#8 Stranger in Barrio Paraiso

                A long time ago, in the archipelago of the Philippines, an island in Palawan, there exists a barrio named “Paraiso”. That place was like a little paradise that is why it is called as “Barrio Paraiso”. The place was so rich with aquamarine resources; they have this virgin forest, and are lived by happy people. The people that live there know each other and love each other for there are only 14 households that lived there. Life in “Barrio Paraiso” was simple and happy until a stranger named “Kiroyo” have reached the island.

                Kiroyo was a Japanese man on his thirties, who according to him was lost in that big China Sea and has reached the island because of the big waves that brought him there after a storm. The people of “Barrio Paraiso” have welcomed him warmly and happily since Kiroyo was the only stanger that have reached the place. They trust Kiroyo even if they only talk with sign language. Kiroyo have decided to just stay in the island for little more weeks, he have stayed with Mang Berto’s family since Mang Berto has a bigger house than any other household there. Kiroyo have shared a lot of things outside the world of “Barrio Paraiso”. Kiroyo have educated the people there, first thing he taught is his language. He introduced things they never heard before – trade, business, government, technology.

                Later in his stay, a government was formed, him as the head. They called him Emperor Kiroyo. The people of “Barrio Paraiso” is so optimistic with the new government and the new lifestyle, they appreciated doing business. But later on when Kiroyo decided to engage trade with the neighboring island, Kiroyo became so greedy and forgot the welfare of the people. He has extracted the resources extensively and became rich. He has built his own mansion and has live liked a King. The nature has been destroyed and the island suffers famine except for Emperor Kiroyo.

                The people of “Barrio Paraiso” asked help from him but he refused to and said that he has nothing to help. The people had realized that everything was wrong. The people have been reunited again and revolt against him but Kiroyo persisted to stay, he didn’t even care. The people are outside his mansion night and day, hoping that he will peacefully go out the mansion and leave the island. But Kiroyo didn’t bother, he even manage to sleep quietly in the tower of his mansion. The people have been doing the revolution for 1 week and nothing had happened. So the people decided to burn the mansion but Kiroyo have escaped with all the money.

                “Barrio Paraiso” have attained their independence and promised not to be fool by a stranger again. They have regained the beauty of nature and live life simple and happy again.

#10 Motivational Video

This video is indeed an inspiring one and worthy to be watch by those who perceives the world negatively. I can see in the man the purity of his heart and genuine happiness that radiates to his audiences and touch our every heart. Life was never unfair with an eye that only sees beautiful things. A human being with a strong heart and faith does not only live a happy life but also share it with other people by means of inspiring them.

Most of us have never been contented with what God has given us. Most of our prayers were demands and requests instead of thanking Him what He has given us. As I watched the video, I became teary-eyed. I am an optimistic man but yet there are still times that I act so immature. After watching the video I reflected for 10 minutes and realized that I am so blessed but yet I haven’t appreciated it to the fullest. That man might not be complete physically, he may lack limbs but he shows the world that to be complete physically does not matter at all, a good and strong heart and positive mind is enough. If only all men have a happy heart like of that man, the world might be happier. Life is beautiful to those with a happy heart.

Learn to appreciate life more and spread happiness, love and kindness. Use God’s gift of life according to his words and all follows. Be optimistic enough that even problems just smile at you; learn to accept that problems and obstacles in life are just God way of molding and hammering you into a better person. Enjoy life and share it to the people.

#9 Maturity

          “He looks so mature”. “He is matured enough to decide to decide for himself”. “He has reached his maturity age”. – We have heard this sentence a lot of time and I bet 70% of high school student or 95% of college student is familiar with the word “maturity”. But I also think that most of them have not understood deeply the concept. Most of them relate “maturity” to age (most), time (long span), development full, high level), process and etc. Most of the people have failed to see “maturity” as another context, so what is maturity? Without further ado, let’s know “maturity” better.

          A lot of writers, politicians, psychologist, inventors, diplomats and etc. have tried to define maturity. Maturity for Abigail Van Buren is the ability to stick with a job until it’s finished; the ability to do a job without being supervised; the ability to carry money without spending it; and the ability to bear injustice without wanting to get even. For John MacNaughton, “maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself”. “Maturity is achieved when a person postpones immediate pleasures for long-term values (Liebman).

          Maturity is the state or quality of being fully grown or developed; it is the state or quality of being mature (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/maturity). As define by wikipedia, maturity is a psychological term used to indicate how a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. This response is generally learned rather than instinctive, and is not determined by one's age. Maturity also encompasses being aware of the correct time and place to behave and knowing when to act appropriately, according to the situation and the culture of the society one lives in. The definition stated above was the commonly known definition of maturity.

