Saturday, July 25, 2009

Youthful Innocence

This afternoon, I was able to attend my zipping class at the QC circle. Thanks to Prof. Dio who dismissed us earlier than usual, I was able to zip again. And zip I did, although I am really looking forward to the day when I'll be able to burn, burn, burn. Don't get me wrong, I am not a pyromaniac or anything, but I just want to experience the thrill of making loops, twists and turns with a poi on fire. The excitement is killing me.

Anyway, I digress. This post won't be about my poi class, I'll reserve that for another entry. I just wanted to share my experience of watching three children, lying on asphalt, cloud gazing and laughing over a private joke. It made me smile and think about what's waiting for them in the future. They looked so carefree and innocent but its sad to note that those are stolen moments of freedom. They were at the park to beg for money, not to play. At a very young age, they must have come face to face with some of society's evils. But for that one fleeting moment, they can escape reality and be children again - carefree and hopeful.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Convention of Those Wounded In Love

I got this from Paulo Coelho's blog. It made me laugh because its so true. I wonder how many ratifications this convention got.

At least now I can say, I have lived!

General provisions:

A – Whereas the saying “all is fair in love and war” is absolutely correct;

B – Whereas for war we have the Geneva Convention, approved on 22 August 1864, which provides for those wounded in the battle field, but until now no convention has been signed concerning those wounded in love, who are far greater in number;

It is hereby decreed that:

Article 1 – All lovers, of any sex, are alerted that love, besides being a blessing, is also something extremely dangerous, unpredictable and capable of causing serious damage. Consequently, anyone planning to love should be aware that they are exposing their body and soul to various types of wounds, and that they shall not be able to blame their partner at any moment, since the risk is the same for both.

Article 2 – Once struck by a stray arrow fired from Cupid’s bow, they should immediately ask the archer to shoot the same arrow in the opposite direction, so as not to be afflicted by the wound known as “unrequited love”. Should Cupid refuse to perform such a gesture, the Convention now being promulgated demands that the wounded partner remove the arrow from his/her heart and throw it in the garbage. In order to guarantee this, those concerned should avoid telephone calls, messages over the Internet, sending flowers that are always returned, or each and every means of seduction, since these may yield results in the short run but always end up wrong after a while. The Convention decrees that the wounded person should immediately seek the company of other people and try to control the obsessive thought: “this person is worth fighting for”.

Article 3 – If the wound is caused by third parties, in other words if the loved one has become interested in someone not in the script previously drafted, vengeance is expressly forbidden. In this case, it is allowed to use tears until the eyes dry up, to punch walls or pillows, to insult the ex-partner in conversations with friends, to allege his/her complete lack of taste, but without offending their honor. The Convention determines that the rule contained in Article 2 be applied: seek the company of other persons, preferably in places different from those frequented by the other party.

Article 4 – In the case of light wounds, herein classified as small treacheries, fulminating passions that are short-lived, passing sexual disinterest, the medicine called Pardon should be applied generously and quickly. Once this medicine has been applied, one should never reconsider one’s decision, not even once, and the theme must be completely forgotten and never used as an argument in a fight or in a moment of hatred.

Article 5 – In all definitive wounds, also known as “breaking up”, the only medicine capable of having an effect is called Time. It is no use seeking consolation from fortune-tellers (who always say that the lost lover will return), romantic books (which always have a happy ending), soap-operas on the television or other such things. One should suffer intensely, completely avoiding drugs, tranquilizers and praying to saints. Alcohol is only tolerated if kept to a maximum of two glasses of wine a day.

Final determination : Those wounded in love, unlike those wounded in armed conflict, are neither victims nor torturers. They chose something that is part of life, and so they have to accept both the agony and the ecstasy of their choice.

And those who have never been wounded in love will never be able to say: “I have lived”. Because they haven’t.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Re-Affirmation

AFFIRMATION
Savage Garden

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold
I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair

I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe forgiveness is the key to your own happiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse tv evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye(Repeat 2)
Until you say goodbye

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Stop Going Through The Motions

Song appreciation time for me. I'm currently hooked to this amazing man's songs and the message that he conveys. This particular song struck me. I want to stop going through the motions. I don't know where this road is leading but I'm pretty sure that the One who's leading me knows the way.

THE MOTIONS
Matthew West
This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way ('cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
take me all the way (I know I'm finally feeling something real)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way (I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
take me all the way (through the motions)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Being Peter Pan

Since, I can't get enough of MJ videos, I put my time to good use by transcribing some of his answers which reveal much about his personality. The reason why his performances are so energetic and moving is that he truly lived his songs.

