The fallen god

By god I mean role models. I have a few of them. One for nurturing relationships- the God, family, and friends. He is my father. One for selfless love and a perfect partnership of the former. She is my mother whose qualities I am blessed with to have found in my wife- care, diligence, energy, faith and love. They are my gods who have a very special place in the recesses of my heart and whom I always pray that our God will always be there for them, shower them more blessings, and secure them in His loving arms. They are my living saints, my prayer crusade. (I will share about their rare gifts in one of my posts in this blog.)

I have one special god. One for communication and leadership skills. I can't tell his name for apparent reasons. Vividly I can still recall how he wows his audience with his wits and smarts. His approach in both speaking and writing is simple, direct, straightforward that hits the mark. No ambiguity. His one line that has hit me was, "you never cease to amaze me, Rene". He is my speech books personified.

The fallen. Sad but true. Despite his magical gifts in conveying messages and convincing people on his side, one possession he could not hold on was his family. I remember it was perfect before then- great loving wife and kids who all excelled in their own endeavors. Was it boredom? Was it pride? Certainly not out of lackluster love. Was it circumstance? Was it meant to be? Maybe.

There's time yet to resolve differences- to forgive and forget. If there's a will, there will always be a way. It's not too late to rise again. Be the idol you had been not to me but more importantly to your family. May God bless you in this effort.

Forgiveness

They say it is easier to forgive your enemy than your friend. Is this because you expect perfection from a friend and misgivings from a foe. If forgiveness is love, would it be more difficult then to embrace an erring friend again than to accept a renewed enemy?

Harboring grudge and ill-will is bitterness swallowed whole. It's enslaving. Sickening. Forgiving is soul cleansing. It's liberating. Refreshing.

Forgiving is living and loving all at once. Forgiving and loving, both take practice and the outcome from both- magical.

Brute Loyalty

A dog though much castigated will still wag its tail in deference to its master.

A person when hurt will bow and pay respect only to some extent, but not any further.

Both have feelings. Both are elated when fondled. Yet, both also feel low and sad under depressing circumstances.

How's brute loyalty different from human loyalty then?

Pride. It's a deadly sin, but often 'tis what holding the reins of sanctity and dignity as a person to himself. Insult the person, debase him and expect no loyalty from him, even a little brute loyalty from him.

Don't Work, Daddy!

How would you answer such a beseeching from your doting kids?

I have pondered upon my reply, which I'd like to share with you. Here it is.

I love you so much, Theo and Triz, that I have to leave you, that I have to work and earn for you.

There is a tinge of tension in my answer because the truth is-- underneath my answer are some if-you-only-know tags.

If you only know how much I love to stay in bed and cuddle with you...
If you only know how much effort it would take to brave the office pressures...
If you only know the many sleepless nights immersed about deadlines, quotas, customer issues...
If you only know that my hardwork is my way of loving you...that without you, my work has no meaning...


I think they understand why I need to leave home every morning. Ain't I surprised when upon arriving home, they ask me, Why are you late, Daddy? Here we go again...

Two Much Pun

1. Q: Why are biscuits called biscuits?
A: Because they are only a bit sweet. They'd be candies if they are two much sweeter.


2. Q: What is a dime a dozen?
A: For every damn of ten you get two damns for free.

My angels

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways. 1 Corinthians 13:11

I sure did act like a child when I was a child, but I could not recall the instance I put my childishness away. Important? You bet because it would give me ideas on how to rear my two little angels.

My little boy, Vir Theo. We named him after his two lolos, Virgil and Teodoro. He's four years old. Theo is so much like me I guess. Our resemblance is unmistakable, has my brains or maybe my two fathers', and more undeniably, my antics. To say that he is full of energy is an understatement and to dismiss this cliche I'd say he's always high, errr drugged. The bright side of this is that it shows his potentials; the dark side of this is he's sometimes losing his mom's temper and ahem, mine. Sometimes I could not spare the rod and it tore my heart. To make my dilemma worse, my wife and I are out at work and his yayas are not as logical as we are. I love him so much and I want him to grow up feeling and experiencing that love.

My little girl, Lucie Patriz. We named her after her two lolas, Lucena and Patricia. She's two years old. As you might have guessed, she is a lot like her mom. Her looks I could not own, lest she would be less pretty. She is always the leading lady of her little baby dramas. She's as sweet as her mom. She is my little darling, my doted little angel.

Few years from now my two angels will have grown, they will not be as childish, not as attached, but definitely they will be as bright, as clever, and as loving as they can ever be.

May God bless our family always and forever.

Reality Bites and Sucks, Too

The truth hurts and because it does we try to deny it, pretend not to notice it, cover it, or make up for it. How? Two ways.

First, by being self-righteous. We criticize other people's flemsies and flaws, yet always find excuses when other people see us committing the same. Take the case of Jan-jan's surgical ordeal. Neither the patient victim nor the doctor tormentor is a saint. We can take sides and pass judgments to either party, yet we somehow refuse that either party's sin can be a reflection of our own misgiving in one way or another. Jan-jan's, or the doctors', sin is that of commission; ours that of omission.

Second, by displaying superiority complex. This is but an act governed by social pressures and expectations. The inferior would endeavor to appear superior, while the superior will feel inferior when confronted with another superior. Weakness is a sin. We disown it.

These two types of denial pull us down and prevent us from achieving our true potential, for it is only in acknowledging our shortcomings that we can begin to grow. Like any sprouting, pain is uncompromisable; the seed of greatness has to be broken.

The truth hurts, but it can set us free.