of others
- Where all else may fail, faith and hope gets you trying one more time
- Always there will be strength you thought wasn’t there
- Rise above failure and weakness
- A smile gets you better mileage than a frown
- No matter how busy you are, be always available to family, friends, and God
- Be angry for the right reasons and make it short
- In a relationship, one dies to himself a thousand deaths
- It alright to make mistakes; just don’t make a habit out of it
- Try to understand and try hard
- Speak your mind but do it with your heart
- People will always be different from you
- God doesn’t make junk
- People are basically good
- Difficult is difficult until you find a way to make it easy
- When somebody hates you, remember that it may not be you he's angry at
but something or somebody else.
- Give from the heart, not from the head
- See yourself as precious in the eyes of God
- Religion should not divide
- Trust is earned
- People need each other someway somehow sometime
- Everybody has his story
- Insignificant may be, but the poor point to the presence of a God
- You may be rich/smart but somebody else is richer/smarter than you
- And hundreds more lessons.

Life isn’t finished yet, so the list will get even longer. What about you, what’s yours? Would love to hear them. :-)

:-) Well, that's it for now. But will be back for more. That is, if you're up to it? :-) May God bless you.

posted on Saturday, December 16, 2006 1:53 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #8 - WORKING TOGETHER TO COMPLETE YOU

2007-10-24T18:30:00.000+08:00

Here’s a little story.

I had a dream one night. I saw myself standing on bare dry ground not a mountain or tree in sight -- nothing there but an odd-looking weighing scale. Odd with huge and I say huge, empty plates. Then out of nowhere appeared an old but distinguished looking man with long gray beard that oddly touched the ground. He looked at me with nary an expression on his old wisdom-lined face and raised his right hand in the air. I followed his hand, looked, but saw nothing there. Then he lowered it pointing to the right empty plate on the scale. Soon enough the plate began to fill with the events of my life – the good memories of my life. One by one it filled the plate now almost overflowing. I smiled at the thought of those wonderful moments of the past I dare not ever forget. The scale tipped down apparently under the weight of its load and thereby raised the opposite empty plate high. I waited for the old man; I felt the show wasn’t finished yet. The opposite plate was still empty. As if reading my thoughts, he raised his left hand the same way he did with his right. It seemed like he was gesturing something or to someone unseen to begin. And similarly when he pointed to the left empty plate, it right away began to fill with the other side of my past – the sad memories there. As it piled one after the other on the plate, I felt my tears fall. The hurt and pain I could not deny despite leaving it all behind with time. I noticed then that the scale stood evenly at that point. It stayed there so still.

He spoke.

“Both the good and the bad times of your life stand equal on the scale. Neither is greater or lesser than the other; both stand invaluable in the work that they do in you. Be grateful for the good that happens and humble in misfortunes when they occur because both essentially equally work together to create a better ---you.”

The End.

:-) Ready for #9? It's in the next corner.

posted on Saturday, December 16, 2006 1:43 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #7 - HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR IN A LIFE

2007-10-24T18:27:00.000+08:00

There was this lovely line from a beautiful song in a home movie I was viewing last night. It was the standout Broadway play-cum-movie....“Rent“. That special line stood out for me and I couldn’t forget it.

Isn’t it that so much goes on in our lives that we often get lost in it? But at a certain point we come to a stop, don't we, and see how far we’ve gone, what we’ve done, or where else we’re heading. Friends I know offer this lame excuse about ‘today is all that matters’ and one doesn't need to bother looking back. I think that's a lie. I know that in the dead of night when you’re all alone and things don’t seem to come out the way you expect them to, you think about it, you wonder, you ask questions. We do look back and we do think about tomorrow. As we stand in the present wondering how do we make count or measure the years that pass.

Back to the song, it goes on to say, rather it poses a question --- is it measured in…..??

Laughs
Tears
Joys
Sadness
Strife
Diapers
Report cards
Speed tickets
Daylights
Sunsets
Midnights
Cups of coffee
The life of friends
Truth that she learned
Bridges he burned
Or the way that she died
Or how he had loved

So how do we measure a year in our life? The song ends in saying “It is measured in love”.

Yes indeed --- in how we love others or selfishly not, in how we love ourselves and sometimes not, and in how we receive love or often foolishly won’t. Love no matter the measure is how we live our lives.

:-) Ready for #8? It's just around the corner.

posted on Saturday, December 16, 2006 1:38 PM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #6 - DON'T STEP ON MY BUNIONS PLEASE

2007-10-24T18:20:00.000+08:00

Have you ever thought how ugly a person’s feet are? ---Except, of course, those which regularly enjoy glorious sessions at the spa or beauty salon. Otherwise it’s the most physically battered and bruised part of the body. It gets scrapped, cut, stepped on, and also burns, ingrown nails, dead toe nails, corns, and bunions. Maltreated and abused most times by sheer common negligence and often by the wrong shoe size.

