Thursday, January 3, 2008

post-New Year, NFF's and Me

new year... screenshot

Christmas greetings and new year's well wishes weren't that much compared to what I've received last year. Anyway. A question visited me the night before the bangs and glitz of the year's turn flooded the sky (and so did IM's popped up and crammed my screen :D): "Why are there so many resolutions made at the turn of the year?"

My contention isn't about making resolutions. What I'm trying to question is that, why do a lot of people have to do it every "end" of the year? Why not do it as needed? Or has it just become a fad? Just questions, you might want to answer them... :D

New Found Friends (NFFs)

Kay, Ar, Cee, Em and Dee (not their real names) are my new found friends. They are a group of differently-abled people that I've met yesterday during the post-Christmas and post-New Year Get-together program for the PWDs (Persons With Disabilities Different Abilities - not comfortable with the original word) in our parish. I joined the youth ministry who spearheaded the event. While helping in facilitating the activities, I noticed a group of participants who aren't that participative. I went by and discovered that they are deaf-mutes. There was no one in organizing group who knows sign language. Ergo, they don't understand what's happening around. I only have a bit knowledge of their language. Actually, I only know the alphabets, the clap and my name. Nonetheless, I volunteered to be with the - scribbling the important announcements and other audible things that would matter to them.

my nffs

The questions on their faces were eventually transformed into smiles and cheerful admiration and involvement to everything that is happening around them. That painted a smile in my heart.

This encounter has brought up a new challenge for me to take. I thought of learning the sign language. Why? They are young people. The path were I am now is leading me to a life of service to the poor and marginalized youth. I thought that it would be best if I would be able to communicate with them in their own language. This brings me back to my desire of becoming a missionary. A thought rings to my mind, this might be the chorus of every missionary, it sounds something like this - every one is a missionary and every soul is a mission land. Well, this could be my mission.

Me and Gratitude

a gift for my parents

Gifts. The Epiphany is near and the thought of telling something about the gifts I received this past holy-days lit-up. I wouldn't want actually to brag about the gifts I've received, rather I would like to thank those who have gone beyond themselves and allotted a space for me in their gift budgets. Among them are my family, Kuya Bong, Ate Fe, my Ate, Ninang Emma (Ninang Eloi you might want to Send Money to the Philippines Online for my aguinaldo, *smiles* just a joke! - I'll email you soon), and Tita Hilda & her hubby Tito John. :D

Um, yes, of course, gratitude is also fitting for everyone who has never grown tired of praying for me. Those people who remembered me during the Christmas novena and also those who have been so generous in giving their time just to pause and intercede for me (no matter what day it may be). I might not know each and everyone of you, nonetheless, be assured that you are remembered in every good deed and prayer that I do.

Also, for all those who have been so patient in reading this blog. Thank you so much, I really appreciate the time you spend in my subtle oasis. I hope you find it as such - an oasis of thought and realizations, that is.

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Monday, December 31, 2007

...taking care

Taking care. Reading through the lists of lauds written during the retreat of my high school class lead me to a gallery of questions - on spotlight was "am I really this good?" And while undergoing this process of solitude, I was struck by a clear fact - none stated my being caring. I have not been so caring. As a son, as a brother, as a friend. Yes, I've done much good, but for whom? For myself! I've not been so caring to the point of thinking less of other people. I've not been so charitable enough -to my ego, yes; to others, never. Thus, little do I care for myself. Ironic but true.

Taking chances. Risks. The world isn't binary nor it is pre-programmed. Breaks like what I'm having now slaps FREEDOM on my face. Actually, it hit me hard. RESPONSIBILITY, FOCUS, COMMITMENT and PRUDENCE - all related to choice. Opportunities abound. I had a host of them for the past year. Some of which I was too  afraid to take. Yet, I dared to take them. Not all were successful but every risk I took made me a better person.

Giving LOVE. Well, the pure essence of Christmas. Love. I've been given a chance to share love to a lot of people - to my family, closest friend most especially to the unloved and less loved. :D

 

Happy Christmas and May Everyone Have a BLESSED NEW YEAR! :D

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post-CHRISTMAS post

Call this spur of the moment - an eventuality I wish not to waste. There's so much I wish to tell. Many things happened for the past days and I have been to a lot of oases - too subtle for others to see, just for me, actually (if you've been following me, by now, I hope, you already know what I mean :D).

Taking time. Taking care. Taking chances. Giving love. This has been the theme of my Christmas. Though not a pre-imposed one, rather these were the things that kept me introspective, before, during and a few days after commemorating Christ's nativity. I had a teary-eyed Christmas.

Taking time. I have a chronic disease related to time. I often waste a lot of time. I'm either idle or too busy working on not so important things. But this is not about me taking much of my time and flushing them down the drain. Not about me wasting time. It's about relationships. Ties. Bonds. Friendship. Family. This past Christmas taught me the value of time in relationships.

I've been forever dreaming of an "almost-perfect" relationship, with my family and friends - less friction, more fun. I just realize that the main culprit for my not so close ties with the people I love is me. I've been so thrifty in investing time with them. Doing the otherwise brought a great change within me.

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

what kept me busy

I have been a bit unplugged lately (except for some Twitter updates via Globe). For the past three days I've been away from Manila. My family and I spent Christmas up north. It's a bit colder there compared to Canlubang. May be due to less pollution and less factories. Anyway, unlike last year, I've not been so active this Christmas.

Okay, you might ask, "what happened last Christmas?", here's a snippet of it: ~

Last 25th December 2006, my family enjoyed a different kind of menu for the traditional Noche Buena feast. Out with spaghetti, fried chicken, sopas, and macaroni salad, I've introduced my favorites. Tuna carbonara, spiced buttered chicken, calamares and ham sandwich filled our dinner table. Yum! I prepared them all... :D But that was last year. ~

Now, what happened last Christmas? After the midnight mass (Misa de Aguinaldo), I immediately went to bed after sending some greetings via SMS. I woke up at around 8am. I and my family visited our relatives. After lunch I dozed off again. An hour after that "nap" I continued on reading Sionil's Ermita. Then, I slept again. Woke up at 4pm, took some merienda, showers then off to my sister's ninang (godmother).

Sleeping, thinking and reading. These three things kept me busy. Sleeping. I've slept much since the day I arrived home from the seminary. :D But tonight, I'll be trimming a bit on that.

Thinking, more of reflecting. I've heard much stories of people around me that made me pause and look within myself. Much of it about structural sin and very related to poverty and the slum culture. The thought of having a job and earning for others dwelled on me. Even thought of availing a resume service. But it didn't lingered much on my consciousness - I was reminded of the CALL.

Reading. I've finished Ermita. Beautiful. Sir Ronan, my first year comm arts teacher, was right afterall - it is a love story. I just hope that Sionil would offer a sequel.

Um, that's all for now. I haven't regained my writing skills. Too much cholesterol I suppose. :) My post-Christmas post (a more introspective post on Christmas) would hopefully be online before midnight.

Happy Christmas, God bless!

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