Love Letter from a Pen

Dear Author,

    Good day, Sir! I would just like to let you on in a secret... At this point of my existence, I know that you are aware that I am already tired of thinking why did an overqualified and award-winning writer like you have chosen me as a tool for creating his masterpiece. When in fact, I am definitely no extraordinary pen. I actually don't function well, especially when the weather is cold, for my ink is somewhat drying up due to the coldness I feel inside. Nevertheless, I have come to realize that I must prevent such questions to clutter in my head, for I must be more than grateful for you held me in your hand and trasformed me from uselessness to usefulness. Extending my gratitude is an understatement for me to let you know how thankful I am to you.

    I have lots of shortcomings: one would be my dependence on my own ink, thinking that it will never ran out; second would be, being consistently inconsistent in pouring out my ink to things that are unworthy of it; third would mean boastfulness, for the times that I think that I write letters alone forgetting that it is only by your hand holding me that I am able to do something.

    Thank you Sir for not letting go of me... If there's one thing I'll ask from you, I think it will be the request to use me more to fill so many pages of another's notebook to inspire them that apart from you, the pen they see can do nothing. And that apart from you it can never write something... You always leave me awestrucked and dumbfounded at how you are able to use so many pens simultaneously, but that I will not question. For it was already given that you are inenarrable and that you are able to do things far more that what pens can imagine or even think of. For that I give you all my ink... and will praise you even up to the last drop of ink I could shed.

                                                                                                            Loving you lots,
                                                                                                            Your chosen Pen
                                                                                                      

Trust in the Midst of Pain

    Love doesn't hurt; it cannot and will never can. But rejection does hurt, so as loneliness, and the fear of losing your beloved. Love is the most misused word in the entire human race and in the whole wide world, mainly bacause of how vague and absurd the world gives meaning to it. Love didn't hurt, do not hurt, and will never hurt - all because God is equilibrium with love.  

    Being hurt is inevitable for no one is exempted from feeling it, and often than not, the ones who break your heart are also those you love the most. Ironic, indeed... but it is just very comforting to know that God isn't blind for Him not to see the ocean of deep pain you are into. Moreover, God ain't deaf for Him not to hear your cries. It's just that He is silent at times to test your faith.

    The story of Jesus' disciples in Luke 18:22-25 will give you a gist on what am I trying to point out. One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and he commanded them to cross the lake and Jesus went to sleep. Suddenly, the sky got mad and whined like a roaring lion, it rained so hard that it caused the boat to almost sink. So, the disciples woke up Jesus and told him the scenario... Jesus woke up and commanded the wind and the waves to calm down and they obeyed Him, as if nothing happened. Jesus was somewhat disheartened for His apostles' lack of faith.

    God at times is silent and asks nothing from us, aside from being a little more patient to put our trust in Him...

    Love itself is beautiful. It is not love but you, who inflicts pain to your own heart for giving away your love to someone, without a righteous cause. God knows your heart so well even those things you never tell. God sometimes doesn't give you what you want because He will give you what He knows you need.

    Entrust to God every detail of your life, even your love story and voila! Things will be oh so fine, I assure you. : )

Ironies ng Buhay

Oh well, bago pa man magsimula ang kaguluhan dito, define irony muna. Ayon kay mareng Merriam Websters, irony is the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning b: a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony c: an ironic expression or utterance. Masyadong malalim, ano ha? Tagalugin nalang natin ang irony... PANUNUYA. Oo yun nga, mas malalim yata, sige ganito na lang, simulan na natin ang kaguluhang ito upang maunawaan mo ng lubusan ang kahulugan ng salitang irony. 

Napag-aaralan ang salitang irony sa English subject kung saan ito ay pinakakahulugan na, irony is an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant. At ang Irony na iyan ay may tatlong uri: verbal, dramatic at irony of situation. Yun nga lang hindi yan ang ilalahad ko sa inyo. Sa school kasi napag-aaralan yan ang hindi mo napapansin, araw-araw limpak-limpak na ironies ang nakakasalamuha mo nang hindi mo namamalayan.

Para sa akin, mayroong dalawang uri ng irony. Ito ay ang mandatory at optional. Ngayon, dun muna tayo sa mandatory. Ito yung klase na wala ka ng ibang magagawa dahil bahagi na talaga iyon ng buhay mo - sa ayaw at sa gusto mo. Ika nga nila kung may reklamo ka, sa barangay ka na lamang dumiretso.

Mandatory Irony # 1 -  Damit: laba at plantsa

• 
  
  Isipin mo, maglalaba ka para dumihan ang damit... at kapag madumi na ang damit, lalabhan mo ulit.
  
