"Life's lesson that needs to be taught"

       For twenty five years of my existence in this random world, I always failed to be on the number one position. To be the best on something among everyone else or to be the first on the top list.

       I remember when I was in grade school I have always belong to the top five list of the most brightest students in the class. If not on fifth place I'll be on forth or third place. Then when I was in sixth grade, before the school year ends I end up on second place which is sitting right next to the one who got the first place. So frustrating.


        See I have always wanted to be on that position. I knew to myself that I did my best. I tried very hard, harder and harder and harder as I could but I didn't made it. Chances were given to me but for whatever reason I failed to be on that position. Well I just thought that someone or somebody deserves it better than me.

       When I learned to play basketball at my teenage years. I said that I want to be the best baller. I wanted to be that what they are called the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. Everytime I participated on a basketball league, I've always made it to be on the mythical five but I never had the chance to have that MVP trophy. See I have always wanted to kiss and hug that big trophy, so much wanted to embrace and own it, but it never happened, that big dreams of mine never happened. Well I just thought that probably somebody or someone played better than me.


      Things started to fall apart for me then that I reached one point of my life that I lost compassion and enthusiasm. I try to be simple and be satisfied to be an average guy. An average student with an average grades in school, an average guy with just an average rate on chicks in school. An average person living an average life. 


        You see it really feels bad when you wanted something that can never be yours,  eventhough you tried harder and harder and harder as you could they will never be yours. It's so very frustrating and very tiring chasing dreams that some point in your life you caught up in a situation where in you really feel like giving up, at some point in your life you wanted to stop believing.  


         Life is a big challenged that teaches us big lessons in life that neither any institution can teach us. This  is every intellectual man on earth always quoted. There are two things that you need to have in minds. First is you have to be a student of life, second is you have to have the big courage to go on and fight in the battle field of reality.


        I started realizing all of these when I met her, It feels everything happens like magic. her gentle soft and fragile look makes me want to dream more and more. It gives me drive and motivation to continue living. With them I found a reason to wake up each morning and believe that I can do every dream come true.

        This is a lesson that we need to learn in life. Never stop dreaming and believe that you can achieved all the things that you want to have in life. Just take it one at a time. If you feel some regret, always look for someone or something that will motivate you. Don't be anguish if at first you don't succeed, it doesn't matter anyway. What matters is you learn in every experience.

(Read more inside ..)

Rubber band

         I visited my old room at our house in alabang last week and try to look for my old stuff inside my cabinet. As I started to pull out all the things inside suddenly a piece of crampled paper fell down on the floor, curiously I picked it up as if it's like something very important. Quickly I open it and started to read what's written on it. I was surprised. My brother (Richmond) made it. A special letter pertaining the importance of a RUBBER BAND.


          Ang Rubber Band ay isang pabilog na goma na ginagamit sa ibat-ibang paraan, para sa mga bata ito ay laruan, para sa mga matatanda at sa mga nakakaintindi kung saan ginagamit ang rubber band, syempre ginagamit itong pang bundle ng mga papel, lapis at ballpen sa school at office. Pangtali ng gulay sa palengke at kung ano ano pa. TAKE NOTE: pwede rin ito gamiting pang LABTIK sa mga makukulit na bata at sa maingay na katabi mo sa klase.


        Ibang klase talaga ang katangian ng rubber band, syempre dahil nga rubber siya, elastic sya. Pero ang katangian na tinutukoy ko ay ang kakayahan nitong magbigkis ng higit sa limampong ballpen ng hindi napipigtas, at bukod don habang dumadami ang binigkis nito ay lalong umiigting ang pagkakabigkis nito.


