A Slice of Kindness

My life is a slice of bread with no cheese, peanut butter, jelly or whatever you spread on it. It’s plain ordinary.

But that was eight months ago before I accidentally opened the windows of my little house and saw I have neighbours around. That was when I decided to walk out the door and explore a bigger world.

At first, I would say the environment was really different. It’s not the exact oxygen I was breathing in my house. It’s not the same warmth that touches my skin. Perhaps, because I am not the center of this world anymore. It was a world for everyone, from the tinniest to the biggest creature.

I was with my friend back then. We were looking for good subjects to capture. We’ve been walking for a while so we entered 7- Eleven to rest a little while. We bought sandwich that we did not ate their anyway. We continue walking and searching as we are holding our cameras.

It was really an ordinary day. Vehicles are moving. Traffic lights were on. Sidewalk vendors were on their spot. Men and women of different ages and of different uniforms were walking fast to avoid getting late on their own businesses. Establishments were already opened. Everyone was too busy to notice others.

So I thought we could flash our cameras unnoticeably. But I was wrong. A common face came rushing towards us. It was the face we refuse to look at. The hands of that face are the ones we usually avoid. It was of the Mangyan.

But of all the faces, it was the only one who approached us with a smile. At first, we ignore her and pretended to see nothing. We are somehow scared so we continue walking. But the feet of that Mangyan simply follow our steps. So my friend decided to give the 7-Eleven sandwich to the Mangyan. That lady Mangyan gave us the same smile. But unlike the first smile which seems to be asking for some kindness, this one was returning the goodness she received. She was thanking us.

But that’s not the end of the story. Another great scene came on the screen. The Lady Mangyan who was carrying her son in a piece of cloth came to another Mangyans. I was really shocked with what she did. I thought she’ll be eating the sandwich with her son only. But to my amazement, she divided the sandwich and shared it with others. The slice of goodness that my friend did was divided into more slices. That one sandwich that probably only one person could eat alone was shared among six Mangyans.

Turned out that we did not only capture a photo of the Mangyans but we printed a lesson in our hearts. The least person I expected to do such sharing did a miracle surprise. Or perhaps I was just so selfish that if I am the Mangyan, I would probably eat the sandwich alone. But I have learned my lesson. Sharing blessings to one is like giving goodness to the whole world. When divided to one, it could feed many hearts.

That day was a gift. That was a moment of pulling out the hidden extraordinary from the box of the ordinary. My life is no longer plain.

That Mangyan spread a jelly on my sandwich. And indeed, it was sweet. 

Note: An article for Writing for Print

Yes, we can!

"I thought it was just a simple rain out there. But when I finally get to see it on the television, I was so shocked."

I do not know how it all happened. And I do not know how such a horrible thing happened.

The cities affected were like oceans where houses have been drowned and cars were like floating dead.

Families were separated. Homes were destroyed. Lives were shattered.

But as I look beyond this, Filipino heroes came to existence again.

Giving and helping each other. Sacrificing for others. Giving what they have. And sharing what's left to them.

And of course, the best thing about the Filipinos, no matter what challenge the world offers, we still know how to paint the brightest smile.

May all the Filipinos overcome this. May we stand from what makes us fall.

I know we can.

Keeping and Losing

I lost a handkerchief again.
I'm always like that. Perhaps I have lost a hundred. (Oh, of course that's an exaggeration.) But I really have lost too many.
Keeping a handkerchief on my hand has been my habit. I don't know what's with the hanky but it's just like that. And I often lose it.
I was thinking what if forgetting the pain and hurt be as easy as losing a handkerchief.
That when you drop the feeling, it won't come back again. And when you lose it, you'll forget the pain.
But I guess it will never be that way.
All the pain is part of our life. The wounds may heal but it will leave a scar that would remind you of what causes it.
And just like my habit of holding a hanky on my hand, maybe I would also be keeping the hurtings on my heart.
And would someday lose them.

Always Good, But Never the Best

Humans are like the planet of the galaxy. We rotate on our own axis. We are positioned in a certain order. There are those planets that are so near the sun, it could explode on its warmth. And there are those that are so far, it could freeze to death. And humans are just like them. There are great people, good, bad and worst.

