Everyday notes to enjoy life (7)

For a change, why not spread good news instead of the usual headlines bannered by newspapers everyday bearing all the attrocities, disasters, and miseries of the world. It's very sad to note that the dailies, sidetrack all the good news in just a narrow section of their pages. Well it's obvious that such headlines would not sell newspapers because people tend to read unsound news.

However if you happen to know a good news and relate it to anyone I'm sure they'll be glad to listen. Sometimes it's a breather to hear the better side of the world.

Another Chance

by Helen Steiner Rice.

How often we wish for another chance
to make a fresh beginning.
A chance to blot out our mistakes
And change failure into winning.

It does not take a new day
To make a brand new start,
It only takes a deep desire
To try with all our heart.

To live a little better
And to always be forgiving
And to add a little sunshine
To the world in which we're living.

So never give up in despair
And think that you are through,
For there's always a tomorrow
And the hope of starting new.

A CUP OF COFFEE

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university lecturer. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, some plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said:

"If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the better cups and are eyeing each other's cups."

"Now, if Life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."

"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

So folks, don't let the cups drive you...enjoy the coffee instead.

The Pencil

The pencil is not just a writing tool. It has a deeper purpose. If you think and look closely enough, you'll realize that it has a strange resemblance to our way of living. Here are at least five important lessons to learn from a pencil...

1. It tells you that everything you do will always leave a Mark .

2. You can always correct your mistakes .

3. The important thing in life is what you are from inside and not from out side .

4. In life you will undergo painful sharpening which will make you better in whatever you do .

5. Finally, to be the best you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and be guided by the hand that holds you.

Everyday notes to enjoy life (6)

As we were shaken up by an unfortunate event recently, I think this Everyday Note is most appropriate at this very moment. But somehow our prayers are most needed now by those we really don't know. The people who were caught in the eye of the blast. The people who were innocently walking, passing thru or having a great time and were unaware of their fate.

The blast has taken 11 lives and hundreds of injured victims.

Hope you can spare a little moment for them too....

A terrifying moment

By now, probably everyone already heard of the tragic event that happened today in Glorietta, Makati City. I was astounded to realize that I was actually on my way to the mall at that moment but went instead to a nearby bookstore where I thought is a better place to buy some time as I was waiting for my colleague's call.



It was a very terrifying moment, being in there and hearing sirens everywhere. For two hours I stayed inside the bookstore, not wanting to leave fearing of another blast within the area.



I really felt sorry for those people who were caught in the explosion. But I felt no remorse to those whoever responsible for it though it wasn't yet confirmed as of this writing if it was a delibarate act of terrorism. I am very thankful to God for not experiencing such tragedy.

Life is not a box of chocolates.

"Life is like a box of chocolates." Everyone probably knows the famous line by Tom Hanks from the movie Forrest Gump. However I have a different view. Life is not always a box of chocolates. It's not always full of surprises. Life is not always sweet, and tasty and good that somehow you may not want to savor it over and over and over again. Most of the time it's full of dissapointment, and anguish and hatred. All the things that make life sour.

Happiness is a hard-earned commodity in life. Sometimes you would find your luck, most of the time you won't. Life is not here for us to enjoy. Life is work and survival for us to continue living. For most of us then, life is like a box of sour grapes, and rotten eggs and spoiled cookies.

I wonder then how Forrest Gump came out with such an idea that life is like a box of chocolates. How is he different to us? And I came out with the very obvious answer. Forrest has a different outlook in life than most of us. He always think positively. He always think that everything will turn out the best, not good but best. He is very optimist on all the things that he do. Even when there's a storm, he is determined to have a good catch of shrimps. He thinks that a man without legs can be as rich as Bill Gates or perhaps even richer.

Forrest Gump has these: positive outlook, sheer determination and ignorance. Yup, he simply ignores all the things that put him down. He doesn't know failure. His total ignorance of all the bad things makes him invulnerable to failure. He is not focused on his success alone but on his will to succeed. Success comes in later.

If we can immitate his very positive outlook, then we can enjoy life so much we want to savor it again and again and again. If we are so determined to achieve what we want, there's a greater chance for us to win our long-sought happiness and success. And in the end, we'll realize that "Life is like a box of chocolates." afterall.

The Main Difference

Here's a funny comparison. Hope nobody is offended.

Everyday notes to enjoy life (5)

Most of the time we are afraid to let ourselves get involved. We think of ourselves first before doing something. We first think of our own comfort. We ask so many "what if's" to preserve our own safety. I do heard of people getting hurt not because they wanted to be heroes or something but because they are concerned. Nobody asked us to be heroes. It's just a matter of choice. Either you step up to make a difference or you don't.

Reaching out to a streetkid makes a very big difference. Letting him know that you care means giving him hope. And giving him hope means creating an opportunity for him to grow up into a better person. That would mean lesser risk for him to grow up into someone you will regret later.

 

The Tale of Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: " I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be
the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"
The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"
The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.

Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. " I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.


One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

Just a thought

I've been contemplating on my blog's title. I've chosen it as a title for I want to touch on the many aspects about life. Now it just occured to me that the statement somehow does not promote positive outlook at all as it limits someone's real perspective of life. "Life's like that! Just get over it. There's nothing you can do about it. It happens." Those sort of things.

For most of us who had been used to life's difficulties, it's not that encouraging. It's like being stuck in a cell wherein you think you can't do anything because well, life's like that! when in fact you can make a change and do something about it.

But then again, it wouldn't be appropriate to go over blogger and re-edit the whole thing right? Simply put, my blog's title isn't my basis for posting, but my thoughts, my ideas and anything that is worth sharing to touch my readers and make them feel more abundant and encouraged and thus keeping them from thinking that life is just like that.

