pagpasiplat

I just attended a funeral with my daughter. The mother of my former teacher and mentor just passed away. It is a day to be thankful and praise God. He is alive and He is faithful!

Although there was much sadness, we have much to be grateful for because our prayers have been answered. There was at last, reconcilliation and healing. People were united, father to brother, sister to brother and family to friends.

The passing of a love one is a most painful event, yet it brings with it a sharing of burden and a forgiveness of past hurts, a healing of memories.

It may have taken the death of a love one to heal relationships, but truly, it is by the merciful hand of the Lord that He does not allow us to linger in our pain.

I left the Church in tears, knowing that later, I shall have to be the one grieving and others too will grieve with me. My consolation is knowing that I can still ask for forgiveness and continue to forgive those who have continued to hurt me, in spite of their distance, whether physical or otherwise.

Lord I also release forgiveness and ask your forgiveness for each word or deed unspoken or undone; for every act or word of unkindness and every thought of murder or suicide. Heal all memories that continue to haunt and hurt me and my family and the families of those I have caused unintended pain. May Your love reach out to every person you have touched through me and continue to fill us with your love and grace to forgive even when the pain has not ceased. Restore us Lord unto yourself and make each memory a burning flame of hope to light the darkest of our nights. May You alone be glorified in our lives! AMEN!

Dreams are made, not simply wished for. Sometimes, we want something so bad that all our actions are consumed by our goal.

"Be careful what you pray for, because you might just get what you want."

Time has flown so fast that I hardly recognize the faces of friends and former classmates. It's good to savor each moment apart or together, whether for long or only for a short time. I have learned that waiting is never in vain, in spite of the seeming endless things that need to be done. I am living each day at a time, wanting this to last, yet knowing that at a blink of an eye, all may be lost and we would no longer see each other again... Life is so frail, and time is not in our hands.

Many people have shared a moment or two, whether for a brief encounter or a lifetime. I have no regrets. I have lived to the fullest and I have loved and lost a few friends along the way, not by intent, but sheer circumstantial changes in our lives. I try to hang on to some precious few who are left, but I know that I am not in control of others, and I can only control my self.

I am taking greater risks now that I am older and wiser. There is no regret when you have savored each moment and stretched a minute to eternity. Time flies so fast that some have not even lived before they die.

Allow me to share this precious yet precarious life with you. There is no meaning apart from giving to others. There is no life apart from making other people's lives meaningful because you have chosen to stay in their time of need or grief. Let us always be channels of God's love and blessings. For only by living a life in the Hands of the Almighty can we say that we have not lived in vain.

It's past six in the evening and I'm still in the Office working. I've had another long day, with students from ASU (Aklan State University) visiting the campus. No one else knew they were coming. No one else was available to give them a tour of the place. It's a good thing that the fourth year BABC students of the Division of Humanities were very accommodating and gave them a brief orientation of the ISBL (Intra School Bradcasting Laboratory). It was not a big place so we had to cram 20 students at a time (there were more than 80 students in all) inside the studio and we allowed them to watch our "live" demo.

We are sometimes caught unaware of things that would disrupt our busy schedules. How do we face these things? Do we shrink back and let others do what needs to be done? Or do we lend a helping hand, accommodate the request and turn inconvenience into a blessing?

I was blessed today because I decided to take the challenge of giving a bunch of students and two teachers (with their 2 children) from another University a tour of our campus. There were even two students from ASU who were interviewed and they were really enthusiastic about it.

After visiting the ISBL, we went to the "wet and dry lab" of the College of Fisheries and proceeded to the FAS (Freshwater Aquaculture Station). There, we saw the "tilapia" who had undergone "sex change". The caretaker said that the male tilapia grew much faster than females. That's the reason why they would revert the sex of the tilapia so it could be ready for commercial sale faster.

Isn't it amazing that the most mundane chore can be an extraordinary blessing if our attitude toward things would only change? People try to look for deeper things in life when in fact, it is the ordinary things in life that we view extraordinarily that actually gives meaning to our existence.

"Do not ask what the country can do for you. Ask yourself what you can do for your country."

"Give and it shall come back to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over."

I received a wonderful surprise at the end of the tour. Ma'am Bella gave me lanzones and rambutan before I left the bus to attend my class.=) Truly, a little help goes a long, long, way.

Saturday, a day of sabbath rest for some, is another day of work for me. I had a make up class this afternoon and we ended with learning new words in French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese Mandarin.

It seems that learning new things, especially learning a new language is a common hobby for a lot of people. The way we say things is interesting, especially when we can express them in more ways than one.

"What is essential is invisible to the eye." It cannot be seen and can only be felt in the heart.

"We only pass this way once, whatever good we can do, do it now, for we might not pass this way again."

Life has meaning when we love. We are inspired to do better and we expect nothing but the best. Nothing is impossible and the world is such a lovely place to live in.

When we are in love, we have a different way of seeing things and we are more tolerant, understanding and gracious of others. We are more willing to pass off mistakes and we forgive easily. We smile a lot and have a lighter diposition. We give more than what is expected of us and we simply adore being with our loved one. Our focus is total and consuming. We feel incomplete without the other and our whole being yearns for that person's presence.

"It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all."

There are times however when expectations and selfish ambitions change our view about a person. In our pursuit of a fulfilled life, we sometimes forget that the reason why we pursue our dreams is to share it with someone we love dearly. Success is measured not with wealth, acclaim or status. The true measure of success is contentment and the pursuit of excellence in all things. We are not content with mediocrity and we always strive to be better in whatever endeavor we undertake. Success is making this world a better place for the one you love.

Is this also your measure of success?