A Happy Hearts' Day - Me and Mrs. H

A few hours from now and people from all over the world would start being romantic again.  "I love yous" and "Marry Mes" will soon fill the air. But for the brokenhearted, what else is there and what's so specially with Feb. 14?  It's just another ordinary day that's been too much commercialized and over-rated.  Oh, well... it all depends on who you ask.

As for me, I had a great "pre-Valentine date" this morning! Yes, Mrs. H and I, we literally attended to the pressing concerns our "Pag-ibig." I'm talking about the Home Development Mutual Fund (or Pag-Ibig), a government agency in the Philippines.  Whoever thought of the idea of calling it Pag-Ibig (LOVE) is a genius.  Building a home and a great future, really starts with love.  By the way, PAG-IBIG stands for "Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno."

So, going back to my pre-Valentine date.  It was just a typical dine-in in a local fast-food restaurant in a noisy location in the Metro.  The only difference is that it's a workday and it's at 10 am. Who dates his wife at 10 am in a Thursday? Nothing fancy, nothing unusual, nothing special.  But our little chit-chat over some oily fried rice and unfiltered dark brewed coffees are much like the ones we always have, until it turned into a very uplifting conversation.

The conversation that started with sharing of our school and work experiences, ended up with in-depth analysis of why things happened, how did it happen and what we've become because of those experiences.

Some of the things that Mrs. H said this morning that really left an impression on me are these:

"You don't stop (doing something) because you are tired but because you are done."

"Job well done is a job satisfaction in itself."

"You don't have to listen to what others will say about you. Some will see your potential, others will not. Sooner or later, your true self will emerge and people will see your true worth."

"Your experiences, at school and at work, will mold you to the kind of person that you are - technical skills don't count that much- it's your attitudes and work ethics."

After that nice and sweet breakfast together, I now ask myself, "Do I really have to buy books, listen to audios and attend seminars to motivate and inspire me? I could just sit and listen to this amazing lady the whole day."

To all of you who will be celebrating "love day" this February 14, I wish you happiness and meaningful celebration.  With or without "special someone" fill the day with love.

To Mrs. H, I know we never really celebrate Valentine's Day, but I must say, you really know how make a man fall in love with you - over and over again - making each day a Happy Heart's Day.

P.S.  When I came home this evening, candies and sweets were waiting for me.  Ha ha ha! Same treats she has for her kids tomorrow.   

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.

 

Guilty as Charged!

I would like to start this article by saying that life is good.  I want to make that declaration for myself and for everyone.  It just feels good. Try it. Say, "Life is good!" Look to the person next to your left and say "Life is good." Now, do it again, this time to the one to your right.  Repeat it to the person behind you and to the person in front of you.  Finally, touch your chest and say, "Life is good!"  Doesn't that feel nice?

No matter how miserable we may think life has been, I would still want to believe that life is indeed good and it will continue to be as such.

Have you ever wonder how fortunate you are simply by reading this article or any article from the internet?  Well, perhaps you may not realize it but, together, let's try to take a look into it.

First, the computer (or whatever gadget) you are using and the internet connection.  How many people around the world are blessed to have computer in their homes or have internet connection, just like you?  I don't know.  But what I do know is that there are places not even reached by electricity so computers and internet are aliens to them.  They live in darkness, literally.

Second, how were you able to have this computer?  You bought it using your own money?  Somebody gave it to you?  Or, you are in the office and you are using your company's computer and internet connection.  (Ha! Ha! Ha!)  I don't know how you were able to acquire your computer or access the internet.  What I do know is that there are millions of people who are jobless right now and having the money to bring foods to the table is their primary concern rather than purchasing the latest gadgets or surfing the internet.  These are people who would rather burn their skins toiling under the sun rather than spend their time in front of the computer.

