Personal Perception

This story is very self explanatory…. Simple yet very striking. It’s very true that often we listen to people’s negative comments around us and we sometimes find ourselves adjusting our actions, interests and lifestyles according to other people’s way of thinking. Too often, we forget to realize that they do not live our lives hence, we shouldn’t allow them to lead it either.

Other people’s perception of what’s ‘in’ or ‘out’, what’s cool and not are measured according to their standards and their experiences. They are not to judge us if we enjoy doing things that they don’t and vice versa. Is spending quiet time at home their idea of ‘losers’, well maybe because they don’t have love ones to come home to…. Some people prefer to be out with friends all the time, maybe because that’s where they find happiness but it doesn’t mean that you cannot be happy when you’re alone…

Read the story and love the lesson.

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PERSONAL PERCEPTION

Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey?" Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The
husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman." The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the
husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders. It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future. Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear.

3 more to go!!

At last, my first major exam is over! Praise God! I'm so happy right now...i'm feeling so light ... and even my husband told me that i'm glowing. Well, who wouldn't be? It's another achievement! After almost a week of thorough study, going from one page to another and back again to check if the information absorption has been successful and actually retained in my head.. then try to answer past sample questionnaires to test my comprehension and composition ability, whew!! WHEW!! - that's the first thing i could say. As i have mentioned in my earlier blog, i have not been on studies for 10 years now and going back to text books again is difficult. Praise God for going through the journey with me. I really felt His presence every step of the way.

In this exam, we were not allowed to write our names on our booklet, only the ID number. I didn't know that there was already an allocated desk for each one of us. I just comfortable sat on the desk that i selected. I didn't know that there would be an ID number on top of each desk that should match ours. Then later on, we were told to make sure that the number on the desk matches our ID numbers. When i checked it, I was surprised to have actually sat on the desk with my corresponding CIM student number on it without having to look for it... no wondering some people took some time in selecting their desk... I just smiled upon knowing that i actually sat on the desk that was intended for me. Hmm... looks like it's just gonna get better :-)

The exam took 3 hours. Started sharp at 9.30am and finished sharp at 12.30. It was 3 hours of non-stop writing. Every answer was written in 'report' style. There was hardly enough time to write all the answers let alone pause and recall information. So it was important that the information/answers flow while you write.

It was a different experience again.. it's like being in school but i have never been this nervous at all in my entire school days. I guess because during that time, i was still oblivious of the consequences.. but this time i'm more concerned and involved. Well.. well.. 3 more to go next year!!! It's exciting yet nerve wrecking - but that's what life is made of... different emotions. That's what makes our life richer and more fulfilling.

God allowed yet another beautiful happening to take place in my life. I'm forever grateful.

Then and Now

This blog entry was written on 1st October 2005. Looking back i realised that this entry reflected so much pain... This was the time when i was alone in Dubai and my husband was in Manila. This was the time when i felt like i was carrying some of the heaviest loads on my shoulders... as if there's nothing i could do but to go on because there was no other choice... and no one else i could count on to carry the burdens for me. My only refuge was God. He is so faithful that He helped me go through those trying times. I know, we all have to go through some kind of 'process' to shape us and let us be the best person we can be.

I have changed, the process worked. I have grown so much more in spirit and in fellowship.