Feet are us. We’re so much like our feet; we carry ‘human’ bunions all our life --- the bunions of pride, ego, prejudices, negative feelings, idiosyncrasies, character quirks, and personal history of pain. Unlike feet bunions, these don’t heal. No, because they have entrenched themselves well in our character leaving deep scars we may carry for the rest of our life. Those things helped mold us, like it or not. But maybe we can soften it, tone it down, mellow it, or perhaps push it far back. Or restructure? Well, maybe some, a few, slow, scarcely. We may or may not be successful in trying. But like bunions on our feet, these get stepped on or rubbed frequently the wrong way in our daily lives as we interact with people, imaginary or not. See how often we get to be with each other and why we fight, hate, hurt, and deceive each other at every turn of our messed up lives. We think nothing in violating the rights of individuals in pursuit of our own selfish interests and perceived righteous beliefs. We stop at nothing when others are perceived to infringe upon ours. We rouse ourselves up to hit back fiercely in defense of what we think is right to our rigid hearts and muddled brains. We do this, don't we? And people do this to us. I have yet to find one with nary a trace of this negativity. None excluded, including me. So now still wonder why we never lack of arguments, disagreements, scandals, law suits, and wars?

So how do we handle human bunions if we can’t treat them? I don’t know; maybe you have an idea; do share. Meantime we perhaps can try using a salve or balm of understanding, mixed with kindness and a dash of tolerance. That could smooth out ruffled feelings some way. The thing to remember, I suppose, is that bunions are here to stay. It’s the whole human package, warts and all. We can’t really go on through our lives rubbing people the wrong way at every bend, no matter how we may think it’s ‘fair’ or ‘justified’, because undoubtedly there’s a lot of history behind a person’s ‘bunions’. Bruise it --- and we may be bruising his soul.

So please, don’t step on my bunions? :-)

posted on Saturday, December 09, 2006 11:45 AM

POTPOURRI OF THOUGHTS #5 - JUST THINKING WHILE THE RAIN BEATS DOWN ON MY ROOF

2007-10-24T18:18:00.000+08:00

In lieu of the usual morning walk as heavy rains kept me indoors this time, I decided to take out pen and paper and let my thoughts wander. Just some bits here and there. :-)
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NO ONE IS WRONG, JUST UNINFORMED - When someone accuses me of being wrong, I get pissed off. Because I know that I am right. Well, as far as the knowledge I have in my mind is concerned. The thing is, he could be right too. Because he may know something I don’t know. Now that certainly stops me in my track realizing that there is some information I don’t know which could smash to smithereens the store of information I have so staunchly held and defended. Gosh! Would it hurt if we held back our tongues, ego, and pride for a moment and get to the facts first?

LIFE’S HITS AND MISSES - We rejoice over our good times, grand opportunities, extraordinary fortunes, excellent careers, and brilliant success. And, on the other hand, bewail the loss of business deals, contracts, jobs, bank accounts, and relationships. Would that we could backtrack and stay at those moments when we were happiest? Or halt motion leading us to apparent dire consequences? Would that be just perfect? Then life would truly and literally be a bed of roses. But we know it isn’t like that at all. No, because things happen to us for a definite reason. Good times come for our joy and happiness. Bad times come for our growth and learning. That’s the entire package!

BUT EVERYBODY’S DOING IT - My friend’s words every time I ask her why this frenzy of always being ‘in’. So what if everybody does it? Did she mean that if everybody eats bananas with skin on, I’d do the same? Or if the ladies wore their sleep wear to gala nights, I’d jump into mine too? Or if the trend is to send kids to expensive schools with below standard education, I’d rush to enroll my child there? C’mon, just because everybody’s doing it doesn’t mean it’s right or good. What’s wrong with being different and in exchange for that I get to choose the good schools, eat sensibly, or dress decently? Different is also okay, maybe even better.

I WANT THIS, I WANT THAT - I can see three ways to look at this.

I want this. - Emphasis on ‘I’. That’s okay. We have needs and desires to fulfill. That’s what we are and what spurs us on to create hopes and dreams. Isn’t it so nice to see people striving and not just being content sitting on the sidelines watching the world go by?

I WANT this. - Emphasis on ‘want’ -- A bit dangerous there if taken to extremes. That has to be tamed to a sensible and reasonable level wherein you don’t get to harm or hurt others in pursuit of what you WANT. How bout we send our ‘wants’ to school for some bit of education? lol

And last but not least.....

I want THIS. - Emphasis on ‘this’. Be careful in choosing the object (people or things) of your want or desire. Choose what will build you up and not what could tear youdown in the end. We are bombarded daily with glossed-over things, people, objects, and ideas which aren’t really worth a cent if you crack through that cover. Learn to sift through the mire and pluck out what is genuine and true.

posted on Saturday, December 09, 2006 11:33 AM