One thing is for sure. I am not the Earth that is best suited for living creatures. I am not the Earth that contains the oxygen, water and warmth that everyone needs. I am not the best planet. I am simply an unknown planet waiting to be discovered and accepted.

But I do not exactly know which planet is that. All I know is that I simply rotate on my own axis unnoticeably. And as part of the other routine, I always do my best in revolving in that huge bright star. Just so to continue my existence and survival. But just when I thought I had my best, other planets start to eat me and dominate my world.

ON THE LIST
I remember during my elementary and highschool days. I am one of those studious and well behaved students. Always on the list of honors. And until now, I still see myself doing my best but wasn't able to be the best, simply always good, just included in the long list.

COMPARISON
So here's another story. I recall back when I was 13 or 14 years old. I was compared to my older sister. He said " Buti pa ang ate mo ganito, ganyan." It sometimes hurts that even to him I can not be the best.

AT PRESENT
I have accepted reality. I just do and give what I can. I accept anything that life offers me and changes only some part of it when I know I can. I realize that it's not really important if I'm not the best, what matters is that I'm surrounded with great people.

"Being unable to be the best is just a part of yesterday's rotation and revolution."

And who knows, time might come that a shooting star may fall on this unknown planet and bring the best gift of all.

Ako ang Simula

August 31 is not simply a National Hero's Day for me.
I t has become a start of a change.
I am a certified registered Boto patroler starting today.
Just few words to end this up,--
I am Ninoy!
Let's be Ninoy in our own simple ways. Start the change. Begin with yourself. Make it happen.
Ako, Ikaw, Tayo ang Simula.!

Love at Mcdonald's

Do you know the feeling when you can see sparks in the eyes , when you start acting clumsy whenever the person is around, when you can't remove the smile in your face and then you find way to talk to the person? Cliche? But that's when you know the thunder called love struck you.

So here's the story... hmmm... actually not mine but a friend's story.

We were eating at Mcdonald's when this happened.

Wow! Mcdonald's runs out of fries.. really...?

So we ordered and eat our food forgetting our favorite fries since its already out of stock (daw). And started wondering why there are fries being served to others while we are told that they have any. Is that a smell of favoritism...! (hehe)

Our friend, let's name her Shella called this waiter while flashing her smile and asked him why there are fries being served to others when we are told that don't have any. It was supposed to be a taray effect but turns out it was the beginning of attraction for him.

He passed our table staring at Shella. And ooops! He bumped into the table. And such a clumsy, the chair fell. Burt could you believe it. Despite that embarrassing moment, he still wears that wide smile and he even looked back at our table or to Shella I mean.

That's when I and ate Rein got really convinced there are sparks in his eyes. (Yikes) That was when we decided to leave.

But could you believe it again? He came towards our table and supposedly fix things.

"Kuya , pinapaalis mo n yata kami eh."

"Hindi ahh, tinutulungan lang."

It's hard to express but I'm pretty sure that if you were there that time, you would end up laughing and teasing Shella.

Just like me. I burst out laughing that I want to lie on the floor and hold my stomach for laughing.

I am not laughing at Shella but to him. He's so funny and unbelievable that even on our way home, I'm still laughing and I can't get over it.

McDonald's has surprised me again. Not with my favorite float but with the fact that McDonald's may run out of fries but never of Love.

Seems like french fries had fried a new story, love story. Haha

And I'm crazy of it.

Sound of Silence

Heaven cried and cried
The music kept playing
Home, hearts are shut down.

Guilty!

I remember my professor saying, you can't write well if you're not honest with yourself, if something is holding you back.

And if only an honesty cop is watching my every move and guarding my every words, I would probably be in jail right now and would be spending a lifetime there because of lying and pretending. I am guilty.

I know in myself that I often reject reality whenever it came knocking on me. Probably that's the reason why I can not open up my life and when I do, I tell it vaguely. Or usually I ended up telling other people's story rather than mine.

It's like something in me is shutting my mouth. I know him, Miss Limitations. Whenever I start talking, she would pull my tongue back and would whisper behind my mind, "Ooops... enough!" Even if in truth, I haven't yet started talking.

I hate her that I want to kill her and bury her in soil or throw her to the planet next to Pluto so she could never keep me again in that dark, cold, empty prison because I don't want to be there anymore.

