How to Overcome Sadness

How to Overcome Sadness

We all have bad days, but don't let them ruin how you feel about yourself or others.

Steps

1. List everything in your life you are thankful for and be happy. Put humour in your life! Learn to laugh at yourself or rent your favourite funny videos. Do not make any big decisions while you're in this state. Wait until you're feeling better so you can rationally weigh the ups and downs of your decisions. Do something that you enjoy or that will keep you busy, like clearing your house, volunteer, or read your favorite book.
2. Try to make some plans with your friends. Chances are that you'll have tons of fun. Don't expect too much of yourself. Face the things that you're dreading. Once you do, you're bound to feel a lot better. Buy yourself or someone else a gift. Relax. Take a long walk by yourself to think things over, take a bubble bath, or listen to soothing music. Be sure to get enough sleep by going to bed and waking up at reasonable times. Being tired makes you feel more stressed and annoyed.
3. Give someone a hug. Everybody likes those. It'll make both of you feel good. Know that what you are going through is very common. Talk to someone you trust about what you are feeling - they can help you sort through your emotions.
4. Get some exercise. When you exercise, your body makes more special chemicals called endorphins that help to improve your mood. Regular exercise will also help to maintain a regular even appetite and sleep schedule - both important to your mental state as well. Practice deep relaxation exercises. Pray or read something inspirational . Don't dwell on your weaknesses or mistakes. Think of things that you love about yourself or that you've done to help someone. Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments.
5. Prepare for tests early. Eat healthier meals and snacks. A good diet helps you both physically and mentally.
6. Set realistic goals. Always take things one step at a time. Stop worrying about things that may never happen. Find yourself. Find yourself. Get involved with things you like to do. Keep a journal. Your journal can act as someone you can always vent to and will never judge you. Make time for fun.
7. Do something totally selfless and anonymous - volunteer at a shelter or local treatment facility. Give thought to how much you have if you have a roof over your head, food to eat and are healthy.
8. Do not try to get rid of your bad thoughts especially in loss of a loved one- by fighting them when they came to your mind. Just let them move through your head, think of them, but don't let them take control over you. Manage them, for example if you are at work, leave them for a better time to think of. Struggling in order to get rid of some thoughts will make them stronger.
9. Remember that your mind is a battleground and you are the one who has to write the story of this battle. If you solve any problem inside your head, no longer it's of importance that if the truth is the way you like it or not. Is there anything happening in the real world when you don't know of it. In better words from works of Jean Baudrillard the French philosopher if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, has the tree fallen at all?
• cry, not just about the bad stuff, but what you have to help deal with the bad stuff, friends, family, a possible lover, I know from experience, remembering that YOU ARE NOT ALONE and devoid of love, combined with tears of sadness, acrually obliterate your negative emotions. Don’t be afraid to do this.

Tips

• Relaxation and making time for fun are essential to making yourself feel better.
• If you are reading this to help someone else, the worst thing you can do is not to take the sadness seriously. The best thing you can do is to listen and tell that person that their sadness is real. Do not yell at them or dismiss them; you will only make that person crawl into his or her shell even more deeply.
• Help others

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Personal and Inspirational Text Messages

I am blessed to have friends who always share their inner thoughts with me. They use their cell phones so our human connections are never hampered. These thoughts and personal text messages became my reminders and inspirations. I want to share these thoughts and messages with my blog readers that no matter what happens, all beautiful things in life must go on.

If what you see by the eye doesn't please you, then close your eyes and see from the heart, because the heart can see beauty more than the eyes can ever wander.

The winning horse doesn't know why it runs a race. It runs because of the whip and pain. Life is a race. If you are in pain then clearly God wants you to win.

You can't tap you back for a job well done, you can't hug yourself for comfort and you can't cry on your shoulders when tears fall and this way you have friends in your life to let them do whatever you can't.

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to God can stand up to everything

Quality life doesn't mean having wealth, intelligence or power. It is how much kindness and love you give to others and the joy you get from it.

Never get discouraged when things go beyond your expectations. Always remember that the greatest story in life is not winning but rising every time we fall.

Through prayers God hears more than you see. He answers more than you ask. He gives more than you desire. All he needs is your heart and your time.

Friendship is a collection of hearts, ready to give, share, and understand. It never fades. It only reminds us that life is not perfect without a friend.

In life, you realize that the people you meet have a purpose. Some were put there to test you. Some would bring out the best in you. Some may cause you pain but you will learn to move on. So let go of the people who can't treat you right and hold on to those who love you back and see your worth.

Why is the windshield bigger than the rearview mirror? This is because what is ahead is more important than what is already behind.

Time alone can prove the worth of a person. As time goes by, we lose the false ones and keep the best because true people stay when all the rest are gone.

Don't miss the chances that life is giving you to spend with the people you love. Remember, in life there are no rewinds.

No one is born happy. But all of us are born with the ability to create happiness.

Life is indeed full of contradictions. Sometimes it's crazy to be sane; you need to fall to fly. People suffer because you care; you have to unlearn to know the lesson. You have to give up because you are strong. You have to be wrong to make things right. Nonetheless, life's complexities are also our sources of beauty. We need to cry to laugh again, fall apart to be whole again and get hurt to love again.

We postponed life while we are busy making a living so work like you don't need money, love like you never hurt and dance like no one is watching.

The deepest level of worship is praising God despite the pain, thanking God during trials, trusting him when tempted and loving him when seemed distant.

A word of love gives space to life, a word from a friend gives happiness to the heart and the word of God gives direction to our lives.

Learn to embrace the simplicity of life, learn to be satisfied with what is enough for you and desire more for heavenly reward.

