Friendship assures, laughter heals... love begets love. God is good!
It's been a while since I last saw these kids, given the pandemic. And, although I often talk to them via online communication platforms - almost everyday with others, it's been a while since I last spoke with them altogether. So, it was a real treat to meet all of them, albeit only virtually via Zoom meet.
My kids all looked good. They sounded happy despite the pandemic, and seemed very excited to talk to one another altogether, too. Given the week-long high stress level at my (virtual) workplace, and the nerve-racking first two weeks of classes just waiting for emotional explosions here and there due to the challenging situation of holding classes online, given the pandemic and the very limited connectivity of most students, I was so ready for the weekend! It finally came... and it started with a "Fridate" with these kids.
It was a very long catching up session. There were a lot of happy pieces of news that everyone shared, and a little not-so-happy news, too. But there was enough stories to laugh about with all our hearts, and there was enough good things to hinge our high hopes on for better things in the coming days. There was a lot of reminiscing, too. I didn't realize we have made so much memories together over the short period of time that we became a family. That sort of warmed our hearts... and it felt very nice. I was happiest for the longest time, thanks to these kids! And, thanks be to God for these kids!
...indeed, it is! =================================================================== by PAM No, it isn't perfect... but, yes, life is good! And that is so much better! The blessings received and lessons learned in the past two weeks had been another huge testaments of how good life is - no matter what! It can be very challenging and extremely harsh, too, sometimes especially when a blessing is on its way and cleansing is needed to make a room for the blessing, or when a lesson is to be learned - as a source of wisdom to draw confidence from when an important event is about to unfold. The important thing is to hang in there... to cling steadfastly to our faith while hoping for the very best outcome... believing that the best outcome, under the circumstances, shall come our way. I know, I know... how dare I 'preach' when I get frustrated so often from all the trying circumstances that come from trying to achieve the 'impossible'. I get physically tired... I complain, er, vent, a lot, I admit! I guess that that is alright - I become alright after ridding my system of the urge to scream. It is the easiest way for me to cope with the pressure, deal with frustration. But thank goodness that there is enough love around me... to help me through the day, no matter how hard. I have enough. With God, and the gifts of family and true friends that He gave me, I have enough. And with God's grace, we are bathed in optimism. Our sorrows are drowned in a flood of blessings. The cheerful fingers of sun's rays find us, even in the darkest and farthest corner of despair. And the sun shines, no matter what - even only on TV...
🎶"I reached inside myself and found
nothing there to ease the pressure off my ever worrying mind...
Touch me. How can it be? Believe me, the sun always shines on TV..." 🎶
What a blessing to have lived in an era of very good music - classic in quality and message, they never get old... and they see you through the hardest of times - to bring a smile to your lips. It's a bonus that the singers/musicians get more beautiful with age... such as this Norwegian band, A-ha - one of my favorite bands in the '80s. When they play, they remind you how good life is... rather than singing melancholy songs or upbeat ones with nonchalant lyrics that underscores emptiness, pushing one farther down the consuming abyss of despair. Thank goodness for good music! Thanks be to God for everything that makes life worth living for.
***
Video credit: Thanks, YouTube, for the beautiful music.
Good to see you again! ================================================================== by PAM My 'birthmonth' started out with a very promising endeavor, in which God blessed me with the incredible opportunity to lead the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in reaching a milestone. On 01 July 2019 (East Coast time), our 'Team Engineering' submitted our Self-Study Reports (SSR) for our six Engineering Programs to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) of the United States of America (USA). The UST Faculty of Engineering is the first Engineering School in the Philippines, and as such, it is a highly storied and historical School. Therefore, it is incredibly special to be at the helm while the Faculty surpasses this milestone. But that's work. Yes, it does make the heart beat double time feeling God's love, and the soul sing with enormous gratitude, but it is still work. So, let me talk about something else that made me want to sing praises to God because of the happiness that made my heart swell. While the root from which these gems blossom from is still work, the joyful feeling that they invoke does not resemble the mere feeling of fulfillment from a job done well at work. *** Being their second Mom... Let me talk about this instead... because I'd rather talk about this, actually...
"Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you
Even when I know you're wrong?
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze-dried romance
Five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had, and me?"
I spent the last two days of the first week of my 'birthmonth' with 'my kids', and it was incredible! The happiness was real... it was like being lifted up through the air to sit on the cottony softness of 'cloud 9' to watch the stars twinkle happily, and be overwhelmed by the awesomeness of it all. It felt so good... so good that I just had to post something here - in this little corner of mine - to create a happy place to retreat to whenever life's challenges become too much to bear.
Last July 5-6, my kids (thesis advisees and future business partners) and I went on Teambuilding/break/mini vacation at the Green Canyon Leisure Farms in Bamban, Tarlac, Philippines. It was a celebration of the graduation from chemical engineering of five of them, the moving up to the next level towards graduation from the same Program of four of them, and the celebration of my 51st birthday. The private atmosphere of the beautiful leisure farms was very apt for the bonding moment that we wish to have... to make good memories, and strengthen the bond of friendship and love that brought and hold us together. The little memento of a video - a small compilation of photos and vide clips from our mini vacation - captured a fraction of the enjoyment and happiness that we felt while spending time together. I just had to post it here for easy access whenever needed.
I may not have been lucky enough to be chosen by God to bear these kids in my own womb, to give life to them, and bring them into this world, but I feel fortunate that God entrusted them to me - all together - at a time when they are going through this critical transformation, enabling them to fulfill what God plans for them. It is still very much less than being their mother, but it is enough to make my heart swell from true love.
***
Video and songs credit: I made the video. Thanks, YouTube, for providing the online platform for the video. Thanks, too, to Train and Simple Minds for the loan of the songs.
...from which, hope floats, and kindness springs eternal.
Kindness can be very stimulating. It nurtures the heart's 'soil' to sustained fertility from which love springs... and flourish to a breathtaking beauty. Such is my experience with these kids - my kids. Eversince I met them, they have been my constant source of inspiration and joy. They augment my daily supply of love from my family and old friends, and they make me feel so blessed, indeed. They may not be the most 'accomplished' kids among their peers, whatever the definition of 'accomplishment' these days may be, but they have the purest of hearts. They are honest, sincere, kind, humble, peaceful... and very loving. That is why, just being around them brings so much joy. While their kindness and their being unassuming may be viewed by some as 'weakness' and lack of motivation to succeed, they are wrong. These kids have the strongest of characters while always seem laidback rather than intense in what they do. They are resilient. Even in the face of the worst adversary in life, they stand proud and strong... but with the most disarming candor at the same time. They have the most beautiful dreams and vision of their future, not just for themselves but for their loved ones as well... and they set out to accomplish these in the best way possible - with honesty and integrity... just 'fair and square'. They don't cheat, and they don't step on other people's toes. They don't think ill of other people - even those who did them wrong. Their faith in God is seen not through praying loudly and flamboyantly, nor by posting religious stuff on their social media pages, nor by seeing to it that they are visible in places of worship. Their faith is seen through the goodness of their hearts, manifested by how they treat others - which is with kindness and respect. One day, when the influence of schooling starts to fade, when grades are no longer the sole basis of one's worth... when their characters are the major wind that blows on their sails in their respective professional practices, their true greatness shall shine forth. And I will be the proudest of all of them! In the meantime, I pray that they'd have very good reasons to keep smiling about... and giving each other reasons to stay optimistic and happy. May God bless them - always. *** Photo credit: Taken by a staff at Shakey's Pizza Parlor - Vertis North. Thanks! ***
...is a 'sunny' day! ======================================================================== by PAM Happy Valentine's Day to all! 💘😊🎉 The day is filled with the warmth of sunshine... and that beautiful feeling of loving, and more so... of being loved. Ah, Valentine's Day, you are, indeed, worthy of all the hype!