  
• 
  
  Hindi lang plantsa ang iinit sa tuwing gagawin mo ang bagay na ito kundi pati ang iyong ulo, lalo pa't kung ayaw mo din magplantsa tulad ko. Paplantsahin mo ang polo o blouse mo bago ka umalis ng inyong tahanan para kapag sumandal ka sa jeep, lulukutin mo lang ulit ang damit mo.

Kamusta naman?

 

Mandatory Irony # 2 - Trabaho, Pera, Sakit

• 
  
  Igugugol mo ang buong buhay mo sa pagtatrabaho, sa propesyong napili mo para kumita ka ng sandamakmak na salapi. Dahil sa sobrang pagtatrabaho mo para maka-ipon ng madaming pera, hihina ang katawan mo, para kang isang nauupos na kandila, pagkatapos lahat ng kinita mo at inipon mo ng matagal sa pagtatrabaho mo... ipampapagamot mo lang din sa sarili mo.

Kamusta naman?

 

Mandatory Irony # 3 - Aral, aral, aral

• 
  
  Dalawang taon sa kinder.. Anim na taon sa elemantarya...... Apat na taon sa high school.... (kapag nagloko ka pwede pang madagdagan.) Apat na taon sa kolehiyo.... (kapag nagloko o nagrebelde ka, pwede ka pang grumaduate na suma. Sumasampung taon na.) Kung masipagsipag ka, magmasteral ka pa............ Kaya halos buong buhay mo nag-aaral ka, tapos kapag tumanda ka na, malilimutan mo na lahat ang formula sa Physics at Math. Malilito ka na sa pag-ispell ng attitude pero  malimutan mo man lahat ng inaral mo at ang matinong pagbabaybay, nawa'y hindi ang kahulugan ng salitang mahihirapan ka nang iispell, attitude.

Kamusta, kaya pa ba?

 

Mandatory Irony # 4 - Ama, Ina, Anak

• 
  
  Iluluwal ka sa mundo ng iyong ina. Papalakihin ka ng iyong ama at ina, sorry ka nalang kung hindi ka gaanong lumaki, isipin mo nalang baby face ka naman. Sorry ka din kung lumaki ka namang sobrang laki. Hindi maglalaon, maghahangad si anak ng sarili niyang buhay, at kailangan na niyang mamuhay sa sarili niyang mga paa. Iiwan na niya ang kaniyang mga magulang, how sad. Hindi naman ako bitter dahil wala pa naman akong anak. Ha-ha! Bilang anak lang, nararamdaman ko na balang araw, maghahangad din ako ng sarili kong buhay.

Hindi na ako mangangamusta... last na yan para sa mandatory irony.

 

Sa optional ironies naman tayo. Hindi na ako gaanong mag-eenumerate. Ganito nalang...

• 
  
  Mga kulot, nagpapastraight... Mga straight, nagpapakulot.
  
  
• 
  
  Matataba, nagpapapayat... Mapapayat, nagpapataba.
  
  
• 
  
  Maiikli buhok, nagpapahaba... Mahahaba buhok, nagpapaikli ng buhok.
  
  
• 
  
  Black buhok, nagpapablonde... mga blonde, nagpapaitim ng buhok.
  
  
• 
  
  Mapuputi, nagpapatan... Maiitim, nagpapaputi.
  
  
• 
  
  Kaibigan, inaaway... Kaaway, kinakaibigan.

 

Ang labo lang talaga sa earth. Kailangan mahigpit ang kapit ng mga turnilyo mo sa isip, nang hindi ito magkalasan at magsihulog mula sa ulo mo. Sadyang may mga bagay lang talaga na ganito, sa isang banda, pinapasaya lalo ng mga ironies na ito ang buhay natin. Pero sa ibang mga ironies, siguro contentment lang ang solusyon dun.

Kaya ako next time, imbis na pahirapan ko yung sarili ko sa pagsusulat at pag-iisip, hindi nalang ako siguro magsusulat ulit ng ganito. Hehe. Pero sabi ko nga kanina, pinasasaya at pinakukulit ng mga ironies ang buhay ng isang nilalang. AT sumaya naman ako sa ginawa kong 'to, buti nalang.

Sa tingin ko, kailangan nang itigil ang kaguluhang ito.

 

END.

 

Note: Ang lahat ng mga nabanggit ay opinyon ng may pakana ng kaguluhang ito. Kung meron kang reklamo o apila, malaya kang makapagpapaliwanag sa barangay.

Heartstrings

06.02.08 7:25PM

I was glaring at the mirror a while ago when suddenly tears rolled down my face. I was staring at myself not knowing who I really am and what I really want. I can be the most hated bratt in the entire universe but being a bratt is simply not who I ought to be. I can also be your ordinary bad girl but I do know that I am not created to be one. And none was solely created to be bad, they just existed the moment they decided who they want to be - whether it's all good or bad.

