The Fern and the Bamboo

One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the
bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the
earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the
bamboo seed.

But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year
the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo," He said.

"In the third year, there was still nothing from the
bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was
nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and
insignificant...But just 6 month later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet
tall.
It has spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and
gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it
could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, My child, that all this time you have been
struggling, you have actually been growing roots"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The
bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet, they both make the
forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high!"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give Me glory by rising as high as you can."

(25-Feb., 2006)

A Different Perspective

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. ;)

[Originally posted last September 14, 2006]

BUHAY AT TRABAHO

Hay naku! Lunes na naman... Trabaho na naman...

We usually hear these lines on Sunday evenings to early mornings
of Mondays from people who had been working Mondays to Fridays or
sometimes including Saturdays (and Sundays?). Do they sound bored?
Or just plain tinatamad? O kaya, bitin lang sa weekend? Well, I
don't know! I think all of the above.

So few are so lucky to be very excited for Mondays to come and
its time for them to report for work again. So seldom that an
employee is excited to face, again, the backlogs, the row of
deadlines and the quota to meet. Eh, bakit pa sila nagwork?
Eh, wala eh.. Kailangan.

Kailangan? It seems that working is the destiny of most of us if
not all of us... Para bang nabuhay tayo dito sa mundo para lang
magtrabaho...

Ganyan ba talaga??? Ewan ko. sometimes I heard myself asking
"do I live to work or do I work to live?" Sagot ng marami,
they work daw to live... Eh bakit parang ang mga buhay ng
karamihan just revolved around their work. Gising ng madaling
araw, ligo, bihis, nagmamadali para di matrapik, di na nakakain,
sa office nalang ako kakain dear, mga anak? Bahala na si Yaya
dyan. anak kiss daddy, kiss mommy. bye baby, Dad has to work...

8:00 to 5:00 working... Minsan hanggang 9:00 or 10:00 ng evening.
tapos uwian na. pagdating ng bahay. tulog na ang mga anak. katabi
ang Yaya. wala ng magawa dahil sa pagod, tutulog ka na rin. The
following morning, ganoon ulit ang routine. kailan matatapos 'to???

Who knows!!! Sa retirement siguro...

At 65? Sigurado ka??? Akala ko ba you work to live? Are you sure
you are having a life???

Work, probably yes, but again, Are you having a life???

Yung isang kaibigan kong mag-asawa working in Manila almost had
an identical routine sa nakasulat sa taas. One day, actually a
Sunday, the couple was preparing to have their lunch at the famous
Jollibee as requested by their elder daughter. The couple usually
tries to maximize the time with their two kids, making up for the
lost time they are supposed to spend from Monday to Saturday.
Ngunit bago sila makaalis, kumulimlim na... parang uulan... so
nag-isip ang daddy... bago siya makapag-isip, bigla nalang bumuhos
ang malakas na ulan... cancelled ngayon ang most awaited trip to
Jollibee ng mga bata... dahil nga umulan walang magawa...
Maya-mayang konti, biglang kumidlat at kumulog na halos sabay at
napakalakas... Nagulat ngayon si daughter... Napatakbo... sa takot,
umiyak, tumakbo at yumakap sa Yaya...

Yaya, Yaya takot ako, lakas kidlat...

Pinatahan ng Yaya dahil trabaho nya yun eh... Tumahan naman si
daughter, after awhile, tulog na...

(i-imagine mo lang na may camera and the camera is panning towards
the mommy from the dauter and yaya, mommy now in focus. slowly
zooming in...)

Dahan-dahan mong makikita ang nangingilid na mga butil ng luha sa
mga mata ng mommy. habang siya'y nakatingin kay yaya and daughter,
few seconds later. tears started to run down her cheeks... She
looked so sad and so frustrated..

Bakit???? Dahil di natuloy ang Jollibee?

Adik!! Hindi noh!!!

Eh Bakit nga???

Kasi, natakot sa kidlat at kulog...

Tange!!! Ayan, tange ka tuloy...

After almost a month, I got a call... Pare, birthday celebration
ni daughter sa Linggo. sa Jollibee. Three years old na inaanak mo...
punta ka kasi despedida na rin namin...

Bakit? Saan kayo pupunta?

Uuwi na kami sa province.

Ano??? Bakasyon? Bakit kailangang may despedida?

Hinde, pare, for good na.

For good???

Oo, alangan namang for bad. biro ng daddy...

Tawanan kami...

The couple decided to give up the careers they have started to
build here in Manila. They decided not to take the challenges
and the millions of opportunities here in the city. At the very
early stage of their married lives, they decided on their priorities.
They decided to have a life. A family life. A decision that cost
them the new promotion of the father in a bank and the chances of
the mother to become a bank officer after her Officers' Training
Program where she had been consistently performing above the rest.


