Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Long sought Christmas Songs Found!






After years of searching for the Christmas songs that I've longed for since I was a kid, I finally found a breakthrough. I found the long lost songs from a website called www.nubeat.org. And best of all, they can be downloaded free! And there are added bonuses because it's a site that offers great albums not only for Christmas.

The NuBeat Music Group is a multinational Christian music entertainment network that features thousands of original songs and video programming contributed by studios and music artists from around the world. Thanks a lot guys!

Monday, November 02, 2009

Life is a Constant Change

Constant Change
Music and Lyrics by Jose Mari Chan

We're on the road
We move from place to place
And oftentimes when I'm about to call it home
We'd have to move along
Life is a constant change...

The friends we know we meet along the way
Too soon the times we share form part of yesterday
'Cause life's a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no

Clouds that move across the skies
Are changing form before our very eyes

Why couldn't we keep time from movin' on?
Hold on to all the years before this moment's gone?
Why must we live the days at such a frightening pace?

We're all like clouds that move across the skies
And changing form before our very eyes

Have we outgrown our Peter Pans and wings?
We've simply grown too old for tales of knights and kings
'Cause life's a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Instructions for life

by the Dalai Lama

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realise you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.




Saturday, October 24, 2009

The Clock Of Life

By Robert H Smith

"The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.

To lose one's wealth is sad indeed.
Too lose one's health is more.
To lose one's soul is such a loss
That no man can restore."

Today, only is our own.
So live, love and toil with a will.
Place no faith in tommorrow,
For the clock may soon be still.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Life as a terminal illness

Following is a very powerful speech by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Anna Quindlen at the graduation ceremony of an American university where she was awarded an Honorary PhD. It depicts the greatest realization of life, the wonderful gift of living it and the amazing assurance it gives if you live life the way it should be.

"I'm a novelist. My work is human nature. Real life is all I know. Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work. You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out there with your same degree: there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank accounts but also your soul.

People don't talk about the soul very much anymore. It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But a resume is cold comfort on a winter's night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've received your test results and they're not so good.

Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my work stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the centre of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cut out. But I call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, at best mediocre, at my job if those other things were not true.

You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are. So here's what I wanted to tell you today: Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger pay cheque, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast? Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze at the seaside, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over the water, or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a sweet with her thumb and first finger.

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an email. Write a letter. Get a life in which you are generous. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take money you would have spent on beer and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister. All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough.

It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned.

By telling them this: Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby's ear. Read in the back yard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived."

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Modern Bayanihan

Life is a tragedy for the many Filipinos affected by typhoons recently. Two disasters that devastated the city of Manila and the island of Luzon. So many lives were lost, crops were destroyed and properties flooded leaving people's lives in anguish. The recent tragedies ultimately brought forth the "Bayanihan" spirit of Filipinos not only in the Philippines but all over the world. Some made donations in cash, others sent boxes of clothes and foods. Our countrymen is again flooded not by water but by the volumes of help coming from fellow Filipinos who heard and responded for aid.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Life Is A Miracle

Life is a miracle
Don't let it slip away,
Open your heart to others
Give of yourself each day.

See the beauty in everyone
Regardless of where they've been,
Some have a difficult journey
And really need a friend.

Share your gifts and talents
Listen with your heart.
Do the things you dream about
But don't have time to start.

Pick a bouquet of flowers
Show someone that you care,
Be gracious and forgiving
Life is never fair.

Hold on to your courage
You may need it down the road,
We all have a cross to bear
It could be a heavy load.

If you practice all these things
No matter where you roam,
You may find both sun and rain
But you'll never feel alone!

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

The River of Life

by Thomas Campbell


The more we live, more brief appear
Our life’s succeeding stages:
A day to childhood seems a year,
And years like passing ages.

The gladsome current of our youth,
Ere passion yet disorders,
Steals lingering like a river smooth
Along its grassy borders.

But as the careworn cheek grows wan,
And sorrow’s shafts fly thicker,
Ye Stars, that measure life to man,
Why seem your courses quicker?

When joys have lost their bloom and breath
And life itself is vapid,
Why, as we reach the Falls of Death,
Feel we its tide more rapid?

It may be strange—yet who would change
Time’s course to slower speeding,
When one by one our friends have gone
And left our bosoms bleeding?