Well definitely, I don't want to be bratt nor your typical girl and whatsoever bad. I simply want to rediscover myself and my goal as an individual and most importantly as God's servant. Oftentimes, I realize that my friends or the people around me need not to put on me a sash with the "darling of the crowd" label on it for me to decide that I want to be good. But of course, I do thank God for the good friends He showered me with who offer me help and love. What I mean is that I need not lots of people's attention and affection because only a few will do as long as they're genuine and pure.

It somehow pains me that being good is tagged along by the thought that usually all I can do is to keep silent and never explain things to people who will not in a single second understand the things I am fighting for. Still, it's a must to hit them back with more love, understanding, and acts of random kindness for them to be able to comprehend the things I am after to without saying or explaining to them a thing. Sadly, sane people do not know how to be grateful with stuffs like these...

Nevertheless, I'd rather be insane than bad.

: )

Musmos

Nanay tatay gusto kong tinapay... Tagu-taguan maliwanag ang buwan... Bato bato pik... Ten twenty thirty... Bubuka ang bulaklak dadaan ang reyna... Langit lupa impyerno

im

im

im...

Okay tama na, kinanta mo na no? Ano lang kasi... hindi tungkol ang post kong ito sa mga nakasanayang laro natin noong bata tayo. Bagkos tungkol ito sa mga bagay-bagay tungkol sa atin noong tayo ay mga bata pa. Kung may ibang aapila at sasabihing bata pa naman ang sumulat nito hanggang ngayon, edi okay, noong tayo ay musmos na lamang.

Kanina kasi ang pamilya ko, mga kaibigan at ako ay nanggaling sa Yamaha fair dito sa Japan. Madaming mga pakulo ang mga tao, sa bawat boot may iba't-ibang mga laro at samut saring uri ng mga pagkain, bukod pa dyan, may anime show at mga inflatables. Hindi ako gaanong nag-enjoy hindi dahil ayoko na sa mga bagay na yun, siguro dahil sa lahat nang pinilahan kong boots, ako ang pinakamatanda para sa kategorya ng mga batang may edad apat hanggang labindalawang taong gulang. Naupo ako sa isang tabi at kumain na lamang nang biglang akong tawagin ng aking ina para sundan ko yung kasama naming bata na kasalukuyan nang nagtatatalon sa inflatables. Tumayo ako at tinahak ko ang direksyon papunta sa kinaroroonan ng inflatables.

Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na makasalamuha ng malapitan ang madaming bata sa iisang pagkakataon. Tinitigan ako ng isang batang babae at nginitian, sa hindi malamang dahilan tila para bang huminto ang mabilis na paggalaw nang aking paligid hanggang sa... iyak ng isa pang batang babae ang nagbalik sakin sa realidad. Umiyak siya dahil nadaganan siya ng iba pang mga bata at syempre wala siyang pakialam kung tumulo ang sipon niya habang iniiyak ang sakit na dulot nang pagkakadagan sa kanya. Hindi naglaon tumigil na siya sa kanyang pag-iyak at muling nakipaglaro sa mismong mga bata na nagdulot ng sakit sa kanya ilang segundo lamang ang nakalipas.

Masyado akong tinamaan sa eksenang iyon dahil sa sobrang pagkamangha habang napagtanto ko kung gaano kabilis maghilom ang sakit na naramdaman ng isang bata kalakip ang mabilis ding pagpapatawad sa kapwa bata na nakadagan sa kanya. Tanging ang tumulong sipon na lamang ang naiwang bakas ng sakit na kanyang nadama ilang sandali ang nagdaan. Napaisip ako kung bakit hindi lamang tumulo na sipon ang naiiwang bakas kapag nasasaktan ang mga taong hindi na musmos kalakip ang hirap para magpatawad.

Nakakatuwa ang mga musmos... masyadong simple ang kanilang mga buhay, wala masyadong komplikasyon: tanging ang pagtalun-talon sa inflatables ang kanilang pinoproblema, hindi ang halo-halong emosyon na nadarama ng isang estudyante na tutungtong na sa kolehiyo sa darating na pasukan; ang pag-ubos sa ice cream na binili nila daddy at mommy, hindi ang nakababaliw na pag-iisip ng isang magulang kung saan kukuha ng pagkaing ihahapag sa kanilang mesa kinabukasan; ang pagpupunas ng sipon na tumulo matapos umiyak, hindi ang pagtatakip ng isang teenager ng sandamukal sa concealer sa eyebags na lumobo dulot ng dramang I cried my self to sleep dahil heart broken siya; ang muling pakikipaglaro sa mga kapwa batang nagpaiyak sa kanya, hindi ang pagdadalawang-isip ng isang taong sinaktan sa pagbibigay ng isang lantay o tunay na ngiti sa taong nanakit sa kanya. Kung pwede lang sanang maging musmos habang buhay...

Kaya lang hindi.