Was it the wisest decision the couple has ever made? Well, our
answers may not be the same. it will all depend on our way of
looking at things.

Katulad ng maraming bagay, disisyon lang yan. buhay o trabaho... ;)

[from my inbox, a long time ago...]

A Butterfly Story

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it had and it could go no further.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.

I asked for strength, I was given difficulties to make me strong... I asked for wisdom, I was given problems to solve... I asked for prosperity, I was given a brain and brawn to work... I asked for courage, I was given obstacles to overcome... I asked for love, I was given troubled people to help... I asked for favors, I was given opportunities... I received nothing i wanted, but received everything i needed.
(22-Sept., 2008)

Reason, Season or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

REASON
When someone is in your life for a REASON. . .
It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an
inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered.
And now it is time to move on.

SEASON
When people come into your life for a SEASON it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real!

But, only for a season.

LIFETIME
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Stop here and just SMILE. :)

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
And dance like no one is watching.

Handbook 2011

(a recycle post from last year's Handbook 2010)

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009..
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake..
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness..
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree..

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will... Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up..
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy.. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:
40. Share this to everyone you care about, I just did.
;)

10 Random aajao Stuffs

Originally titled as "10 Things About Myself" as tagged by slikstik, here goes my *random* list of ten:

1. after making a blog entry about paying tribute to the graduates, i came to realize that high school is not the happiest time of my school years as people normally believe.
2. i eat my lunch by hand in the office pantry with my office mates.
3. i'm contemplating about purchasing a new (and smaller) house... err, just contemplating.
4. i don't observe "holy week"
5. i always look for quality guapples whenever i am in the supermarket.
6. i use milk for my coffee... even when there's creamer around. :P
7. i do not smoke.
8. i prefer to be more tan than fair.
9. wakes up at 3:30 am every thursdays & sundays.
10. loves the number 12.

(originally posted - April 08, 2009)

"I still know who she is."

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On examining it I saw it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors and got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's
appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while! As she is a victim of Alzheimer's disease..

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He
replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me but I still know who she is.' I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm and thought, That is the kind of love I want in my life.

True love is neither physical nor romantic.
True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will
not be.

(10-April, 2009)

how ironic

Q: What is the secret of success?
A: right decisions.

Q: How do you make right decisions?
A: experience.

Q: And how do you get experience?
A: wrong decisions.



(12-Mar., 2007)

Facts Of Life

1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in someway.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you. ;)

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. If not for you, someone may not be living.

8. You are special and unique.

9. Someone that you don't even know exists, loves you.

10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.

12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.

13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

14. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know.

15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

(14-Jan., 2006)

Thinking Outside of the Box

This is a good read. This has been circulated in emails and I've posted it in my xanga blog. At the end of this story, you will be asked to choose. There is a best solution given to this story but I chose not to publish it here, for you to be able to think about the choice you will have to make...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think... This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
- - - - - - - - - - - -

perhaps his answer is as good as yours. ;)

Test For Dementia

Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it's important that we keep mentally alert The saying; "If you don't use it, you will lose it" also applies to the brain, so... Below is a very private way to gauge your loss or non-loss of intelligence.

So, take the following test presented here and determine if you are losing it or are still "with it." The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you have made your answer. (To see the correct answer, highlight the lines after the word "Answer".)

OK, relax, clear your mind and... begin.

WELL MAYBE NOT THAT CLEAR!

1. What do you put in a toaster?

Answer: "bread." If you said "toast," then give up now and go do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, "bread," go to Question 2.

2. Say "silk" five times. Now spell "silk."

What do cows drink?

Answer: Cows drink water. If you said "milk," please do not attempt the next question. Your brain is obviously over stressed and may even overheat. It may be that you need to content yourself with reading something more appropriate such as Children's World. If you said "water" then proceed to question 3.

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from?

Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said "green bricks," what the devil are you still doing here reading these questions?????

If you said "glass," then! go on to Question 4.

4. It's twenty years ago, and a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany (If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany.) Anyway, during the flight, TWO of the engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he has time and the plane fatally crashes smack in the middle of "no man's land" between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors? East Germany or West Germany or in "no man's land"?

Answer: You don't, of course, bury survivors. If you said ANYTHING else, you are a real dunce and you must NEVER try to rescue anyone from a plane crash. Your efforts would not be appreciated. If you said, "Don't bury the survivors", then proceed to the next question.

5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?

Answer: Oh, for crying out loud! Don't you remember your own name? It was YOU!!!!!!

- over -
(05-01-2006)

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

(written by a former child)

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."

(11-05, 2009)

thinking...

isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes,
but when you look back...

everything is different?

(04-07, 2007)