Christmas is here! The glitters, the twinkling lights, the colorful decor, the beautiful carols, and all the magical merriments... indeed, "it's the most wonderful time of the year"! Good cheers fill the air, and there is much merrymaking all around. It's that season when hearts open up to give and receive joy... sometimes in the form of gifts wrapped in colorful boxes and made so pretty by bows or sparkling little ornaments, or in the form of heartfelt wishes that seem to magically light up our world with much beautiful emotions that only the heart can define.
But for our family, Christmas is always been about Him - Christ. Christmas is all about Him... the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the greatest love that made it happen. I feel fortunate that, over the years, God has used me as an instrument of giving love to our family on the day of His only Son's birth. My nieces and nephews and their parents saw how Christmas became a tradition of a special day to express love, care, and familial affection. Over the years, they have started building their own families, and it is wonderful to see them keep the tradition in their own families. Most of them remember....
...and they come to visit on Christmas day to show their love, and it just absolutely warms the heart.
This year is very special because it is our first time to celebrate Christmas day at our new 'second home' in a City about 45km south of our 'primary home'. Of course, we spent Christmas Eve and had our Christmas Eve dinner in our primary home after attending Misa de Gallo. We then traveled to our second home on Christmas morning where my siblings and our nieces and nephews came to celebrate Christmas with us. It was only for a few hours of merrymaking as they have their own plans, too... but it was more than enough. It was enough to make us feel how blessed we are... and how God's love is in everyone's heart in our family - happiness, indeed! And we so love that little babe in that magical manger!
From our family to yours, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!! May God bless us all.
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Image credit: All photos in this entry belong to me.
...on the beauty of gratitude (and an 'unsettling disruption').
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by PAM
In my world of Education 'industry', at least, this small part that is still not fully changed (or corrupted) by artificial intelligence (AI) to an unfeeling (too) data-centered 'industry'... where human connection and relation remains to be the means by which real intelligence is uncovered, nurtured towards natural flourishing, and enabled to help constitute the greater good, it is, indeed, a beautiful experience to be receiving a token of gratitude from those with whom we forged real connections.
I feel that we achieved a little success today. I received an email from a former student of ours at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) who just passed the November 2024 Licensure Examination for Civil Engineers. She started her journey in the Faculty as an Electrical Engineering student but decided that she wanted to pursue Civil Engineering instead. She then applied to change program. The Faculty is a student-centered academic unit (AU) that implements programs that support and enable students to grow to mature individuals that are able to discern and identify their strengths as basis of their decisions moving forward. As such, we guided her through the process of changing her program, and she did so successfully. When we let her know that her application was approved, she expressed delight and promised that she will become a full-fledged civil engineer. And she did.
"Ever Grateful, Ever Hopeful"
And what was the first thing (okay, maybe second... or third. Uhm, I gotta strong feeling that it's really fourth) she did after passing the Licensure Exam? Well, she sent that email above.
I always consider my profession as an educator and higher education institution (HEI) administrator as one that requires the accomplishment of so many (many, many) tasks... that are mostly 'thankless'. We do them anyway... well, I do them, anyway, because I do believe they are necessary and that they are worth-doing. The worth is not immediately realized but when it is realized... it's just the greatest of things... well, at the very least, among the greatest of things. There have been (many, many) times when I thought that our efforts in doing what we do are in vain. The 'system' is slowly 'diminishing' educators as mere 'facilitators' of learning whose place is on the 'sidelines' while learners take the center stage with all those blinding beams of light focused on them while the fakest of fake social media expect them to be perfect otherwise they are cancelled, gaslighted or just tossed to the pack of trolls. Uhm... it's no wonder why learners suffer from so much anxiety. Learning has become so daunting than ever before for students... that many of them fake learning... and they have a 'great' help in doing this: AI. All they have to do is take to social media, and post things that flatter many... including themselves. For some, mostly themselves. And when they are unable to sustain the flattery, their minds and spirits get gnawed by anxiety... and send them spiraling to depression. They suffer... and for what? Exactly - for nothing! It is because nothing much in that fake platform is ever true or sincere - 'enhanced' this, 'enhanced' that. And yet 'the system' pushes learners to its claws... and away from learning deeply, thoroughly, and meaningfully... and grow in gratitude, hope and love.
