I stood by the window with my cup of coffee this morning. I breathed in the cold wind and welcomed the rain’s kiss on my cheeks. I held on to the sight of the trees. Lush and green, they danced in the wind. And like me, they seem happy in the rain. Idyllic. On this cold, rainy morning, my heart flickered.
But as I drank the beauty of that moment, I closed my eyes and bowed my head as I thought of the more than 900 people missing and more than 600 deaths (as of today) in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. The storm Sendong left at least 100,000 residents in devastation – they have lost their homes, things, and worst of all – loved ones.
I am, once again, moved by the human spirit to survive, to help one another, and to hold on. I can only imagine the pain, the questions…My heart grieves.
“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not…it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.” - J.K. Rowling
“I had failed on an epic scale…I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended…Why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant stripping away of the inessential…I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena where I believed I truly belonged. I was set free…and so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
“Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you failed by default.”
“You will never truly know yourself or the strength of your relationships until both have been tested by adversity.”
“Imagination is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”
“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside us…We have the power to imagine better.”
She ended with a quote by Seneca: “As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.”
I’ve been smiling today as I thought of my four-year-old niece Ruth. As always, her stories and the stories about her never fail to make me laugh and wonder.Her language and creative mind always blow me away. As her writer auntie, I am soooo proud and thrilled of her!
As I walked later this afternoon to buy some food in the grocery store, some story ideas danced in my head as I thought again of her…such a character! Couldn’t wait to get home to write. But I got news instead that an earring back got into her nose. I couldn’t keep myself from shaking. I held my breath till I heard from my sisters again.
Thank God the doctor was fast and got it out from her nose. Not without bleeding though. Her Mama asked her what happened. “I don’t know,” Ruth said (in English ). She speaks English, Cebuano, and Masbateno. I don’t know if she realizes she speaks two languages and one dialect. Haha.
Oh, baby. What were you thinking? I’m just glad you’re okay now. Be well, li’l girl. Stay creative, but don’t harm yourself. I love you.
Duh. It took me a while to update my site, and this is obviously late. But cheers! My niece Bea made it! She got the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2011 – Overseas Filipino crown. Made it to the Top 10. Got the Best in Gown title. Made it to the Top 5 in Swimsuit Competition and 4th in online voting. Wonderful! Thanks for all your support. It’s been fun and a great experience for all of us especially among relatives, friends, and kababayans.
All the best to my Ford model niece Bea Monterde Santiago – candidate for Mutya ng Pilipinas 2011. Bea, you have all the love and support of your family and friends. Proud of you! Go, go, go, Beatot! Love you!
Okay, this made me stop and melt. I was captivated. I’ve heard this song many times before (yes, I love old songs) but I haven’t seen the artist perform and sing it. This one is just special!
At different times the past three months, I had the privilege of touring and showing Singapore to my two visiting friends and sister from the Philippines. The wonder, the excitement, and the confusion they experienced refreshed me. Their countless “wow” and “really?” as they saw, tasted, heard, and smelled new things were contagious. With them, I felt like a beginner again. A tourist. A learner. An adventurer.
I co-facilitated a video production workshop this week with a group of accountants and other professionals in the corporate world. None of them have ever tried the basic software that we used – Audacity and Windows Movie Maker. Quite challenging, yet exciting at the same time.
Together with my team, I had to teach like it was my first time, too; mindful of each one’s weaknesses and strengths. I guess as a facilitator, I’m the one who benefit most. The more I teach, the more I learn. And yes, the more chances for me to have that beginner’s experience. As the participants learn new things, it’s priceless to see the light on their face. The relief. The “wow” and “aha” moments.
How their frowns turn to smiles and big grins and sighs to laughter and cheers after learning something – an eruption of wonder – ah, those are some of the best moments in the workshop that I hold dear in my heart.
I stood by the window with my cup of coffee this morning. I breathed in the cold wind and welcomed the rain’s kiss on my cheeks. I held on to the sight of the trees. Lush and green, they danced in the wind. And like me, they seem happy in the rain. Idyllic. On this cold, rainy morning, my heart flickered.
Couldn’t wait to get home to write. But I got news instead that an earring back got into her nose. I couldn’t keep myself from shaking. I held my breath till I heard from my sisters again.
Bea, you have all the love and support of your family and friends. Proud of you! Go, go, go, Beatot! 
Love you!