Sa ayaw at sa gusto natin kailangan nating suungin ang mundo nang nakalulunod at mapangsuring tingin ng mga tao; ang nag-aanghangang mga salita na ibinabatong parang dinamita na kayang sumira ng buhay; ang paglunok sa araw-araw na kawalang-katarungan; ang walang hanggang pagbubuhat sa isang papalubog na bayan; ang maling batayan ng ganda ng isang nilalang; ang maling paggamit sa salitang pag-ibig; ang kagahamanang mahirap ikubli; ang mga kasalanang nagkalat sa apat na sulok ng kahon na ating tinitirhan na kung tawagin nila ay ang "tunay na mundo..."

Kailangan nating lumago upang tayo ay maging mas mainam na mga kaluluwa at nilalang. Bukod dyan, wala na kong maaninag na iba pang dahilan.

Panulat Para Sa Pambura... Pambura Para Sa Panulat.

Published in DLSAU's Basic Education official newspaper,
The Seed, in my column.

Erase... Erase...

Kamusta naman ako? Mag-aalasdos na kasi ng madaling araw eh. Well, hindi lang ako pinatulog ng mga bagay na gumugulo sa isip ko. Ok, ikekwento ko sa iyo ang mga bagay na iyon. Game...

Sa unang tingin, isang ordinaryong babae, bata pa nga kamo eh. Sa unang tingin, mukhang hindi pa alam ang mga bagay na nagpapaikot sa earth. Sa unang tingin, parang ang ayos ng lahat. Sa unang tingin, parang sobrang happy. Sa unang tingin, parang hindi pa naexperience ang masaktan. Sa unang tingin, mapagkakamalang isip bata. Sa unang tingin... Sa unang tingin... Sa unang tingin... Bakit kaya hindi mo i-try na tignan ulit nang masabi mong, "HINDI RIN!"

Hindi ako ordinaryo, dahil may nag-alis na sakin doon. Hindi ko pa alam ang lahat at kahit kailan hindi ko malalaman yun pero promise gagawin ko ang lahat para malaman kahit bahagya lang ng LAHAT na iyon. Masaya ako, oo. Pero hindi ganun kasaya. Gets? Nasaktan na ko kaya lang sa layo pa ng dapat kong lakbayin alam ko na wala pa ito sa kalingkingan ng pinakamasakit na yugto sa buhay ko. Kumbaga sa nilo-launch na pelikula eh trailer pa lamang ito o sneak preview. Kumbaga sa kabuoan, pahapyaw pa lang. Bata pa nga ngunit unti-unti na akong natutong maglakad at tumakbo.

Nabanggit ng kaibigan ko na sa buhay daw eh pwede ang erasures at sang-ayon naman ako dun. Yun nga lang naisip ko na importante din na iconsider yung panulat na ginamit. Parang sa eskwela, ang bawat studyante ay may dalang notebook at bawat notebook ay may design batay sa hilig o gusto ng taong nagmamay-ari sa kanya. Ok. Araw-araw ito'y kanilang pinupunan ng mga letra, pero hindi maiiwasan ang magkamali ng pagkopya sa pisara at magkaroon ng erasures. Siguro dahil pinangunahan natin si teacher na nagsusulat sa blackboard o kaya naman eh sinubukan nating ilihis patabingi yung sulat natin, yun nga lang pangit ang kinalabasan. Pwede rin namang tinamad tayo kaya sinummarize nalang natin.

Malabo ba? Ok ganito nalang, parang sa buhay minsan o dapat ko bang sabihin na kadalasan? O sya, sige, whatever ika nga.

Unang cause ng erasure:
Minsan-slash-kadalasan masyado tayong mainipin kaya pinangugunahan natin yung oras na itinakda para sa isang bagay. O kaya naman masyado ka ng nagmamagaling, akala mo lahat alam mo na pero dun ka nagkakamali. Ayan tuloy, erase... erase... Ang panulat na ginamit ay ballpen at ang pambura sa ballpen ay liquid paper. Kung kaya naman ang ballpen ay para sa liquid paper at vice versa. Parang sa buhay ulit, lahat ng pagkakamali ay may karampatang consequences.

Pangalawang cause ng erasure:
Inilihis ang pagkakasulat yun nga lang pangit ang kinalabasan. Isipin mo, ganoon din sa buhay, nasa tama ng landas liliko pa sa kanan o kaliwa. Natural, pangit ang kahihinatnan, lapis ang pinanulat, simpleng pambura ang gamit. Pero hindi dun yon nagtatapos, depende pa yun sa volume ng lapis. Sa lebel ba, Mongol 1, 2 o 3 ba yan? Dun din nakabatay ang consequence pag sa buhay na.