Heaven gives our years of fading strength
Indemnifying fleetness;
And those of youth, a seeming length,
Proportion’d to their sweetness.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Do you know?

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Life is like an engineering problem

Life is like an engineering problem. You’ll never find a solution until you start solving. Sometimes it is so complex you may not want to begin solving it. Oftentimes it is so simple that we complicate it so much we miss every bit of the simplest solution in the first place.

Sometimes we can readily solve it ourselves. But oftentimes we need others to even comprehend the problem. There's not a single unique solution for it or one fool-proof design but rather a series of workarounds or a number of patches. For if you miss one opportunity, you'll make it more complicated than before.

But like every engineering creation, life is a wonder, a marvel, an amazing masterpiece for us to cherish and appreciate. For every drip of sweat and time you devote in solving life, there corresponds a rewarding achievement. Each of us are engineers of life. We design our own goal. We build our own dreams. We plan our steps. And like famous engineers, it is in the end that we are eventually remembered for our achievements.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

When you Follow Your Own Heart, the Choices You Make Will Always Be the Right Ones


by Jodi R. Ernst

What you do with your life is your own choice.

How you decide to live your life and

achieve your goals is up to you, and no one but you.

Mistakes will be made, but you can learn from your mistakes.

Always remember to live your life in a way that's

right for you.

Everything you do should make you happy,

and those who may at first

disagree will hopefully, in time, be happy for you too.

Then you will come to see

that the choices you make are right -

if you make them for yourself.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Life is a Big Uncertainty.


As Featured On EzineArticles


Life is a big uncertainty. It has always been and it always will be until such a time when human beings will develop a technology to really predict his future. Or until such a time when humans will evolve an extra sensory perception so he will have an oversight of what he will become someday. But until then, life is and always will be an uncertainty.

Life’s ambiguity has always kept us in the dark. Groping and guessing our fate. What awaits us and what is in store for us is anybody’s guess. Would you be bothered about it? Would you worry? For me, it’s really irrelevant. To know what you will become will not make life any easier. It won’t make any difference at all. What matters is what you do in the present. The knowledge of seeing your own future doesn’t guarantee its fulfillment unless you do something about it.

Imagine this, suppose you are certain that you will be a successful doctor someday. Will you just sit around and wait for it to happen? It doesn’t work that way. Your decisions, your choices and the process that you’ll work to attain it will still stand. And since you are certain that you will become a successful doctor, there will be constant pressure and anxiety and unbearable conscious effort to become one. And the more it will be harder to be one.

Trudging in the depths of life, to an unknown future is not a big deterrent to one’s success. It’s what makes life an adventure. It’s what keeps us on track. It provides us the big challenge. It is what inspires us to do greater work.

The best way to deal about the vagueness of life is not to waste time predicting the future, but to, rather, dream about it. Make yourself an ambition. Set it as a goal no matter how high and fulfill it in your own terms. Aspire it. Work your way around it. Because there’s no other greater fulfillment than the reward of achieving the dream you have worked for.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Write in your heart

by Ralph Waldo Emerson


Write it on your heart

that every day is the best day in the year.

No man has learned anything rightly until he knows

that every day is a doomsday.

Today is a king in disguise.

Today always looks mean to the thoughtless,

in the face of a uniform experience

that all good and great and happy actions

are made up precisely of these blank todays.

Let us not be so deceived;

let us unmask the king as he passes!

He only is rich who owns the day,

and no one owns the day

who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.

You have done what you could.

Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in;

forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day;

begin it well and serenely and with too high a

spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This day is all but is good and fair.

It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations,

to waste a moment on the yesterdays...

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Look to This Day

by Kalidasa (regarded as the greatest Indian poet)


Look to this day!

For it is life, the very life of life.

In this brief course

Lie all the varieties and realities of your existence;

The bliss of growth

The glory of action

The splendor of achievement

For yesterday is but a dream

And tomorrow is only a vision

But today well lived makes every yesterday

A dream of happiness

And tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day!

Such is the salutation to the dawn.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Prayer for a happy death

By Corazon C. Aquino
Former Philippine President
published in Philippine Daily Inquirer


Almighty God, most merciful Father
You alone know the time
You alone know the hour
You alone know the moment
When I shall breathe my last.

