GROW WITH LIFE

It is quite easy to be content with what you have become and with your own stack of experience or knowledge. And even easier to boldly think that you know everything there is to know and that nothing else will and can surprise you now. Maybe -- or maybe not. But I think it's not how far you or we have gone up the ladder of knowledge or fame or stature that makes the real score. Not really. Because I have seen men of high position, wealth, or education make big and bigger fools of themselves with something or someone lesser than themselves. Not so much of why but rather of how they did that to themselves.

----- How often do we hear of an unknown inconsequential person steal the thunder from a much more famed intellentual or personality by the sheer strength of his argument or presentation? And that isn't because he had more talent or was much more brilliant than the other. It was imply because this insignificant person did his homework, studied harder, and was determined to learn all there was to learn and more about the subject in question. He apparently didn't stop where others already have. He wasn't contented with what he had, no matter how sufficient it may appear to be, and doggedly strove or explored more ways to make it even better if not the best. His goal may not be perfection but definitely he aimed for excellence. By the way, somebody once told me that perfection is a dead-end, meaning no growth. No more.

----- In contrast to that, we see our man of stature stopping where he was made content by his achievements or personal gain.

----- To sum it up, our inconsequential hero continued to grow where our famed intellectual stood smugly on status quo. So it isn't very hard to see that growth, wherever and whoever you are in your life with whatever you have, will undoubtedly take you quicker to your goal and win you the coveted prize. You see, it's not really what you have accumulated in your head or how big and full your pockebook is, or of the absence of one or the other or both. Nope. Rather what defines you is whether you continue to grow regardless of your situation or circumstance. Then by this you become unstoppable. And that is how man made his first flight to the moon - discovered new horizons - broke sound barriers - created new wonder drugs - or rose from rags to riches where it was once thought to be impossible.

----- "It matters little where a man may be at this moment; the point is whether he is growing." - George MacDonald

HAVE SOME MAGIC

The other day I heard someone say that life was 'boring - boring - boring!'. Yeah, he said that three times. And he was right inside the mall with all possible distractions that could take a person's mind off cares and woes even if it be for just a few hours. Well, so what makes for 'boring'? I could venture a few descriptons, like --- absence of activity, lack of interest, dearth of inspiration, scarcity of surprises, or decline of hope and belief in life and living. Everybody has his own reason, I am sure, but valid or not it still is no excuse for giving up on feeling alive.

Alive - that is the one big word that explains everything and anything there is in our life. Anything means the good, the bad, the sorry, and the glad -- and everything else in between all that. It includes all the people you meet - the goodies and the baddies and yah some in-betweens too.

And yet despite a ful plate we still get to be bored. Why is that?

It's because.. we lost something somewhere back there.

I think what we need is to gain it back -- that special something we once had or were when we knew how to --- marvel, be in awe, feel the stars in our eyes, laugh with gless at a big surprise, feel the adrenalin rush in our veins, feel our steps quicken, or hear the warm thumpity-thump of our heart for someone or something.

It's something you can't fully explain but I think you don't need to anyway. it's enough that it brings the sparkle in your eyes, puts a gorgeous smile on your face, makes you feel up there on cloud 9, or walk about with a song in your head and heart -- or maybe sing in the rain. It's this wonderful joyous sense of living.

It's magic!

And everybody needs a little, and more if you can, MAGIC in their lives. So get back the magic into your life. See life and the world as --- magic and magical. You can if you try. It's all up to you. Don't lose that little kid inside. :-)

DO AND DO NOT

Have you been through this situation -- when you come up to something so hugely confusing and mind boggling that it leaves you stunned not knowing what to do. Then suddenly something kicks you from behind and makes you say ‘Okay I’m going to DO this. No wait, I should NOT do that!’ Well, I hope that you stood your ground whatever it was you chose. You can’t backtrack if you chose the wrong one. But then as the old folks would say -- ‘one step backward for two steps forward’ – have hope.

Anyway, let’s look at these things which I have had the wonderful privilege to, see, hear, or observe. It’s also about ‘doing’ and ‘not doing’ something.

- Do make up your bed before going down to breakfast. Do not expect your mother to pick up after you every time.

- Do put on your cheeriest smile before coming into the office. Do not bring your problems to the office or vice versa. Leave problems behind.

- Do give your seat to the elderly or the handicapped on the bus. Do not expect courtesy when you don’t know how to give one yourself. Remember that people around you mirror you, good or bad.

- Do stop awhile to smell the roses. Do not ignore Mother Nature’s display of awesome beauty meant for your pleasure and enjoyment.

- Do give your job the best you’ve got. Do not regard work as the only thing there is in life. You simply are half alive if you do.

- Do humbly think of yourself as God’s special creation. Do not regard yourself as so special that anything or nobody else matters. Not even God. Because people know that isn’t true.

- Do respect all people regardless. Do not believe that your color, education, riches, talents, culture, or religion is the best. It’s what you are and not what you have or born with that people acknowledge and respect and admire.

- Do be honest, truthful, and sincere in your dealings with everyone. Do not make the other person look bad or make him feel inadequate or lead him to hate himself. How would you feel if you were in his shoes?

- Do stick to your values. Do not follow the fad or trend just to be in with the popular crowd. It’s the good man who’ll be the last man standing when everyone else have fallen to the ground.

- Do live in the present. Do not heap on all your hopes and dreams in your tomorrows. You can also do them today.

