Goodness Gracious

I look at her and I see hope, faith, and courage. And why not? Grace has been through trials and troubles, but you see her around, on her feet and with such grace. Her smile is window to her soul—desiring only what can liberate, empower, and perfect another soul. Thank you, Grace, for the privilege of having met you and for the gift of the human being that you are.

The Fortune of Family

The Fortune of Family. Parents and siblings are wealth.

My Own Family. Children, grandchildren are wealth.

No, it’s not about family fortune. We have no material wealth except the wealth of family. The wealth of having parents and siblings who may be divided at times about some issues, but remain united about more. The richness of being around—to lift one up, to share feelings with, cry with, laugh with, and live with. The fortune of family, in times of trouble or or in times of triumph. Mahjong na!

How My Five Children Turn Out To Be Who They Are

Mothers ought to…

1. Be calm.

2. Be assertive.

3. Be responsible.

4. Be fair.

5. Be true.

6. Be open.

7. Be trusting.

8. Be smart.

9. Be kind.

And most of all…

10. Be there.

Five Situations That Make Writing a Life Skill

Has anyone considered writing as a life skill? Has anyone seen that writing can provide us a first step toward solving a problem?

Collecting your thoughts at the end of the day and writing them down helps you see clearly the clutter from the order. Your awareness is heightened by paying homage to your thoughts and feelings by writing them down.

Not the writing of the Reading-Writing-aRithmetic kind, the one required of us to learn when we were in school. But writing writing. The one that gives us the space to express, say what we want, send the message we want, greet, ask, request, command, direct, inform, and many more. All these can be seen in many forms–letters, memos, banners, posters, Facebook status, blogs, etc.

Letter-writing is the nearest to a life skill. Whether handwritten, emailed, or typed in Word and printed with desk jet, letters can provide us a first step toward problem-solving.

Here are some simple situations that make writing a life skill:

1.  Writing your landlord that you want to discontinue renting his apartment because security is an issue.

2. Writing to apply for a college scholarship, or to enroll to take up masters, or to apply for a job.

3.  Writing to ask for condonation of an interest on a loan.

4.  Writing to make amends with a friend who lives in a distant place.

5.  Writing a love letter.

Apart from bathing, writing should also be a life skill.

There is a great deal of life situations that need us to write. And that is probably the reason why we were taught composition in school–in Filipino or in English–in the first place. And that is probably the reason why not being able to write a decent paragraph when you are a high school or a college graduate is a dismay to the job interviewee or to a boss.

And why not? The person that you are can be seen from the words you put out, whether written or said.

Writing as a life skill does not mean one should become an expert at it but be able to do it like bathing or cooking or doing the laundry or managing money.

Writing is as essential as talking, the written word as important as the spoken word.

Writing as a step to solving a problem therefore is a life skill.

Wanted: Umbrellas

I just had a chat with one of my former elementary classmates back in Masbate who is now a teacher. I was moved as he related what he saw on the road this afternoon, going back to the city proper from the remote town of Aroroy—school children going home from school at 2:00 pm, on foot, under the scorching heat of the sun, without protection.

In the vernacular, he told me:

Umbrellas for school children of Masbate [Photo from allcoloringphotos.com

“Kanina, hali kami sa Aroroy kay naki-birthday sa superintendent. While on the road home, nakita namon an mga kabataan hali sa school mga 2 p. m. Naga ralakat lang. Kahalayo san linakat kag kainit. Wara man lang kalo o payong. Pan-o kun naga-uran, maralakat lang guihapon sinda? Kun dili man mag-lakat, absent sa klase. Kaluoy gayud.”(“This afternoon, we came from Aroroy from a superintendent’s birthday celebration. While on the road home, we saw school children going home from school at 2:00 p.m. They were on foot. They walked a long way and it was very hot. They didn’t have hats or umbrellas. What about when it rains, would they still go on foot? If they don’t walk to school, they’d be absent from class. Pitiful indeed.”)

“Dapat may mga payong o kalo manla. Wara na gani siguro pamasahe, wara pan pandong. Hay buhay. Naluoy gayud ako kanina…” (“They should have umbrellas or hats at least. They don’t have money to pay for transport, and they don’t even have anything to cover their heads. I pity them.”)