Pangatlong cause ng erasure:
Tinamad, kaya sinammurize nalang. Yun nga lang pinagalitan ng teacher, edi binura yung naunang sinulat at inulit mula sa simula. Sa buhay hindi uubra ang shortcuts, hindi yun effective. Once in a blue moon mangyari pero dadaanin din sa shortcut yung mabilis na pagkawala o pagkaubos ng mga nakamtan mo. Nanalo ka ng milyones sa lotto. Aba! Instant milyonarya ka neng! Pero sa dami ng gusto mong bilhin at sa dami ng gustong ipabili sayo, mabilis din itong mauubos. Oh di kaya naman eh nagkagulo-gulo ang pamilya mo dahil sa kayamanan mo at hihilingin mo na sana hindi ka nalang nanalo. Pero huli na ang lahat ng maisip mong hindi pala iyon ang sagot sa tanong na hinahanap mo. Hindi pala pera ang makakapagpaligaya sayo. Panulat na ginamit: pentel, oh pano mo buburahin? tsk... tsk... tsk...

Maaring may erasure sa bawat pahina ng iyong notebook. Hindi ba't kapansin-pansin ang mga bakas na dulot ng erasures? Pero ang importante ipinagpatuloy mo ang pagsusulat. Hindi mahalaga ang dami ng erasures, ang mahalaga kung gaano karaming beses mong ipinagpatuloy ang pagsusulat bitbit sa iyong isip ang pag-iingat upang hindi na muling magawa ang mga dating pagkakamali na nagdulot ng erasures.

Sa buhay hindi importante kung ilang beses kang nadapa at nasugatan (Oh, applicable parin ang erasure dahil pwedeng burahin ng ointment ang sugat.) Ang mahalaga bumangon ka, unti-unting naglakad at muling tumakbo.

Akalain mo? Naisip at naisulat ko ito ng alasdos ng madaling araw! Hindi normal...Ü

Winning Battles God's Way

I have been very paranoid these past few days. I don't want to admit that I am affected with what's happening around me. Like: global warming, air pollution, rapid population growth etcetera. Mainly because all I know is that I deserve to be treated right and fairly or if not atleast respected. I only thought that it is a part of my "human rights" to be well informed about what's going on with the air I breathe, my breathtaking hang out places, my politician friends and with my pet buddies. Little did I know that the "right" that was supposed be mine was little by little robbed by a being who daresay call me by my name but doesn't really know who I am. Darn. (Nose bleed.)

One day, as I stepped my feet on the ground of my center of learning, I saw leaves that were falling. There and then I realized that I being the tree cannot prevent my leaves from falling. Often times, all I can do is to just let them go... yet I must remain standing. No matter what season I may be in, no matter how many leaves i lose each day, it is just comforting to know that with the help of those who water me each day, above all with the help of that One who created the sun that supply the light I need, new leaves sprout and my branches grows strong and much stronger.

When I depended on my own strenght, I failed. I depended with my schema, I failed. I depended on my own ituition, still, I failed. But when I depended on God and His ways, hope filled me in; the spirit of forgiveness abundantly crashed into me; and perfect bliss surrounded my wall as I read these passages:

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!"Wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you. (Proverbs 20:22)

The Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.

(Psalm 135:12)

Well indeed, it's only through God that we can attain peace, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do iI give to you." (John 14:27); security, "Fear not for I am with you." (Isaiah 43:5); and undying love, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." (Jeremiah 31:3).

Need I say more? God planted lots of promises not just in the roots of my heart but also with each and every tree that surrounds me. The rationale that has been planted along with those promises is a reason more than enough for me to blissfully seize each moment and live it to the fullest.

God is good! Praise Him! : )

***

originally written on: February 1, 2008

first posted in Multiply

Ang Hindi Makulay Mong mga Pakpak

Sa isang hardin sa malayong lugar naglalagi ang napakaraming uri ng bulaklak. May dilaw, may pula, may puti, may bughaw at marami pang iba. May mga bagong usbong, meron din namang mga palanta na. Nababalot ng katahimikan ang lugar, tanging huni lamang ng mga ibon ang maaninag ng iyong mga pandinig. Hindi naging madali ang pamumuhay para sa mga bulaklak, lalo pa kung halos ubusin ng napakalakas na hangin ang kanilang pinakaiingat-ingatang mga talulot. Mas malala kapag bumabagyo dahil hindi lamang mga talulot ang maaring mawala sa kanila kundi ang mismong mga buhay nila bugso ng tuluyang pagkalanta.

