I am really saddened of how December is not the way I hear it many years ago. I have as many fixations about things of the past and I really feel nostalgic about the lively sounds that I used to hear as a kid every time this once dubbed merry season came.
Instead of cheerful jingles and loud fireworks, my ears are recently fed most of reports about hapless situations of people crying for help. But with this, I realized that we need more than just a pair of ears to truly hear the real essence of this season.
We witnessed the horrible siege of the whole City of Zamboanga for over a month by the armed rebels. The system of the city was paralyzed and so was life in this Chabacano speaking community. Many people were trapped in hunger and others were also held hostage, and the scare it caused to the entire city was immeasurably traumatic.
After that siege, we then saw how the massive earthquake wrecked havoc to the entire island of Bohol and some parts of Cebu. It caused large damage not only to the lives of our countrymen there but it also ruined the once glories of our century old churches that are treasures to the world.
And as if those were not enough, just recently we mourn together for all the lost dreams and hopes of our brothers in Leyte who were devastated by the dubbed super typhoon Yolanda. What came more disappointing were the rifts and fights between our politicians who must have been helping out instead of slinging mud to each other amidst the social crisis in the province.
With all these threats of both human and nature, I am conscience stricken to think of my personal desires while other people out there cannot even afford to be happy in this joyous time. I realize I must be double grateful for I am still one lucky dog in life after all.
In this miserable moment of our life as a country, all we ever need to find the real meaning of happiness is a heart that can hear the most profound sorrows of other people and ready to sympathize with them in any humble means it can.
Very few songs of this modern era of our music world really never fade in my ears. I think it does not only have something in effect to their awesome background, but more to their meaningful themes.
BACK TO DECEMBER and CHRISTMASES WHEN YOU WERE MINE, both composed and performed by Taylor Swift, are real creative pieces, given their melancholic themes in a supposed to be merry season.
Back to December is a beautiful detour from the usual songs of Taylor Swift that oftentimes talk about vengeance. It is a lonely story of a person humbly asking for forgiveness for separating with a former lover.
This song is melodramatically touching, especially when you feel alone and just mooning about nothing when you must be enjoying this supposed to be happy time. Some things in life really turn to awry in a snap and many times learning a lesson is too late.
On the other hand, Christmases When You Were Mine is another melancholic Christmas song. Almost everyone, fresh and seasoned ones, can relate so much to this nostalgic song of missing someone special, which turns the season colder even.
It is definitely a throwback to one season we had in our lives when we ought to be happy but we couldn't just afford. Through this song, others might also reflect in pensive how different this merry season would be without their loved ones.
Oh well, I know this shouldn't be lonely time and I don't intend to make it lonely either. I love these sad Christmas songs ever though I am not sad at all. Just slipping into the other side of the world for a light change this season, I say.
People we meet in our lifetime is like a myriad of untangled shoelaces. Each has different lengths and colors. While some I get along, others I clash against. They are the people whom I consider difficult to deal. But through the times, I have learned how to actually tangle the shoelaces that we are.
I realized that difficult people are everywhere and I cannot change them no matter how I must try as they are not born to fit into my own mold and taste. It is until then when I began to look into the other side of life: change my reaction and perception about them.
When I feel being intentionally attacked, I have learned to step back and analyze things from which I am involved with. Just like a window, by taking a glimpse of things which I cannot see from my point of view, I become more aware of my limitations.
And it may be really the hardest part to do but I have also known to treat difficult people nicely despite everything. I believe it is not pretending as I can distinguish that thin line that divides it from maturity. As the old saying goes: It doesn't hurt to be kind at all.
I rub shoulders with many people of different walks of life everyday. I may not find them good at all, but I am glad to know that I can still show them the better side of things. I believe that life is a game and it is in my hands how I tangle these shoelaces.
So, God help me.
The whole world is mourning over the recent succumb to death of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. Once accused as a terrorist by his enemies who put him behind the bars, he became popular as a leader in his country and a world renowned statesman.
His life is an inspiration of triumph and tragedy. He is the foremost modern hero of liberation of his country from political turmoils and social crisis, giving the world an admirable inspiration.
The world really feels like it lost a feather by his death. His presence may have gone but surely his wisdom will linger for as long as people remember his heroism. Totsiens en dankie, Nelson Mandela. Farewell and thank you for making the world a little better.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.
I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.
As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.
As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.
When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace.
Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.
Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.
We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.
For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.
Kanami Koronadal! Kanami Guid!
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| koronadal.gov.ph |
That tagline has become a distinct and popular brand used by the people of my hometown Koronadal mostly in public speeches. The speaker says: Kanami Koronadal, which means wonderful Koronadal. And the audience would reply: Kanami guid, which affirms the same.
Things have changed for the better though after the super typhoon Yolanda. In the recent workshop about the new ancillary program of our city division called Flexible Learning Options, one of the speakers greeted: Kanami Koronadal, and to that we answered in chorus: Kanami guid!
The speaker, however, taught us the so called new battle cry of our city: Kanami Koronadal! Bangon Santa Fe! At first, many including your blogger wondered what or where Santa Fe is. The speaker explained that our humble city adopted this small municipality of Santa Fe in the province of Leyte after that disastrous super typhoon Yolanda.
The good work is not unknown to many of us that our city mayor Hon. Peter B. Miguel and his team were one of those people who went to Leyte to extend their help to the devastated people there by doing a medical mission and turning over the relief goods gathered from the people of Koronadal.
So, the next time someone greets, you know what to say. From the bottom of every heart of the people of Koronadal, we hope and pray for your immediate recovery, people of Santa Fe. Things might have been so outrageous for you, but nothing is difficult when we join hands and hearts in these most desolate times.
Kanami Kornadal! Bangon Santa Fe!
