Lend your Spirit to Lent

With the long break in observance of Lent here in the Philippines, it is always a good time to look back on the first few months of the year and see how far you've come towards your goals. Or how far you still need to go.. a moment of recollection but more a time for renewal.  It also makes you think of what is more important - - to go on that swimming expedition, a visit to the local church, read the Bible, ponder on life's possibilities or simply just chill & relax tired & weary bones, muscles and brain.

It is vital however to think in terms of how you are going to use that extended weekend to appreciate the blessings you have been given and to refresh the mind on what the occasion is really all about - - a reconnection to your spirituality, the faith and gratitude to the One Supreme Being for whom we commemorate this holy week.  Think of the Passion of Christ and forego your own simplistic & sometimes selfish passions towards earthly endeavors..just for a brief period.

Hearts connected

you can feel the smile almost imagine it as the subtle crackle of wireless connection whizzes by.. such tender moments that can never be described but can only be remembered by the emotions from deep inside. And the yearning sometimes tacitly expressed, at times hidden through other words especially when within hearing distance of people around..still always felt nonetheless.

Those conversations that no one else hears, shared only between hearts connected to each other, bound together even from a distance..

Oh, those Cravings

Often faced with the perennial question - - to give in or defy one's cravings.  It usually hits during those awkward moments or at an ungodly hour.  Like if you're craving for some Korean chicken with some kimchi how does one address that at close to midnight, when it's storming outside even (get the drift)?

Other times we crave for that warm embrace, the touch from someone but it just wouldn't do because situation does not permit us (in a long-distance relationship).  Yes, those miles can still be a problem despite the technology.

Or how about the longing to travel the world but just couldn't wean yourself away from work issues making it next to impossible to really leave the country or the town for days? 

Such cravings - not submitting to it even if we want to. Not by choice but just by circumstances. But soon all that will be addressed.

It does matter to De-Clutter

the key is not being stuck in the status quo.  Always find a way out of any rut you may be in, whether imagined or actual.  There is always a need to step up, to de-clutter our minds from what's limiting it the past months. This is as good a time as any to start..Brand new, take some of the old skills but leave the old attitudes and mindset behind.

What is vital is to discover new things of doing old things..always be on the lookout for a better way of performing anything, even if it's as mundane as crossing a street, surely, there is a route that is better than where you usually trod.

And foremost is let go of the things that clutter the mind, resolve to make things easier from this moment on and program your mind, body, emotions to reset - - towards a brighter tomorrow.

Inspire & Be Inspired

That should set the tone for the coming year. With less than 2 days to go before we bid adieu to the rather devastating 2011, I'm sure a lot of us are now creating our annual resolutions, rehash of past resolutions, mantra to recite at the start of the year, the lucky colors, hair styles, fashion trends for the coming year, etc.

But one must always keep in mind that without inspiration, there isn't anything much we can look forward to. The world after all is replete with all the nasties and the negativities. One must be made of really strong stuff to survive it.

And one of the things that can help us all to remain strong and vibrant the whole year round come 2012 is to seek inspiration from just about anywhere.

Woke up to the sound of annoying neighbor? NO worries! Tune it out, but first, be grateful you can indeed hear the sound however annoying it may be. That you have the gift of hearing. Then proceed to turn on the radio to your favorite music and voila! there's the first inspiration of the day for you.

Then as you cook your breakfast, savor the smell of bacon frying and you know that it will inspire you to eat it even before the crispy juiciness touches your lips.

That's just for starters. There are many, seemingly trivial and mundane things that we ignore where we can actually glean inspiration from. But one of the best things is to also make sure you work on inspiring others and in doing so improve your mood.

How about a rather amusing SMS to your loved one? Just a few terms of endearment for the love of your life. Inspire him and be inspired yourself.

The opportunities for finding inspiration and for being inspired are limitless. One must now consciously seek it and that should be our theme for 2012..

INSPIRE, BE INSPIRED. in that sense, whatever challenges or trials come our way, we'll never really grow tired. fair enough??

Yuletide Blues

Well, no one is exempted from feeling a bit of the blues during this period. It's not the holiday season really but just the times rolling by as if it doesn't pay us no mind.

Actually rolling is more of a mild word to use in this instance. Fate has been bamboozling us, all guns blazing to see how far we can still go despite the trauma, the pain, all the aches and dizziness that it brings.

One is either reduced to a mass of acquiescing minion, an angst-filled entity or even a reluctant rebel with all that's going on.

It's not just the natural disasters, the man-made wars or financial gloom enveloping all our earthly skies, but something that we can't quite put our finger on.

And they are still not calling it depressing times, there still are plenty of reasons to smile after all but the melancholy spreading almost everywhere. Somehow it pervades the air we breathe that one can almost taste it.

But I dare not venture into the unknown. I'd just categorize it the easiest way I know how and term it like the old-fashioned do - a simple case of the blues. Just in time for the yuletide season.

Still, if it doesn't entirely crush our spirits, we can still say we're okay. So, are we??

Ako ay Tubig

Kung ako ay iyong isang inumin, ako ay tubig. Alak o beer? Hindi ako yan. Oo, maaring gusto mo ito, at andyan ang alak sa araw ng pagsasaya ngunit kapag iyong ininom ito sa oras ng kalungkutan ay lalo ka lang malulungkot. Kape?? Hindi rin ako yan. Oo, ito’y pampagising pero hindi mo ito nanaisin sa anumang oras. Gatas? Pampalusog, mabuti sa katawan siguro pero hindi ako maaring maging isang gatas na bibihirang magustuhan. Softdrinks? Hindi rin. Exciting kung minsan lalo kung may masayang salo-salo pero sa sobrang tamis neto ay malamang hahanap ka pa rin ng pampawala ng iyong umay.

Sa tuwina ay iisa lang ang binabalik-balikan. Ang tubig na iyong hahanapin sa bawat oras kahit gaano na karami ang ibang bagay na nainom, mapa-kape, beer, juice, softdrinks, o gatas, tanging tubig lamang ang tiyak na papawi sa iyong uhaw. Kaya ako ay isang tubig para sa iyo. Simple, walang kulay pero klarong –klaro at tunay na pinakaimportante sa iyong buhay.