Cheers! (December 31, 2008)

As the year ends, I am very grateful of the fact that I have been enjoying life in many different degrees. I am blessed with the wonderful presence of my family, friends, students and co-workers. I am grateful for the bounty of nature by providing my surroundings with greens and my garden with beautiful flowers all throughout the year. I am happy to be able to find time to write and blog my thoughts and eventually read other blogs during my free time.

It wasn't smooth sailing all throughout but I always make it a point that I am not affected by remarks and criticisms which I am sure will diminish my zest to live. I expect less but work more. I love more but expect less. I plan ahead but work out smallest details. I smile when I don't need to and I walk to cool off steam. I enjoy small moments and gather memories from short meets and funny adventures. I learn from small talks and achieve with big results.

The people around me made me realized that life is worth living. The consequences around me made me realized that those events happened for some reasons. My students made me realized how lucky I am to be their teacher. The family I have made me more secure about my philosophy in life. The friends who had come and who had disappeared gave me the courage to continue making friends and believe in interdependence.

Thank you to all those who had been a part of my existence. The year had been a wonderful addition to my cumulative years. Cheers to all!

Christmas is the Time (December 25, 2008)

Now that Christmas is here again, it is time for everyone not only to be cheery but also to spread love and blessings to others.

Some people makes this time as the busiest: shopping, meeting people, partying, going on vacations and others. For some, this time is just one of those days: devoid of frivolities and merry-making. Others might be experiencing the worst of their life at this time because of death, sickness or pressing problems. While for others, this time is the time to reflect a year of living: blessings, trials and thanksgiving.

Christmas for me is a time to be with my family and closest friends. A time to see my family I see only three times in a year. Close friends I get together with once or twice in a year. It is also a time to see former colleagues and people who had given their time and effort in making my existence a positive one.

I never get big gifts or good surprises every Christmas of my life but the Lord always provide me with what I need. All I am thankful for is His provisions to my everyday existence.

For Jepoy (December 21, 2008)

At times, I do think that everything I write has the same meaning, the same intention, and the same purpose. Probably yes, because I see life as a challenge and winning one challenge at a time is my way of gaining hope and strength, thus my entries. I experienced many things but those experiences cannot be measured in comparison with others by the weight of sufferings or hardships, of tears and of hatred, and of lost and of misfortunes. I experienced things that each and every one of us had experienced, in many different levels. It just so happened that I write mine.

I write not wary of the grammatical structure in my sentences. I write for practice. I write for myself. It just so happen that there were lost individuals who have expressed interest in reading some of my entries. I thank them for those visits. I am grateful of their presence. I appreciate their comments.

When Toilet Thoughts mentioned the mind and the heart factors of my writings, he is indeed correct as I write from my heart. The entries are written accounts of my reflections in life, of my love to my profession, of my struggle to belong but most importantly, of my identity as an individual.

I am lost but it is in writing that I see the direction and purpose of life. I am sad but it is in writing that I let go of my sadness. I am always alone but it is in writing that I feel company around me.

I used my past experiences to rise up and let go. I became more empathic to causes and more forgiving to others. I learned that life is short and that I have to live it full.

I thank Toilet Thoughts for taking time to make mention of my blog. "Jepoy, when you opened your door to my knocking, I knew that I am home."