 What they get from me, I get from them. My greatest inspiration comes from the kids. Every song I write, every dance I do, and every poem I write is all inspired from that level of innocence, that consciousness of purity and children have that. I see God in the face of children and I love being around that all the time.

 I am very sensitive to their pain and I’m very sensitive to family, the human condition on that subject. It means a lot to me and I want to help in whatever way I can.

 Always give the best to the company.

 That’s what the world needs now, more love and more heart. Broken homes is an outcry for attention from kids. They want love, they want to be touched, they want to be hugged and held. We need to bond again.

 Peter Pan, to me, represents something that is very special in my heart. He represents youth, childhood, never growing up, magic, flying, everything. I think that children and wonderment and magic what its all about – and to me I never grown out of loving that and taking that as very special. I am Peter Pan in my heart.

 Dancing is all about feeling, not about thinking. So when they count, they’re thinking. Become the base, become the drums, become the guitar.

*This Childhood song speaks a lot about what he's been through.

Making a Dent in the Universe

Friday, July 10, 2009

My Eleven Peso Lesson

9 July 2009



Tonight, I learned a very valuable lesson – to be grateful despite this financial setback that I am in.

Tonight, I only have eleven pesos left in my wallet. The house rent is overdue and I can’t endure the somewhat “accusing” tone that my housemate said to me. I have to give the weekly allowance to my three siblings. EVen if I gave them my last 200 peso bill yesterday, I know it will not be enough. My parents are also having financial difficulties back home so I know I can’t burden them with all these concerns.

The pressure is building up and I can’t help but cry in order to release all these. Time to let go of all these tears that I’ve been bottling inside me for the past months. I may be crying out of helplessness. This is it, I've hit rock bottom. But one part of me says I’m not helpless. I know I’m still blessed, overblessed even. Money should be the least of my problems. To illustrate, let me enumerate my blessings so that I’ll always be reminded of the reasons for my gratefulness:

  1. I’ve got a loving family who remains united throughout these trials. I get my support from them, and they from me. I always tell my father that at least money is our only problem. Its very easy to find a solution to this financial problem. We are also blessed with excellent health.
  2. I still have a job. Even if I haven’t received my salary for almost three months, I just think of it as forced savings.
  3. I am still able to go to school and enjoy myself in the learning process. I have supportive blockmates who make this lost school experience more bearable.
  4. I’ve got sincere and genuine friends who will never let me down and who manage to keep in touch despite our busy schedules. I can feel their concern for me even if we don’t see each other often.
  5. I finally came to my senses after enduring months of uncertainty. I now understand that it will not work and that I should stop wasting my time for someone who do not appreciate the attention.

The future looks very bright. I have lots to be thankful for. This is just a minor setback. I know I have to learn something from this experience and that is to be grateful for what I have, for the simple blessings in life. But after this, I know I’ll never live in want again. I swear, I’ll never worry about money again. I believe I’ll have an abundance of wealth. But more importantly, I’ll have an abundance of non-material blessings like love of family and friends, contentment, and gratefulness. Money is just material – it wouldn’t last. May this experience remind me of the more important things in life. I will never, ever be fixated on earning money that I’ll forget about the essential things.

Tonight, I celebrate my freedom from these material things because I know I have a very generous God who will never leave me and who showers me with many blessings, essential blessings. I thank you for making me realize this. I know I’ll never live in want again because I know that You know all my needs and You will provide me with it.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

MJ's purpose

I just finished watching Oprah's interview with MJ done in the 90's and i got some wonderful insights into the personality of this amazing man.

O: Do you understand that there's a bigger hand at work here?
MJ: I believe in God, absolutely.

O: Everybody comes to this world for a reason, I think most of us spend our lives trying to figure out what the purpose of our being here is. What do you think your purpose is?
MJ: My purpose? Oh boy, I think my purpose is to give in the best way I can through song, and through dance, and through music. I am committed to my art. I believe that all art has its ultimate goal - the union between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine. I believe that to be the reason of the very existence of art and I feel I was chosen as an instrument to give music, and love, and harmony to the world, to children of all ages, and adults, and teenagers.


***
I think he was prepared to go. He already fulfilled his purpose in life and he was able to inspire a lot of people of all ages and races to be true to themselves and give their best in everything that they do.

Someday, I wish I would know my purpose too and find my place in the greater scheme of things.