Journey

We all are likened to comets,
time bound-- briefly passing,
once in a while touching
each other's horizon;

We are souls
yet on a physical journey
time and time again colliding,
bringing sparks of light
in each other's way...

Ah, the way we
have collided--
is but wonderful;
every encounter,
every chance
when we did
come across one
another's courses;
every experience,
be it lovely or painful,
our trying moments,
or swift
jovial
intervals
all these seasons
they do gently shape us into candor.

Life,
in whatever face
we may see it,
is beautiful.
These brief
introductions
we have of
one another
are laden with great purpose
to re-process, re-create us--
a simpler, more humane person.

Weekend in Retrospect

Friday, Saturday, Sunday... 3 days of non-stop wander, the rover in me was put to test and I survived. I wandered with friends the first 2 days in this and Sunday was spent with hubby.

What surmised in the feat:

Friday, Aug. 20-- By afternoon, I went to my old office and met my friend who was having a birthday. We decided to go to a nearby coffee shop and frittered with stories like the way we used to do. Other friends joined us too. Happy birthday G... went home before 8pm to catch up on business.

it was a holiday but this group was working, found them at the office and they joined us later at Blugre

obviously, they aren't my friends for nothing-- we share the same goofiness, but these 2 are the best goofs in town. lol... Walter and G in here.

Saturday, Aug 21-- Typically, I do not celebrate with the city's festivities. I have sort of ignored it in the past few years even when I am in Davao. I went to the streets to watch the cultural street performances. It was a coming together of many ethnic groups in Davao and neighboring towns. I decided to take a look at the crowd. Actually, I was only there for my friends. I happened to bump into old colleagues, and a few church mates. I got a right to know my culture and the people that I live with in my city. That's it. So here are some shots for that:

in the streets of Davao, posed with a girl performer

with friends at the agro fair, munching on corn cob since we got hungry

stopped by a cake house for some coffee and cake.

G, Nessy, Q and Christine

Sunday, Aug 22-- Of all days, the car broke down again. So Hubby and me went commuting to the city. We had to come to Mama's house and get our lunch there as we do every Sunday. We took the jeepney to downtown, then dropped by Trading Boulevard to pick a taxi to take us to Mama's. Ah, there were a lot of angry people we met, it seems. People in the jeepney were engaged in some sort of mad talk. The taxi driver was also one abrasive kind of old man, very irate at the slighest provocation by a commuter. I think he had much angst with the way he talked. I shivered and wanted to crack his head. Sorry-- but we chose to enjoy the ride.

Then I devised something to make this a day that's out of the ordinary. After we left from lunch, I took my Hubby to a ride on the tricycle and the trisikad.

Andddd... it really turned out to be fun! I told Eddie, I want to give him a great time today, since we were out on the commute, we should discover the nooks and other corners of the city. He was always behind the wheel driving the pickup so there's no way he could see some parts of the city. His usual route was work, home, church, mall. We boarded a trisikad to Chimes, and checked out the stores. He bought a shirt with a patriotic message. Then we went for coffee before we headed home.

shirt printed with "The Filipino is worth dying for." by Ninoy Aquino, father of our new 2010 Philippine President, PNoy.

coffee time with Hubby, hmm he was smiling a lot!

headache lurking behind that smile, still battling with Flu, sorry...

By 5:55 pm, we picked our rackets and played badminton at the road in front of our house. We did 1 hour of play then, I cooked, we ate dinner of fried pork and a bowl of shrimp in sauteed garlic. Hubby was content and thanked me for a simple yet great dinner.

Not a typical weekend, definitely. We missed church but realized that God has been giving us great blessings and that we sometimes fail to appreciate it. I just hope our church colleagues don't end up knocking on my door and ask us why we weren't seen in church for 2 Sundays already. We were quite under the weather the past week and decided that we need to rest for the weekend. Church is some 20 kilometers away.

Sometimes we go through things we cannot have control of. Nevertheless, God is in control and He knows that our hearts as a couple always look to Him for guidance.

I met my friends, discovered my city and somehow, got a glimpse of the varied cultures that are in Mindanao. And most of all, I have concluded-- through all the things that happened this weekend, God must truly, deeply love me. He is patient and has given me wisdom, strength and the eyes to see Him everywhere.

At Aug 22, 11:53 p.m. I guess it's time to greet the forthcoming week... Hola Monday, be very good to me huh?

Vulnerable

We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone -
but paradoxically, if we cannot trust,
neither can we find love or joy.


