On our Third Decade!

We’ve COME HOME!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Na excite akong umuwi!
Na excite akong bumallik!
Umuwi sa kung saan ako nag umpisa.
Bumalik sa kung saan ko nakilala ang “ako” ngayon na dala ko saan man magpunta.
Yong naging “ako” nang “dahil sa kanila.”

Sila na matiyagang nakinig sa bawat sharing ko na may paiyak iyak pa.
Sila na nag strategize ng mga activities na hanggang ngayon ay walang kupas ang epekto sa aking pagkatao.

Si Ma’am Myra Dizon Nicolas na mae-excite ka sa mga comments sa journal ko na hanggang ngayon ay itinatago ko pa.
Si Ma’am Twila Punsalan na sa bawat tanong ay talagang mapapaisip ka ng isasagot na magpapangiti at magpapaganda ng aura nya.
Si Ma’am Wilma Reyes na ramdam mong sumisimpatya sa bawat hugot mo in effect sa mga kwento nya.
Si Ma’am Kelly Fulgencio na naniwala sa mga kaya kong gawin noong practicum days.

Iilan lang sila dati na nagtaguyod ng aming pagpapakatao
— at si Ma’am Tway ang pasimuno! … hehehh 🙂
Nagtatag ng STEP Organization … at pinilit palakasin Batch-after-batch kung saan na-challenge kaming 22 VE Majors : 3rd Batch, 1992!  Hindi dapat sa amin huminto ang paglaganap ng Samahan; kaya naman bilang President kapit lang ang naging peg ko sa suporta ng mga mga ka-Batch ko … laban sa pagtaguyod ng Samahan ng mga Tagapagpalaganap ng Edukasyon sa Pagpapahalaga! STEP!

Nakakakonsensyang hindi mo sila balikan para pasalamatan!
Kasi malaking parte sila ng kung ano ako ngayon.
At syempre, nakakapanghinayang na di mo gustuhing makasamang muli
ang mga classmate mong naging karamay mo sa hirap at sarap ng college life.
Sa bawat iyakan, tawanan, tambay sa “malaking puno ng mangga — yong katotohanan na malaking parte sila kung paano mo kinaya!

30 years na! On our Third Decade … tuloy pa din ang advocacy bilang Values Education Major kasi dito ako nagsimula! Masarap lumingon sa pinanggalingan! — an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE ika nga!

Masarap lumingon sa pinanggalingan! An ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE ika nga!

At sa inyong lahat, who made this day possible, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Let those Eyes Teach Us.

Let those eyes teach us what we have to learn.

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: MK 8:27-35

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me” — Jesus

Have you ever tried looking into the eyes of a child?

I was with many of them for the past five Fridays batch after batch. It awed them when I emphasized that I was in front of them because “iCare”! There was joy in their smiles upon discovering that we have Seven Srengths/ Character Traits we, Filipinos are good at: [1]pakikipagkapwa-tao; [2] pagpapahalaga sa pamilya; [3] kagalakan at pagpapatawa; [4] pakikibagay, madaling sumunod, at pagiging malikahain; [5] puspusang pagtatrabaho at kasipagan; [6] pananampalataya at pagiging maka-diyos; & [7] ability to survive – yet, I personally felt unhappy breaking to them the reality that we also have Seven Weaknesses/our common tendencies to do the extremes: [1] extreme personalism; [2] extreme family centeredness; [3] lack of discipline; [4] lack of initiative; [5] colonial mentality; [6] kanya-kanya syndrome; [7] lack of analysis.

There was “something” in their reactions when I illustrated: “7 Strengths minus 7 Weaknesses =0”! Could it really be that we, Filipinos are already of “zero character”?!? I then strive to sustain their innocent positivism by telling them that there’s a lot they can personally do to make themselves ON-GUARD for HOPE.

Happiness unbroken! Their eyes sparkled and laughter echoed upon sharing the PERSONAL MEANING of the SELF-SYMBOL that they have created; proudly posted each on their gallery for presentation and eagerly retrieved it afterwards – assuring me that they will keep it deep within their hearts until they grow more matured.

As I ended last Friday giving such series of Values-Formation Seminar among the pupils in the entire Cabuyao District, God is sending me this very clear message in today’s Gospel:

We may have the authority to facilitate life each time, but there could be              

NO BETTER TEACHER THAN THE LOOK IN THE EYES OF A CHILD!

And as I share this experience with you Brothers & Sisters, may we then challenge ourselves to grab each CHANCE TO SHAPE THE FUTURE with the lessons we could humbly learn from each child. May we be more accommodating to RECEIVE JESUS while we recognize that we are not “the greatest” just because we have the authority to be one – for God wants us to sanctify our initiative to empty ourselves of pride – a way to really influence inspiration by the heart. #sunset