So, remind me each day,
most loving Father
To be the best that I can be.
To be humble, to be kind,
To be patient, to be true.
To embrace what is good,
To reject what is evil,
To adore only You.

When the final moment does come
Let not my loved ones grieve for long.
Let them comfort each other
And let them know
how much happiness
They brought into my life.
Let them pray for me,
As I will continue to pray for them,
Hoping that they will always pray
for each other.

Let them know that they made possible
Whatever good I offered to our world.
And let them realize that our separation
Is just for a short while
As we prepare for our reunion in eternity.

Our Father in heaven,
You alone are my hope.
You alone are my salvation.
Thank you for your unconditional love, Amen.

As of this posting Mrs. Aquino remains hospitalized at the Makati Medical Center. She was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Friday, June 05, 2009

When Dreams Crumble


As Featured On EzineArticles



When dreams crumble, we feel hopelessness, misery, despair. We begin to feel that everything is crumbling towards us, burying us in a pit of depression.

When dreams crumble, time suddenly stops and our whole world grounds to a halt. It's as if crumpled dreams can bend space and time that we can't go forward and go on living. We tend to go back in time and backtrack where we blundered and regretted doing it over and over, trapping us in a past that can never be rectified.

When dreams crumble, the test of character begins. It's the time when our high spirits suddenly plummet and we begin to question our belief and faith.

When dreams crumble, our optimism and confidence begins to recede. Our positive outlook in life begins to dim. The feeling of pessimism begins to creep in engulfing us with the dark fear of failing again.

When dreams crumble, it sparks hatred. We get angry of the world. We blame ourselves. And worst we blame God for our predicament.

When dreams crumble, everything becomes nothing.

When dreams crumble, it is not the time to wage war against the world. It is not the time to revolt against God. It is certainly not the time to blame ourselves for our failure. It is the start of a new challenge. A start of a different path towards our dreams. Because the path towards it is not a straight line, it is a combination of different branches which represent choices and decisions. We may choose to start from scratch or from the root, or we can choose to tread another path much like a detour.

This war is not us against anyone else but rather it's us against ourselves. This is a test of faith. A test of strength. A test of perseverance. If we succumb to our own failure, everything will go to waste, our dreams along with it.

Our failure to fulfill our dreams is not at all a failure. It is not the end nor it was a waste of time. It is not a blot in our resumes but rather an additional experience that we can flaunt. It is something that we should not be ashamed of but something that we are proud of. Because as we build our dreams, we are building our own character.

Monday, June 01, 2009

One !

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom.
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
you see it's up to You!

Don't ever forget how very Important You Are

- Author Unknown

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

All the best things in life are free.

Here's my own list of life's bests. . .

1. Love

2. Music

3. Laughter

4. A warm hug

5. Friends

6. Kiss

7. Dreams

8. Sunrise and sunset

9. Nature

10. A pat in the shoulder

11. Sleep

12. Play

13. Kids

16. Adventure

17. A stroll in the park

18. A sincere apology

19. Applause

20. Noisy cheers

21. Family

22. Prayer

23. Peace

24. Holding hands

25. Heart-to-heart talk

26. Charity

27. A pleasant smile

28. Silly jokes

29. Two thumbs up

30. Blogging

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

How Much Music Can You Make?

by Steve Goodier

Imagine this. A concert violinist is performing a difficult piece in front of a large audience. Suddenly there is a loud snap that reverberates throughout the auditorium. The audience immediately knows that a string has broken and fully expects the concert to be suspended until another string, or instrument, is brought to the musician.

But instead, the violinist composes herself, closes her eyes and then signals the conductor to begin again. The orchestra resumes where they had left off and now the musician plays the music on three strings. In her mind she works out new fingering to compensate for the missing string. A work that few people can play well on four strings, the violinist with the broken string plays on three.

When she finishes, an awesome silence hangs in the room. And then as one, the crowd rises to their feet and cheers wildly. The violinist smiles and wipes perspiration from her brow. When silence returns to the great room, she explains why she continued to play in spite of a broken string. "You know," she says, still breathless, "sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left." *

We know what she means, don't we? Maybe we've lived most of our lives and we have only a little time left. Can we still make music?

