Before August 2010 started there was a buzz that having 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays, 5 Tuesdays, all in one month only happens every 823 years. Looking closely though, the next time we get five Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays in August will be August 2021... or just 10 years from now!
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Its midnight Monday.
Last Monday, we witnessed a historical desecration of the Luneta grounds because of the blunder laden hostage tragedy. There's finger pointing left and right and lots of I-told-you-so declarations of the equally inept self-righteous. Undeniably, one man in the person of Sgt. Mendoza caused a stir.
Today, we commemorate National Heroes Day. It was intended for Filipinos to remember specifically the Cry of Pugadlawin. More than a hundred years ago, about 500 Katipuneros took that historical leap to fight the Spaniards with their seemingly simple yet very symbolic act of "pagpunit ng cedula". May the spirit of Pugadlawin resonate more than the reactive banging and clanging of today's news.
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When I was a student, I would rejoice over declarations of non-school day. Yehey! Walang pasok. That means I could sleep late, watch TV or go someplace else with the family even if my teachers gave projects which I'd cram to finish the night before.
As an employee, I would try to conceal that excitement whenever someone asks whether so and so date was declared a non-working day. I would research, check my network and after confirmation from Malacanang or DOLE, craft an official announcement. Yehey! Walang pasok.
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Now, I understand that holidays are declared as non-working day to give us time to think, reflect and re-connect.
Now, I know better. I am more attuned to reality, more honest with my feelings and no amount of poking would make me jump off of my seat unless it truly resonates.
Now, I know that no matter how rare an event seems or how special someone is, just like bad moments and bad people I know it will all come to pass.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Quitters Win Too
A winner never quits and a quitter never wins...or so they say.
After a series of life's twists and turns I've come to realize otherwise. I now see that NOT quitting is a sign of weakness. People so unbreakable and caught up on their own obsession might just be plain and simple stupid or a victim of their own stubborness. I should know...I've been one for several times and on different occasions.
There were quite a few times when I do or go through something over and over again and pray really really hard with so much hope and anticipation for something different to happen. There were countless cool-offs and mini-break ups, stressful silence and high-powered word wars...after each stressful encounter I would often succumb to my ideal that I'd like my first to be my last...I wanted the relationship to work no matter what. I also wanted to stay in the company I loved so dearly like it was more than home...I wanted to stay there until retirement actually. I was too stubborn not to quit...my stupidity grew over time and got the better of me.
At the height of things, I thought it was just a test of patience. Maybe God is testing me if I really wanted it. After each acid test I thought I'd have a stronger and happier relationship or a more successful and promising career only to realize quite late that there is no surface left to burn. I was burned-out! There is nothing more to test for there is nothing left but blotches of bad memories and a broken spirit.
I used to think that if I put my entire mind, heart and being, even the ethereal me add it with hard work, determination, persistence and prayers things will be fine eventually. Now I as I see it, maybe I was just deluding myself that by going through all the unnecessary sacrifice I am harnessing holiness. Yes, it unnecessary for I now believe that people are meant to be truly happy. Staying just prolongs the agony of not growing up. There is nothing funny staying little for so long. Let go, grow up and let God rule! Let us be tall and happy!
Letting go or quitting actually means more hard work. Can it be that we are merely saying we are determined when in fact it means we are too lazy or too afraid to try something different? Face the "inconvenient truth"! Letting go entails going out and beyond our long-held perceptions, life-long dreams and taking the risk to go to unchartered grounds meeting strangers. It means looking not just outside the box and out of our comfort zone but checking out the box from all angles and discern which zone we are in and where we'd like to go. It might even mean tossing the box all together and create whatever shape we'd like our new world to be.
I do not advocate quitting mind you. For all its worth, give your all but know your limits. If we give the same amount of energy to something new rather than push pointlessly a square peg in a round hole, maybe things will be a lot better. Could it be that we fail to recognize that there is a Higher Being who could work something out which is more fittingly ours? May we find comfort in His words that "nothing is impossible". If one truly believes this, we probably won't kill ourselves wanting something. After much discernment, when you quit on the right stuff, at the right moment and done the right way quitting can become your way to win bigger. Be determined for worthwhile things which make you happy. After all, why sweat on stuff that takes away your life and sanity?
A winner never quits and a quitter never wins? Let us be wiser to know this is not to be taken at face value. A winner knows when to quit. A wise quitter is better than a foolish go-getter. In this sense...quitter's win too.
After a series of life's twists and turns I've come to realize otherwise. I now see that NOT quitting is a sign of weakness. People so unbreakable and caught up on their own obsession might just be plain and simple stupid or a victim of their own stubborness. I should know...I've been one for several times and on different occasions.
There were quite a few times when I do or go through something over and over again and pray really really hard with so much hope and anticipation for something different to happen. There were countless cool-offs and mini-break ups, stressful silence and high-powered word wars...after each stressful encounter I would often succumb to my ideal that I'd like my first to be my last...I wanted the relationship to work no matter what. I also wanted to stay in the company I loved so dearly like it was more than home...I wanted to stay there until retirement actually. I was too stubborn not to quit...my stupidity grew over time and got the better of me.
At the height of things, I thought it was just a test of patience. Maybe God is testing me if I really wanted it. After each acid test I thought I'd have a stronger and happier relationship or a more successful and promising career only to realize quite late that there is no surface left to burn. I was burned-out! There is nothing more to test for there is nothing left but blotches of bad memories and a broken spirit.
I used to think that if I put my entire mind, heart and being, even the ethereal me add it with hard work, determination, persistence and prayers things will be fine eventually. Now I as I see it, maybe I was just deluding myself that by going through all the unnecessary sacrifice I am harnessing holiness. Yes, it unnecessary for I now believe that people are meant to be truly happy. Staying just prolongs the agony of not growing up. There is nothing funny staying little for so long. Let go, grow up and let God rule! Let us be tall and happy!
Letting go or quitting actually means more hard work. Can it be that we are merely saying we are determined when in fact it means we are too lazy or too afraid to try something different? Face the "inconvenient truth"! Letting go entails going out and beyond our long-held perceptions, life-long dreams and taking the risk to go to unchartered grounds meeting strangers. It means looking not just outside the box and out of our comfort zone but checking out the box from all angles and discern which zone we are in and where we'd like to go. It might even mean tossing the box all together and create whatever shape we'd like our new world to be.
I do not advocate quitting mind you. For all its worth, give your all but know your limits. If we give the same amount of energy to something new rather than push pointlessly a square peg in a round hole, maybe things will be a lot better. Could it be that we fail to recognize that there is a Higher Being who could work something out which is more fittingly ours? May we find comfort in His words that "nothing is impossible". If one truly believes this, we probably won't kill ourselves wanting something. After much discernment, when you quit on the right stuff, at the right moment and done the right way quitting can become your way to win bigger. Be determined for worthwhile things which make you happy. After all, why sweat on stuff that takes away your life and sanity?
A winner never quits and a quitter never wins? Let us be wiser to know this is not to be taken at face value. A winner knows when to quit. A wise quitter is better than a foolish go-getter. In this sense...quitter's win too.
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