Your failure is not your future. Defeat is not your destiny. You may be knocked down seven times but rise up because you're born to win.

You need to feel a bit deprived at times, a bit lonely and in a way incomplete because if you have gotten everything here on earth, would you still look up to heaven?

Sometimes we look much too far in a distance to find that one person to we could share our lives without realizing that often times they are just right in front of us, loving us quietly all this time.

Never push yourself to the limit. Humans do have limitations. Remember that even metals get tired, so rest if you must but never surrender.


God wants us to live like the grass. Even if it is stepped on, crushed, burned and cut, it always persists and grows back even greener and stronger.

Trials are not the reasons to give up but a challenge to improve you. Pain is not an excuse to back out but an inspiration to move on.

Happiness is a very subjective factor in one's life. Being happy doesn't depend on achieving what you want, but rather making the best out of what is given. Life is not fair, it never was. The only thing that can make you completely happy is contentment. Be contented of what you have but be sure to aim high and never stop believing you can do better every time. But if all else fails, don't forget that an ordinary person like you have an extraordinary God to back you up.

Desiderata

Desiderata is Latin for "Things to be Desired


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 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 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 critical 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 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 careful. Strive to be happy.

How to Live Life to the Fullest

Life is short, and everyone should live life to the fullest! You only get one chance to live. Make it the best. Each person lives differently, so make the spotlights shine on your life!

Transforming Your Life Changing your life is possible. See the process of Christian conversion www.gnmagazine.org/conversion

Achieve Your Dreams Positive Thinking and Real Mind Power - UndergroundTechniques! www.realmindpowerskills.com

How to be happy Watch this short video on the key To happiness and joy in knowing God www.HappinessAndGod.com

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Steps

1. Make a list of things you want to do before a certain birthday. For example, list thirty things you want to do before you turn thirty. Your list can be made up of places to visit, people to meet or befriend, improve talents or abilities to acquire, or just fun things to do. This way, you have some goals to aim at, and you can keep track of what you have done and what you still want to do.
2. Make a to-do list or a schedule every day! Don't just lay around all day without painting the fence, visiting Aunt Mary Ann, or finally taking that walk to the park. Have fun!
3. Remember "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day." - Live life in the moment. The only thing that is assured in life is this moment and death. So cherish every moment of life and make it worthwhile.
4. Try making life better for the less fortunate people in the world. They could be anyone, from an orphan in Africa to a pauper in Calcutta. Some dollars less in your account will not make a significant difference to you but will make an impact on someone's life. These are the deeds that make you happy in reality, knowing that you have made a difference.
5. Be comfortable with yourself. Love and accept yourself, even if others don't; especially so that you can show love (kindness) to others "as you would have them love you." Know who you are. You will naturally become an outgoing person if you can do this.
6. Have an internal locus of control (an internal locus of control implies the belief that one is largely in control of the things that happen to her/him), meaning be who you are and stay true no matter the situation. Be strong and continue to grow your entire life, as you are in control your own spirit and attitudes. No one can normally make you say or do anything that you don't want to do.
7. Accept other people, even if they're different. Really different. You don't have to like everyone, just show acceptance and tolerance, and you'll be cool with almost everyone (extremely important in connections later on). Also understand not everyone has your world view, thinks like you, or has the same values. But one thing everyone does want is to be treated kindly. You can't judge anyone else because you don't know what that person has been through and how one is affected. Not everyone reacts to the same situations the same way. Some have more tolerance than others. Judging anyone is purely to organize your own little world into making a little more sense at the other person's expense.
8. Find a purpose or meaning to your life. Whether that be a cause to help the world, religion, or just any kind of worthwhile goal (world domination only if you'll treat the world right).
9. Accept death. Yes, it can be scary. But it's going to happen, one day you will die. Let it echo through you, and you can begin to appreciate life. Trust you will be okay. Trust it or you'll go crazy. Live your life with the motto: " If I die now I die happy. " Wouldn't it be nice if supposedly you would die now to know that many people would attend your funeral because you've been a great person?
10. Stop caring what other people think about you. If you've done the previous step, then this one should be easy. Just apply faith and trust in the fact that you will die someday, to yourself, and press forward with the fact that you were meant to be yourself no matter what other people say.
11. Do something that scares you to death and you'll feel alive.

Tips

• Keep a diary or journal. It doesn't have to be fancy, or wordy, or confessional. Just make sure that you're recording information about your accomplishments. Even an ordinary day spent in a good mood is a kind of accomplishment. Whenever you feel as though your life is worthless, fraudulent, or otherwise rotten, refer to this diary as a much-needed reminder of happier times. More will come!
• Live each day as if it's your last! There's no day but today to do what you want.
• In this idealistic approach, it is also necessary to balance it with reality. Life is a balancing act, it requires constant effort.
• Stop listening to anyone but yourself sometimes, but then listen to everyone for some advice via experience in crucial matters. There is safety in a multitude of advisers, but you still decide for yourself!
• Clear up your mind every once in a while.
• Think positive! Avoid being surrounded by negative people.

Warnings

• Once you make a plan, follow it! There's no point in making a to-do list or a schedule if you aren't going to go through with it then don't do it.
• Do not whine about what you don't have. Enjoy what you have and desire, work towards what you want to have and you'll get it hopefully.
• Don't feel jealous of people who are either better looking or have more money, or for that matter have anything that you don't but desire. Try to achieve it by working hard and making things work for you. Beauty and materialistic things in life don't last very long. What lasts is your soul. So it is important to have a clean and beautiful soul.
• Be the miracle in someones life and your own, don't wait for a miracle to happen.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Condoms aren't completely safe. A friend of mine was wearing one and got hit by a bus.

