2012 New Year's Resolution

Lose weight..
Save money..
Will be wiser this time..
Will do my school works..

etc. etc. etc.

          Every year, every new year's eve in particular, we make new sets of promises which we aim to accomplish and keep going for 365 days. We call them our New Year's Resolution. Inside a New Year's Resolution are the goals we wish to achieve for the upcoming year. So for two zero one two, here's my complete list of "do's" and "don't's":

• Less Food, More Exercise.
• Use money wisely.
• Be friendly.
• STUDY HARD. Homework matters!
• Be confident but not too conceited.
• Listen to your parents. They know all the bests for you.
• Clean up your mess. Whether at home, dorm, everywhere!
• Patience patience patience. Learn to understand other people as long as you can.
• More love, less hate.
• FORGIVE, FORGET. If they hurt you on the past years, who knows you can be friends this year?
• Less talk. Less mistake. Less problem. Less enemy.
• Never trust someone too fast. 
• BE POSITIVE. If you think you can, you can! If you think you can't, at least give it a try.
• Smile, always smile! Friendship begins with a sweet smile.
• Face all the problems and solve it as much as you can.
• Spend more time with family, friends, and my special one.
• BE YOURSELF!
• Always look at your best.
• Help others, try not to be too self centered.
• SUNDAY MASS IS A MUST.
• In everything you do, do your BEST. 
• Break a record this year.
• BLOG, BLOG, BLOG. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! :) CHEERS!

The Story of a Deaf Frog

          Let me share you a short but inspiring story. A friend of mine asked me to read about this story and eventually, it turned out to be one of my favorite stories.

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a climbing competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. Heard throughout the race were statements such as, “Oh, way too difficult”, “They will never make it to the top”, “Not a chance they will succeed”, and “The tower is too high”.The tiny frogs began collapsing, one by one - except for those who, in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, “It is too difficult! No one will make it”!More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But one continued to climb higher and higher. This one refused to give up!At the end of the race, all had given up climbing the tower except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!All of the other tiny frogs wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. They asked him how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.It turned out that the winning frog was deaf!

           The main lesson of this story is that in order for us to reach our dreams, we sometimes need to become deaf with all the criticisms and discouraging things people are throwing us. People will always say things, they will underestimate our potentials, they will even doubt about our skills and it's up to us if we would let those words bring us down or better ignore what they say. When they see you at the top, they will try to pull you down but are you gonna allow them to take what you have invested for so long? Let them say what they want but don't bother to listen, rather prove them all wrong. Life's too short to worry about what other people think or say, so do your job and give them more things to talk about, in the end, you will find yourself at the top while these people are still down there, trying to destroy you, but still they can't. So follow your heart, set your goals, and always, always, always, believe in yourself. It's not yet too late to become who you want to be!

