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Welcome Signs Words

"To laugh often and much... to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children . . . to leave the world a better place. . . & to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived...

This is to have succeeded
."

my random thoughts...

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

On forgiveness:

Here's another profound story:


One day, the sage gave the disciple an empty sack and a basket of potatoes. "Think of all the people who have done or said something against you in the recent past, especially those you cannot forgive.

For each of them, inscribe the name on a potato and put it in the sack."

The disciple came up quite a few names, and soon his sack was heavy with potatoes.

"Carry the sack with you wherever you go for a week," said the sage. "We'll talk after that."

At first, the disciple thought nothing of it. Carrying the sack was not particularly difficult. But after a while, it became more of a burden. It sometimes got in the way, and it seemed to require more effort to carry as time went on, even though its weight remained the same.

After a few days, the sack began to smell. The carved potatoes gave off a ripe odor. Not only were they increasingly inconvenient to carry around, they were also becoming rather unpleasant.

Finally, the week was over. The sage summoned the disciple. "Any thoughts about all this?"

"Yes, Master," the disciple replied. "When we are unable to forgive others, we carry negative feelings with us everywhere, much like these potatoes. That negativity becomes a burden to us and, after a while, it festers."

"Yes, that is exactly what happens when one holds a grudge. So, how can we lighten the load?"

"We must strive to forgive."

"Forgiving someone is the equivalent of removing the corresponding potato from the sack. How many of your transgressors are you able to forgive?"

"I've thought about it quite a bit, Master," the disciple said. "It required much effort, but I have decided to forgive all of them."

"Very well, we can remove all the potatoes. Were there any more people who transgressed against you this last week?"

The disciple thought for a while and admitted there were. Then he felt panic when he realized his empty sack was about to get filled up again.

"Master," he asked, "if we continue like this, wouldn't there always be potatoes in the sack week after week?"

"Yes, as long as people speak or act against you in some way, you will always have potatoes."

"But Master, we can never control what others do. So what good is the Tao in this case?"

"We're not at the realm of the Tao yet. Everything we have talked about so far is the conventional approach to forgiveness. It is the same thing that many philosophies and most religions preach - we must constantly strive to forgive, for it is an important virtue. This is not the Tao because there is no striving in the Tao."

"Then what is the Tao, Master?"

"You can figure it out. If the potatoes are negative feelings, then what is the sack?"

"The sack is... that which allows me to hold on to the negativity. It is something within us that makes us dwell on feeling offended.... Ah, it is my inflated sense of self-importance. "

"And what will happen if you let go of it?"

"Then... the things that people do or say against me no longer seem like such a major issue."

"In that case, you won't have any names to inscribe on potatoes. That means no more weight to carry around, and no more bad smells.

The Tao of forgiveness is the conscious decision to not just to remove some potatoes... but to relinquish the entire sack."

Saturday, July 26, 2008

T.G.I.F.

I am still awake. Well, I just wrapped up watching the DVD of One Tree Hill's Season 5 and oh m, it was bitin! =)

What do you make of a last scene where the lead actor calls someone, asks that person to marry him - then showing the three (3) women who were all part of his past answer their phones all at the same time???

Now definitely Season 6 is worth waiting...

Anyway, I am just really glad it's Friday. I have never looked forward to Fridays than I do now. =)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

stress relievers

Last Sunday, I was able to buy the DVDs of my favorite series ONE TREE HILL Season 5. It actually started airing at the "etc" channel but then again, don't you just love it when you can watch the episodes without waiting for another week? =)

I also bought the DVDs for the series HOUSE - Season 1-4. I am kinda hooked on this series at the 2nd Avenue channel, which airs Season 2. Yun pala, tapos na Season 4 sa States and they're starting to shoot Season 5. Yipee!

I also bught this movie "Made of Honor" starring Dr. Mcdreamy of Grey's Anatomy. It was cute... Certified Chick Flick.

Anyway, watching those DVDs are my stress relievers... I don't like going out anymore. Whenever I get the chance, I just want to be home. Sleeping. Surfing the NET. Reading - which reminds me I have yet to find time to finish this new book I bought a month ago. Watching TV and DVDs... and spending time with my dogs. Perhaps those are signs of aging! =) Oh well, I don't really mind...

I do miss spending time with that one special person... But we're busy, what can we do?

Ok gotta go. I just want to write here.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Nirro's 7th Birthday!




It is Nirro's 7th Birthday today! My Mom and I fetched him at his school and met with my sister and brother-in-law there. Then we went to SM North Edsa as he wanted to play games at QUANTUM. =) That's us taken from my CP. I realized that when I use the camera in front of the cellphone, it uses VGA and not the 2megapixel lens. That explains the"fuzziness". =) At any rate, Nirro had a fun day! I did too! =)

Saturday, July 12, 2008

DVDs, atbp.

One Tree Hill Season Five will be aired soon on the etc channel. Yahoo! =) I have always wanted to go buy new DVDs of the series' I have been following but I don't have the time.

Anyway, there's a whole lot I want to blog about, as always, but I am too tired to write. And its the weekend, I was hoping I could travel out of town so I could get away for awhile. It's a regimen I do to find my peace within. However, I have to do a report that has to be ready by Monday. Darn.

I hope to find time to write about the "tales" I have gathered while riding taxicabs. You know, I am a certified G.I. No, not like AMercian G.I.s but GI as in Geographical Idiot. =) I have no sense of direction and find it hard remembering places even if I have been there a couple of times. That is why I would rather take taxicabs going to and from my point of destination. With gasoline prices up and taxi fares going up, I feel frustrated! But I don't have any choice... either they bring me there (dad's driver) or I take a cab.