BOB RUBIN

Don't ask the barber whether you need a haircut.

DANIEL S. GREENBERG

If you cannot catch a bird of paradise, better take a wet hen.

NIKITA KHRUSCHEV

Never eat anything whose listed ingredients cover more than one-third the package.

JOSEPH LEONARD

Write injuries in dust, benefits in marble.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first.

DAVID H. COMINS

Let your intentions create your methods and not the other way around.

THE AUTHOR although Benjamin Franklin said it first

Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper.

QUENTIN CRISP

You can't tell your friend if you've been cuckolded. Even if he doesn't laugh at you, he may put the information to personal use.

MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE

Put all your eggs in one basket and WATCH THAT BASKET!

MARK TWAIN

It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.

STUART'S LAW OF RETROACTION

Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

ERMA BOMBECK

Don't go to piano bars where young, unemployed actors get up and sing. Definitely don't be a young, unemployed actor who gets up and sings.

TONY LANG

Live simply that others may simply live.

ELIZABETH SEATON

Murder is always a mistake. One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner.

OSCAR WILDE

Always obey your superiors—if you have any.

MARK TWAIN

Dare to be naive.

R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER

Never underestimate a man who overestimates himself.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and shoot down the middle.

PRAGMATIC CREED

The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet.

DAMON RUNYON

One does not moisten a stamp with the Niagara Falls.

P. W. R. FOOT

This warning from the New York City Department of Health Fraud: Be suspicious of any doctor who tries to take your temperature with his finger.

DAVID LETTERMAN

No leg's too short to reach the ground.

LYNDON IRVING

She that knows why knows wherefore.

JIM SNELL

He digs deepest who deepest digs.

ROGER WODDIS

My dear, I don't care what they do, so long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses.

MRS. PATRICK CAMPBELL

Never call a man a fool; borrow from him.

ADDISON MIZNER

If it might break, don't go near it.

HERBERT STEIN

Go through the motions anyway; you might get lucky.

THOMAS MAGNUM

When you handle yourself, use your head; when you handle others, use your heart.

DONNA REED

When the telephone rings, it is against the law not to answer it.

RING LARDNER

Comments from the public are always welcome in courts of law. When you start speaking, an usher will call "Silence in court" to ensure that you are heard without interruption.

PETER ALEXANDER

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LIFE

Life! Can't live with it, can't live without it.

CYNTHIA NELMA

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

MAHATMA GANDHI

Some people die at twenty-five and aren't buried until they are seventy-five.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

While alive, he lived.

MALCOLM FORBES etched on his tombstone

Life's experiments are great fun. This is but another one.

RUDYARD KIPLING

A man's life of any worth is a continual allegory.

JOHN KEATS

Unified, disciplined, armed with the secret powers of the atom and with knowledge as yet beyond dreaming, Life, forever dying to be born afresh, forever young and eager, will presently stand upon this earth as upon a footstool and stretch out its realm amidst the stars.

H. G. WELLS

There's an old joke: Two elderly women are at a Catskill Mountain resort and one of them says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know, and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life.

Woody Allen opening lines to Annie Hall

The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy.

HELEN HAYES AT AGE 83

Some say life is the thing, but I prefer reading.

RUTH RENDELL

We cannot be normal and alive at the same time.

E. M. CIORAN

Is life not a hundred times too short for us to stifle ourselves?

FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

Who knows? Maybe my life belongs to God. Maybe it belongs to me. But I do know one thing: I'm damned if it belongs to the government.

ARTHUR HOPPE

I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

DEUTERONOMY 30:19

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden.

MARK TWAIN TOM SAWYER

Life is too short to waste In critical peep or cynic bark, Quarrel or reprimand: 'Twill soon be dark; Up! Mind thine own aim, and God speed the mark!

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner.

COLETTE

If I had to define life in a word, it would be: Life is creation.

CLAUDE BERNARD The Bulletin of New York Academy of Medicine

Dear friend, all theory is gray, And green the golden tree of life.

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

There must be more to life than having everything.

MAURICE SENDAK

There's got to be more to life than sittin' here watchin' Days of Our Lives and foldin' your Fruit of the Looms.

MAMA MAMA'S FAMILY

Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand, take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but wait until it comes in front of you. So act toward children, so toward a wife, so toward office, so toward wealth.

EPICTETUS

Grasshopper, look beyond the game, as you look beneath the surface of the pool to see its depths.

MASTER PO KUNG FU

Life teaches us to be less harsh with ourselves and with others.

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

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One Day, Some Day

Nothing can be more serious than the things involving matters of the heart. My love life is a total zelch. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic. But one day...some day...I know sunshine is just on the other side.

(originally written on May 18, 2008)
To HV 2008

All that is left to me is a dream
that can't be mine
My mind is telling me to say goodbye
While my heart is begging you to stay
How can I say I don't need you
When all I am fighting for
is the love I have for you?
I cross this line to let you know
how much you mean to me
Life and love isn't so fair sometimes
Between you and me the moment
slows down but the passing of time moves faster
I know one day, some day
our love and dreams would be one.
Let's grow in ourselves
I've come to this point to
be strong and brave
And let you choose the life you've ever cherished
It could be a gift or a cursed
But I know one day, some day
our prayers would be answered
And lovers like us would live like those stars in the night.

THe Missing Piece

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle that consists of a mass of irregularly shaped pieces. The objective of the puzzle is simple: to fit the pieces together to form a complete picture or image. I'm still not complete as a person. The image I projected is still not whole. I'm still looking for my "missing piece." I hope someday I would be able to complete my own puzzle.


(originally written on March 13, 2007)

















The Missing Piece

Everybody's looking for the missing piece in life
I've wasted much time searching for it
But I still can't find.

