THE SADDEST LETTER I'VE EVER READ

I am a Happiness fanatic. As much as we want to be happy, oftentimes in life, the opposite happens. Allow me to share this beautiful yet sad letter (from a book) of a son to his parents. ENJOY! 



Dear Mom and Dad,

     I'm sorry I've been so uncommunicative since our phone call, but my whole world has suddenly fallen apart. 
     Next month was supposed to be the wedding. I feel such aching sadness that the only solace I can find is staying near the place she died. 
     Also, I need time to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life. Losing Fanny has changed me a great deal. I seem somehow to feel less of the ambition I once had to go out and become a big "success"-whatever that means.
     The attitude on this kibbutz is catching. Sure, some of the young men want to be doctors or professors. But when most of them have finished their studies they'll come back and share what they've learned with the community. 
It's curious that among all the people I've met here, there's not one whose aim in life is to be famous. They just want to live in peace and quiet and take pleasure from the real joys of life. Like hard work and kids. And friendship.
     I wish I could say that my mind is tranquil, but it isn't.  Grief is not the only thing I feel. There's something primitive in me still crying out for vengeance. I know that's wrong, but I can't exorcise these feelings yet. 
     So I've decided to spend the summer as a volunteer working side by side with the rest of the kibbutzniks.
     Since I can handle firearms I'll also take a regular turn at guard duty. And if a terrorist is crazy enough to try to attack this place again, he'll sorely regret it. Anyway, thanks for letting me work all this out for myself. 

                                                                                                                         Your loving son,
                                                                                                                         Jason

Braces and Trials, almost similar...

It’s been three months already since my last dental check up. For any regular teeth, at least every six months, it has to be cleaned, but not with teeth like mine - teeth with braces. In my case, at least once a month or depending on the schedule, a dentist has to see my teeth and track its progress.

This morning, I took time to look at my teeth in the mirror and the scenes of my previous teeth came flashing back. The pictures in my mind were not all good compared to its current condition. I suddenly remember the reason why I got braces, not for cosmetics purpose or anything, but to straighten my teeth in order to achieve the so called "Best Smile." 

I am a little contemplative at this hour and have observed some similarities between braces and trials. Like braces as a device of the dentist to straighten the teeth, trials are constructed tool by God to align our lives to Him. Like braces that help position our teeth and improve our dental health, trials help in positioning our minds in the right perspective and improve our mentality or way of thinking. Like braces that are used to correct our crooked teeth, God allows us to experience trials to correct the various flaws of our hearts. And like braces that assist in shaping the overbites, cross bites and other kinds of bites, trials have an important goal: To assist in shaping all of us to be strong in character and ready for anything.

And like what Apostle James wrote in his book, “Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face TRIALS of many kinds,” I guess there’s no great attitude than experiencing trial/s backed up with that "Best Smile."

I need to go to the dentist, SOON! :)

Important Lessons from the First Month

January was good. It brought me opportunities of learning valuable lessons that will never be forgotten as long as I'm here on planet Earth. (Haha!) Lessons that I learned not from a book, a movie or a conversation, but by firsthand experience of the circumstance that the first month of 2013 has taught me. 

First, Big problems can happen to small people. Please don't tell me your height 'cause I won't tell you mine either. (Haha!) Seriously, it is not surprising thaat problems come our way. It is part of living. But when Big waves of problems come your way that you cannot eat, sleep, and no amount of make up can cover your exhausted appearance. What do you do? PRAY. Keep on asking and keep on seeking. It's not a cliche, but a fact REALLY that "Nothing is impossible with God". Just surrender it all to Him. No matter how big the problem is, God is ultimately Bigger than that! 

Second, You always have to stand up for yourself. There will be times that your courage will be tested and all you have to do is show your bravery. Confrontation is never easy, but fight for yourself anyway 'cause basically, there's nobody else is going to fight for you. Of course, your loved ones will always do, but if they're not around, no one else will. What if you're not that brave in real life? Just pretend to be. Quoting Muhammad Ali's famous line, "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."

Third, Be sharp! I endlessly hear this from my fiance. And I am very much thankful and blessed for Jhayr's constant reminder. I am a go-getter and action-oriented, and I have tendencies of lacking extensive analysis in some decisions most especially when great excitement gets in my heart. A person could be so smart, but not so sharp. Both are very important elements in making decisions you won't regret later in life. 

Fourth and lastly, FORGIVE. Trust is not easily given. Kailangan pag hirapan at patunayan. But, what if someone you've trusted wholeheartedly brought you in the most shameful and humiliating scenario you could ever think of, can you forgive? It's hard, right? This is a challenge for me. But looking at the perspective that we're all humans and we're all capable of making mistakes to one another (with or without intention) and understanding that God is forgiving and gracious to us no matter how sinful we are. Who are we not to forgive? 

As of this writing, I am teary eyed of the lessons that God taught me this past month. Who has great knowledge of what tomorrow will bring? No one knows. Only the Omniscient God. Whether tomorrow bring you a good day, a bad day or an ugly day, at the end of the day, what's important is counting on the lessons... lessons that make you into a better person for another day. :)

This 2013, I am giving Blogging ANOTHER Try

I've been BLOGGING since 2006 and in those years, I must say, BLOGGING has given me A LOT of benefits. These benefits are as follows:

1. Blogging has served as my "memory lane"

I have to admit that I cannot remember each and every detail of the good past, but every time I go to my blog and read the words I've written down months and years ago, I cannot control my heart from leaping because of the good and happy memories I did in "the good old days!" As I relive the things that had occured in the earlier times, I smile and thank God. And it gives me good reasons to be so hopeful of what GOOD, tomorrow will bring me. 

