What matters most?

I was very disappointed when my laundry woman delivered my laundry today. She accidentally poured a bleaching agent on my black top. Well, yeah, it happens. But this is my new favorite top and I was only able to wear it twice. Now, i couldn't wear it.

Did I get mad at her?

No.

It is just a top. I can always find another "favorite" top. My point is, these are just material things. they can be replaced. The lady was brave enough to admit her mistake. It took her a lot of courage to approach me and tell me about it. Scolding her wouldn't solve the problem, won't repair my black top. But scolding her would probably put her feelings down a little bit more. I know the lady personally. her husband is a drunkard, and she spends her time doing other people's laundry to support her family. Does this give her an excuse? No. But I think she has a lot to worry about and I didn't want to burden her emotionally.

In our every day life, things do not happen the way we always want it to be. Sometimes we are burdened by a lot of things that we feel like giving up, breaking down. And one wrong move by someone could make us snap. But what if the other person is feeling the same way too? Worse than the way we do?

Before we let off the steam, can't we try to assess if it is really worth it? Or are we just complaining because of something worth a hundred peso or less?

Which do you think is more important?

Blog Your Blessings Sunday: Bountiful Land

I left this place when I was fourteen years old to study in the city with my two cousins. Since then I became accustomed to the city life and never looked back at this place. After I graduated from college, I was lucky enough to land a job in a company known internationally. For eight years I moved from one city to another. I would occasionally visit our place, but during the short visits I was always in a hurry. Country living never appealed to me. Until recently. Six months ago I was heart broken because my romance with the city was cut when my husband and I decided to move back home. I was not very happy with the decision but there are things we need to do even if it does not bring us so much joy. We just need to because it feels right. So we moved, and now I'm loving it.

I am blessed with this beautiful view from my bedroom window. During the months of April and May, this land was dry and barren, but it is heaven to kids who were flying their kites. When the rain started to fall, it was wet and muddy, but it was a blessing to the farmers who were eager to plant rice. Now, after months of toiling the land, it is a mixture of green and yellow and brown. The colors of harvest time. Soon, every storage room within our little place will be filled with sacks of rice. A reassurance that there will be enough to feed a family until the next harvest time, or that a student will be able to pay his tuition fee in the next semester.

I do not have to look far to appreciate some more the blessings of living in the rural area. Our backyard is filled with vegetables. If I needed an eggplant for breakfast, a "siling labuyo" or a calamansi, I only need to look within our yard, and I would find them there. A relative dropped by this morning and gave us 40 pieces of milk fish fresh from the pond. A kilo in the market would cost us almost a hundred peso.

The free things within this place are indeed blessings. But the real blessing for me is the patience, hardwork, the kindness, the unpretentious life that unfolds in my very eyes everyday.

A ray of light

Another friend is scheduled to leave the country to try her luck in a foreign land, Canada. When I heard the news, I only felt happiness for her. She has been through a lot and she deserves this opportunity. When she was still working with me in the same company, she had been put through hell. Her integrity was questioned. But she managed to overcome the trials. And now, she is rewarded with a working visa in Canada, a start of a brighter future for her and her family.

While contemplating on my friend's luck, something came over me. Why should I question God's plan for me when I can see Him doing wonders with other people's lives. People who suffered too and now are emerging victorious.

God's works are everywhere. I may be having a difficult time in a certain aspect of my life, but I should remain hopeful, and faithful. His assurance is through the lives of other people. I may not receive the answer that I want to receive from HIM now, but I know, my prayers will be answered soon. Just like everybody else around me. In God's perfect time, He will give the answer that He knows befits me

A telenovela entitled Philippine Politics

A few hours ago, former President Joseph Estrada, convicted of plunder , was given by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,full pardon. Just a few weeks after being convicted, and after the appeal on his case was withdrawn, the full pardon was finally given by the President.

The decision was met with various reactions by the Filipino people. On my part, I was stunned. It was too sudden for me. I have followed the case way back when then President Estrada was being impeached. Had I been in Manila during the time when the envelope was decided not to be opened, I would have joined the people in the streets in protest. I was never fond of Estrada and his family, so when he was convicted, I rejoiced. Finally, I thought, justice was given. But now, he gets a full pardon. Some said it was a compassionate justice, to which I would ask, how about the ailing prisoners in Muntinlupa, where is compassionate justice? For some it is a move for political reconciliation? Again, I would ask, what about political justice and rule of law? For some it might be because President Gloria Arroyo hopes that when she gets convicted with the various accusations of graft being thrown at her, she would also be granted full pardon. And I would ask, When will she get convicted?

Politics here in the Philippines is like a "telenovela". Full of scheming characters, the villains usually are the one in power, while the main character is being used, abused, or taken for granted. Despite the main characters misfortune, he remains hopeful and believing. He still finds ways to be happy, to live and to make a difference. I am sure that the main character in this telenovela entitled Philippine Politics, is the Filipino people. And I am sure that any one who reads this will know who are the villains.

Just like any telenovela, in the end, the main character emerges victorious and vindicated.

Will the Filipino people experience this victory and vindication? I believe yes. The only question is when?