I've searched it in the people who share
their lives with me
I've searched it in the crowd
of strangers passing by
But oh, I still can't find.

It puzzles me
Life's a great mystery
People come and people go
I've got some real happiness
But they all lost too easily
Who could in this world make me whole?
I've learned to fight against the time.

I've traveled far and have reached distance places
But in a while I feel the emptiness in me
I've walked on the other side of the road
Hoping I could finally find it
But oh, I still can't find.

It puzzles me
Life's a great mystery
People come and people go
I've got some real happiness
But they all lost too easily
Who could in this world make me whole?
I've learned to fight against the time.

I've asked so many questions
But the answers are not enough
As I moved on, I realized there's only one to
a lasting joy,
In Him and in Him alone.

Health Important Tips

Health Important Tips

Share the following tips to people you care about. Kindness costs nothing.

1. Answer the phone by left ear.

2. Don't take pills with cold water.

3. Don't have huge meals after 5 PM.

4. Drink more water in the morning less than night.

5. Best sleeping time is from 10 PM to 4 in the morning.

6. Don't lie down immediately after taking medicine.

7. When battery is down to last bar, don't answer the phone as the radiation is 1000 times.

More tips next time.

Shot of Love.. is What I Need

I read The Bible today. It helped changed my negative line of thinking. When I do some reflections, my list of good and beautiful things that are happening in my life exceeds my list about bad and unpleasant ones. It's good news. It means that I am living a meaningful life. Why should I feel less fortunate? Why should I not count all my blessings? I need not be defeated by anything, not even negative thoughts.

Life in this world is not without challenges. But it must go on even if sometimes my pocket is empty, my finances go down the drain because of forces beyond control. The world around me sometimes lie in shambles. The whole universe conspires against me, threatening my very own existence. Times like these, I need a lot of shot of LOVE. What else can I do to make me feel alive? Should I still believe that faith, hope and love are the three things that last forever? But the greatest of all is love? How could I make the most impact on the other people?

We always think about global financial crisis, mass- layoffs and sky rocketing prices. Can we think some positive things for now like global abundance, global prosperity, global peace or global love?

I will encourage love in others. I will teach others especially myself, to be openly affectionate and loving. I can also give people permission to love me as some may be intimidated or fearful of rejection. I am convinced that we cannot change this world by the logic of knowledge, power and money, but we can change this world by the logic of true love.

Bakas ng Lumipas

Muli akong nagbaliktanaw sa isang kahapon…ang tamis at ang pait nito ay nagpapaalala sa akin na ang lahat ng bagay sa daigdig ay may sariling panahon.

Bakas ng Lumipas

Biyernes na at uwian na naman. Bakit ba kay dali ng araw? Pakiwari ko’y mabilis lang yata ang takbo ng panahon. Ramdam kong nagmamadali ang oras at tila ba may hinahabol. Talagang nakakahilo ang bawat pag-inog ng mundo. Naimpake ko na ang lahat ng aking mga dadalhin at ako’y papaalis na. Hinagod ko muna ng tingin ang kahubaran ng paligid. Tahimik. Walang sigla. Parang isang patay na pook. Walang kabuhay-buhay. Ang ingay na kanina pa lang nag-uugungan ay biglang naglaho na parang usok. Napansin kong nagsiuwian na ang lahat. Walang nagpaiwan.
Kalong ko na ang traveling bag. Natigilan ako sandali. Minsang paglingon ko’y natanawan ko ang isang libo’t-isang laksang kalungkutan na bumabalot sa isang napakalumang cottage. Ang sabi-sabi ay tira pa raw ito ng giyera noon at matagal din bago binalikan at tinirhang muli. Habang nag-aaral sa kolehiyo, sa lumang bahay na ito ako nakatira, nakibaka at natoto ng maraming bagay sa buhay. Ayaw kong damhin at daluyungin ang ibayong pangungulila sa aking pag-alis. Gusto ko nang iwaglit ang mga alaala ng mga nakalipas at ligaw na inahinasyong harot na sumasayaw sa isip ko.
Para akong naglalakad na nagbibilang. Marahan kong pinagmamasdan ang likas na kagandahang taglay ng SNAS pati na ang kabuuang sulok nito. Ngayon ko lang napansin na kahit saan mang direksyon ka titingin iisang kulay lang talaga ang iyong makikita, ang namamayaning kulay berde.
Dumidilim na ang paligid. Bumubuwag na ang maiitim na ulap sa himpapawid at tila uulan. Ang malamig na simoy ng hangin ay marahang dumadampi sa aking maselang katawan.
Pumapatak na ang ulan. Malakas! Bago ko naisipang tumakbo patungong Bangkal waiting shed ay nabasa na ng walang habag na ulan ang aking kabuuan.
Naglalangitngit ang panahon sabay ang nakabibinging ingay na likha ng kulog at kidlat. Nagpapalala ng aking panlalamig ang pambihirang ginaw sa paligid. Habang ginagala ang paningin, ang isip ko naman ay naglalakbay na parang tuksong idinuduyan ng imahinasyon at tuluyan nang nakasulyap sa nakaraan.
Malamig ang buwan. Isang gabi na walang kasing panglaw ang sumasalubong sa akin. Pilit kong inaliw ang sarili at pinaagmamasdang maigi ang makakapal na ulap na nakatabon sa bilog na buwan habang ang konting liwanag nito’y patuloy na tumatanglaw. Hanggang sa ngayon ay ginugulo at nililitis ang utak ko ng maraming mga katanungan na paulit-ulit sa aking balintataw. Bakit ba kay hirap abutin ang isang kapirasong pangarap? Sa tagal ng panahong inaalagaan ko ang isang munting hiyas ng karunungan, kailan ma’y hindi ko nalasap ang tamis ng kaligayahang taglay nito. Hindi pa siguro napapanahon, hndi pa siguro.
Sa katunayan ako ay binago ng panahon at tuluyan nang nakipagsabayan sa pagsulong. Ang larawang iyon ay di maiwawaglit sa dalampasigan ng aking kasaysayan. Habang ako’y nabubuhay kailangan kong maging marahas at matapang upang sa gayon ay malasap ko ang lamukot na tamis.
“Brod!” isang tinig.
“Sukli mo,” aniya ulit.
Parang namalik-mata ako, halatang nabigla at nagulat. Inabot sa akin ng maamong conductor ng jeep ang limang baryang peso. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nasa Aras-asan terminal na pala ako. Naramdaman ko na lamang na may luhang humihilom sa aking mga mata. Nang makababa na ay nababanaag at namumutawi sa aking mukha ang isang sigla- ako’y kiming napatawa.