Third, your comfort.  You left your house this morning, went to the office, worked in an air conditioned room, had a sumptuous lunch, snacks in between meals, coffee breaks, left the office after eight hours, return to the comfort of your home.  Have you ever thought how blessed you are?  Imagine how many people have no home to call their own.  Imagine how many people walk for miles just to reach their destinations.  Imagine how many people stay under the sun, burning their skins and stretching their muscles for a day's wage.  And they will have to do it again tomorrow, day after day.  Imagine how many people were afraid to come home because they have nothing to give, no food to hand to their children, or sick parents, who are waiting for them.

Fourth, your time, your talent and your treasures.  These three things are possessions that everyone would want to have.  You have the time to spend on the things you want to do.  (Well, probably not all the time but still you're better off than those who, if wouldn't work, won't earn and eat.)   Your talent, what you know and what others could only envy from afar. They can't steal it from you but you can always share it to them.  Your treasures, your material possessions.   Are you among those who have the latest gadgets?  Upgrading every time new updates are released?  Did your mansion shrink that you have to replaced it with a bigger one every now and then?  Your car is already a year older so you have to replace it again?

The list may go on and on.  And I know it is not my business if you enjoy these things while others don't.  In fact, I won't even ask you to sell your possessions and distribute to the poor.  No!  I'm not even asking you to donate to charities, adopt a child, sponsor a scholar, build a house for the homeless,  or anything like that.  If you are privileged than the other, that's not your fault (of course, that's if you got it from moral and legal ways).  It isn't the underprivileged's fault either.  You may be rich and they may be poor because of circumstances, behaviors and beliefs, or for any other reason.  It is not my intention to discuss that right now.

What I want to share here are simply two things that I've realized when I looked back on how hard my parents worked under the heat of the sun or in the midst of heavy rains and thunderstorms and those ordinary people I see everyday on my way to work - people who will not eat if they wouldn't work.

One, Gratitude.  Be thankful for what you have and what you enjoy.  The tendency for us, based on what I've observed and what I personally experienced, is that, we compare our selves to the people who have more than what we have.  They may be more good looking, richer, more intelligent.  We seldom look at people who look up to us - the poor, the homeless, the jobless, the lonely, those who are alone, starving, sick, abused, threatened, and on and on.  We seldom realized how fortunate we are compared to these people.  We always want to have more.  To be above the others.  What we don't see are the ones who have less.  Have a sense of gratitude.  When you have a grateful heart, what else could go wrong?

When was the last time you've been thankful for what you are and what you have?  May be you could start NOW.

I don't know to whom you believe you owe that gratitude.  I believed in One God, and for me, first of all, I owe that gratitude to Him, then to my parents and to the people around me.  What matters is you know how to be thankful.

Two, Honor.  Honor yourself.  Bring honor to who you are.  Bring honor to the One who blessed you and to the people who raised you  Show that you are worthy of what you have or what you became.  Make whatever you have as instruments to bring honor to other people, to yourself and more importantly, to the ONE who has given you those things. If you have the time, the wealth and the talent but you are using it to degrade other people, take advantage of them, look down on them, where's the honor in that.

I am not saying that I am better than you are.  No one's better than anyone, unless he thinks less of himself than that of the other.  And the only person I know who did that was a Carpenter by the name of Jesus. With all the glories He has since time immemorial, He chose to be among men, lived among the poorest of the poor, betrayed by His friend, abandoned by His followers, died in the hands of the very people He healed and taught and saved.  He lived and died like a poor man, a servant, a slave, only to live again and be hailed as King of all kings.

I don't ask you to be Jesus.  Just be thankful for all the blessing you have and have the courage to bring honor to who you are and to what you have.  I repeat, bring honor to who you are and to what you have by being a living example of an honorable person who knows the value of gratitude.  

 If you would ask me right now if I am living with gratitude and honor, all I can say is that, I am trying.  But for now, let me just admit, "Guilty as charged!"

But even so, I am striving to BE MORE and Thank More so I can Live The Good Life.