What makes the gift special are the people who give it, and...
...most especially the shape of their hearts.
Sunflowers are rarely given on Valentine's Day. Well, at least, sunflower is not the 'classic' Valentine's Day flower gift... although, I must admit that, in my book, it is one very special flower - for all seasons... and reasons. But as a Valentine's flower... perhaps not. First of all, it is yellow, rather than red, which is the color of the
Thanks be to God for Happiness!
heart, passion... and love. And yet, when there is so much optimism and good cheers in the love - of any kind and form - that binds people together then the sunflower is the most suitable one to symbolize heart's day. Scientifically speaking, sunflower seeds contain mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids that are good for the heart. 😜😅 In the same way that a 'sunny disposition' symbolized by sunflower sustains true happiness that makes the heart 'swell' and more capable of loving, and accepting love. As such, I feel absolutely blessed to receive sunflowers on Valentine's Day from the very same 'kids' whose love brings out the best in me; from whose love my days thrive over the past year-and-a-half or so... at least, they give me enough reason to keep going these days - no matter how difficult to put one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward. No, I have not been counting the days really, because when love is true, it knows no boundaries - real or imaginary... not even time nor place. It just is. And, it's sweet, and it's absolutely beautiful!
It's the little things... made with gigantic and sincerest of goodwill and love... that are the most special things.
It's been a beautiful day... and the most perfect of all evenings in my life! I should love to write about this evening here in this little corner of mine some other time. What's the occasion? Actually, it's my 50th birthday celebration - the fulfillment of a promise. There I said it... I just turned 50 years old! In the meantime, I wish to express appreciation of this little present that I received from my little 'minions'. 😊 It was very surprising, to say the least. You'd expect these kids to try to act as grown up, and choose to give a present that shows how smart they are in figuring out what you wish to have... all expensive and pretty. But not these little minions of mine. They chose to
The simplest but sweetest of presents... made with thoughtfulness, the deepest of affection and kind understanding.
give the smallest of panda stuffed toy, fitted in a whole young coconut with empty shell, hence, calling it "buko panda", reminiscent of their favorite dessert, "buko pandan". Clutched by the little panda in its short arms and legs were sweet hand-written messages, expressing the minions' wishes for me... as I approach old age! 😜 Not inside the buko was a little 'black accordion book' of memories, covered with a print of vintage stamps (who uses stamps anymore these days?). Each panel of the little accordion book was adorned with photo/s of the minions in groups... all smiling adorably. The little minion who made the book of memories said, "when you're sad, just have a look at our photos. Hopefully, they would make your heart happy and bring smile to your lips," or something to that effect. This minion knows how stressed out I could get sometimes... how frustrated I feel sometimes... and how 'angry' I get over silly things that are blown out of proportion by many absurd people with absurd agenda. Yes, 'grown up stuff'... but they are made light and bearable by the sunny perspective of these adorable young people. They bring the rainbow to me on rainy days... and I feel incredibly lucky! What's not to love? I've grown old, yes... in age, and in emotions, but not necessarily in wisdom - I'm still working on that. Yes, I've grown old, but I remain 'work in progress'. But I do feel that I've become 'calmer'... kinder, happier... and definitely more capable of love - the simplest, least complicated, and sincerest of love. It's all thanks to these 'minions' of mine. They bring out the best in me... it may not be that side of me that wants to 'win everything', but that side that wants to be a good person. That side that wants to be better every single day... the side of me that wants to continuously journey in God's blissful will, propelled by genuine happiness, inspired by love, and fueled by hope and joy. And that side is fast becoming all of me... and it's all thanks to these adorable 'kids'. 💖 Yes, I am fifty years old... and I am absolutely content, and truly happy! Thanks be to God! ***
