Sunday, October 27, 2013

Ask...

...and it will be given to you.
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by PAM

God answers prayers.  He does... and quickly, too.  Just last night, I was praying for patience and hopefulness to endure the 'extreme boredom' I have been feeling lately.  A few minutes after I said that prayer, he gave me (all of us, Barça fans, actually) this:





El Clásico, baby!  Oy! :)  If that did not give you a reason to pump your fist - with feelings - I don't know what else could.  I saw it LIVE (!) - uhm, well, via cable, actually. :)  

This new edition of Clásico was relatively tamed, but I'm digging how Lionel Messi walked in last to complete the Barça line-up... with some discreet swagger - very, very cool!  And, boy, I love the way Neymar Jr. played his first El Clásico - totally fearless. He gave the Blancos absolutely no respect!  Awesome, awesome!  Fantastico, Braziliano!  Oy!  And that overhead chip by Alexis Sanchez that put the Blaugranes ahead by two goals was totally splendid!  I hope we see more of those in the near and distant future.  I have to say, I enjoyed the diva-ish protests of the 'one and only' football grand diva, Cristiano Ronaldo - the man who introduced "man purse" to the world is absolutely reliable for heavy drama on the pitch. :) But, to be fair, that was a penalty, it should have been called.  Then again, there were penalty-worthy contacts, too, against Barça that were not called.  Whatever, for as long as Victor Valdes denies the diva the limelight with heart-stopping saves, the second-most-expensive Blanco is as good as entertainment. So, carry on! 

Visca, el Barça!  

Boy, it's been forever since I last yelled that... and it feels great!

***
Wooing lady luck

And then this afternoon, it was beginning to feel like lady luck have decided to abandon me... I was stuck in heavy, crawling traffic on my way to the Electrical Engineers Oathtaking at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.  But, she changed her mind... looked my way, and smiled.  I made it to the very last part of the Program.  I got to celebrate with our graduates... and it felt like heaven!


Total passing rate:  55/57, #2 Top Performing School in the country
(#1 in the 50 or more Exam takers category) with one in the Top 10.

Batch 2013 passing rate:  54/54... yep, 100%!  :)

Later in the evening, I heard Mass with a person I admire, respect and love.  She celebrated her 80th birthday with her family and friends by thanking God and hosting a delightfully sumptuous dinner... in the historic Manila Hotel no less.  She did not accept gifts... she simply requested her well-wishers to express their generosity instead with the children she supports in a shelter.  I kept wondering where she gets her energy at her age... she gets it from dedicating every kJ of energy she has in helping the needy.  

Last night, I prayed for patience and hopefulness... I received those, and so much more today: inspiration, joy, excitement, exhilaration, and the warmth of friendship.  

So, yep... 'ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you'.  It's as simple as that... it's as mysterious as that.   

***