then & now
Nostalgia engulfed me...
Saw a recent post from my long time friend and i felt like i was taken back to the good old times when everything was just a blur and vagueness of what really life was all about. Time when old folks would tell me about life but wouldn't get the whole picture of what it really was... i would nod and pretend to understand it all. It was a time of clean fun, school, projects, crushes and friends. It was the age of innocence and simple things.
We're less oblivious now of the world around us. We've grown up, learned valuable lessons, able to think and ponder on what's important... but couldn't free our minds with worries. Sometimes i ask myself, why would children wish they were grown ups and grown ups would wish they were kids? Can we not have it all? Have the power to rule and decide like the grown ups and yet have the innocence of the young?
Reality bites...
... and fate forces us to be stronger and never face defeat.
How much strength do i need? ...to face everyday's challenges.
How many more games do we have to play? to pretend we're ok...
How many more thoughts do we have to run in our minds?...until we can settle with one.
How many more stars do we have to reach?... to be contented.
How many more vacations do we have to take? ... to unwind and free our minds, only to be cluttered again afterwards.
How many more questions do we have to answer?... to be satisfied.
How many more roads do we have to take? ... until we find ourselves.
How many more places do we have to go to?... 'til we rest and say, i'm done!
I wish things were simpler..... I wish i have more choices other than 'choose from the existing choices or not to choose'
Life's complexities - it's a GIFT OF TIME...
i guess i just have to enjoy it.
Today is a gift...
keep the fight.... fight the battle!
After all i'm still blessed to live the life i'm living right now...
October 01, 2005

Yes, i'm grateful

When i moved to our Corporate Office almost a year ago, i told myself, now that i am no longer in our prorperty hotels and away from the daily marketing operation i can manage my time better. So, i decided to take a marketing course at the Knowlege Network - Chartered Institute of Marketing. With so much fervour i made sure i'd get into the course by September. I asked my company to support my education and after some deliberation i finally got it.

I was so excited!! It's been 10 years now since i graduated from the university. My boss told me that she a difficult time when she did her studies on the same course. Another colleague of mine told me the same. I thought, how can it be so hard? it's easy to understand besides we're already in the marketing world.

I am not studious at all. I love learning but i hate reviewing for exams.. especially when i'm forced to memorize stuff. So, my challenge began..... they're right!! it's difficult!! Firstly because i have not been in school for 10 years (it's such a long time). Secondly, My studies is not my life anymore as how it used to be when i was in the university, so it's hard to change my schedules to accommodate study time. I miss my favourite tv shows, i stopped exercising (and gained more weight!!), i also find it hard to maintain our house and i miss those bonding times with my husband. Thirdly, with the evolution of technology our minds have become lazy.... we don't even memorize numbers because they're stored in our phones, we don't even try to remember appointments because our alarms will go off anyway to remind us.... Getting used to all these, i find it hard to retain stuff in my head. The things i memorize last Friday and Saturday are but a vague memory.... The effort to keep them in my head is doubled or perhaps even tripled.

I miss going out and see movies or be with my friends. I see their photos and how i wished i could also jin them when they go out. How i also wished i could go with Benet and her friends when they go out of town on weekends to do photo shoots.... ohh well.. i have so many things i want to do. I guess i have to just suck it up and finish my study then.. move on to the next one. One at a time....

Yes, i'm grateful for this opportunity given. Yes, i'm thankful to God for giving this to me - i asked for it, now i am in it, so i will treaure it.... it's just good to get some disappointments out from my chest. ahh!!

Friends and cooking

This is long overdue... i should have written this the very day this feeling came to me. Anyway, there's no better day than today so here it is....

Few days after my birthday, i found myself in the kitchen preparing lunch for a group of friends who couldn't make it for my birthday celebration for reasons only close friends would know.

I love my friends’ company... and for one to have been able to celebrate with me was without the other is not complete. And so, I decided to prepare lunch to have the rest over to our house on Friday.

I went to the grocery as early as Wednesday to marinate the pork spare ribs. I marinated them in soy sauce with lemon and black pepper. Then on Friday morning at exactly 6.30 am I started preparing the rest – mashed potato, garden salad with Italian dressing, pasta with bolognaise sauce, fruit salad and black gulaman. Whilst doing all these, I found myself enjoying all the preparation and loving every minute of it! This is all new to me because as much as I love to eat I’m not very much fond of cooking so many recipes… one is enough hehehe… But this time there were a lot of cutting, mashing, sautéing, frying etc… my friends let me discover part of me that I never thought would come out. Now, I think given the time, I can cook more frequently. I love the feeling of preparing something for people you love.