Trip to Kaliraya Street

          Last Wednesday was  declared as a holiday. All malls were full of people enjoying their one day rest. Everyone had his own way of spending it. Some were on movies, others were off to eat on their favorite restaurants, and shopaholics go for shopping. I just got my allowance then and I can't help to buy new make ups to add on my make up collection. I bought three items from MAC cosmetics- an eyebrow corrector, eye pencil, and a mocha blush on.
          It was around 7:00pm when I decided to go home. As usual, I encountered a heavy traffic along Quezon Avenue so the taxi decided to find other way for us not to get trapped on the traffic. We passed by an unfamiliar street, Kaliraya, if I'm not mistaken.The place was rowdy, messy, and a bit stinky. Houses were smaller than a normal comfort rooms. The street itself was covered by people on their worn out shirts, discussing something, perhaps their dreams (well I believe people like them dream bigger than we think.).
          The residences of Kaliraya belong to the marginalized society. They are the people who we usually do not give a second look. They are the poor people who cannot maintain a proper life and get a little chance to be freed from this condition. Our society is composed of 3% over-consumers (the wealthiest and the richest businessmen who have the power in the country), 17% sustainers (people in the middle class who can meet more than their needs, those who are relative rich) and 80% marginalized (40% are in relative poverty who can eat three times a day and 40% of which are in the absolute poverty who cannot afford to meet the basic needs such as food, clothing, home and health).
          Sometimes, I mean most of the times, I wonder how these people manage to put curves on their faces. I wonder why they still have time to crack jokes when they have all the reasons to break down. I don't think they're lazy because as far as I know, they work harder than the company owners who are busy sitting on their air conditioned offices. They do the hard and heavy works and receive a little payment for it. They are poor not because of laziness but because they were born poor and our society do not give them opportunity to look for a better work. They don't have a choice. Option for them is never optional. They surely won't be hired on a company because they weren't educated at all, they might have the talent or skills but society refuse to look at it.
          One thing I love about us Filipinos is that we are naturally happy persons. Look at them, their houses are small and dirty, their clothes is somewhat like rags, they eat "pagpag", and their lives have no direction but they are happy. As I look on the houses, I've seen lanterns, I've seen some Christmas lights. I smiled because for the first time, I felt that Christmas is coming. At the back of my mind was a question- how could this people celebrate the most wonderful time of the year? What kind of food will be shared on their noche buena? Will they prepare gifts for each member of the family? I don't know but whatever it is, I admire them for their optimism. I admire how they put Christmas decorations even if life had been so unfair for them. I admire that instead of blaming God for the life He gave them, they choose to thank and praise Him. I admire how they save money just to buy decorations for the coming birth day of Jesus Christ.
          Christmas is a perfect time to give and share the blessings we receive from God. I just wish that people who have more than enough money would take time to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Let us make their Christmas memorable. Isn't it feels good to help others? It feels awesome to know that you are the source of other people's happiness. Why would you hold something that you cannot bring to your second life if you can share them with people who seldom experience a good life. Let us be an instrument for them to know how wonderful our world is. I think helping the poor will be the most precious gift Jesus Christ will ever receive on His birthday. 

HARD WORK PAYS

          Once in a while, right at the middle of an ordinary day, God makes us realize how lucky we are not because of what we have, but because of what we are.

          Just yesterday, while having a law class, one of my block mates shared something which inspired me a lot. By the way, I am not an athlete but I’m from an athlete section. I always look up to these student-athletes not just because of the gold medals or titles or fame they've been giving to my school but because they have a heart that never gives up on whatever trials life has to offer. 

          Each athlete has his inspiring story, just like L (not his real name). I've known L since last semester. He's a typical student athlete but he studies harder than some of his team mates. L wasn't born rich but he never consider it as a hindrance for him to reach his dreams. His Mom, carrying a basket and a winnowing basket on her head, walks around their place in Mindoro to sell goods as a source of their livelihood. His Dad has no permanent work. He has six other siblings and he feels really lucky that among his siblings, he got a chance to attend college. Practically speaking, it is our right to study, but for people like L, they see studying as a privilege . 

          L has no monthly allowance but the school gives him two hundred pesos worth of meal everyday. To have extra money, L has what he calls "sideline". He don't wanna ask allowance from his Mom since the money her Mom gets from selling is not enough for his six siblings. His family and his dream of finishing school is what motivates him to continue fighting. Giving up is never an option for him.

          "Kinaya ko naman Bes diba? Kita mo third year na ako ngayon, isang taon na lang ga-graduate na ako." These words from L and his story made me guilty. Guilty because for typical students like us, our Moms give us around fifteen thousand a month but we still ask for more. Guilty because we always feel bad for not having our own car. Guilty because we sometimes curse our parents whenever they don't buy us this latest gadget. Guilty because we spend lot of money buying things which we do not actually need.

          I didn't feel bad for him, I feel bad for myself, for I failed to see how blessed I am. L inspired me a lot. He made me feel that lacking enough money won't make you feel less of a person because life is not measured by the what you have but rather by what you are. Life is how you view it and the fact that we are still breathing is something we have to be grateful for. Yes life is not fair, but if we look on the positive side of it, if we learn to appreciate it, and if we know how to handle it, LIFE IS DEFINITELY GOOD. 

          Thanks L! I know for sure that better future awaits you. I will always look up to you.