          Maturity therefore is a stage when one has gathered enough learning in experience or in school and develop the ability to weigh things, able to differentiate right with wrong, and to choose the right thing over the right thing. We often see maturity by a person’s perspective and decisions.

         

#6 Plume et Encre: #5 In No Way Over Looking Experience

#6 Plume et Encre: #5 In No Way Over Looking Experience I  was senior when we had our recollection in Baguio City. It was once in a lifetime happening...

I have always been visiting this blog. It is owned by my classmate and I really adore her style of writing. I envy how she can write wonderful literatures or articles; her writings were really entertaining and were really awesome for a freshman student. What I really like about her blogs is that I can see in her writings her passion, I can say that she have been through an array of wonderful experiences and note the use of words, she always introduces new words – it only entails she have very rich vocabulary.

Too much for the “envy thing” and the praises, I just want to comment on her blog entitled “In No Way Overlooking Experience”, the title itself is note worthy, and it’s so unique, isn’t it? Me also as part of my High school life had also experienced a very dramatic/sentimental recollection, I think recollections are always like that but her was way better than mine. Recollection was really an unforgettable moment in one’s high school. I always equate recollection with crying and dramas but after our recollection I realized it is something beyond that, its more than just crying. Recollection is the moment where you reflect on the happenings of your life especially your high school life, reflecting on what have you become especially how was you as an individual, as a friend, as a classmate, as a student or as son/daughter, it’s the time to forgive, the time to thank one another, its simply a recollection of memories and gratitudes. Recollection is indeed a moment worthy to be treasured. I can say that her recollection was way better than mine its longer (3 days) and it’s the place, its “Baguio”. Mine was just an 8-hour recollection in a missionary school. But I do believe that its not the place and the span of time that matters, it’s the people and the memories that make it unforgettable.

#7 My hero

When we were ask to write an article about our personal hero, the first thing that has come to my mind was to write either about my papa or mama because more than anyone else in the world they really fit as my hero but since we were ask to think of the other people it took me a longer time to decide. The decision process was this: I listed five persons whom I considered that may fit in the word hero and choose one among the five.

In the list was: teachers, NGOs, soldiers, OFW workers, and newscasters. These fives were just ordinary citizens of our society working for their own interest but at the same time doing philanthropic deeds. For me everyone can be a hero in their own simple ways. Rice planters can be a hero for they provide us our main food, a lifeguard is a hero for those that experienced drowning, a good politician is a hero for he/she is doing the things for the whole welfare of his constituencies, a lawyer can a be a hero to someone for he/she have helped that someone achieve justice, I might be a hero to someone and you also. That is why we should spread love and kindness in every little thing we do because we might be the change we want to see in the world and that will make us hero in others life.

Since I really want to include my mama and papa here, I included teachers and NGOs. My mama is a teacher and my papa is a NGO. Among the five I chose the teachers but let me explain first why those five make it to the list.

An NGO is a hero for me because I have learned it from my father that NGOs provide help like aids and basic services, livelihood programs and development projects especially for those people that are not reached by government services. In that way they have helped in eradicating poverty and moreover helped in achieving peace in the community because most of the cases those are deprived by the government of their right and in the process of fighting for those rights they engage in violence. And violence is an impediment to a sustainable development.

Soldiers are hero because they risk their lives for their people in maintaining the peace and order of their country. Soldiers are heroes especially for the civilians that are the most vulnerable when it comes to conflict. Soldiers worked away from their family, most of the time spend their life in training and combating which is actually not a normal life. These soldiers have the choice to choose a peaceful life, life closer to their families, life that normal persons have but they still choose to be a soldier and risk their live.

Our OFW workers are the ones we consider our new generation hero because they contribute a bigger part in our economy, it makes our economy continue to be alive. Because of that contribution it is helping the people not to be in the poverty line. Because of their contribution, the government can provide more services to the people especially to poor families. Services like education, health care, food, etc. And these OFW workers are also heroes in their every family because they chose to work far from them just to provide them good life. Being an OFW worker is really a very hard job, they experience different kinds of maltreatment. OFW workers are sometimes being discriminate by foreigners, others experienced raped or tortured, others are sometimes do not receive pays, and they do heavy works and do not have rest days and even work more than 8 hrs a day. Those were inhumane conditions but still many Filipinos chose to work abroad for a greener pasture their families.