But now, the problem is despite my hatred to that prison and Miss Limitations, I still can't escape from them.

:(

He's Gone and I Miss Him...

From the moment I saw him, I got really interested. He was different, totally different from the others.

I was staring outside through my window, the first time I saw him. He was as white as the clouds in the sky. His hair seems so smooth that I want to run my fingers through it if I could only reach him. I saw his black eyes look at me which made feel nervous. I am afraid that he'll get irritated and would find another place but he did not. That was really a relief.

And our days continued that way. Each morning as I opened my window, he's there at the same spot I just first saw him. He would sit there until he fell asleep. Sometimes, he would see me, but seems like it doesn't matter to him. Other times, he would walk away but I know that he would return.

Until one morning, I never saw him.

Three days had passed and still there are no signs of him.

I began to question myself.

Did he get irritated of me?

or Had he found a new space to stay?

Answers never came to me. He never came back. I never saw him again. I never heard his voice again.

I never heard him again say meow while stretching after a long sleep.

I never saw that little cat again.

Meow was gone.

He said, She said, She said, I said

Ninoy said, "The Filipino is worth dying for."

Cory said, "The Filipino is worth living for."

Kris said, "The Filipinos are worth it."

I am a Filipino.

I love being a Filipino.

I love the Filipinos.

and

I love the Philippines.

so I say,

"I am worth it!"

How about you? Are you worth it?

What if tomorrow never comes?

When the sun could no0 longer smile,
And the moon could no longer laugh,
Sure, I'll be lonely.

When the rain could no longer fall
And the wind could no longer breath,
Sure, you'll be sad.

When the day could no longer change,
And tomorrow could no longer come,
I know we'll miss each other.

Farewell

August 1, at around 3:18 AM, former President Corazon Aquino breathed her last breath and gave her goodbye to her family and the Filipino nation.

Though I am far related to President Cory and to the Aquino's and though I am not yet alive during the battle against Martial Law, it feels good to know that there had once been a fearless woman who led the struggle for democracy which we are experiencing until now.

The battle against Martial Law was over but another fight that has to be conquered came up when the Aquino's discovered the stage 4 cancer of President Cory. It was a battle filled with love and prayers.

But just like everything, it came to an end.

"It was a peaceful death," Kris Aquino said.

An today, Wednesday, August 5, the heaven seems tobe grieving with thousands of people as the sky pour it's rain on the last day of mourning for President Aquino.

I'ts time to say our final goodbye to President Cory, goodbye that she can not stay any longer but will never say goodbye toher great part and role in our history which will remain forever engraved in our hearts.

FAREWELL, PRESIDENT CORY...

Apology

SHL 402
Lyceum of the Philippines- Batangas
July 28, 2009

Dear Me,

It had been 18 yearsof living and I think it's now time to apologize to you for whatever bad I have done to you.

I know I've been too harsh to you. I am sorry for being too cruel that I have been so selfish that sometimes I wish you were not existing so I can escape difficult times of life. I am sorry for hurting you and for making you cry. I apologize because I thought you deserve all those things. I am soory that I can not be honest with you, that when somebody asked m, I can not easily tell who you really are.

I am sorry for feeding you instant noodles and canned googs every morning because that's all I know. An I apologize that no matter what I do, I find it hard to get rid of your cough.

I know that we will have a longer journey which means I will have more things to apologize for each day, so just wiat till your heart recieve my next apology letter.

Sincerely yours,
Mercy^.^

What you see is not always what you get.

It had always been difficult for me to describe myself and open up who really I am.

Perhaps, I could say that I am one of the greatest pretender you could ever met. It's not that I am pretending when in front of other people. It's simply that I am pretending from my own self. Mabe, it's because I chose it to be that way. I always find it hard to show the real me. That is why I never believed in the saying "what you see is what you get." I think, sometimes what we see aret part of a chain of lies. In myself, not all tears means loneliness and not all luaghters means happiness.

Looking back, I remember myself crying with a smile painted on my lips. I often wear as mile even if sadness is gripping me. You may call me crazy but that's just me. And anyways in this kind of world, who else is not crazy...?