As such, I have collected many tales from personal stories of taxicab drivers to anecdotes and their take on issues plaguing the country, especially in politics. It's an interesting piece... if I get the time to write them. hehehe.


Ok, I am really tired now and want to relax watching TV before going to sleep.

Till then....




Monday, July 07, 2008

STRESS MANAGEMENT:

I checked my emails before doing a report and got this one from my good friend Nadia. It was an interesting read and worth blogging. Excuse the "caps" since I am too tired to retype it. This is exactly how it looked when the email was sent to me.

So, read on...
=============================================

A LECTURER, WHEN EXPLAINING STRESS MANAGEMENT TO AN AUDIENCE, RAISED A GLASS OF WATER AND ASKED:"HOW HEAVY IS THIS GLASS OF WATER?" ANSWERS CALLED OUT RANGED FROM 20G TO 500G. THE LECTURER REPLIED, "THE ABSOLUTE WEIGHT DOESN'T MATTER. IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG YOU TRY TO HOLD IT."

IF I HOLD IT FOR A MINUTE, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. IF I HOLD IT FOR AN HOUR, I'LL HAVE AN ACHE IN MY RIGHT ARM. IF I HOLD IT FOR A DAY, YOU WILL HAVE TO CALL AN AMBULANCE. IN EACH CASE, IT'S THE SAME WEIGHT, BUT THE LONGER I HOLD IT, THE HEAVIER IT BECOMES."

HE CONTINUED, "AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS WITH STRESS MANAGEMENT. IF WE CARRY OUR BURDENS ALL THE TIME, SOONER OR LATER, AS THE BURDEN BECOMES INCREASINGLY HEAVY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CARRY ON. AS WITH THE GLASS OF WATER, YOU HAVE TO PUT IT DOWN FOR A WHILE AND REST BEFORE HOLDING IT AGAIN. WHEN WE'RE REFRESHED, WE CAN CARRY ON WITH THE BURDEN."

"SO BEFORE YOU RETURN HOME TONIGHT, PUT THE BURDEN OF WORK DOWN. DON'T CARRY IT HOME. YOU CAN PICK IT UP TOMORROW. WHATEVER BURDENS YOU'RE CARRYING NOW, LET THEM DOWN FOR A MOMENT IF YOU CAN." "RELAX; PICK THEM UP LATER AFTER YOU'VE RESTED. LIFE IS SHORT. ENJOY IT!

AND THEN HE SHARED SOME WAYS OF DEALING WITH THE BURDENS OF LIFE:

* ACCEPT THAT SOME DAYS YOU'RE THE PIGEON, AND SOME DAYS YOU'RE THE STATUE.

* ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WORDS SOFT AND SWEET, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE TO EAT THEM.

* ALWAYS READ STUFF THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD IF YOU DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

* DRIVE CAREFULLY. IT'S NOT ONLY CARS THAT CAN BE RECALLED BY THEIR MAKER.

* IF YOU CAN'T BE KIND, AT LEAST HAVE THE DECENCY TO BE VAGUE.

* IF YOU LEND SOMEONE $20 AND NEVER SEE THAT PERSON AGAIN, IT WAS PROBABLY WORTH IT.

* IT MAY BE THAT YOUR SOLE PURPOSE IN LIFE IS SIMPLY TO SERVE AS A WARNING TO OTHERS.

* NEVER BUY A CAR YOU CAN'T PUSH.

* NEVER PUT BOTH FEET IN YOUR MOUTH AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE THEN YOU WON'T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON.

* NOBODY CARES IF YOU DON'T DANCE WELL. JUST GET UP AND DANCE.

* SINCE IT'S THE EARLY WORM THAT GETS EATEN BY THE BIRD, SLEEP LATE.

* THE SECOND MOUSE GETS THE CHEESE.

* WHEN EVERYTHING'S COMING YOUR WAY, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG LANE.

* BIRTHDAYS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. THE MORE YOU HAVE, THE LONGER YOU LIVE.

* YOU MAY BE ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE WORLD, BUT YOU MAY ALSO BE THE WORLD TO ONE PERSON.

* SOME MISTAKES ARE TOO MUCH FUN TO ONLY MAKE ONCE.

* WE COULD LEARN A LOT FROM CRAYONS. SOME ARE SHARP, SOME ARE PRETTY & SOME ARE DULL. SOME HAVE WEIRD NAMES, AND ALL ARE DIFFERENT COLORS, BUT THEY ALL LIVE IN THE SAME BOX.

* A TRULY HAPPY PERSON IS THE ONE WHO CAN ENJOY THE SCENERY ON A DETOUR.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

On BELIEVING:

Since it is Sunday and for us Catholics, it's Church Day. An hour from a busy week, particularly on Sunday, spent with God; praying and thanking HIM for all his blessings. And most of the time, asking HIM guidance and for His blessings.


Anyway, I give you one of my favorite quotes. A great point to ponder for those who do not believe.


Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that HE exists. -- Blaise Pascal.

Friday, July 04, 2008

It's the weekend

It's the weekend and it is raining here in Manila... well, Quezon City to be exact. I am glad its the weekend as that means I could sleep until late morning without having to worry about work for awhile. =)

I am actually scheduled to spend quality time with my nephew and my parents tomorrow, which I look forward to. However, I also do want to have some quality time with myself, spending it with people dear to me other than my family. Oh well. Maybe next weekend as next work week is full.

I miss having to spend hours and hours of my time watching DVDs, without a care in the world. Now, I still get to watch TV and some series I follow with distractions here and there.

OK, I just wanted to make my presence felt in the cyberspace. There are other things I wanted to write about but I feel a bit tired. Till next time.