Sa Aking Pagbabalik

Minsan nakagawa ako ng mga maling desisyon sa buhay. Totoong mahirap takasan ang bangungot ng nakaraan. Ano pa man ang mangyari sa akin, kailangan marunong akong bumangon muli. At ang mahalaga naniniwala akong may puwang sa puso ko ang pagbabago. Darating ang panahon na magtatagumpay ako at masasabi kong "sa wakas nalampasan ko rin at handa na sa aking muling pagbabalik."

Sa Aking Pagbabalik

Gabi iyon noong una kitang makilala. Kadalasan sa gabing kapares noon ay punung-puno ng nagkikislapang mga bituin ang kalawakan. Ang ningning ng mga ito’y tila pumupukaw sa damdaming matagal ding nauhaw sa pag-ibig. Ang sarap damhin ang simoy ng hanging sumasabay sa pagpintig ng aking puso. Pakiwari ko’y iyon na ang pinakasayang tagpo sa buhay ko lalo pa’t sinabi mong may malaki akong pag-asa sa puso mo.
Hanggang talampakan ang kaba ng dibdib ko noong una kitang pinagtapatan ng aking wagas na pagsuyo. Napansin mo siguro kung paano ako nautal at pinamulahan sa mukha. Ah, oo, ang mahalaga naman sa akin ay ang masabi ko sa iyo ang mga salitang gusto kong marinig mo.
Mula noon lagi ko nang pinanabikan ang muli nating pagkikita, hanggang sa tinungo mo rin ang aking hangaring maangkin ka. Halos naglulundag ako sa tuwa dahil sa wakas magnoyo na tayo!
Parang merong nagdidikta sa akin na ikaw na talaga ang lifetime partner ko. Nagsimulang naging makulay at punung-puno ng pag-ibig ang dati-rati’y malungkot kong mundo. Alam mo ba kung gaano ako kasaya sa tuwing kasama ka? Ikaw lang ang naging lahat-lahat sa akin.
Tuwing namamasyal tayo nag-uusap tayo ng kung anu-anong bagay. Pagkatapos nagtatawanan at naghahabulan. Minsan din nangangarap. Langit ang aking pakiramdam sa mga ganoong sandali dahil napatunayan kong mahal na mahal mo ako at gayundin naman ako sa iyo. Tayo na siguro ang may pinaka-sweetest love story in history.
Sa totoo lang, sa iyo umiikot ang aking mundo. At saka alam mo ba kung paano mo ako pinahanga? Matalino ka ngang talaga at napakaraming alam sa buhay. Nasa sa iyo ng lahat ang mga katangiang hinahanap ko. Ikaw ay tunay na mapagmahal, matiisin at mapagbigay. Magagawa mong magpakasakit at magpakahirap sa isang minamahal. Isa pang natutunan ko sa iyo ay ang mabuhay na hindi lamang para sa sarili kundi maging sa ibang tao lalo na sa mga nangangailangan. Natapos ko ang isang awit at ito’y inihahandog ko para sa iyo.Kapuri-puri ka namang talaga. Kaya, higit sa lahat, nagpapasalamat ako dahil ikaw ang mahal ko.
Noong una, inakala kong hindi magbabago ang lahat sa ating dalawa. Nakalimutan kong tao lang pala ako, maraming kahinaan at kapintasan sa buhay. Bigla na lang akong namangha nang paggising ko isang araw nawala na ang dati kong maamong katauhan. Pinaghihinaan ako ng loob. Agad akong nahumaling sa kinasasalamuhaang daigdig.
Pero hindi naman ako basta-basta sumusunod sa kung anu-anong kapanipaniwalang pinaiiral ng tao para mabuhay ng normal. Tumatagis sa utak ko ang katagang “hindi ako makapangyarihan na tulad mo!” Maaaring sabihin na bigla na lang akong nabubuhy sa ngalan ng aking sarili. Sariling malaya. Pero malaya nga ba talaga ako?
Hindi ko namalayan, tuluyan nang nagkalabuan tayo sa isa’t-isa Naging mapusok ako. Hindi ko magawang makinig sa kahit na anong paliwanag. Binulag ako ng aking takot at pangamba. Madalas kong itanong sa aking sarili kung bakit ako nagkakaganito. Ewan ko at lalong hindi ko alam.
Minsan lumuluha ako sa hinagpis, sa poot. Gusto kong ibulalas ang sakit ng dibdib na namamayani sa mga sandaling ako’y nag-iisa.
Palibhasa kasi magulo akong tao. Mahirap unawain kung minsan. Masyado akong ambisyoso at maraming bagay ang naglalaro sa aking isipan na gusto kong gawin at matupad kaya’t nawawalan ng konsentrasyon sa iisang larangan at kaya nabibigo. Hindi ko matukoy ng malinaw kung ano ang nais kong gawin o direksyon ng buhay ang dapat kong pagsikapang makamit.
Hindi ko makatkat sa aking isipan ang iyong mukhang punug-puno ng pag-asang magbabago ako at muling magbabalik sa piling mo.
Batid ko ngayon ang dahilan ng kasuklam-suklam na damdamin na aking pinagsisikapang malampasan. Naging sakim ko. Binulag ng sariling kahibangan. Naligaw habang nangangarap ng pansariling kaligayahan. Akala ko habam-buhay akong magiging tapat sa iyo. Dahil sa iyo, ngayon nabatid ko ang tunay na adhikain ko sa buhay. Natagpuan ko sa iyo ang kasagutan ng mga tanong na gumugulo sa akin. Nauunawaan ko na rin ang katuturan ng aking pagiging iyong “nilikha at kasuyo.” Marahil sa paglipas ng maraming unos at bagyo ay naintindihan ko na kung bakit ka nagpapakahirap at ipinagkaloob mo ang iyong sarili ng walang pagdadalawang isip.
Sadya ngang nagagamot ng panahon ang anumang sakit. Nahihilom nito ang anumang sugat. Pero ang piklat nito’y mananatiling palatandaan magdaan man ang maraming taon.
Inaamin ko ng buong puso, habang hinahanap ko ang aking sarili noon ay ni minsan hindi ka naiwaglit dito sa kasulok-sulukan ng aking puso. Kung kailangan muli kitang ligawan ay gagawin ko upang maibalik natin ang kahapon. Sana’y nariyan pa rin ako sa puso mo.
Ngayong gabi maglilitawan pa kaya ang mga bituin sa kalawakan? Sasabay pa kaya ang simoy ng hangin sa pagpintig ng aking puso? Magiging kakaiba siguro ito, taliwas sa mga nagdaang gabi sa aking buhay. Ewan ko, di ko masabi.
Nasa mga kataga na ang kahinugan ng aking isip na matagal ding pinanday ng maraming pagsubok. Bukas ay araw ng Linggo. Siguro naman ay handang-handa na ako makipagkita uli sa iyo, ang aking muling pagbabalik.