Almost

God is really great... and I can't believe that I could finished all the requirements needed..
I mean almost..
But I should not be relaxing too much because mDterm is to come...
Goodluck....

I know why but I don't know how

It's very difficult for me to trust other people.

and I know why... It's because sometimes I even find it hard to trust myself

so how can I give that thing to other people if I don't know how to give it to myself.?

I simply know the answer to why but to how, guess It would take some time to find the answers.

mp-23

The Last Hour

It had been only a month or two since we atarted this school year.

During those times I can say that I've been spending my time wise enough for blogging, checking my mails, and visiting facebook.
Of course I'm doing those things at the school library.

Wait..., Just to tell you, we are only given 20 hours of computer use for one semester.

And I can not believe that I only have 1 hour left to use this computer laboratory.

Ohh it's so funny just to think of it...hehe..
I've been logging here in Imc for so long.

I won't be able to use this lab for free...nyaaaahh...

But the good thing is I can say that I get what I have paid for.. wahahaha...

So I guess this would be the last free use of the Imc LAB.

mp-23 now signing off.
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Sa Imc lab lang naman....
so guess have to say goodbye to this IMC Computer Lab.
Till next sem...
ahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Nyah....
wait I've got a question, bakit ako lang eh pati naman mga friends ko eh kasabay ko lang maglog dito ahhh...
Bitter..!!!!!
Joke...
^.^

Angel in Disguise

I believe in Angels.

And I believe on Angels who went down on Earth from Heaven.

Actually, I have met a lot of them.

They came to my life and brought different gifts.

Some brougtht smiles and laughters.

While there are some who give good pieces of advice.

And there are those who came to save me.

I have proven that God really watch us closely.

hmmm does He have a big television?

or a large magnifying glass which can magnify things that are happening here on Earth?

Or maybe it is simply Him who is always with us.

I thank Papa God for always watching me, and for surprising me by sending Angels when I badly needed one.

I know and I hope that I'll be taking a longer journey to do what I have to do.

I hope that I'll be walking on more roads to meet new people and meet more Angels.

How about you? Have you met your Angel?

I love just like the way the wind breath its warm breeeze.

You can not see it but you'll just feel it.

We don't really need clear eyes to see what love is.

What we need is a heart that could feel things.

-mp23-

The Silliest thing I did

Ponds Vs. Close-up: ANONG KONEK?

I wake up early not knowing why.. I washed my face as I always do.
And it was time to apply that ponds thing.
Without noticing I apply this thing and felt that it was somehow feeling hot which was supposed to be not.
And that was only then that I realize that I was holding my toothpaste and not the facial cream.
HAHAHA..

It was so foolish of me.
Was that a sign of growing old.??? and forgetting things and their differences...???
Hope it was not.Perhaps it was just a sign for me to be more cautious.

Of course I won't think I'm growing old.
Rather I would want to Grow up.
Lesson of the day: To break the record..."Nobody's perfect. We all commit mistakes. And we all commit acts of foolishness..."

Is There A Sweet Way Of Saying Goodbye?

I am still bothered by the question I have heard on the radio few nights ago.

Is there a sweet way of saying GOODBYE?

What...!!! No. I don't think there's a sweet way of saying goodbye, because goodbye's are always difficult and painful.

And why do we have to say goodbye anyways...? Specially to our friends and to people whom we love.

Perhaps we can say goodbye for a moment, but to say goodbye for forever ...for me that's a crazy thing.

We should never say goodbye to people who have become part of our lives...They have already created a certain space in our hearts. No matter what we do, they will never be erased in our hearts.

As the saying goes, "The mind could forget but the heart would always remember."

Wait.. I know one thing we should say goodbye for forever.. It would be our vices and bad habbits.

Say goodbye to them and say hello to a new US...Always sounds better when I say Us.. or rather when We say Us.

Hide and Seek

"M y life is a game. It's simple! I am hiding from people and sometimes even from myself. But it doesn't mean that I am pretending to be someone else. It's just that I want to make other people happy even if there are puzzles within me."

"At The same time I am seeking. Seeking for answers ...for that missing piece in my puzzle."

Hmmmm...I am hiding and at the same time I'm seeking."

"Ironic?"

"That's life and that's me."