Maybe disease has robbed us of our capacity to work. Can we still make music?

Perhaps a financial loss has left us impoverished. Can we still make music?

Or maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and we feel alone in the world. Can we still make music?

There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like the violinist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can still make with what we have left? How much good we can still do? How much joy we can still share? For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the music only you can make.

And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many will applaud your effort. For some people have lost more than others, and these brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights.

Just how much music can you make with what you have left?

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Be Yourself

Friday, May 15, 2009

The Rules of Being Human

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for as long as you live. How you take care of it or fail to take care of it can make an enormous difference in the quality of your life.

You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time, informal school called Life. Each day, you will be presented with opportunities to learn what you need to know. The lessons presented are often completely different from those you think you need.

There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation. You can learn as much from failure as you can from success. Maybe more.

A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it (as evidenced by a change in your attitude and ultimately your behavior) then you can go on to the next lesson.

Learning lessons does not end. There is no stage of life that does not contain some lessons. As long as you live there will be something more to learn.

“There” is no better than “here”. When your “there” has become a “here” you will simply discover another “there” that will again look better than your “here.” Don’t be fooled by believing that the unattainable is better than what you have.

Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself. When tempted to criticize others, ask yourself why you feel so strongly.

What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you create with those tools and resources is up to you. Remember that through desire, goal setting and unflagging effort you can have anything you want. Persistence is the key to success.

The answers lie inside of you. The solutions to all of life’s problems lie within your grasp. All you need to do is ask, look, listen and trust yourself.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Sunscreen Speech

by Mary Schmich

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 99 ... Wear sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.
Oh, never mind.
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future.
Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you're ahead,
sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and, in the end,
it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive.
Forget the insults.
If you succeed in doing this,
tell me how.

Keep your old love letters.
Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees.
You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance.
So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body.
Use it every way you can.
Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance.
Even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions,
even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines.
They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents.
You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings.
They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once,
but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once,
but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths:
Prices will rise.
Politicians will philander.
You, too, will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund.
Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.
But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Manny and Susan



What does Manny Pacquiao and Susan Boyle have in common? Well, they both just stunned the world with their incredible performances in their respective fields. They both single-handedly dropped their foes with their tremendous skills and talents in front of skeptical audiences. They are both worthy of their achievements.

The boxing world was startled by the explosive performance of Manny when he TKO'd Ricky Hatton in just 6 minutes of their World Championship fight last May 2. Susan on the other hand, became a web sensation when she surprised British Got Talent judges and audiences with her endearing rendition of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables. And she is a 47 year-old aspiring professional singer. Her Youtube video hit 30 million in just a matter of weeks.

You can say that the entire world is their stage. And we are just mere enthralled spectators, watching these amazing and talented individuals who just came out of nowhere. And ultimately proven themselves that they can conquer the world with their bare talents. Their amazing stories from virtually unknown to famous figures captivated the whole planet. Their rise to fame is not by accident but by sheer dedication, riveting confidence and polished skills. Manny is the best in his craft right now and Susan is an awesome rising star in her own right. They both earned it and they are now reaping their rewards.

Two belittled individuals, two admired stars, two inspirations. And the world is just awestruck.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Everyday Notes to Enjoy Life (17)

It's a good piece of advice. Well who knows. Your dog might know a better joint that's more exciting. You'll never know. But for a change, let go of the wheel. Let someone else drive for a while and take the back seat and enjoy the view. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of life. And you'll realize what you've been missing. Start by walking your dog. Then let your dog walk you. Then let somebody else lead your way. Before you know it, you're already having fun, having an adventure, enjoying a life like no other.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Life is simple.


As Featured On EzineArticles

Life is simple. Most of the time we just complicate it. When we prioritize our wants before our needs. When we first think of our luxuries instead of our necessities. When we satisfy our desires instead of our dreams; when we satisfy first our mind's curiosity before our heart's contentment. Sometimes we are not in a position to complain because of our predicament. The way we came to be is our own choosing. We made our choices; we made our decisions. We choose to live luxuriously at the expense of our future. It's not the world's fault. It's ours.

