Saturday, June 27, 2009
Michael Jackson's Death
As shocked as everybody else i can't believe it either that Michael Jackson is dead. well ok here's a confession, as a young child (many years ago, that is) i idolized the guy (oh for crying out loud), imitated him and danced like crazy just to look like him. When my grandmother visits us she would always ask me during night time to sing and dance in a performance level (hehehe) for her entertainment (rude grandma) but when i reach the part where i sing MJ's songs, she would say, "oh i'm sleepy now i need to rest, it's been a long day." oh well, let's shift back to first gear before i reveal things i would regret later.
MJ's dead? The king of pop? how could it be? how could it happen to him? While I was asking these questions I've realized that, there's a much tougher question, how could he not die? yes he's popular, yes he's famous, yes he's multi-talented but like you and me he is a part of a reality no one can escape, the reality of death or "the fall" in my previous post. He is a part of a journey, life's journey, to be exact. And like every journey, there's a beginning, and sad it may be, there is also an end.
Sunrise
After a day and a half drive from Oroquieta City to Cebu I felt so exhausted. To top it all, I couldn't find any space for even just a little rest on board the barge from Dumaguete to Cebu. 4:40 am we arrived at San Tander. Few minutes passed and boy, God's nature has it's way of lifting up a rather tired soul. Picture courtesy by yours truly.
After getting off the barge I took another shot at this splendid, breathtaking scene, and here it is. I'm reminded that every dark moment of our lives, though trouble and sorrow may come through the night, no matter how long and endless it may be, joy is sure to come in the morning.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Do You Have A Negative View of Life?
I have mentioned on my previous post that life will never go easy on anyone. True as it is I can still say life's beautiful. Why? Let me tell you a story that me and my father created as we we're talking one day about life, way back my teen age years, he probably would have a different version of it now if he's to tell the story but allow me to tell you mine. Here is how the story goes:
The Fall
Once, there stood a magnificent and mighty tree in a midst of a thick forest. So vibrant and lush that whoever sees it, adores it. Even the kings and the nobles admire it's grandness. It's resident leaves however, appear to be dominated by another feeling, a feeling that consumed them daily, the fear of "the fall". "We are clinging to the mightiest tree ever there is in the entire forest" says one leaf, "let's live our lives selfishly and indulge every moment of it, worrying on nothing but ourselves." As a result, it was a chaotic world.
While they were consoling themselves with such words, Unknown to everyone, the tree budded a new leaf. Unobserved, the new leaf was a picture of innocence. Unsophisticated and unworldly, he was a picture of naiveté. At the heart of a crowded tree a new life was born that day.
Few days had passed the young leaf became conscious of his surroundings. One early morning he was awaken by a disturbing sound, a sound of a worm munching another leaf just beneath him, it was a horrible scene. "I had one of those things on me one time". says a voice beside him. The new leaf glanced and saw a malformed leaf, so horrifying that he can't bare to watch. "thank goodness a bird came and swallowed it." the deformed leaf continues, "keep an eye on those things, they're beasts, they'll show you no mercy." then the deformed leaf said nothing more. While he was left startled by the scenes he had witnessed, the young leaf noticed just slightly above him, a leaf with a different color, pale and brownish. A leaf drained out of his youth. Then without warning a deafening CRACK filled the air, down came the brownish leaf never to be seen again, detached from the mighty tree to a place no one knows. The young leaf turned to the deformed leaf and asked, "what happened to that leaf?" "That is the final destiny of everyone here, we call it "the fall" everyone here is afraid of the fall." answered the deformed leaf. Shocked and speechless the young leaf didn't know what hit him, he was baffled.
For days the young leaf spoke to no one. then finally, he said, "from now on I will mind no one and care for no one. Life is unfair and has no beauty, bad things would happen anyway no matter what. I will live my life selfishly and indulge every moment of it, worrying on nothing but myself." and that's what he did from that day on.
Years passed til one particular day he noticed his color. "no, not me!" he said, and he remembered "the fall" and was stricken with great terror. Day after day right before his eyes, his color was fading and he was filled with fear. Day after day he was filled with anxiety until eventually he heard it again, CRACK! the dreaded day happened, "the fall." Down came the once young leaf.
Slowly the wind took him further and further, gradually he is beginning to see the entire tree, where he once was. Beautiful and splendid the tree stood with it's glory. "WOW" was the only word he could utter. A delayed admiration underlying a regretful ending. "Why didn't I enjoy my time being a part of that tree? Why was I engrossed with fear of the fall? Why was I so absorbed with worries that choked the very life in me," said the leaf.
...end of story
It's undeniable, yes, that life is full of negative things; but how you handle it makes the difference.
I had a melancholic childhood myself and experienced a lot of unpleasant things, however, if given a chance to relive my life, i would still choose to be born the way I was because those negative experiences led me to look at things rather differently; to better sympathize with people in pain and compels me to help others rather than withdraw. For in the process of walking an extra mile, i am finding healing for myself.
Life introduced me to my wife and my son - they're the best thing that ever happened to me and somehow they outweigh those previous bad experiences. I thank God for them everyday.
Once, there stood a magnificent and mighty tree in a midst of a thick forest. So vibrant and lush that whoever sees it, adores it. Even the kings and the nobles admire it's grandness. It's resident leaves however, appear to be dominated by another feeling, a feeling that consumed them daily, the fear of "the fall". "We are clinging to the mightiest tree ever there is in the entire forest" says one leaf, "let's live our lives selfishly and indulge every moment of it, worrying on nothing but ourselves." As a result, it was a chaotic world.
