proud of an old friend..

Last thursday, the school where I am currently connected, joined a spelling bee competition with all the participants also coming from both public and private schools. We only have one contestant allowed from each school. And so given the task to coach our participant, I was there to witness myself the event. And there I met familiar faces back in college who are also coaches coming from different schools. But what caught me by surprise was when I saw a very good friend back in high school.

He used to be the sickly and thin guy in our group as there were eleven of us then who used to jam around the school campus, cracked jokes to each other and even made noise that irked-up some of our high school teachers. I was brought back to that high school life when I once again got the chance to meet him, no longer in his sickly and pale look but very much dignified with his formal attire while shaking hands with the head officers of the Davao City Library office. He was the one covering the entire event, taking video and pictures to the participants. Somehow, I know so well some of the not-so-happy moments that my friend went through as a student and a brother to his four siblings. And I was so delighted and proud to see him now very much happy with his career and family.

While I was falling in line to get our participant's badge and number, it was only then when he noticed me as he was the one taking video coverage. I couldn't help but show him my big grin at that instance as he too was grinning at me in a distance. We waited for like and hour to start the activity. Sitting quietly in one corner, I noticed my friend walking into my direction. We have not yet said our lines and yet we were already both laughing at each other as if we were back to the old times. He was teasing me for being there and so was I to him. I also teased him with his formal attire however congratulating him for being successful in his chosen field.

We all really have our own fair of chances and luck in life like that of my good old friend if only we don't give up to trials. His struggles back then were his steps to become who he is now. Congrats my friend! For sure the rest of our high school friends are also proud of you. Speed on!:)

stopping by my blog on a late night...

only to say (with my tired hands and poor penmanship),


however, i am reminded by the line that that goes.."work as if you're the highest paid."aha!:)

i can only hope that it's all worth it.

just lead...

on nature's wrath..

"Panginoon, bigyan Nyo po kami ng lakas at tibay ng paniniwala sa gitna ng mga trahedyang aming pinagdadaanan ngayon.Naway maintindihan namin at mapukaw ang aming mga isipan, anuman ang pahiwatig na hatid nito.Naway maging responsable pa kami sa biyaya ng buhay at kalikasan na sa ami'y Iyong pinagkaloob.Tulungan Mo po kami na lalong maging matatag sa gitna ng kawalan. Kami, na sa kabila ng aming mga kahinaan at pagkukulang, ay humuhugot ng lakas na nagmula lamang sa Iyo."Amen.

giving..

“I had found a kind of serenity, a new maturity... I didn't feel better or stronger than anyone else but it seemed no longer important whether everyone loved you or not--more important now is for you to love them. Feeling that way turns your whole life around...living becomes the act of giving.” --Beverly Sills

..as i come across this quote, i remember quite well an old conversation i had with a very good friend telling me once that in her search for someone to love, it's not about thinking that someone will be resonsible of her in her old age but it's about thinking she will have someone to be responsible with as they two grow old together. and that there is actually a big difference from a selfish thought of having someone who will be responsible of you one day than you being unselfishly reponsible for someone else. she might have not realized that i still think of that conversation even up to this very moment. i think of it because that's how real intents should be. my friend had brought that simple conversation into a certain level of maturity letting me even realized how wonderful her thoughts and visions are... letting me visualize how genuine her heart's desires are.

..thinking of that quotation and that of a good friend's conversation, it brought me into a thought too that as we venture into the very things we hope to be... it's not about searching for one thing that will fill "my life "with purpose, but it's about searching for one thing that will fill "another else's life" with purpose. Well then that way..perhaps, life will have grand meaning.