There you go. There's more of course. Say maybe you can add up with some yourself. But I have to end up here for now because I see a lovely morning outside my window and I sure would love a piece of that sunshine and that gorgeous breeze. See yah! :-)

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

My grandfather Pedro was a fisherman. A hardworking one. He woke up with clockwork precision every early morn to catch fish along with the other fishermen of this small barrio by the sea. I would like to tell you this little story ………….

GRANDFATHER PEDRO AND "IT"

One early hour before dawn, grandfather was getting ready to set out to sea. Lifting up the fishnets to his broad and strong shoulders, he then took a lamp with the other hand and walked to the boat he sat by the shore. As he drew closer, he noticed a figure that seemed to be sitting but not quite at the edge of the boat nearest the waters. Peering closely he saw that it was a small man with pointed ears and nose, piercing slant eyes, and though heavy seemed to float in the air. It’s one of them, he thought. This was common in the barrios. Barrio folks knew about them. Many times he had encounters with these eerie little creatures others called elves or gnomes-- but he never paid any of them attention----- simply regarded them as irritations to his early morning fishing chores. He drew closer, dropped his fishnets on the coarse sand and said ....

“What do you want?”

“What do YOU want..whatever thing in there kicking and swirling and turning in that head of yours?” countered the elf with eyes gleaming and lips curled up in what looked like an evil grin.

‘Get out of my boat. I’m late.’ gruffly replied Pedro under his breath.

'Ahhh but you could fish treasure from the sea. I can make that happen… far beyond your wildest dreams’ said the elf in a voice so low sounding like gurgling treacherous waves lashing out with ugly fury.

This sent a chill up Pedro’s spine.

‘You can rebuild your old house…. send your children to America, study there…. own a fleet of fishing boats…. get so very… VERY… very RICH.’

Pedro turned away from the elf and looked out to sea. Gad! how'd he know that..... and thought of last night when Pining (his wife) riled him for the leaks on the roof, unpaid debts, food running short, tuition due next week, and on and on about this and that. Ugh!

‘--Well-l-l-l..?’ came the chilling voice of the elf which seemed to have drawn closer now.


Pedro wrested his eyes from the sea, faced the elf and looked him in the eye. He never was afraid of them. ‘And if I agree...?’

‘Then it shall be as promised……’ replied the elf gliding back to the edge of the boat. ‘But for one tiny thing......…’ the elf stood up and his face transformed and revealed an ugly wrinkled gnome --- ‘your first born son-- will come with me back to my kingdom.’

Pedro felt shivers run up his spine, head throbbing; heart pounding seemingly drowning out the furious waves on the shore. 'Why are the waters so angry now?' wondered Pedro. But between the man and the ugly gnome was dead silence for what seemed an eternity.

Pedro said no more, willfully he turned his head back towards the sea but now suddenly became so still and calm -- as if sensing what was to come next. He looked out farthest to the horizon now showing a thin line of light and seeing the other fishermen hauling in their nets oblivious to the drama onshore.…'still have time for a catch', he thought, 'not enough but Pining can still sell them at the market. Got to hurry because it’ll be light soon.' With new found strength Pedro determinedly shoved his boat out to the waters...… pushing with all of his might feeling his strength grow with every push. He pushed harder until he felt the cold but what felt like welcoming waters under his feet— then jumped into the boat, got the motor up, and pushed out to sea. Never looking back.

And nothing was ever heard of the gnome since.

While Pedro -- well, he was back to worrying over bills, school fees, and with Pining still nagging him about everything. But how I love this wonderful man – Grandfather Pedro ---- He didn’t trade my dad for the deep treasures of the sea!! Yeah, my dad was born in that tiny fishing village of Tapon, Cebu. :-)

End of story.

MOTIVATION IS RIGHT THERE WITHIN YOU

There lies in the heart a real but silent wish that one day we would meet or have beside us our super hero, big brother, guru, life coach, inspiration, or mentor. Somebody who would give us that push when we need it, explain things to clear our muddled brains, beat us to the ground when we act like jerks, take the bigger brunt of mean criticisms thrown upon us, defend us when we're unfairly pushed to the wall, and tell us we're still okay even if we messed up big time.

Well, sometimes we find that person - and we become our better selves because of him. He becomes in our life the proverbial ‘wind beneath our wings’ ... (to quote Bette Midler's song). We soar to greater heights, master the intricacies of the game and come out champion, unveil abilities and talents we thought never existed within ourselves. We are transformed to a better version of our selves and applauded, celebrated, copied, idolized, fantasized, and adored. And all because of this one person who took time to make us see our good and our best and helped us work it towards a big or bigger dream.

But sometimes... we do not find that special person.

So then here we stand alone feeling so small gathering up our own might-be-feeble strengths, energies, abilities, resources trying with all our might to leap over that huge hurdle or break down that menacing wall which resolutely separates us from our goal. We face up to the enemy of disappointment, frustration, and failure with a hard learned one-two-three punch. Sometimes we win, sometimes we don't. We fall many times, get up and stagger, far more confused and muddled than we were when we started. Then something happens taking us off the track and soon enough we begin to lose sight of our goal.

And yet …

Maybe nobody is or would be there for him... but certainly he is there for himself. Never ever underestimate the spirit of man.

"I was thinking one day and I realized that if I had somebody behind me all the way to motivate me, I could make a big difference. Nobody came along like that, so I just became that person for myself." -Unknown