We Are A Family (April 26, 2008)

I have three students in class that I consider as children of my own. They are equally sweet, playful, and show much concern and love. They guide me through my journey to discover in me the chance to be a father. They are my family.

I still have six weeks to go before the end of the school year and I knew that I will be missing them. They had been inspirations and hopes for me. They inspired me to make my craft a better one and they gave me hope as I gazed into their eyes and see their deep respect and love to their teacher.

I envy the parents of these children. They are not just smart and lovable kids but generous in spirit and love. As I mold them to become independent individuals, I give them my respect and my love as well. I wish them the best.

It's not yet time to let them go, but I am already missing them.

Earth Day (April 22, 2008)

My Earth Day message: not just one day, or an hour of observance but an everyday effort to make the world safer and better. It's the only one we have.

Painful Tears (April 20, 2008)

I received this from a wonderful friend, it's a summary of what's facing my life.

Did you know that there are different kinds of tears? There are the ones babies cry when they're hungry, the one's some toddlers (and a few adults) cry when they don't get their way, and the ones that come from smoke inhalation at one of my sit-down dinners.

The most painful tears, though, are the private ones- the ones we think no one else sees. The ones that fall when we're alone in our room, our car, or in some private place. For whatever reason, we've been keeping this particular pain all to ourselves. We haven't yet shared it with anyone- not our parents, our brother a sister; not even our best friend.

But we're not really crying those tears alone. God is there right beside us. How do we know that? The Bible tells us in Matthew 10:30 that He knows the number of hairs on our heads. If we can't lose a single split end without God knowing about it, do you really think one of our tears can fall unnoticed by Him?

That's what's so terrific about God. We can tell Him anything. We can open up to Him when we feel we can't open up to anyone else. We can trust Him with those parts of our life we're afraid to share with others. We can be real with Him because His love for us is real.

It’s a valuable reminder for me to keep on believing. It’s reassuring that He is always there.

(Many thanks to the original author)

With Patience (April 19, 2008)

I have this plant that bears this ball-shaped flowers with petals exploding like a star from the solar system. It wasn't an easy plant to take care of. It continously grow higher and higher without bearing any blooms for a long time. I had been trimming the plant every now and then and waiting for the buds to come out.

In life, there is a need to patiently wait for something to happen. If we hope for things to be good, then we need to work on it. If we hope to receive something better, then we have to exert effort in making it happen. Like the flower, our patience can be rewarded in the long run. My patience to wait for the buds and the blooms to come is rewarded by the magnificent bursting petals of this flower.

So as I tread this life of mine, I take it one at a time, patiently.

Sharing (April 15, 2008)

I read this book to my students one morning and they all enjoyed not only the illustrations but also the friendship between Mabel and her friends. It struck a familiar tone because the students had an opportunity to do a project on sunflowers last school year. It made my reading of the story deeply understood because of the experience.

The seeds from Mabel's garden were blown by the wind thus making the barren land beside hers filled with flowers in the end. Mabel got angry with her friends thinking that they stole the flowers from her luscious garden prompting her to surround her place with high walls. Her garden died and when she found the truth, she apologized for accusing her friends of theft and they broke the walls down. Envy is one root of evil.

When we can be great with what we do, we need to share our expertise so that more and more people can learn and be trained well. When we keep them to ourselves, we robbed others of learning something great that can be passed on. Give and we shall receive. Share goodness to reap happiness.

Just One Thorn (April 11, 2008)

There was a freak storm one afternoon that lasted for about forty five minutes. I wasn't home. When I returned, I noticed something in my garden and it was this wax rose tree I have beside the house. It fell.

The next morning, I went out to chopped the tree armed with a knife and a saw. It was one of the most difficult job ever. The entire tree is surrounded by spikes, multiple spikes poking outward ready to strike an intruder. It was a daunting experience because I was worried of getting hurt. One spike is what it takes to penetrate one's skin to bleed. And it happened.