Minsan ka ng nagbalak pumunta sa lugar na iyon ngunit umiral ang pagdadalawang isip mo at napagpasyahang huwag na lamang tumuloy. Hanggang dumating ang isang mayuming araw na natupad na ang matagal mo ng ninanais-nais na pagpunta sa hardin. Higit pa sa dosena ng mga bulaklak ang sumalubong sa iyong mga matatalas na mata, hindi ka magkandaugaga sa kung sino ba ang dapat mong unahing pagtuonan ng pansin at titigan. Hanggang sa isang bulaklak ang pumukaw hindi lamang sa iyong paningin kundi sa iyong damdamin. Nakita mo ang iyong napusuan na maligayang nakikipaglaro sa kanyang mga kaibigang paru-paro. Lalo kang natutuwa sa tuwing nakikita mo ang mayuyuming ngiti ng iyong iniibig na bulaklak, lalong napapalapit ang iyong loob, lalo mong ninanais na paulit-ulit na bumalik sa mismong lugar na kinaroroonan mo upang muli at palaging masilayan ang iyong napusuang bulaklak hindi alintana kung ito'y bagong usbong o kung palanta na.

Ilang araw ang nagdaan hanggang sa ito'y maituturing ng mga linggong lumipas patuloy padin ang iyong pagsipat sa iyong natatanging bulaklak. Hanggang sa isang araw, nang umalis ang kanyang mga kaibigang paru-paro, nagpasya kang lumapit sa kanya. Bitbit ka ng iyong mga pakpak na hindi tulad sa mga paru-paro ay makulay, nagpakilala ka at marahan din namang nagpakilala ang bulaklak. Doon mo ngayon nalaman, na siya pala ay isang bagong usbong na bulaklak pa lamang. Ngunit patuloy mo siyang kinausap kasabay ng pagsasantabi sa isang katotohanang kailanman ay alam mong hindi mo maikukubli. Maayos kang pinakitunguhan ng bulaklak, hindi alintana ang inyong magkaibang kaanyuan. Lalo kang nawili na mapalapit sa kanya upang ibalik din niya sayo ang damdamin mong matagal mo nang itinatago.

Lumipas ang mga buwan at tila para bang sumasang-ayon ang lahat sa plano mo, unti-unti ka na ring itinatangi ng itinuturing mo na iyong bulaklak. Nahulog na yata siya sa bitag mo hindi man kasing kulay ng mga paru-paro ang pakpak mo. Naging maligaya kayo, dahil dumating ang isang panahon, na tunay na itinangi ka na ng bulaklak. Wala ng ibang kagaya mo ang hinayaan niyang makipag-usap o makipagkilala sa kanya na may katulad ng iyong dating motibo. Ikaw lang at wala ng iba ang itinangi niya. Bihira na ang naging pagdalaw ng mga kaibigang paru-paro dahil sayo, naging masakit ito para sa bulaklak ngunit tahimik niya na lamang itong kinimkim hindi dahil sayo kundi para sayo.

Dumating ang isang panahon kung saan tila para bang iba ang panagana ng pagsikat ni haring araw. Kasabay ng naiibang kondisyon na ito ang kagaya ng kinagawian, dinalaw mo ang iyong bulaklak. Biglang may dumating na isang tutubi, na nagpakilala muna sa iyong bulaklak, bago ka niya pinagtuunan ng pansin. Dahil tila para bang wala naman masamang tinapay sa iyong bulaklak, pinakitunguhan niya ito sa maayos na pamamaraan. Naging interesado ka sa tutubing iyong nakilala, kung kaya't nang umalis ka, hinanap mo siya at tinanong kung pwede ba kayong magkita, sa isang lugar na malayo sa bulaklak. Mariin namang pumayag ang tutubi. Nagtagpo kayo gaya ng napakagkasunduan at muling nagtagpo, muli at muli pa ng lingid sa kaalaman nung inyong pinagtataguan.

Nakita kayo ng ibang mga bulaklak at kaibigang paru-paro ni bulaklak, sila ang nagsabi kay bulaklak tungkol sa inyong mga palihim na pagtatagpo. Kasabay ng mga paratang na iyon ang pagdating ng isang paru-paro, na hindi kaibigan ni bulaklak, o kaanu-ano man - hindi sila magkakilala. Tila para bang sila ay pinaglaruan ng pagkakataon at nagkasabay na lingunin ang bawat isa... nagtama ang mga paningin nila. Pinilit nilang parehong magsalita ngunit naging madamot sa kanilang dalawa ang mundo ng mga letra sa panahong iyon, pareho nilang inalis ang tingin sa bawat isa hanggang sa lumisan ang paru-paro ng hindi man lamang nila naitanong ang pangalan ng bawat isa. Naramdaman ng bulaklak ang pagnanais na muling makita ang paru-paro na naging realidad naman. At sa muli nilang pagkikita, tinanong ng bulaklak kung maari ba silang mag-usap. "Oo," sagot ni paru-paro. Hanggang sa siya na ang hinahanap ng bulaklak at hindi na ikaw. Oo. Hindi na nga yata ikaw.