~ W. Anderson

Side Effect

I am your sweetest side effect.

only because...

"If I know what love is, it is because of you."

~Herman Hesse

True and Beautiful

A truly elegant taste
is generally accompanied
with an excellency of heart.

~Fielding

The Hardest Things To Do

“Many things--such as
loving,
going to sleep,
or behaving unaffectedly--
are done worst
when we try hardest to do them.”


C.S. Lewis

Perception

A silent man is easily reputed wise.
A man who suffers none to see him
in the common jostle and undress of life,
easily gathers round him
a mysterious veil of unknown sanctity,
and men honor him for a saint.

The unknown is always wonderful.


~F. W. Robertson

How To Live...

"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on."

- Havelock Ellis

Tagged!

This is a task from you Yentl Robles! My pleasure to oblige.

So, I will be flooding this post with answers... but I promise, I won't make this sentimental [if I can].


Here we go:

What's the worst day you've ever had?

Rejected at the prospect of work after I resigned from my job in Cebu. Anyway, I was not really fit for that. My niche is here, like this, tap-tap-tapping on my computer, working away my ideas into ca$h.


What's the worst thing someone has said to you that hurt you big time?

Someone told me I'd never get a good job and past a 5K salary. I was 22 then and proved his prophecy wrong. I've forgiven him for that and he's gone from this life also. It was a real challenge and somehow made me reach where I am now. *ouch, my heart!


What bad attitude do you have that you're not proud of?

I can be feisty, uhuh. But bad girl gone good now.


What good attitude you'd want to have?

I want to work more on empathy, and the ways I can express it. I think people perceive me as very strong sometimes, one who cannot understand their problems. But I do, I just don't know how to show it.


What's your secret talent?

I would be proud to say, I can be an asset to espionage. Hahaha! I am a self-made spy, thanks to Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum and their kind of pseudo-paranoia.


Which celebrity would you pick for a hubby?

If I were not married, I would choose the Scottish Gerard Butler. In my dreams. Sorry, not meant to be. I'm happily committed to my childhood sweetheart! Hehehe.


If you could only use one makeup product forever, what would it be?

I would stick with my cheek tint -- by The Body Shop. Seriously, I have been using it since 5 years ago. To blushing forever!


If you could erase someone from the face of the planet, who would it be and why?

Hahaha, erase! None really. I guess if someone did me wrong on purpose, there will be reckoning. I always believe in retribution by a higher force. Ghuhh, this is serious!


Naww, I got them all answered. Had to pull myself together a bit to get my answers straight. Uh.

Rules 101: # 1 Stop Taking Things Personally

Man is a creature of emotion. Be that as it may, you can still choose to be strong. What you are worth doesn't depend on how acceptable people perceive you. Let this rule govern your behavior towards compliments, criticism and flattery.

All around you are different types of people; they are living their own little worlds - peaceful, happy, or messy and full of strife. Some of them want to pull you up or put you down. Relying on them to validate your self-worth is shaky ground. You could be a disaster when you are looking to people to say good things to you all the time. You just won't get boosted every time you need it.

Compliments are great, but these too are unreliable. People may say what they don't mean and what they tell you is just a reflection of their condition of the moment. They may be upped, so they tell you how awesome you are. Then, they can be grumpy and low, they throw insults at you. They can be envious, they claw at you and despise you. You are making yourself a victim, always at their mercy. STOP.

Do not take things personally. It pays to be neutral, and take the chance to observe the one you are dealing with. You can be spectator, even if the subject is about you. Detach yourself from the moment. That is how to be larger than life. That is how to be great.

People can be positive towards you. This won't change your self-worth. In contrast, they can be utterly negative to you, and the things you pursue. This also won't affect your value. Stop taking things personally.

You know your true weight in gold.

Back in court!

Uhuh, yes. That's it. I have decided to get on with my other life aside from being a slave to my passion, writing.

I was practice playing on-off the whole week, last week. Writing, playing, more writing. Run, smash, drop. Had the chance to do a double match just last Saturday.

My game buddies? They were people older than me which gave me a funny feeling. I felt like a teenager with this group. It's like I'm some younger specie in that situation. But ah, I am ageless. I am ancient and I am the new as well.

Will go back to court next Saturday. Meanwhile, I'm digging into this pre-occupation called Work. Just getting started, today is Monday. I hope the whole week won't feel like Monday.

Must tone down stress levels. Keep playing. Indeed, with my computer keyboard and my racket.

I will. Huzzah!