From Here to Eternity.... 08 December 2012 and Beyond

“Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps . . . perhaps . . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.” -          L.M. Montgomery in Anne of Avonlea 

 This is one of those very few moments when I run out of words to say what I feel... so instead of writing what I feel inside, let me just share it with you through these videos..

This pre-nup photoshoot was taken a couple of weeks or so prior to the big day... If there's one word to describe it, it's FUN.  Special thanks to Mr. Tacu for a very nice job!

This next photo-video was taken during the "Big Day."  See how lovely is the Bride... (thanks to Anjo's Point Photography)

Trying for a Come Back

It's been five months since I last updated this blog.  I almost forgot how this works.  My personal goal of at least one post per week is way too off. Right now, I really don't have anything particular to write.

May I just tell you some stories of the past five months?  I promise it won't be that long.  On second thought, please, just allow me to share this wonderful experience, among many others, that happened to me during that period.  

April, that's when I received an invitation to do a presentation for a teaching post in one of our local colleges in the province.  I gave it a shot with high hopes that my application will be approved.  That experience was both exciting and frightening.  Exciting because I believed that it could be the start of a career that I always dream of.  Frightening because I wanted it to be perfect.  I want that job.  I really do.

Fast forward to June...  I found myself in front of 22 young aspiring CPAs.  My first formal class.  My first batch of students.  I couldn't help but smile as I remember my self during my own school days.  It was 1:00 in the afternoon and for the next three hours that I stood in front of these young individuals, I still couldn't believe that I was delivering the lecture that could possibly change the course of their lives forever.

My day didn't end with that "first" three hours.  It was just the beginning. There's another three hours waiting for me... The thought that for six hours each Saturday of the next four months, I will be doing this thrilled me.  I have another reason to wake-up early on a Saturday.

Now I understand why there are people who fall in love with teaching so much, again and again.  It's a different kind of fulfilling experience.  Not only it makes you feel good, it inspires you be better than your previous best because it is not your future that's at stake but of those young minds who put their hopes in you.

For the past four months, I always pray that I have given justice to this noble profession.  This is no longer about my dreams or ambitions, this is about my students' future.

I used to say that when the time comes that I will have to retire from the corporate world, I will spend the rest of my life teaching (of course, that's aside from being a husband, a father and a grandfather).  But now that I have reached and experienced that dream, I think I want to do it forever.

With this experience, I learn to appreciate more the sacrifices, the pains and the patience that my previous mentors had shown me.

To all my mentors, 

...Who are worthy of more than just praise from this humble space in the world wide web, I salute you all! Thank you and may God grant you longer days of peace, happiness and wisdom. 

-Your eternal student.

 

Disconnect to Connect

Facebook statuses. Tweets. Updates.  Everyone nowadays knows what you are up to, where you are going, what you are doing, what your likes are, what your dinner is, who your enemies and friends are.  Sometimes, when I think about these things, I feel like people are giving up their privacy, either unknowingly or unintentionally.

We are now living in a very "connected" world, as they say; this is what commercialism has been teaching us since the advent of phones, mobile devices, PDAs, and internet.

But, take a look around you.  Gone were the days when you would have to set aside a whole weekend to meet your relatives living somewhere far from home.  No longer do friends send letters through snail mails.  Mr. Postman no longer walks around the neighborhood to give you the letters you've been expecting for a week.  Going out for a walk or a nice talk under the moon can now be done by the use of internet.  (Where's the thrill of holding each other's hand in there?) Love letters became "wall messages" and tweets.

It is true that communication has been way, way faster these days than it was decades ago.  It truly made our lives easier.  We can do more things because information are shared faster.  We became more efficient.  But like any other things, use in excess is not good.  In a very connected world, we're losing the "human" touch.

Which would you prefer, someone telling you directly, face to face, how beautiful you are or simply commenting on your profile picture?  Which is more exciting for you, the sound of your mobile phone when you receive a text message or when you tear that sealed envelope to open that letter?  You did a good job at work, would like to received a "good job" message from your boss's email or a pat on the back coming from him?  I know it's really cute watching your baby kiss the screen of the phone or computer whenever you talked to her. But how about letting those sweet little lips touch your cheeks and her little arms thrown around your neck after a hard day's work?

I am not saying that these modern devices are bad or evil.  I am not saying that we should go back to sticks and stones, bamboos and tree leaves to communicate.  Technology is gonna be here with us for a very a long time, even after we're gone.  But what I am trying to say here is something you already know. That is, it is not true that if you disconnect from these devices and gadgets, you will be living a disconnected life.  Instead, it may just be the opposite.

Try to disconnect from your "world" for a short time, say for a day, and see how much changes it could give you.  You will have more time to attend to other "manual" things.  You can have time to go out, feel the sunshine upon your skin, feel the breeze touching your face, yes, even the dust and smokes of the city, you'll feel them once again.  But more importantly, you will feel again how to be connected with "real" people.  Can you still remember how it feels to laugh with your friends, be smiled upon and smile to a stranger you meet in the street?  Take a day away from your "connected" world and get real connection with the people that matters to you the most.  Re-connect with nature and see how you may be re-energized by the silence of the woods or the beach or the rushing waters of the rivers.

"What if I missed important things while I'm disconnected to the world?" you may ask.  Let me answer that with a question too, "Aren't you already missing the most important things in life?"

As I have said, these things are gonna be here for a long time.  Tomorrow, they may have different looks and names, but they will still be here.  How about your family, your friends, your neighbors, people you love... are they gonna be here forever?

You know all these things already.  I am just here to remind you.  And as I remind you, through this "connected" world of the world wide web, I hope that I have made a little contribution for you to BE MORE and LIVE THE GOOD LIFE.