Tinanong ka ni bulaklak tungkol sa mga paratang sa iyo. Mariin mo namang pinasinungalingan ang lahat ng mga iyon. Makalipas ang ilang panahon, ipinagtapat ni bulaklak ang kanyang nararamdaman, na isang paru-paro ang unti-unti nang pumupukaw sa kanyang damdamin. Napoot ka kay bulaklak, hindi mo man lang ikinalugod ang pagiging totoo niya sa iyo, ang tapang na kanyang tinipon upang masabi sa iyo ang bagay na maari namang hindi na niya sinabi dahil maaring pagtakpan ng iyong mga pabula.

Nagpasya ang bulaklak na ibaling ang kanyang atensyon sa paru-paro, naging matalik silang magkaibigan, at unti-unting bumalik ang iba pang kaibigan ng bulaklak, na sa buong pag-aakala niya ay hindi na mangyayari pa. Naging mas maligaya ang bulaklak, kaya na rin niyang makipagsabayan ng lipad sa mga itinatangi niyang mga paru-paro kung kalayaan lang itinatampok. Naging maayos ang lahat tulad ng kanyang mga talulot na naayos matapos ang isang matinding sigwa na dumaan sa kanya. Matapos ang lahat ng nangyari, hindi na basta bastang masasali-salimuot ang kanyang mga talulot dahil pinatibay ang lahat ng ito ng nagdaang sigalot. Hindi malamya ang mga bulaklak na bagong sibol, kaya din nilang maging kasing tapang kagaya ng mga matagal nang sumibol o kahit ng mga palanta na.


Salamat sa mga paru-paro...



Paalam sa'yo bubuyog...

Who is like Him?

We are living in a world wherein small matters are underestimated by almost everyone. When in fact it's from these small things that big things do come. Well yes, it's a cliche and mainly that is the reason why I love them, because they remind us of the things we forget. As how Vincent Van Gogh, a dutch painter, once said, "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." So true...


I think, we must admit that those small things we often neglect are the ones that can actually turn our lives around. In Acts 9:36-40, Peter raised Tabitha or Dorcas (her Greek name) from death. This news spread among people and most of them put their faith to Jesus the moment they heard the miraculous thing that occured.

I firmly believe that our time need not to witness people being raised from death for us to believe that God is alive and good. All we have to do is for us to focus our attention with the things we have rather than to those that we don't have. We must be thankful that despite of the rice hoarding in our country, we still have rice to accompany our daily menu; that we have nice and presentable clothes to wear each day we go to our school or work - that we have a job or the priviledge to study.

Small things are small things but when put together it will surely be something huge. We must gather all the tiny things in life and put them up together, for I am pretty sure that those are reasons more than enough for us to believe that God is not just good and great, for He is totally extravagant and magnificent.

Better start counting the ants then could you please tell me who is like the Lord?

Quotable Quotes

A day wouldn’t essentially pass me by not receiving a single quotation via SMS from any of my acquaintances. Some makes sense and some… well, just never mind. Those that make sense bring comfort and felicity to my heart and those that don’t somehow make me chew over these thoughts about quotation and stuff. Some quotations were affiliated with the word cliché. And some people make those famous clichés as their license to excuse themselves from the possible consequences of their acts whenever they fall short or whenever they do half-witted acts.I have here some famous clichés and my own versions that oppose them:

Cliché #1 - "You’ll never know what you have until you lose them."

My version – "We always know what we have; we just don’t know we’ll lose them."

Well indeed, we always know what we have and that’s the reason why we neglect that something or someone we have… all because we think they’ll forever stick around. And when we lose them that will be the time when we will only be reminded of what we have.

THINK.

Cliché #2 – "This trial is meant to happen for me to learn something."

My version – "This trial is meant to happen for me to unlearn something."

Oftentimes, we become so witty that we do not consider or recognize friendly help and advice from other people. We think that we are only created for ourselves and that we do not need others anymore. We sometimes need to unlearn something for us to go back to the basics and build the foundation of our character in a deeper manner.

THINK.

Cliché #3 – "Think out of the box."

My version – "It’s not getting out of the box; it’s getting the box out."

Dreams are made for us to create our goals that we would want to attain within a span of time… so why think that you’re dreams are too big that they seem so impossible for you to reach. Yeah, right. It’s not just getting out from the box for you should get that box from hindering you in reaching your dreams. Impossible dream…? Well, dream anyway, and do something to turn it into reality.

THINK.

Cliché #4 – "I am waiting for the perfect moment for me to live my life to the fullest."

My version – "Live in the moment and you make it oh so perfect."

Plainly waiting for the perfect moment is plainly wasting time. Waiting is good, but you should live in the moment and fill in the gaps while waiting. Time is fleeting; every minute we lose is another minute we can never bring back.

THINK.

T – try

H – honing your

I – intelligence

N - not only your

K - knowledge

Knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association while intelligence is the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems.

Think twice before applying quotations into your life… and you also have to think twice before forwarding some of them via SMS, you never know how it affects others when they received them. : )

Truth Decay

Truth Decay

***

Published in DLSAU's Basic Education official newspaper,

The Seed, in my column.