        Eto na. Eto na ang part na hinihintay ko. Lumipad na naman ang malikhaing diwa ko. Maihahalintulad ko sa isang rubber band ang bigkis na patuloy na nag-uugnay sa amin ng buong pamilya ko. Maaaring magkakalayo-layo kami ng lugar na tinitigilan o tinitirahan ngayon ngunit dahil sa rubber band na nag-uugnay saamin ay malapit parin kami sa isat-isa at patuloy ang magandang banding na kinaiinggitan samin ng ibang pamilya. Ngayon ay unti-unti ng lumalaki ang pamilya namin, nadadagdagan kami ng nadadagdagan kaya lalong sumasaya ang pamilya dahilan din para lalo pang umigting ang pagkakabigkis ng rubber band. Ngunit di tulad ng literal na rubber band na pagtagal ay rumurupok at napipigtas ang rubber ang rubber band na nagbibigkis samin. dahil sa halip na rumupok ay lalo itong tumitibay at patuloy na tumitibay dahil sa pagmamahalan, pagtitiwala at pagtutulungan ng bawat miyembro ng pamilya. Kaya naman sa patuloy na pagadaan ng panahon at patuloy na paglaki ng aming pamilya ay hindi ako nangangamba na mapipigtas ang rubber band na nagbibigkis at nag-uugnay sa amin kasi malabong mangyari yun. Promise! (Read more inside ..)

MAGKANO ANG PANGARAP MO?

Narinig mo na ba to: "Libre lang ang mangarap."
Pag mukhang walang direksyon ang buhay mo, sasabihin nila, "wala ka man lang kaambi-ambisyon! " Pag ang dami-dami mong gustong gawin, sasabihin naman nila, "ambisyoso ka!"

Ayos ba?

May mga nagtatagumpay sa buhay, may sumisikat at nalalaos, may gumaganda ang buhay pansamantala ngunit pagkatapos ay bumabalik sa dati at kung minsan ay mas masahol pa.

Tignan mo yung kapitbahay mong nag Saudi o kaya'y pumunta sa Dubai at Italy o kaya si ate sa Hongkong. Wag na tayo lumayo…. Musta kaya ang buhay sa call center sa bandang Libis o Ortigas? O yung teller ng bangko sa Makati . Ano ba ang kasalukuyang sinasalamin ng buhay nila. Kaginhawaan? Kasaganahan? O kahirapan pa din.

Marahil marami ang nangarap sa buhay. Kahit siguro yung kaibigan mong ewan, marahil ay may pangarap din ngunit libre nga ba ito? At kung libre, bakit madami pa din ang di nakakaabot sa kanilang mga pangarap. Kasya ba ang take home pay mo?

May kakilala akong nag-Saudi. Nakapag pundar ng bahay, umabot sa mahigit isang milyon ang nahawakang pera. Tuloy tuloy na sana pero nalulong sa droga, nawala lahat ang kabuhayan.. Nangarap ba siya? Marahil. Pero somewhere along the way, nawala ang focus niya.

Tapos si Manong Ed, istokwa, bata pa tumira na sa palengke. Sabi sa kanila, "black sheep" ng pamilya. Di na inintindi ng magulang. Ang batang palaboy-laboy sa palengke ng Surigao, kamuntik naging sundalo, kamuntik din nakatapos ng engineering at nag-mekaniko. Nasaan na siya ngayon? Nag-abroad na, tangay ang limang kaibigan at kapamilya. Saan kaya niya hinugot ang kanyang lakas upang makaalis sa palengkeng naging kanlungan niya habang siya ay nag-iisa?

Listen, yung nanay ng friend ko at age 44, nag-nursing. San na siya ngayon? Nag to-tour na. She has all the money to do just that. Ano! matanda ka na? Eto isa pa. Yung lola ng friend ko, nag retire at age 65. Bumalik sa skul, kumuha ng Law. Sabi ng mga apo at anak, “Matanda na kayo. Pahinga na lang kayo sa bahay." Sagot niya, "Ubingak pay! (bata pa ako)." Nakinig ba siya? Hindi! Ayun pumasa sa bar, lawyer na ang lola! Whew!

Ano, hihirit ka pa?

Minsan sa isang seminar, lumapit sa akin ang isang clerk, may konting luha at lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. Sabi niya, "Labing pitong taon na akong clerk, wala pang nangyari sa buhay ko!" Ako ay namangha at nabagabag. Ang lalim nun ah! I got scared. Sabi ko, "Anong ginawa mo? Madami namang seminar na pwedeng puntahan, libro na pwedeng basahin o kaya panibagong skills na pwedeng pag-aralan." Ang kanyang tugon ay nakakalungkot. Sabi niya, "Busy ako sa work eh!" She was practically imprisoned sa lamesa niya for 17 years! Kaya ang mas malalim na tanong, "Are we busy with the right things? Does it make us grow? Does it make us a better person? May mas magandang pupuntahan ba ang ginagawa natin sa susunod na mga taon?" Ang karayom, pag tinusok sa'yo ay masakit. Mararamdaman mo ito. Kaya ang karayom itinali ko sa isang steel rod at itinusok sa dibdib niya, at sinabing, "Tignan mo yang isang officemate mo. Dati clerk din siya, ngayon Systems Administrator na. Pareho kayo ng simula diba?"