What is a Hero?

We've been asked the question many times, "What is a hero?" And our answer is always the same - "A hero can be anyone. Heroes come in different shapes and sizes. A hero can be a relative, teacher, coach, or friend. It is up to each person to choose their own heroes. Please post in this entry your own definition of a hero.

The Hidden Truth About Valentine's Day: Origins of Valentines Day

When we think of Valentine's Day, we call to mind hearts, chocolates, flowers and expressions of love. Yet before joining in the fun, wouldn't it be wise to know where this tradition came from?

First, we should understand that Valentine's Day began when the early Roman Catholic Church tried to Christianize an ancient pagan Roman holiday called Lupercalia. That celebration was a licentious festival that honored Lupercus, the hero-hunter of wolves. This festival was so immensely popular among the Roman people that church leaders included it in their calendar, hoping to retain their new parishioners and turn them from sexual licentiousness to morality by linking it to a saint.

The saint they chose for this mid-February Roman festival was St. Valentine. One source explains: "St. Valentine is believed to have been a Roman priest who was martyred on this day [February 14] around [A.D.] 270. How he became the patron saint of lovers remains a mystery, but one theory is that the Church used the day of St. Valentine's martyrdom in an attempt to Christianize the old Roman Lupercalia, a pagan festival held around the middle of February.

"Part of the ancient ceremony entailed putting girls' names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. Couples would thus be paired off until the following year. The Church substituted saints' names for girls' names, in the hope that the participant would model his life after the saint whose name he drew.

"But by the 16th century, it was once again girls' names that ended up in the box. Eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those one admired became the accepted way of celebrating St. Valentine's Day" (Helene Henderson and Sue Ellen Thompson, editors, Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, "Valentine's Day," 2005, p. 576).

Although all historical sources contain some of the same notions about how Valentine's Day developed, each one highlights another facet of the story. Another states: "Some people have tried to connect the historical Saint Valentine with the later practices of Valentine's Day by saying that the saint married couples despite the emperor's prohibition, or that he sent a note signed 'from your Valentine' to the daughter of his jailer.

"However, the early Christian saint Valentine probably had nothing to do with the traditions later celebrated on his feast day; it is simply by his placement in the Christian calendar that his name became associated with it. Later, the word valentine may have been confused with the Norman French word galantine, meaning lover of women, as the g and v were often interchangeable in common pronunciation.

"In any case, February 14 gradually became a traditional date for exchanging love messages, and Saint Valentine became the patron saint of lovers" (Macmillan Profiles: Festivals and Holidays, 1999, p. 363).

Theories differ as to how a holiday for lovers developed in February. Some think the mating of birds at that time of year is connected with the tradition:

"One is based on the belief throughout rural Europe during the Middle Ages that the birds began to mate on February 14. Chaucer, in his 'Parliament of Foules,' refers to the belief in this way: For this was Seynt Valentyne's day. When every foul cometh ther to choose his mate" (Stephen Christianson, The American Book of Days, 2000, p. 139).

Regardless of the varied sources and ambiguous history of Valentine's Day, a few identifiable points continue to surface: Valentine's Day originated with an ancient pagan Roman feast called Lupercalia. That festival was based on fertility and sexual licentiousness. In the third century, the Roman Catholic Church attempted to Christianize the ancient festival practice by naming it after a martyr.