The principle of simple living doesn't necessarily mean depriving oneself with life's great pleasures. It only means controlling your desire of material things created by man that rely so much on money. Controlling yourself to have more than what you can afford. Simply put, do not live beyond your means. Because real happiness and pleasure cannot be satisfactorily realized through material things.

The roots of complicated life most of the time weave from our relentless crave for earth-borne material things. These are but one of the many maladies of being human. We dream,therefore we desire. We wish, therefore, we envy. We yearn, therefore, we feel jealous. And how else can we cure these disease other than to satisfy them. However, there are gifts that are innate to us to counteract these undesirable traits. We were bestowed the gift of wisdom, the power of perception, and the philosophy of understanding.

Therefore, in the midst of these enthralling temptations, we have the power to thwart all of them so that we can live simply and modestly. We must not let these material things control us, but rather let us control them for better purposes.

Real happiness can only be obtained from within ourselves, our families, our friends and how we perceive our relationship with others. Life is simple, don't complicate it. Of course, you'd think you deserve to live better and that's when positive outlook and your drive to succeed comes in. But that is another story.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Life Metaphors Too...

Life is like a white canvass. The colors we are going to use is up to our own choosing, be it red, green, or gray.

Life is like a grammar lesson. You find the past, perfect, and the present tense.

Life is like a building. You need to have a good foundation to withstand the tests of nature.

Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up, depends upon what you're made of.

Life is like a mine. You should dig in deeper to find precious gems.

Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know when you'll find a nut.

Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it.

Life is like an expressway. The only difference is that there are potholes and humps along the way. But if you were ready and prepared just right, you'll have a smooth ride ahead.

Life is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses.

Life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.

Life is like a safari. It's a ground packed with bully hunters, wary preys and opportunistic scavengers.

Life is an echo. What you send out - you get back. What you give - you get.

Life is a roller coaster.You can either scream every time you hit a bump or you can throw your hands up in the air and enjoy it.

Life is like a circus act. Practice well and you'll get through it without a hitch.

Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life, so get wasted all the time and have the time of your life.

Life is fragile ... handle with prayer.

Life is like a movie..How good you do depends on your critics.

Life is not fair, but life is not fair for everyone. That makes life fair.

Life is really a bed of roses, others are just lucky to have friends to help them pick the thorns off.

Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.

Life is too short to long for money.

Life is full of surprises. Just say "never" and you'll see.

Life is hard, no one makes it out alive.

Life is like a mirror, if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.

Life is what you have while you are waiting to have one.

Life just gives you time and space; it's up to you to fill it.

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.

Click here for more Life metaphors...

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Delaying God's Blessings


As Featured On EzineArticles


I believe that God's gifts and blessings are abundantly laid before us. Most of the time, it's up to us to find our way to them. God has done His part and it's up to us to complete the task.

Each of us is gifted with his own natural skills - our own core gifts. I don't know anyone who doesn't. Even a toddler has skills to show. These God-given gifts, coupled with our desire for something greater than we already have, should drive us towards these blessings. Each of us has his own dreams. And dreams are meant to be fulfilled. All we have to do to realize them is to take ACTION. How is it then that most of us are not able to accomplish this?

There are a few things to note why dreams are not fulfilled, get abandoned and eventually wasted.

1. Lack of persistence. We easily get discouraged at the sight of failure. Once failed, we channel our energies to other things. We're like the fox that sour-grapes when we can't get what we want.

2. Hopelessness. One who has the positive outlook will never lose hope. Sometimes we should find positive things out every failure. As Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. "

3. Lack of faith. A person who doesn't have faith in himself will never fulfill his dream. Your lacking in faith or in spirit will drive you to nowhere because faith will fuel your spirit to go on even thru rough roads.

4. Failure to acknowledge own weaknesses. In order to master our strengths, we must be aware of our weaknesses first. Acknowledging our weaknesses is a very vital step in sharpening our skill set in order to achieve our goals.

5. Denying others' help. Most of the time, we will not be alone in our adventure. There will be others whom we will share our dreams with. They may be able to help us along the way and we may be able to help them in return. We must be humble enough to realize that we will not have all the solutions at hand even though we have prepared heavily.

6. Laziness and procrastination. Of course it's so obvious that putting off tomorrow what you can do today will definitely delay everything. Whatever goal you are set on doing won't be accomplished unless started. Therefore starting early will definitely reward you earlier blessings.