The desire to dream starts from the heart, it is a daily decision to be where you want to be. It is owning it. 'Tol, wag ka umasa sa mana mo o kaya sa gobyerno o sa Boss mo. At the end of the day, commodity ka lang. Ang buhay kasi is buy and sell kaya dapat alamin mo ang tunay mong halaga baka na syo-shortchange ka!

Ask yourself. Masaya ka ba where you are? Ok ka na ba diyan? kumusta lineage ng pamilya mo? Is that what you want to see in your generation? Sabi ng isang guard sa akin noon. “Security guard na lolo ko. Security guard din tatay ko, kaya security guard na din ako.” Sabi ko, "Ayaw mong maging chief of police?" But really, kung yung nagdaang henerasyon sa pamilya mo e puno ng kakulangan, would you even dream and act to change it? O you resign to it and say, "Eto ang kapalaran ko."

Simulan mo. Minsan masarap maging discontent. Wag mong isiping bata ka pa o matanda ka na o may kakulangan ka. Ala akong pinag-aralan eh. Mahirap lang kami. Wala kaming pera. O nagpapadala ka sa mga taong nagsasabing, "Sama-sama na lang tayo dito!" This one really scares me! O nagsasabing, "Ambisyoso ka!" 'Tol, at the end of the day, di naman sila ang magpapakain ng pamilya mo eh. Try mong utangan sila. It' not about lacking in resources, it is about resourcefulness.

I started losing friends when I realize may mga taong excess baggage sa buhay natin. Minsan may nakilala ako, sobrang nega. Sala sa init sala sa lamig. Laging may problemang dala. Minsang kasama ko sabi niya, "Bat di mo ako kinakausap?" Sagot ko naman, "There is nothing good to say!" Lagi akong nagtatanong, "Is this person going to make a good influence sa buhay ko?" Syempre, yan din ang lagi kong tanong sa sarili ko.

Choose your friends. An eagle can not fly if he is dressed like a turkey. And you can't go to the same school as the duck's school.

Tignan mo if they have grown in the past few years kasi may tinatawag na Law of Association. Are they excited about life or they see it as drudgery? Are you in survival mode or is your life accelerating? Do you hear more complaints than movements? Ang bakasyon ba mas pinagpla-planuhan kaysa sa buhay? Is happy hour better than growing together? There must be what they call the next level kasi ang buhay hindi dress rehearsal. Kaya if you see yourself in the bar every weekend with your friends, you better run away from them!

Start within you. Change the way you see things. Look at your life as a new canvass. Choose the colors ! Wag mo nang balikan yung nakaraan. Di mo na mababago yun. Yung ngayon at bukas, may magagawa ka pa.. Dapat may internal change muna. You have to start with your character. Be a better person everyday. Lahat ng gagawin mo should have an impact hindi lang sa buhay mo kundi sa mga taong nasa paligid mo. Everyday decision yan.

Pag-align na yung character mo, pag tama yang puso mo, everything will come into focus. Mas magaan ang buhay mo. Then yung sinasabi nilang, the whole universe will collide to give you what you deserve will definitely happen. Remember, the universe respond to deserved, not need, not want.

Finally, stretch yourself and your life like a rubber band. You will never know what your potentials are until you stretch yourself hard enough it's gonna break you. Don't let anyone live your life and drive you where they please. The only person who can tell you na hanggang diyan ka lang is yourself so the competition is not between you and the other person. It's the devil inside you that doesn't want you to grow.

Make a decision to change wherever you are. Don't wait for someday. Someday, someday, someday. Remove that from your vocabulary and say NOW IS THE TIME TO CHANGE!

Sama sama tayong mangarap. Mahal ang mangarap pero halika, I'll walk with you. Ano, kelan tayo magsisimula?

You already know everything you need to know about success. All you have to do is to put the remote control down, scoop that bag of chips away, get out from the couch and do something! (Read more inside ..)