To be newsman or a member of a news team is also a risky task. Sometimes there are cases when they have to risk their lives just to give the people news. And news is very important to us especially in cases like conflicts and disasters. News can save lives. News updates us with the happenings of our country and of the world and in that sense we can prepare if their things we need to prepare especially in the case of war and natural disasters. Like what is happening now, the weather is not so good to our brothers and sisters in Luzon so a weather forecast is so important. Newscaster chose that job even though it is risking their lives and sometimes even threats. 

Teachers for me are heroes for next to our families they are the one that affects or shape our personalities and perception of the world. The teachers that I consider heroes are those that are dedicated to their work, teaching beyond their duty. Teachers are in somewhat responsible for how a person came to be that person in the present. A child might be someday a greedy politician or a good politician, an honest lawyer or a lawyer dedicated to serve justice, or a soldier who will fight for its men or a terrorist. That’s how influential teachers are, that is why we should always give thanks and importance to them especially to those teachers that more than anything else, they teach because they really want to help those people that are deprived of the right to education even without pay. Because education is a treasure that cannot be taken from someone and education is the foundation of making a country; more educated people equals more opportunity to develop. So I thank you all my teachers, I thank my mama for she is my first and have been a teacher for 17 years to me, and thank you ma’am Lynnie for making out a blogger from me. Our teachers are the catalysts for social change and development of our country. I salute you teachers.

#5 Unforgettable Experience

Tic toc tic toc – the alarm clock now is waking me up. I actually have this habit of clicking the snooze button when my clock alarms but this time is different. I woke up with a big smile welcoming the rays of the sun on my face. It was Saturday morning that day was so fine, so wonderful and all the members of my family were wearing good vibes. Everybody is greeting each other “good morning” with genuine smiles that money can’t buy.

The day before that, our grandfather invited us, he wants to show us his land in the mountain especially the siblings that he have planted long ago and now have grown up into healthy tall trees. I think that invitation makes the whole family feeling so good that morning. But unfortunately, mama and papa have some important business to do that is why they have not joined our supposed to be family trip.

Me together with my siblings: ate RJ and PJ, my cousins and my lolo and lola travelled early that morning. The land of my lolo was 12 km from our house so that will take us to a 30 minute trip. The trip was a lot fun; we have passed lots of beautiful spot – very nature. The road was so rocky, that makes the trip adventurous.

As we arrive in my lolo’s land I could feel the fresh air, liberated from the trappings of an urban setting. It was woodland – seems like a secret garden. God indeed was the best artist, he have colored and designed the earth beyond imagination. That woodland was so blessed with different creation of God: different kinds of flowers, trees, animals and little creatures that I have not found in books. We collect firewood, climb trees, ate different kind of fruits, and swam in that very cold spring. It was like a paradise, a place virgin from globalization. No new technology but the place was sustainable; we have plenty of space and opportunity to go where the imagination may take us.

I was 8 years old then. It was an unforgettable experience since it was the first time I have met a very enchanting side of nature. It might not sound unique but what I felt that time was genuine happiness. I hope every person in this earth will help to save nature – small ways will be a big help.

#4 Do dead people communicate with the living?

Life is full of mystery. There are a lot of things in this world which human reason and science cannot explain. There are a lot of questions beyond man’s capacity and understanding. One question would be “do dead people communicate with the living?”. I am having a hard time answering the question. I was reluctant to agree that dead people can really communicate with the living but I don’t want to discredit those people who have experienced events like this.

To psychics or to those people doing necromancy the answer would really be yes. And I have heard stories that would justify that they really can communicate with the living. Heard it from my friends, relatives and some members of my family a handful of times. And yes I do believe that they really can communicate with the living, of course I don’t think my relatives and member of my family would lie to me regarding this matter. Since I don’t have the ability to communicate and don’t have the chance to experience it, I would be basing my answer with their answers.

I have read from an article that the bible forbids activity like this but activity like this is still possible. So maybe these dead people who communicates with the living might not the same person when he still alive. I mean, yes they have the same physical features but it is not actually him.  He may be a fallen angel, or disciples of Satan to test you or whatever. Because as what I have learned a person is composed of a soul and a body. Soul for his well-being and the body for the earthly things. In one’s brain it is where memories, knowledge, learned behavior, etc are stored so when one dies, his brain also dies. That means one’s soul will be like a new born baby with a tabula rasa brain. So how come that soul can still remember the people in his life when he is still alive? So that someone that visits you in your dreams might be another entity.

I honestly admit that I have problematic arguments here. My statements here are shaky and might easily be rebutted but I do promise that I will update my blog regarding this matter when time comes I could come up an argument with a strong foundation.