I love Bo Sanchez's idea about our power to delay God's blessings. We have the power to realize these blessings however we also have the power to delay them. Unless we have the focus and discipline, unless we have the spirit and faith, these dreams of ours will stay as dreams. Dreams that are so near, but yet so far because we failed to ACT upon them.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter!

Easter is a time for renewal,
Easter is rebirth,
Easter is forgiveness,
Easter is resurrection.

Easter is bringing out a new you. Leaving behind hatred, fear, and misery that you've been dragging along. The risen Christ has reminded us once again that He has triumphed for us and that it's ok to let go and surrender all those heavy burdens to Him. Because He wants us to be borne again. He wants us to renew our faith in Him. He wants us to be happy.

Easter is our true Christmas. It's the foundation of our faith. Because without it, without Christ's resurrection everything is pointless. Let us rejoice for He is risen and He is risen indeed.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Everyday Notes to Enjoy Life (16)

I remember camping out when I was a kab scout when I was in elementary. We were in an open field so you can see the whole dark sky field with stars. We built camp fire, we played games, we had fun.

When you're under the night sky, under the stars, it feels like you have all the time in the world, it feels like you own the world. It's like you can do anything without any limits, no boundaries. Everything is boundless. It seems like you're all alone inside a dome shimmered by the twinkling lights of stars. Let your fantasy and imagination dwindle among the stars and for sure you'll feel like you have traveled somewhere you have never been before.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

A grave challenge

Father Jason Laguerta, Director of San Carlos Seminary presided over the mass we attended this Sunday. My wife and I are actually all ears when he celebrates mass because of the way he delivers his homily. Today, he struck us hard again with a sharp, powerful, guilt-revealing homily (well actually it's not a sermon but a plea as he put it).

As we all know, the Philippines as a predominant catholic country observes the Lenten season every year. Consequently, it is one of the longest non-working holidays closely anticipated by many Filipinos. However Fr. Jason stressed that this vacation is not a vacation at all. We as Catholics should observe the season with moral and spiritual obligations in mind.

The Holy Week is not just one day but seven days. Palm Sunday is only the beginning. Many of us throng to the church to celebrate the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem. Most of us bring our fancy decorated fronds or "palaspas" to commemorate His arrival just like when He entered Jerusalem. But then overtime, people abandoned Him. People who followed Him, who praised Him, who glorified Him, even His disciples were nowhere to be found when He was mercilessly persecuted.

And we are doing this again to Him. During this Holy days, we spend our time in beautiful beaches. We go about our own planned vacations. On the first Holy Week, people abandoned Him and we are no better. How would you feel if your closest friends suddenly abandoned you in your time of despair. How would you feel if the people you trusted most suddenly left you in your time of suffering. How would you feel if you thought you'll have all the shoulders to lean on in time of darkest days only to find out that they have forsaken you.

You know how it feels to be left alone by people whom you think are your real friends. That's what Jesus felt during His moment of trials. And we are continually doing it to Him everytime the season of Lent comes.

Father Jason has instilled in our hearts a very grave challenge. The choice is left for us to decide. Just a thought though, funny how we go hurrying and praying for His intercession everytime we are in dire need and accused Him of not being there when we don't get what we want.

Friday, April 03, 2009

A period of great depression


















We are in a period of "great depression". Everyone is depressed!


The economic crisis is affecting us severely, killing our jobs and disrupting our way of life. Some people are losing their grip. They are like robots that malfunction when subjected to intense stress and pressure. Some resort to violence; suicide, indiscriminate shooting and atrocities that are unthinkable. Some people tend to hurt not only themselves but the innocents, even their own families. Such wave of terrifying news has gripped the world during the past months.

I say it's cowardice to result to such inhuman acts. First of all, violence doesn't solve anything. Second, losing work doesn't mean losing everything more so your life. We are here not to work but to live. We received the gift of life so it is our job to preserve it, realize it and fulfill it. True, losing our financial security is a tragedy. But it's just plain dumb and stupid to resort to such violent means.

