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.

Life is meant to be shared

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

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.

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.

Christmas Time

I never found my old tape of non-traditional Christmas songs which included these ones. I practically scoured rummaging the internet, but found nothing. The album is titled Christmas Love and the songs contained in it were mostly sung by kids. Until now I can still remember these two songs that were one of my favorites.

Christmas Time

Christmas time comes once a year
It's here and then it's gone,
But if you have Christ in your heart
Then Christmas will live on.

A tiny babe lying in a manger
Destined for the cross
To give His life for you and me
To redeem the lost.

Christmas time Oh Christmas Time
Always live in my heart and mine
Lord help me not to go astray
But to live each day like Christmas day.


Jesus Our Saviour Kind and Good

Jesus our saviour kind and good
Was born in a manger of straw and woods
And the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jesus our saviour kind and good

"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown
"I carried His mother up hill and down
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town"
"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown

"I" said the cow all white and red
"I gave Him my manger for a bed
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head
"I" said the cow all white and red

"I" said the sheep with the curly horn
"I gave Him my blanket for a warm
And he wore my coat on that Christmas morn
"I" said the sheep with the curly horn

"I" said the dove from the rafters high
"I cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry
We cooed Him to sleep my mate and I
"I" said the dove from the rafters high


Here are some of the titles also included as far as I can recall:

Wake O Earth, Wake Everything
Happy Christmas
Jesus Our Saviour Kind and Good
What will I Give Him
Run with Torches
Away in a Manger
You were sent from up above

Father Jerry Orbos' Almost Christmas

Just three more days before Christmas. And I want to share this very fulfilling message from Fr. Jerry Orbos. It's a strong message for all of us living in modern times on how we observe and celebrate Christ's birthday.

For many of us, it’s almost Christmas, but not quite. All the trimmings of Christmas have blinded us and have diverted our focus from the Christ-child. And so it is that, so engrossed in our preparations and decorations, we forget the birthday celebrant, the person. And because of the pressures and the rush, we forget that Christmas is all about persons, and not so much about collections and celebrations.

Almost Christmas, but not quite, for those who look at the Nativity scene and focus on the gold, frankincense, and myrrh instead of the Holy Family. Our lack or surplus of money should not affect the Christmas spirit in our families.

Almost Christmas, but not quite, for those who focus on the goats and sheep at the Nativity scene and think of parties, drinks and food and forget to share their bounty to so many suffering and hungry people around them, and who also forget spiritual food for their own malnourished souls, especially during Christmas.

Almost Christmas, but not quite, for those who focus on their worldly, political, and economic agenda at Christmas, instead of just being grateful, obedient and humble before the God-child whose only agenda was to do His Father’s will, and whose only mission was to serve and to love.

Almost Christmas, but not quite for those who look at the Nativity scene and focus on the ugliness and stench of the manger, and forget the dirt and mess in their own hearts and in their relationship with God and with others. Purity of heart, that’s what Christmas is all about for Joseph, Mary and the Infant. Hopefully, too, for us.

Finally, almost Christmas, but not quite, for those who look at the Nativity scene and focus on the Three Kings and become so engrossed on power, or staying in power by all and by any means, and forget that all power comes from God and should be used for God and for His people, not for themselves.

The Fruit of...

"The fruit of Silence is Prayer
The fruit of Prayer is Faith
The fruit of Faith is Love
The fruit of Love is Service
The fruit of Service is Peace."

-Mother Teresa