"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that… it’s not the answer." – Jim Carrey

Short yet striking… Isn’t it? Whether we like it or not we must admit that this is our world but it is nice to know that in every problem, there’s always a cure for it. By the way, I will be your emcee for today, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you our speakers. So without further a do, allow me to present to you Mr. Money, Ms. Fame, and Mr. Power to tell us their stories. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give it up for Mr. Money!

Mr. Money: "Hi guys! If you would ask Mr. Webster about me, he will tell you that I am generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment. Now, I will be the one to tell you who I really am. I have seen people’s insatiable desire to have me, I have seen lots of relationships that have been broken because of me, and lots of disheartening stories that a person could ever have. Now I wonder if it is really I that makes the world complicated or those people who do not know how to manage me? People wrestle with each other just for the sake of having lots of me – money, thinking that, they would be happier if they can do anything they want to do through me. But they’re definitely wrong. Look, I can buy you the biggest and grandest house ever, but I can’t buy you a good night sleep. I can buy you rolex but I can never buy you time. Yes, you can have lots of companion because of me but I tell you that you can never have a friend just through me. I am ONLY accepted as a medium of exchange for all of the visible things, those of the material ones. I know that I can never buy those that are unseen. Sounds pathetic...


Yes you! I am talking to you. I know that you need me in order for you to live, but you must know that I am not EVERYTHING you need. I am not and will never be. It is not I who you want, what you want is far beyond anything I can offer to you for haplessly I couldn’t give you the joy that you think you might get from me. So I think I must leave now, the bank just called me, someone’s going to withdraw some of me today. Thank you for listening, got to go guys."


There you have it, our first speaker, Mr. Money. Better not to forget all that he said. So moving on, allow me to present to you our second speaker, Ms. Fame. A warm round of applause for her please. *applause*


Ms. Fame: "I feel very tired of running from people who chase after me… those who are willing to do everything just for them to have me. And when I say everything, trust me; it’s really everything, even the most absurd thing or act just to be noticed by others. Espy the reality shows, tons of teenagers are very much willing to take part with those kinds of activity than to study. Whew! But to balance everything, there are still teenagers left who dream big for themselves and not chasing after the wind as how others do to me. They think I am the road towards my fellow speaker, Mr. Money. They’re wrong, so wrong. Living in the mainstream is no joke. You’ll lose yourself and your privacy. Your life will be publicized and when that day comes, you’ll hide from the paparazzi who’ll always take the snap shots of your life for them to earn a living. I am an extraneous thing for you. You can actually live without me. For you are given the boon to choose between me and a simple life. I cannot promise to you that I’ll be able to bring you to that place flowing with milk and honey and to transform you to that someone you want to be. Because there will always be people who will bring you down. So will you please stop bothering me? Go ahead live your own life because I am living mine."


So what can I say…?There are lots of profound thoughts from Ms. Fame that we must ponder. Now, let’s hear from Mr. Power.


Mr. Power: "As I can see, the pursuit of having power is now pandemic. It’s like a plague that came to one place that suddenly killed everybody there. Sadly, people can kill their fellow men just to have me. Why? What’s wrong? What can I do to them? I cannot make them as strong as Superman or whoever. Yes, it is a part of someone’s desire to control over something and with everything due to the insufficiency of this one thing we call – contentment. An obsolete illness we inherited from our past. I’ll not make my speech a namby-pamby one. All I want to imply to you is that, power is very deceiving; power can make you compromise your beliefs. So better exert yours into good things. For someday, you’ll be able to reap everything you have sown. I definitely know that I being the power could destroy you if you mismanaged me. So for a friendly advice, I recommend that you must handle me very well. Like Mr. Money and Ms. Fame, I, Mr. Power, couldn’t make you HAPPY. And I apologize for that."


Well, I really think that we heard lots of profuse thoughts from our three speakers. And I am pretty much aware that we are somehow convicted. It is normal for us to lust for money, but we must know that it isn’t everything we need. Just see how a famous celebrity ended her own life, Marilyn Monroe, she was once "The most advertised celebrity" in 1950’s and one of those high paid star during her times but she was found dead on August 5, 1962, due to poisoning herself, a "probable suicide." Come to think of it, why did she kill herself? When in fact, she almost has everything a person could yearn for – money, fame, and power. But is she happy having them?


Life isn’t all about material things, for life is all about what’s inside you and me. Indeed, the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.

"9People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. 10The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

There’s always a remedy for tooth decay that is why I am hopeful that there’s also one to mend truth decay. I’ll end with these lines, "Truth is truth even if nobody believes in it, and a lie is a lie even if everybody believes it."

So I think, our program finally reached its end. I really hope that you have learned something today. Go ahead and let the truth sets you free! God bless you. : )