The hope was that the festival adherents would thereafter follow the examples of church saints, no longer engaging in the ancient practice of free sex while honoring an ancient god. Despite some success, the holiday still contributes to immorality among many and promotes a wrong view of love.

A counterfeit holiday

Something that is counterfeit always indicates there is something real that it stands in place of, the genuine article. Could the same be true of a holiday? The roots of Valentine's Day lie in a pagan festival, not the Bible. In the Catholic Church's efforts to "Christianize" a pagan festival to gain adherents, did it overlook the real thing—holidays that reflect God's perspective on love and giving?

In fact, what was overlooked in the adoption of pagan holidays was God's true Holy Days and what they mean. We can find all of God's Holy Days or festivals listed in Leviticus 23. And you can also find in the New Testament that Jesus Christ, the apostles and the entire early Church all kept those exact same festivals. Jude is apparently referring to these when he writes of "your love feasts" in Jude 12.

In contrast, the holidays that are widely celebrated in modern Christendom, including Valentine's Day, are not found in the pages of the Bible. Instead, they are largely rooted in ancient pagan holidays that have been given a veneer of Christianity.

-- From The Good News article Before You Ask Someone to Be Your Valentine...

Boost Me Up

Now I need to talk to myself, no kidding! These are the things I always want to say: (My heart is beating fast right now and my mind is processing 1/1000000 of a second. How fast do you think is that?)

Talk to someone you trust. Don’t bottle things up inside. Cry, shout, laugh and feel sad about your problem.

Learn to find new interest. Meet new people. Go to new places. Put yourself into a new situation.

Learn to deal with bad feelings and learn to relax.

Give yourself the chance to be all you can be. Discover your special talents. Learn many skills and develop your own personality.

25 Ways to be Happy

I finally decided to be always happy! Can you believe me saying this? Will it be possible? On one of my reading encounters in Readers Digest magazine, one article suggested 25 ways to be truly happy. I suppose I need each a try if it really works! Why not?


25 Ways to be Happy

1. Change your thinking.
2. Keep a journal.
3. Get some perspective on things.
4. Don’t let a small stuff bug you.
5. Do any unpleasant or difficult chores that need doing.
6. Change your routine.
7. Don’t try to keep up with others.
8. Have a big clean out and divest yourself of useless stuff.
9. Learn to say no.
10. Remember to love your parents or love ones.
11. Don’t let familiarity build contempt.
12. Tell your partner, family and friends that you love them.
13. Be a shoulder to lean on for troubled friends.
14. Phone, e-mail, even write to some old friends.
15. Enhance your mood with greenery.
16. Go to beach.
17. Create something.
18. Breathe fresh air.
19. Go for a walk.
20. Rent a funny video and have a good laugh.
21. Change is as good as a holiday.
22. Give yourself something to look forward to.
23. Invite friends over for a dinner.
24. Smile.
25. Make someone else’ day happier.

I'm (Just) a Teacher but I am Proud

I’m (Just) a Teacher but I am Proud

I like the academic world. I like the questions that get asked and I really like the battle of the wits. Generally, the battles are about issues that I think matter. I’m not so naïve or so ignorant of the teaching side of the academia that I don’t realize that conflict can be petty, but I have found the structure and the goals of education would help keep the battle on point. Conflict happens everywhere and I want to fight about things that matter to me.

As I look back to a few years ago, I didn’t plan to be a teacher. “Me? Becoming a teacher? No way!” I heard myself said. I always wanted to be a doctor of medicine. It had been my cherished ambition. Four years rolled by, after high school, I couldn’t believe I found myself holding a chalk board, writing lesson plans and teaching students. I got fascinated in the classroom life. At first, it was difficult. For me to survive, I needed to think it over seriously. Is this really the profession I want to do for my life? There was conflict inside me. Later on, I comforted myself into thinking that it’s great to be a teacher even this would entail so much stress and pressure physically and emotionally. I become enthusiastic and my work keeps me busy and alert. My dealing with people has improved to a higher level. I learned to be nice, kind, friendly, gentle and generous. I never thought I would be this person. I used to be a shy person with no confidence in myself. Now I realize that it is important to socialize with people. I talk to my students everyday and speak to their parents during parent-teacher conference in school. I learned to solve bigger problems and manage my time and resources. I’m glad my students are close to me. They love to share their experiences and even like to open up their personal lives with me. My life seems to revolve around the school and my students.

The most difficult thing has been finding out that I’m not a perfect teacher. I wasn’t even a perfect student back in school days. But somehow, I expected teaching to be different. I introduced teaching innovations in my classes. Anything that comes in my mind I want to make it real for my students to experience it. Learning doesn’t only happen inside the classrooms so I device a teaching strategy which is outside the usual, something different. Learning, at this point, becomes concrete and fun for the students. Sad to say, for most people, anything new and different is not good. Usually it is treated with a cold shoulder. A change can be impossible if some of the school personnel and faculty are resistant for innovations. I was once bullied with raising eyebrows and brutal criticisms. But I remained calm because I knew I did my best for my students. It’s true that change doesn’t happen over night. In my years in teaching, though I still consider myself beginner, I can’t help not to magnify the little irregularities in the academe that I didn’t see before. When probe closely these ‘‘little irregularities” would trigger economic, social and morals upheavals. Conflict within the academe is inevitable. But as duly licensed professionals, we must see things objectively with no personal biases and must solve the problems right away. Teachers are expected to be duty-bound. I do my part well. I go to school everyday and make it a rule not to come late. I pay my taxes and other dues. I should avoid any form of corruption as much as possible in my work.