Thank God they all loved the spare ribs!!! Next time I’ll cook meat paella ;-)

full circle

It's amazing how life's fate can turn out to be. How old pain can come rushing back through in just one single drifted thought... and how youthful love can give out joyful glow back again. Old feeling has come in full circle and i wish i knew then what i know now.. but life can only be understood backwards and no matter how smart you think you are, there's no way of knowing exactly what the future holds. Yes, you can hope for the best and prepare for the worst but you can only do so much and in time you will still have to face whatever life offers in front of you. Ready or not, you get to take it on! Dwell, fight, think of best ways to move forward.

It's funny... very funny. It was painful, it really was. I was hopeful, hoped for something more. Had more, even more than i expected. It waned, yes i lost the feeling.... and yet gained it back again?. It's really funny. Life is full of surprises.

we're survivors - We're the Keeper of the Flame

lyrics from Survivors that very much describe us at this point in time....

I’ll never know what brought me here,
As if somebody led my hand,
It seems I hardly had to steer,
My course was planned.
And destiny it guides us all,
And by it’s hand we rise and fall,
But only for a moment,
Time enough to catch our breath again.

*and we’re just another piece of the puzzle,
Just another part of the plan,
How one life touches the other
Is so hard to understand --
Still we walk this road together,
We try and go as far as we can,
And we have waited for this moment in time,
Ever since the world began. *

Taking in the times gone by,
We wonder how it all began,
We’ll never know and still we
Try to understand,
And even though the seasons change,
The reasons shall remain the same,
It’s love that keeps us holding on
Till we can see the sun again.

And I stand alone, a man of stone,
Against the driving rain--
And the night -- it’s got your number,
And the wind -- it cries your name --
And we search for clues, win or lose,
In this we’re all the same --
The hope still burns eternal,
We’re the keeper of the flame--

Back to where home is

He's back to where home is... is it for the meantime? is it for good? do we sail together? or travel towards individual dreams? I see a happy face and joyful soul this time. I see pride and sense of fulfillment in his eyes. I am happy for him... and i'm very happy to have him back here in Dubai.

After two years of not being together every day of our lives, with just frequent visit to Manila and 6 months stay here with me and back to Manila again to finish one of his life's projects.... he's finally home.

It's a different feeling again. I wake up with a hot coffee waiting for me. I come home to a warm hug and sofa snuggle. Little things that matter to me and things that i have gotten used to and missed for quite some time but make a lot of difference in my everyday life are back!

Throughout these years, i've grown and learned many lessons... being alone made me a lot stronger... somehow, being away from each other had allowed us to fly on our own utilising what's available around us.

... we're now back to where home is - 'us'

Falling inlove with myself

Every time i feel alone and every time i need someone to be there for me and couldn't count on anybody, i'm always left with no choice but to be alone with myself. That's how i started depending on myself alone... as i go through the journey of life, i realised that only myself can help me and no one else. I once expected for someeone to be there to cheer me up and give me the assurance of world's love but i didn't get it that time when i needed it the most.

When someone tries to hurt me or put me down, i told myself i love 'me' and i shouldn't allow anybody to hurt me. I love myself and i'd do what i think will make me happy without harming anyone in the process.

As i grow more mature and turned thirty, i'm loving it more and more! It's a new decade and this is the decade of 'liking' myself, not just loving myself. I never thought i'd feel like this about me. It's such a great feeling that i have fallen inlove with myself. I discovered that i am such a wonderful person in many aspects. I can live what i preach and if i can't live it, i don't preach it just because it's the right thing in the eyes of the 'judgmentals'.

I have fallen inlove with myself and i love it! People might not understand me right now, but if they would just allow fate and circumstances shape their lives, they too, will discover that magic within and fall inlove with themselves.

the best marketing team of the year

it really does feel great to belong to the best team ;-) Tonight after the closing of the S&M conference we have been awarded the best Marketing Team of the Year amongst more than 11 properties across the company. We're all very happy... what an achievement. We really are innovators and creative beings... hurray!