Hence, once again, this note to you my friends—I am gathering umbrellas, or hats, or raincoats for the school children of my home province of Masbate.

With a little help from you, we’ll give them protection over their heads—rain or shine.

Your generosity will go along way.

Let me know. Thank you.

Singing DQs in the House

No, it’s not Dairy Queen.

Somebody had a birthday bash last week. As far back as I can remember, I had been in a number of his celebrations, starting in the late 80s. As far back as I can remember, his home in Pag-asa was always the party venue. Until Conspiracy Garden Cafe in recent years.

Conspi, as we like to call it, was full house that night, the SRO courtesy of Noel Cabangon. As usual, Noel was in his generous element—always performing overtime, at an energy level that would challenge the music hall’s air conditioning.

That generosity extended till the late hours, until friends of the birthday man, the Conrad, demanded he should please the crowd with his own singing. And there he went, lent his voice to Noel, and the audience was indeed pleased. His was a perfect second voice to Noel. It was a Beatles song they did.

Conrad and Paul, just like old times.

And the crowd demanded that friends of the birthday man, or family, should follow suit. Until it came to pointing a finger at the brother, Paul. And the brother went, took over the guitar, and played and sang.  Those who knew the birthday man too well clamored without let up that he join his brother on stage. And he did, without delay. And the audience had a blast.  As for me, I had a trip down memory lane, back into the early 80s.

Flashback.  You see, I “grew” up listening to these brothers, including Emil, [as I met him much much later], belt out harmonies in some of those evenings when they would probably get together in that house in Marikina. I would overhear their singing, as I lived just two houses away from that house. I would be so intrigued by the blending they did of those Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel songs, asking myself who on earth were singing these tunes? They sounded really good.

And I would be joined by my cousins, sitting still on the pavement, and making sure we were silent enough to let their sound travel without interference past two houses and reach us audibly. It was always a treat catching them blend out those folk songs. Unconsciously, we would wish that they had gotten together more often so we could enjoy ourselves in a “free” concert.

That night at Conspi was a reminder of my youth. Little did I know that I would officially meet the DQs.

It is an honor, Emil, Conrad, and Paul.

My Journal of 27 Days

I have started “journaling.” I have voluntarily taken a mentor. His name is G. Lynn Nelson, who promotes creative journaling, through his Writing and Being book. He says journaling can heal your past, claim your present, and transform your future.

I believe the journal, the product of one’s journaling, is not an end that results in these effects; rather, it is process that liberates one from the leash of the past, that allows one to enjoy the now, and in so doing, charts a course that is life-changing.

"I often suggest to beginning journal keepers, "Let a journal find you." — G. Lynn Nelson, Writing and Being

I am a journaling newbie. I thought to do it one day, after feeling I should do so. I found a simple yellow ruled notebook, no-glare off-white pages, and Smyth-sewn which I thought would render a nice feeling to the writing.

After a few pages of Writing and Being, which I bought when I was about a few weeks into my journal, I found out it was to be my first step, find a journal, or what Mr. Nelson says, “Let a journal find you.” And I did—it was very affordable, far from the price of a Moleskin, but comparable in quality and look.

I learned that journaling is not the same as keeping a diary. [I will let Mr. Nelson tell you the difference. It's a long story.] One thing I learned is that journaling is much more than listing down your activities and telling what happened. Journaling is far deeper than that, he says.

I thought to share with you some lines from my young journal of 27 days.

1. What a day experiencing the fruits of hard-earned college diploma, the joy of extreme friendships, and the blessings of family.
2. I realized writing is not an easy thing to do, as I imagine and always say it is.
3. I remember my boo boo, not having taken a picture with her before she passed on.
4. What happened today?
5. Just a quiet walk with a loved one is a blessing.
6. It is not good to preempt stress.
7. My journal writing is my meditation.
8. My frustration just went out the window.
9. I am amazed by the sight of us all, together, and being and doing something together.
10. A relaxing day today; but I don’t remember the feelings.

Journaling makes me visit myself, or revisit, if you will. For me, it’s good for the soul.