Educators are no longer regarded as 'partners' in the process of learning... learners' guide and companion in the beautiful journey of discovery... of continuous learning. After all, with all the fakery out there, all the more that guidance is necessary. However, we are expected to merely facilitate learning... anticipate learners' needs and be there when they cry for help... like paid nannies, poorly paid nannies, that is. We are no longer regarded as scholars, as scientists who inspire learners to explore the unknown, uncover the truth - whole truth and nothing but the truth. And yet, we are expected to 'deliver the goods' in terms of research publications - products of scholarly pursuits, that send the HEI that we serve to the top of global university rankings. Odd? No, not just odd... it's ironic!
So much irony these days, indeed. We invented AI to make our lives 'easier', and yet, the use of AI usually complicates our lives. Many of us lose the meaning of life (and good living) altogether. As we attempt to 'simplify' our lives through AI, our lives tend to become more complicated... and we expose ourselves to so much vulnerability, insecurity. And, as we load AI with the power to 'read our minds' and 'listen to our thoughts'... we feel more unsafe than ever before. No, I am not against AI per se. I believe that 'benign AI' is the product of human being's authentic intelligence and the benevolent desire to elevate the quality of human life. However, because of greed and the maniacal desire of others for recognition, fame, glory and money (and just the mere ignorance by some - plain and simple), AI has become an 'unsettling disruption' that sets fire to the natural order in human lives. As such, I am against using AI in ways that allow the decaying of our authentic humanity; and I absolutely oppose the promotion of the 'wonders' of AI that mislead the younger generations, depriving them to experience the authentic beauty of human life and their natural development to the wonderful individuals that they are meant to become.
🎶 "Most of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world." 🎶
Despite my frustrations in the overhyping of AI in the most misguided ways these days, I remain hopeful that this product of authentic human intelligence will be used wisely by the next generations. Not all is lost, and there is much yet to be gained.
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
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Image credit: The content of the screenshot email belongs to my former student.
Yep, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"... well, at least in my second home it is only 'beginning' to look a lot like Christmas, 'cause it's been looking a lot like Christmas in most parts of the Philippines since after 'Undas' (All Saints Day and All Souls Day). In most part of the country, it's been looking (and sounding) like Christmas since September!
We love Christmas in this part of the world. In fact, we did display our new little Nativity Scene
with a bunch of 'Christmassy' little things in our second home... also after Undas. Well, what can I say, we are Filipinos to the core, especially when it comes to celebrating Christmas!
We do believe that Christ is, indeed, the 'reason for the season'. And so, what is more important is preparing ourselves to renew our being one with our Lord. We prepare to accept the Baby Jesus in our homes, in our hearts and in our lives... and be renewed by the immeasurable love that is the very meaning of His birth. Therefore, before we get lost in the twinkles of glittering Christmas lights and the razzle-dazzle of Christmas parties, we remind ourselves of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas. And, usually, the Nativity Scene is the most important 'physical reminder'. So, in our family's practice, the nativity scene always comes first. Along with it is the Christmas wreath with advent candles - a reminder of how the whole Christian world come together in prayer to prepare for the birth of Jesus. All the rest of decorations come later. And, anyway, it is so complicated to put up Christmas tree and hang Christmas lights and other decorations... and getting them down and storing them away is even more painful! So, even if I did give in to 'national pressure' and put up Christmas tree and lights today, sometimes, I question myself about putting up Christmas decorations... well, aside from the nativity scene and Christmas wreath thats is. We only have two kids in our huge family now who still appreciate sparkly Christmas decors (uhm, at least, for a few minutes... and then back to their gadgets). All the rest are just a bunch of 'big kids'... who just want to sleep all day during Christmas break! 🙋😅
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Image credit: All photos in this entry belong to me, and may not be used without permission.