In my own way, I will try to make a difference. In the coming Baranggay election, I will cast my vote. I will vote for someone who I believe could help the main character find victory and vindication in this life long telenovela.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday: Money is not Everything

This was proven by an eleven year old boy named Gicoven Abarquez or "Gangga" when he surrendered to the police a bag containing eighteen thousand pesos (18,000). He found the bag on his way to school. The money could have helped his poor family, but Gangga chose to do the right thing. Despite poverty, he was not tempted to keep the money because his mother taught him not to keep things which are not his. Because of the good deed, he received a citation from Dagupan City Police (Pangasinan, Philippines). Rewards in the form of gifts, school supplies and even scholarship were given to the boy.

I am so proud of you Gangga, and your mother deserves a standing ovation.

You make me so proud to be a Pangasinense.

Source: http://punch.dagupan.com/

Green green grass on my lawn.

I used to think that the grass is greener at the other side of the fence. I have envied a lot of people. Thinking that they are living a better life, a perfect life. But of course, I am wrong.

When I was still working, my life evolved only around my work and my family. I was not able to nurture my relationship with my friends. I would see them in passing, catch a news or two about them, but never really catching up. Lately, I have been reconnecting with old friends. And it amazes me that the perfect life I imagined them to be having is also the same impression that they have on me. Funny.

Indeed, there is no such thing as a perfect life.

We only believe that the grass is greener at the other side of the fence until we learn to appreciate how healthy our lawn looks.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday:My happiness

"Happiness is to joy as an electric light bulb is to the sun. Happiness always has an object, you're happy because of something, it's a condition whose existence depends on external things." from susana tamaro's novel follow your heart.

The softness of my child's skin.
Her laughter.
My husband's voice.
Buffy and her pup's.
Books.
Pencil.
Paper.
Crayons.
Coloring books.
Hot cocoa early in the morning.
Music.
Rain.
Sunlight.
Chirping of the birds.
Words.
Lines.
Cloth.
A warm embrace.
People.

If happiness is a condition that is dependent on external things, then it is a choice to be happy and to stay happy. With or without the things that makes us happy, we can always find happiness somewhere.

Just a few minutes ago I was complaining to my daughter about my stomach ache. And I was caught off guard when she said "Mom, don't mind the pain, just tell yourself you are happy. That's what I do when you won't allow me to play with my friends."

I hope everybody can find their happiness even in little things, just like my six year old kid.

Friends

Ever felt like your heart will burst with overflowing emotions? I did. Last night I couldn't contain the emotions in my heart. I was nearly crying in pain, excitement, anxiety, happiness, faith, and only through writing how I feel that I was able to pacify my heart. For some reason, I cannot log in to my account. But this did not stop me from pouring my emotions through words, pen and paper was my lifesaver.

After gathering a lot of courage, I sent a text message to my long lost friend. I was only expecting a text message, but to my surprise, he called. And he called again today.

Ours is a friendship that I believe transcends time, distance and lack of communication. We may not talk or see each other for ages, but in a certain part of my heart, he will always be present.

Our friendship bloomed despite the distance. It was unexpected. But we clicked instantly. one family gathering and my life changed. I am an only child, he has two brothers and no sister. Maybe he completed my yearning for an older brother to look up to, and I, on his wish for a sister to dote on. From the moment we talked, we became inseparable. When their short vacation ended, our friendship still continued. We managed to nurture the budding friendship through letters. We would drift in and out of each others lives, but whenever we find our way back into each other, we also find our friendship stronger than ever. We met other people, fell in love, fell out of love, until we found our one true love, still, in our hearts we remained true friends.

We have so many unspoken questions, untold tales of failure, success, defeat, triumph, stories of our life without one another. With just one "hello" everything went back to its right place, despite the unspoken words.

Welcome back pare, kuya, cousin and my best friend.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday: Back to basics.

I would like to share something from Robert Fulghum's thoughts in his book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back when you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt sombody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life-learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for the traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even little seed in the styrofoam cup- they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned-the biggest word of all- LOOK.

These are simple rules. So simple yet so useful. When life gets so complicated, let us go back to our childhood and learn all over again these basic things.

Can we say we are better now in following these simple rules than we were in kindergarten?

Desperate Housewives "insult" on Philippine Medical Schools

On school days, I usually would wake up at 6 am to prepare the things my daughter would need for school. A cup of coffee plus the latest news on ABS CBN Umagang Kay Ganda morning show is what wakes up my senses. Yesterday was quite different, it was not a cup of coffee that gave me the adrenalin rush, it was about the news on an episode of Desperate Housewives where Teri Hatcher made a remark on Philippine Med Schools.

"Can I check those diplomas again? Because I would just like to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines." —Susan Mayer - Teri Hatcher's character

It may be "just a stupid script", we may be overreacting, but reality is, there are approximately 115 million viewers whose impression of Philippine Medical Schools would be affected. Like it or not, if we hear something like this, a teeny tiny doubt
would cross our mind, even for just a second on the qaulity of Filipino medical professionals.

For someone whose husband is a nurse, whose relatives and friends are in the medical profession working in the US, I feel quite insulted. The people I know did not just buy their diploma, they worked hard for it. To insinuate that the Philippine Medical schools are inferior as compared to US standards is unfair. Statistics would show that there are growing number of Filipino nurses and doctors who are working in the US. Not only because there is a shortage of nurses but because these professionals are also world class. The Filipino nurses and doctors were not just hired out of need but they passed the requirements needed for them to work there legally.

Filipinos are not perfect, neither is Teri Hatcher, or the writers of Deperate Housewives, nor it's producers, not even the US President. No one is perfect. But to step on someone in order to make a point is quite unacceptable, even a not so perfct person would know this.