While they were consoling themselves with such words, Unknown to everyone, the tree budded a new leaf. Unobserved, the new leaf was a picture of innocence. Unsophisticated and unworldly, he was a picture of naiveté. At the heart of a crowded tree a new life was born that day.
Few days had passed the young leaf became conscious of his surroundings. One early morning he was awaken by a disturbing sound, a sound of a worm munching another leaf just beneath him, it was a horrible scene. "I had one of those things on me one time". says a voice beside him. The new leaf glanced and saw a malformed leaf, so horrifying that he can't bare to watch. "thank goodness a bird came and swallowed it." the deformed leaf continues, "keep an eye on those things, they're beasts, they'll show you no mercy." then the deformed leaf said nothing more. While he was left startled by the scenes he had witnessed, the young leaf noticed just slightly above him, a leaf with a different color, pale and brownish. A leaf drained out of his youth. Then without warning a deafening CRACK filled the air, down came the brownish leaf never to be seen again, detached from the mighty tree to a place no one knows. The young leaf turned to the deformed leaf and asked, "what happened to that leaf?" "That is the final destiny of everyone here, we call it "the fall" everyone here is afraid of the fall." answered the deformed leaf. Shocked and speechless the young leaf didn't know what hit him, he was baffled.
For days the young leaf spoke to no one. then finally, he said, "from now on I will mind no one and care for no one. Life is unfair and has no beauty, bad things would happen anyway no matter what. I will live my life selfishly and indulge every moment of it, worrying on nothing but myself." and that's what he did from that day on.
Years passed til one particular day he noticed his color. "no, not me!" he said, and he remembered "the fall" and was stricken with great terror. Day after day right before his eyes, his color was fading and he was filled with fear. Day after day he was filled with anxiety until eventually he heard it again, CRACK! the dreaded day happened, "the fall." Down came the once young leaf.
Slowly the wind took him further and further, gradually he is beginning to see the entire tree, where he once was. Beautiful and splendid the tree stood with it's glory. "WOW" was the only word he could utter. A delayed admiration underlying a regretful ending. "Why didn't I enjoy my time being a part of that tree? Why was I engrossed with fear of the fall? Why was I so absorbed with worries that choked the very life in me," said the leaf.
...end of story
It's undeniable, yes, that life is full of negative things; but how you handle it makes the difference.
I had a melancholic childhood myself and experienced a lot of unpleasant things, however, if given a chance to relive my life, i would still choose to be born the way I was because those negative experiences led me to look at things rather differently; to better sympathize with people in pain and compels me to help others rather than withdraw. For in the process of walking an extra mile, i am finding healing for myself.
Life introduced me to my wife and my son - they're the best thing that ever happened to me and somehow they outweigh those previous bad experiences. I thank God for them everyday.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunscreen
Here is a powerful video essay, as some call it, to help you along with life's journey
Why life's a journey?
yes I know, we've heard this line over and over again "life is a journey", but have we really fathomed the real meaning of this old, worn out, overly quoted life is a journey thing?
I have been around for about 36 years now and over the years I have found this statement to be true, of course to some, 36 years isn't quite an authority yet to say a lot of things about life, well maybe? but my life story compels me to believe that "experience is the best teacher".
do i say this to implement that i understand everything about life? of course not. what I'm saying is that, we experience life first hand, and most of the time we face different hardships, difficult situations, different challenges, and if you're smart enough you will realize that everyday is a learning experience.
I'm always fascinated with how our bodies are designed. when we work our bodies out in the gym, we literally put our bodies into beating, but it's so amazing how it reacts, it develops itself muscles, it understands survival, it is making itself ready for the next attack, it says "bring it on"!
In this life's journey, we are our own tool. we can never say to anyone, let me borrow your experience i need it with what I'm facing now; or say let me borrow your intellect; or your courage or your strength.
life will never go easy on anyone, life is tough and that is a reality we can never change.
there is however something we can change, our outlook in life, that life is a journey and not a destiny.
in the dictionary one of the definitions of journey is traveling from one place to another. In life's journey, I do believe that it's traveling from ignorance to becoming wise; feeble to able; blunt to becoming the sharpest tool ever there is, because life is a journey.
I have been around for about 36 years now and over the years I have found this statement to be true, of course to some, 36 years isn't quite an authority yet to say a lot of things about life, well maybe? but my life story compels me to believe that "experience is the best teacher".
do i say this to implement that i understand everything about life? of course not. what I'm saying is that, we experience life first hand, and most of the time we face different hardships, difficult situations, different challenges, and if you're smart enough you will realize that everyday is a learning experience.
I'm always fascinated with how our bodies are designed. when we work our bodies out in the gym, we literally put our bodies into beating, but it's so amazing how it reacts, it develops itself muscles, it understands survival, it is making itself ready for the next attack, it says "bring it on"!
In this life's journey, we are our own tool. we can never say to anyone, let me borrow your experience i need it with what I'm facing now; or say let me borrow your intellect; or your courage or your strength.
life will never go easy on anyone, life is tough and that is a reality we can never change.
there is however something we can change, our outlook in life, that life is a journey and not a destiny.
in the dictionary one of the definitions of journey is traveling from one place to another. In life's journey, I do believe that it's traveling from ignorance to becoming wise; feeble to able; blunt to becoming the sharpest tool ever there is, because life is a journey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)