Time

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.
It carries over no balance from day to day.
Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to useduring the day.
What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!
Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failedto invest to good purpose.
It carries over no balance.
It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you.
Each night it burns the remains of the day.
If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back.
There is no drawing against the "tomorrow".
You must live in the present on today's deposits.
Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!
The clock is running.
Make the most of today.
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to apre-mature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the person who won asilver medal in the Olympics.
Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because youshared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.
And remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present! --Author Unknown

A dismal service

Have you ever felt neglected? Say in some restaurant where you can easily catch someone's attention because you are the customer and people are just not paying attention.

I just had that experience lately in a popular fastfood chain here in Manila. The place is not buzzing with people. Not so much customer and the crews were not that too busy to attend to some additional requests.

So I ordered my dinner and I thought it would be good to sip some soup perfect for the cold weather. The restaurant gives ordinary soup as complimentary so I requested one. The crew in his gentlest smile and eloquent voice said, "Okey sir your soup will be right over."

I thought it was best to wait for the soup before I began eating my meal. But no soup came. I didn't have any choice but too start my dinner. I tried to call somebody's attention but to no avail. I finished my dinner and not a single drop of soup came. Talking about a dismal service from a well-known food chain.

To my disgust, I pulled a copy of their survey sheet which they readily provide in the customer table, rated their service to the lowest grade and commented "CONCERN ONLY ON INCOMING CUSTOMERS, NEGLECT CUSTOMER REQUESTS, NEVER GO BACK TO THIS STORE" and sent it thru their text messaging system.

Apparently, a copy of the text feeds back to the store's manager such that after 30 minutes I received a call from the manager herself. I thought I could engage her to a very long discussion on her crew's behavior and proper respect to customers but I didn't have the heart. I just felt so neglected that time so I just said, "It's OK, no problem". The damage has been done and no amount of apology will going to make me go back to that restaurant ever.

The Parable of the Water Bearer

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on an end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the masters house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his masters house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts." the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the masters house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pots side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."


Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In Gods great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws.

Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness your strength is made perfect.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

Everyday notes to enjoy life (4)

Being shy as I am sometimes hamper my ability to make friends. It's a real deal of effort for me to reach out and talk to someone I've just met. I'm too conscious about what to say, how to act, what to talk about. It's something that I have been wanting to overcome for a long time.

I envy people who don't have this kind of "impairment". So if you're one of those I envy, heed this fourth installment. Make friends. Who knows, you may encounter some of "us" and may help us to reach out and make friends easily in the process.

The Optimist Creed

The Optimist Creed was authored in 1912 by Chistian D. Larson, appearing in his book Your Forces and How to Use Them. It was adopted as Optimist International's creed in 1922. Many have found inspiration in The Optimist Creed. In hospitals, the creed has been used to help patients recover from illness. In locker rooms, coaches have used it to motivate their players.

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

by Christian D. Larson in 1912,
adopted by Optimist International in 1922

Tuesdays with Morrie

I read Mitch Albom's Tuesday's with Morrie. It's a decade old book which I was able to discover just recently. And I'm glad I did. It's a very inspiring story, full of valuable lessons and wisdom, about a student and his dying mentor.

Professor Morris "Morrie" Schwartz (1916-1995) is the teacher. He was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), a fatal disease of the motor neuron. Morrie is a great counselor, full of wits and wisdom.

Mitch Albom, a sports columnist by profession was his student. He learned a great deal with his Tuesday meetings with Morrie. And he understood what he has to do in his life. Together they concocted an inspiring manuscript that widens people's perspective about life.

Here are some of the adorable quotes from the book.

"Everybody knows they are going to die," he said again, "but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."
So we kid ourselves about death, I said.

"Yes. But there's a better approach. To know you're going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time. That's better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living."

"The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. It's become quite clear to me as I've been sick. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is supremely important. As our great poet Aulden said, "Love each other or perish.'"

"Okay this is fear. Step away from it. Step away."

"The truth is, when our mothers held us, rocked us, stroked our heads-none of us ever got enough of that. We all yearn in some way to return to those days when we were completely taken care of-unconditional love, unconditional attention. Most of us didn't get enough."

"All this emphasis on youth-I don't buy it," he said. "Listen, I know what a misery being young can be, so don't tell me it's great. All these kids who came to me with their struggles, their strife, their feelings of inadequacy, their sense that life was miserable, so bad they wanted to kill themselves…"

"Wherever I went in my life, I met people wanting to gobble up something new. Gobble up a new car. Gobble up a new piece of property. Gobble up the latest toy. And then they wanted to tell you about it. Guess what I got? Guess what I got?"

"You know how I always interpreted that? These were people so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes. They were embracing material things and expecting sort of a hug back. But it never works. You can't substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship.”

"Part of the problem, Mitch, is that everyone is in such a hurry, " Morrie said. "People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty, too, and they keep running." Once you start running it's hard to slow yourself down.


"Well I feel sorry for your generation," Morrie said. "In this culture, it's so important to find a loving relationship with someone because so much of the culture does not give you that. But the poor kids today, either they're too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don't know what they want in a partner. They don't know who they are themselves-so how can they know who they are marrying?"

"I've learned this much about marriage," he said now. "You get tested. You find out who you are, who the other person is, and how you accommodate or don't."


"Still," he said, "there are few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don't respect the other person, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don't know how to compromise, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don't have a common set of values, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike. And the biggest of those values is your belief in the importance of your marriage."


"People are only mean when they are threatened," he said later that day, "and that's what our culture does. That's what our economy does. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they are worried about losing them. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god."