2. Blogging has landed me into a writing job

The memory is still vivid. I remember the time when I was so hooked in blogging and I would blog every piece of event that was happening to me at that point in time. My family stories, my everyday routine, and my travel adventures. It was just a pleasure for me to tap the keyboard until a former schoolmate in college, who was, by the way, reading my blogs without my idea refer me to a writing job. That writing job helped me to get connected to the people I call friends now in the media industry. 

3. Blogging has taught me to put high and great value in words

Through blogging, I have learned that WORDS MATTER. Yes, each word counts. Like what the Bible is teaching us: "Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can KILL or NOURISH life." Blogging taught me to be cautious with my words (oral or written) that's coming out of me. With that, I have decided that my blog will ONLY inspire, inform, educate and nourish instead of  killing others through my blog's hurtful words. 

4. Blogging has brought out the best in me

My last point is a little bit philosophical, but yes, blogging brought out the best in me. Because of blogging I have gotten to know myself more. Like what Philosopher Socrates once quoted, "The unexamined life is not worth living.", blogging has helped me to look carefully at the condition of my daily life. As of this writing, I am happy, thankful and content of the life that God has given me. 

These are just some of the BENEFITS Blogging has brought me over the years. What are yours? Tell me. If you have many reasons to smile, for sure, you've got many reasons to write. Let's express ourselves this 2013. Yes, LET'S BLOG!!!

Happy New Year!!! :)

My 2012 Christmas Socks

Today is Christmas Day! Let me greet you a Merry Christmas! :) While every human being in almost all part of the globe is pigging out, I... went to my wardrobe and fixed some clothes. While organizing some of my clothes, I stumbled on the "socks section." This portion where my socks are well-folded. :) Just by looking at it, memories flow in an instant!  

SOCKS in my childhood days were precious! Precious on Christmas Day! Precious because it was our only tool to get gifts from Santa. I, together with my siblings and cousins would hang our socks in the clothes line and would surely sleep early with great expectations of what our socks would entail on the Christmas Day. As soon as we open our eyes on the next day, each of us would certainly get his / her socks and check the stuff in there. Usually, and most of the time, it's coins and candies! Funny but too cute as I ponder the details today. :) And yes, we were happy, definitely happy! :)

I am not a "socks person", the way I used to when I was in my salad days. But today, remembering those "socks stories" on my Childhood Christmas Day makes this woman a happy one, which I guess is the sole purpose of existing and living on exactly December 25th. 

May this day be a happy day for you the way it brought happiness in me. 

Merry Christmas from Happy Feet! :)

Drawing

It's been a long time since I held a pencil on my hand. Maybe, I've been a little techie (which I certainly am not) holding an iPhone that (definitely has everything on it) robs the time of its master.

This weekend, I decided myself to give drawing a try, again! I used the word TRY because I haven't drawn since... college. And four years had passed since I graduated. Oh! How time flies! And I also used the word AGAIN because I am returning to the hobby that gave me pleasure when I was still a kid. 

And here it is: TADAH!! (",)

Isn't she cute? Hahaha!

Oh! How I missed drawing!! (",)

These are my drawing tools. Bought them for 200 Japanese Yen. 80 in Philippine Peso.

PEN MUSEUM

"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the PEN. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women." - Muhammad Ali Jinnah 

Never mind the last sentence, but I find the first and the second statement-TRUE. Last week, I was able to visit a one of a kind museum called PEN MUSEUM. In this generation of Wireless Fidelity almost everywhere, we have laptops and mobiles to read and write. We would find writers publishing their works ONLINE. In the Academe, we have schools now that mandate their students to take quizzes and other tests ONLINE. And even in our day to day living, we most of the time fill out forms ONLINE instead of using an actual PEN.

                                                            PENS on display

This museum is such a brilliant concept! Caring and conserving the "writing tools" that were used centuries ago up to the present was a respectable effort. I was walking slowly as I stare fixedly in each "writing tool". Each of them was unique and fascinated me.

                                                                        More PENS

I've seen a Reed Pen up close, the writing tool in 4000B.C which was used to scratch words onto boards of clay. From the stylus of ancient times, to the quills of the middle age (our hero Jose Rizal is famous in using this), to the ball point pens, fountain pens of the modern age. Indeed, the "writing tool" has greatly evolved.

                                                                         Reed PEN

                                                                    Words

The museum also preserves the Typewriter which is still being used by the Notary Public in the Philippines.

                                                                     Fountain PEN

Each of the "writing tool" has one goal and that is to express one's thought. And after viewing everything, I came up with these two reflections: that I must never get away of carrying a pen and that no sweetest gesture in the world that can beat a message from the heart, displaying one's handwriting using a PEN. Now, that is POWERFUL! :)

                                              Souvenir photo at the PEN MUSEUM 

                                                               Trying a PEN