There are some things in this world that looks beautiful outside but dangerous inside. It might come as a disguise. It might come as a trick. It might be a form of defense. But whatever it might be, the best thing to do is to be prepared.

It takes only one thorn, only one, to harm.

A Surprising Walk (April 09, 2008)

A walk in the garden gave me an opportunity to see something good, no, something great. I did not expect for a certain climber to bear flowers so magnificent I can barely stop staring. The flowers are brilliant yellow and they are in full bloom. They speak of beauty and gracefulness. I am so blessed with this nature's gift.

Water (April 8, 2008)

I am saddened by the many news I had been hearing from television and reading from newspapers. The growing degradation of our natural resources is on an alarming rate. Take the case of water, one precious but depleted resource. Every year, we have to wait for the rainfall to replenish the dams so we can have a good supply during summer.

Now that summer is here, the weather is just scorching hot. Some forests are burning. There is drought and lack of water in many regions. It is indeed a different world.

My plea is for people to consider the value of water and not to waste it. The Water Festival is coming and people are gearing towards celebrating it with water for three or more days. I hope that people will realize the importance of this resource that they would think twice before splashing someone with a bucketful of water. A day of celebration is enough I reckon and three days is just too much of a waste.

Instead of splashing, plant something for this coming week. Instead of making others wet, bless them with a sprinkle of water and kind words. Instead of drum loads of water prepared for the street battle, keep them for bathing, watering plants and cleaning. In this manner, we not only save water but we also save money.

Changing (April 6, 2008)

There are many instances in life that we like to change something be it a personal decision or something we do not have any control of. The change may be for the good. The change may be major. The change may be for a cause.

In my own little heaven, I make it a point to change every now and then. The change is a needed change as my garden is my place of solitude and peace. It is where I commune with nature. I am always beset with worries and problems but being in my own litle space gives me the much needed mind rest.

The change in my own paradise is outside. The change I want for myself is within. I want to have a stronger emotional grip. In any case, the change is a welcome part of my being.

The Value of Things (April 03, 2008)

I have this very tall palm tree growing beside the house. I am always worried that one day it will fall either to my side or to my neighbour that’s why I asked some people to come and chopped it off. It was tricky as to how it should be chopped off. Anyway, the tree is now out and so is a home.

I didn’t realize that there is a nest on top of the palm tree. It was a beautiful nest of a pigeon bird. I didn’t know that they made the palm as their nesting place. The gardeners were able to save the nest with two baby birds in it. The birds had grown feathers and awaiting for the time to be able to fly on their own. I felt so sad that I have to take their home away. I felt bad because I have to take the baby birds away from their mum. The gardeners took the baby birds home to care for them.

That afternoon, I can hear a chirping sound of a bird hovering above the area where once stood the palm tree. I felt bad for that bird. I wanted to apologize.

In life, we take things away from people and we don’t realize how important they are for them. When we stopped giving out our friendship, we lose a friend. When we take love away from our home, it becomes empty. When we take trust away, we become wary of everything. When we take dreams away, we take the value of living.

Like a Tree (April 01, 2008)

There was this tree in one of my trips that amazes me because of its years of existence. It was written to be more than a hundred years old. Still growing and strong, the tree is one of the highlights inside the temple.

The tree had withstood many calamities, weather change, bugs, soil depletion and others. However, it is now enjoying the care and protection of the temple caretakers.

We, as individuals, won’t make it up to a hundred but we are like that tree in many aspects. We grow and when we reach our maturity, there is a need for us to be independent. Our stakes are taken out because we can manage to stand on our own. Then as we grow old, we change physically and internally. We are faced with many hardships, with joys, with love, with hatred, with negative thoughts, with caress and hugs, and we experience physical pain. That tree is the same- bruised by weather, invaded by bugs, chopped and re-trained.

I heard from a colleague that trees have no feelings but I beg to disagree. They are alive so they also feel. They grow and in the process of living, die as well.

So when we reach maturity, I do hope that we have learned to be like that tree- sturdy, independent and all-embracing. The shade it gives can be the life we share to others, helping and not destroying.