Teaching introduced me to a different pace of life. I’m going to work hard. Teaching allows me to use my intellect and originality. I know how important it is to treat people with kindness and respect especially when they are having difficulties or problems. I bring a fairly broad knowledge in education (I’m pursuing my post graduate program in Master of Science in Science Education). I think the most important contribution I can make is making a difference in someone’s life. Positive comments, showing trust in someone taking an action that communicates care and respect can positively change someone’s view of themselves and perhaps their lives as well. What would be more important? Teachers have both the power and opportunity to do great amount of good for many people. I know that I will take all the opportunities available to nurture, encourage and bring joy to those around me.

I think I have much to offer to the teaching field and teaching has much to offer me. To teaching, I will provide my knowledge, inventiveness, and dedication to students. In return, teaching will give me a space to grow intellectually and creatively and a group of people whose growth will provide me with a great sense of reward. I hope this would provide greater heights in my quest for excellence.

The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

I would like to share some thoughts of Dr. Ronald Meinardus, former Resident Representative of the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation in the Philippines and a commentator on Asian affairs. After reading the article, please post your reactions on the issue. Let us know how you can be a solution to the crisis in education and change the way we think about the public education in the Philippines.

The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

By Ronald Meinardus

According to the human capital theory, the economic development of a nation is a function of the quality of its education. In other words: the more and better educated a people, the greater the chances of economic development.

The modern world in which we live is often termed a "knowledge society"; education and information have become production factors potentially more valuable than labor and capital. Thus, in a globalized setting, investment in human capital has become a condition for international competitiveness.

In the Philippines, I often hear harsh criticism against the politics of globalization. At the same time, regarding the labor markets, I can hardly think of another nation that is so much a part of a globalized economy than the Philippines with nearly ten per cent of the overall population working beyond the shores of the native land.

Brain drain. Apart from the much debated political, social and psychological aspects, this ongoing mass emigration constitutes an unparalleled brain drain with serious economic implications.

Arguably, the phenomenon also has an educational dimension, as the Philippine society is footing the bill for the education of millions of people, who then spend the better part of their productive years abroad. In effect, the poor Philippine educational system is indirectly subsidizing the affluent economies hosting the OFWs.

With 95 per cent of all elementary students attending public schools, the educational crisis in the Philippines is basically a crisis of public education. The wealthy can easily send their offspring to private schools, many of which offer first-class education to the privileged class of pupils.
Social divide. Still, the distinct social cleavage regarding educational opportunities remains problematic for more than one reason. Historically, in most modern societies, education has had an equalizing effect. In Germany, for instance, the educational system has helped overcome the gender gap, and later also the social divide. Today, the major challenge confronting the educational system in the country I come from is the integration of millions of mostly non-European, in most cases Muslim, immigrants. Importantly, this leveling out in the context of schooling has not occurred in this part of the world. On the contrary, as one Filipino columnist wrote a while ago, "Education has become part of the institutional mechanism that divides the poor and the rich."

Let me add an ideological note to the educational debate: Liberals are often accused of standing in the way of reforms that help overcome social inequalities. While, indeed, liberals value personal freedom higher than social equality, they actively promote equality of opportunities in two distinct policy areas: education and basic health care.

For this reason, educational reform tends to have a high ranking on the agenda of most liberal political parties in many parts of the world.

This said, it is probably no coincidence that the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS), liberal think-tank of the Philippines, invited me the other day to a public forum on the "Challenges on Educational Reform." With the school year having just started and the media filled with reports on the all but happy state of public education in the country, this was a very timely and welcome event. I was impressed by the inputs from Representative Edmundo O. Reyes, Jr, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the House of Representatives, and DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz. Both gave imposing presentations on the state of Philippine education.

Although I have been in this country for over a year now, I am still astonished again and again by the frankness and directness with which people here address problems in public debates. "The quality of Philippine education has been declining continuously for roughly 25 years," said the Undersecretary -- and no one in the audience disagreed. This, I may add, is a devastating report card for the politicians who governed this nation in the said period. From a liberal and democratic angle, it is particularly depressing as this has been the period that coincides with democratic rule that was so triumphantly and impressively reinstalled after the dark years of dictatorship in 1986! Describing the quality of Philippine school education today, the senior DepEd official stated the following: "Our schools are failing to teach the competence the average citizen needs to become responsible, productive and self-fulfilling. We are graduating people who are learning less and less."

While at the said forum, more than one speaker observed that the educational problems are structural in nature, I missed propositions for reform that are so far-reaching to merit the attribute structural.

Gargantuan problems. While the Undersecretary very patiently and impressively charted out the four policy directions of the political leadership of his ministry (taking teachers out of elections, establishing a nationwide testing system, preserving private schools, raising subsidies for a voucher system), to me -- as a foreign observer -- these remedies sound technocratic considering, what one writer in this paper has recently termed, "the gargantuan magnitude of the problems besetting Philippine basic education."

Let me highlight two figures: Reportedly, at last count more than 17 million students are enrolled in this country's public schools.

At an annual population growth rate of 2.3 per cent, some 1.7 million babies are born every year. In a short time, these individuals will claim their share of the limited educational provisions.
"We can't build classrooms fast enough to accommodate" all these people, said the DepEd Undersecretary, who also recalled the much lamented lack of teachers, furniture and teaching materials.

In short, there are too little resources for too many students.

Two alternatives. In this situation, logically, there exist only two strategic alternatives: either, one increases the resources, which is easier said than done considering the dramatic state of public finances, or one reduces the number of students.

This second alternative presupposes a systematic population policy, aimed at reducing the number of births considerably.

But this, too, is easier said than done, considering the politics in this country -- or to quote Congressman Reyes: "Given the very aggressive and active intervention of the Church addressing the population problem is very hard to tackle."