Here in the Philippines, the crisis is rarely felt. People even laughed it off implying that they have been used to it. That their lives have been in crisis ever since. There is a great deal of advantage living in developing countries like the Philippines. People have been acquainted with life's hardships. You would find them living life one day at a time. Struggling to make both ends meet. Yet, even the poorest of the poor, will find time to laugh, find leisure and enjoy life.

Problems abound. Life is not life without problems. And crisis or no crisis, life should go on. Remember, these struggles will either make us or break us. If we make it through, that will add to our remarkable life resume. If not, there are people around us that we can turn to for help. Prayers will help a lot. It's those times when faith really plays a pivotal role.

Problems are just temporary. They tend to fade away and resolve themselves in time even without you lifting a single finger. So hold on. Endure every struggle. Before you know it, your storm has already passed.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Don't mess with our elders...

An eldery lady gets pulled over for speeding.

Older woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.

Older woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.

Officer: Don't have one?

Older woman: Lost it, four years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see... can I see your vehicle registration papers please?

Older woman: I can't do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see.

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes five police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the woman's car, clasping his half-drawn gun.

Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of the car.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?

Older woman: Yes, here are the registration papers.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving licence.

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the licence. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have licence, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Everyday Notes to Enjoy Life (15)

The mailman, newspaper boy, delivery man, plumber or anyone who would bring their service into your own backyard will be delighted if shown gratitude and well appreciated for their services. Even just an ice cold glass of water will suffice. Make your home their oasis during their rounds in the community.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Life is... - according to them

Life is a promise; fulfill it. -Mother Teresa, humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless.

Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed. -Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it. -Christopher Morley, journalist, novelist, essayist and poet.

Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep. -Fran Lebowitz, American author.

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. -Isaac Asimov, sci-fi writer.

Life is a long lesson in humility. -James M. Barrie, Scottish author and dramatist

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. -John Lennon, singer songwriter

Life is a zoo in a jungle. -Peter De Vries, editor and novelist

Life is an unbroken succession of false situations. -Thornton Wilder, playwright and novelist.

Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act. -Truman Capote, writer

Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you. -Wally 'Famous' Amos, actor and writer

Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all. -William Goldman, novelist, playwright and two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter

Life is rather like a tin of sardines - we're all of us looking for the key. -Alan Bennett, author, actor, humorist and playwright.

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. -Albert Einstein, physicist.

Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed. -Corita Kent, artist and educator.

Life is not a spectacle or a feast; it is a predicament. -George Santayana, philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist.

Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it. -Tom Lehrer, singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician.

Life is a magic vase filled to the brim; so made that you cannot dip into it nor draw from it; but it overflows into the hand that drops treasures into it-drop in malice and it overflows hate; drop in charity and it overflows love. -John Ruskin, British art critic and social thinker.

The purpose of life is a life of purpose. -Robert Byrne, author.

Life is about compromise. You must figure out a way to maximize your time with your family. By spending your money to buy affection, you may be putting their future in jeopardy and making the problem worse. -Dr.Phil, American television personality, author, and former psychologist

Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist, philosopher, poet

Life is too short to be living somebody else's dream. -Hugh Hefner, magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.

Life is a series of commas, not periods. -Matthew Mcconaughey, actor

and to top it all....

Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you're alive, it isn't. -
Richard Bach, author.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Life is a Symphony


I saw this life inspiring message inside a popular gift shop, printed on one of their products...

"Life is a symphony of incredible music. It has its own soprano, tenor and bass. No matter how high or low the notes, keep in tune with God and you'll never go off the key in the beautiful music of life."

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Everyday Notes to Enjoy Life (14)


This should be one of the best breaks from the usual sleep and lie down ritual we do in our rooms. You may wonder sometimes not to find some of your stuffs only to realize that they are just there lying dormant on one of the corners of your room. To rid yourself of the clutters and junks in your room, why not make it a hobby to clean and "de-organize" your once web-cluttered abode. You'll be surprised to find out what's hiding there. It could be a long-lost memorabilia, or a long-forgotten keepsake.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

National Lotto Day

Today should be declared Philippine National Lotto day. Because this is the day where millions of Filipinos will troop to lotto outlets all over the country trying to win the biggest lottery pot in history - 320 million pesos at least (i.e. 6.8 million US dollars). We've already made our bets early in the morning making sure to avoid the longest lines of people in the afternoon. My wife thought of an ingenious way to have a better chance of winning. We call it group lotto. She and her officemates, I included, contributed three sets of numbers each that is worth 60 pesos bet and whichever number wins, the group will divide the pot equally. That increases each persons number of bets, which of couse increases his/her chances of winning. Well, good luck to us. May the best or should I say luckiest Filipino win.

UPDATE:(2/23/2009) 2 very lucky Filipinos today instantly became multi-millionaires after bagging the much coveted more than 300 million peso prize for yesterday's lotto draw. As for our group lotto, only one set picked a correct three-number combination which is equivalent to 100 peso prize. Well, we couldn't divide this amongst ourselves could we? We've just decided to place our money on the the next lottery.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Life is meant to be shared


As Featured On EzineArticles

Life in solitude is the saddest thing. Life is not meant to be spent in closed doors. Certainly not in an island where one is trapped by the boundless ocean.

The beauty of life can only be seen in the wonderful harmony of intertwined relationships - between yourself and your family, your friends, your neighbor, a stranger or anybody. Because life is meant to be shared. Those whose life feels incomplete needs to be complemented by others. Those who are in dire need need help. Those who are feeling alone and in despair need attention.

There are some ways to complement others' needs. Through compassion, the desire to help, and love for others are just some of them. The bad news is that, we are being held back by our fear and mistrust of others. Of thoughts that these people are just pretending and are not really worth our help.

True, there are people out there who in their desire for easier meal will take advantage on those who are warm-hearted. This should not hinder us. Those of us who are burdened by these limitations need only think of the story of the Good Samaritan, who in his selfless act of love gave new life to a total stranger. So don't be afraid to help, don't be scared to approach someone who asks for help. Reach out, open the doors of life and let those who are in need know that someone out there is ready to lend a helping hand.

Because life is really meant to be shared.

A very special Valentine poem

She said...

if you see me walking the road with someone else
it's not because i like his company
it's because you're not brave enough to walk beside me
if you hear me talking about him all the time
it's not because he pleases me
it's because you're too deaf to hear my heartbeat
if you feel me falling with someone new
it's not because i love him
it's because you're not there to catch me if i fall
if you feel lost, i too am nowhere
i too don't know where the road is going
are we gonna cross each other's path?
or just completely turn around?
will we just let go of what we had
or go to the place where love is bound
don't let me walk with him
its you i want to walk with
don't let me talk to him
its you i want to talk with
don't let me fall for him
its you i want to fall in love with.


He said ...

when you thought i wasn't brave enough to walk beside you
i was behind you every step of the way still filled with awe
because of the beauty that stands before me
when you thought i was too deaf to hear your heartbeat
i didn't want to assume anything
and i was afraid to lose our friendship
when you thought i wasn't there to catch you
it was because you never gave me the chance
you never reached the bottom, you've already grabbed a branch
if you feel like you are nowhere, i too am lost
i too don't know where the road is going
are we just going to turn around,
or are we gonna cross each other's path?
will we just let go of what we had
or go to the place where love is bound?
don't let me walk alone
i want to walk by your side
don't let me talk of something else
it's you i want to talk with
don't let me fall for someone else

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Psalm of Life

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
"Life is but an empty dream!"
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
"Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us further than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act -- act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.


As Longfellow firmly stated, in the world's broad field of battle, be somebody. Be someone who can realize his own dreams. Though often times hard, cumbersome and low, learn to persevere and learn to wait. Because dreams and aspiration can't be fullfilled in an instant. Life is a mixture of fortunes and misfortunes. So don't lay still and wait for your destiny to come. Curve your own path and leave something for others to follow.

Monday, January 19, 2009

A New Year, A New Leaf

Another year has passed. Most of us have resolutions to keep. Others would think, "Why bother?", they are not meant to be kept anyway. Because most of us don't trust ourselves. Most of us has a hard time accepting changes. It's simpler to leave things the way they are. It's simpler to follow things that we've been used to.

Problem is, we are humans. Sooner or later we'll grow tired of what we are accustomed to do, of things we use to see, feel or touch. Sooner or later we'd want changes. So why not start now. A New Year, a new leaf. It's a hard thought but surely we'll reap the benefit sooner than we think.