Sometimes, we convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire. The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.

It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with ... and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting ...
Until your car or home is paid off.
Until you get a new car or home.
Until your kids leave the house.
Until you go back to school.
Until you finish school.
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married.
Until you get a divorce.
Until you have kids.
Until you retire.
Until summer..
Until spring.
Until winter.
Until fall.
Until you die.

There is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching.

Live like it's heaven on earth.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life, and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it, and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first pot, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners.

She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her to take the egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to smell and sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she smelled and tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity, boiling water, but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When trials and adversity knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a passive heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside, have I become bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or, am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you become better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?



How do you handle adversity? Like the CARROT, the EGG, OR the COFFEE BEANS? (Interesting analogy, huh?)

I went to the store this afternoon, I was only in there for about 5 minutes and when I came out there was a damn motorcycle cop writing a parking ticket. So I went up to him and said, 'Come on buddy, how about giving a guy a break?' He ignored me and continued writing the ticket. So I called him a pencil necked nazi. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having bald tires!! So I called him horseshit. He finished the second ticket and put it on the car with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket!! This went on for about 20 minutes, the more I abused him, the more tickets he wrote. I didn't give a damn. My car was parked around the corner...

Do u have one?


I have one

You have one

Your mother uses your father's one

And your auntie uses your uncle's one

A married lady would acquire one

But a divorced lady would lose her one

Arnold Schwarzenneger has a longer one

Michael J. Fox has a shorter one

Madonna doesn't have one

The Chinese usually have short ones

While the Indian usually have long ones

Do you have one?

How long is your one?

Which one is your preferred one?

(see below for answer)


what you are thinking of! go down......

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Answer : Obviously, it's your Last name, what else !!

But I like the way you think .........

Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun every year.

How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you live.

Happiness comes through doors you didn't even know you left open.

Ever notice that the people who are late are often much jollier than the people who have to wait for them?

Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us.

If Walmart is lowering prices every day, how come nothing is free yet?

You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened.

We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box.

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Have an awesome day, and know that someone who thinks you're great has thought about you today!

An old man and a young man worked together in an office. The old man always has a jar of peanuts on his desk, and the young man really loves peanuts.

One day, while the old man was away from his desk, the young man yields to temptation and scarfs down over half of the contents of the jar. When the old man returns, the young man felt guilty and confessed to his crime.

"Don't worry, son. I never eat the peanuts anyway," the old man replied. "Since I lost my teeth, all I can do is gum chocolate off the M&M's."

A third grade teacher asked her students to use the word "fascinate" in a sentence. Molly said. "My family went to the New York City Zoo and we saw all the animals. It was fascinating." Teacher said, "That was good, but I wanted you to use the word "fascinate".

Sally raised her hand. She said, "My family went to the Statue of Liberty and I was "fascinated." Teacher said, "Well, that was also good, Sally, but I am looking for the word 'fascinate.'"

Juanito raised his hand. The teacher hesitated because Juanito was still learning English. She finally decided there was no way he could damage the word 'fascinate,' so she called on him. Juanito said, "My seester has a sweater with nine buttons, but her tetas are so freaking beeg, she can only fasten eight!"

Lets hope none of us ever need this advice but it’s always better to be informed................

Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home(alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly, you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order.

Without help, the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough. The cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. And a cough must be repeated about every 2 seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

The first speaker, a lady from England stood up and said, "During last year's conference, we spoke about being more assertive with our husbands. Well, after the conference, I went home and told my husband, Barrington, that I would no longer cook for him and that he would have to do it himself. After the first day, I saw nothing. The second day, I saw nothing, but on the third day, I saw that he had cooked a wonderful roast Lamb."

(The crowd cheered)

The second speaker from Russia, stood up and said, "After last year's conference, I went home and told my husband, Ivan, that I would no longer do his laundry and that he would have to do it himself. The first day, I saw nothing. After the second day, I saw nothing, but on the third day, I saw that he had done not only his own washing, but mine as well.

(The crowd again cheered)

The third speaker, a Filipino lady from Visayas, stood up and said, "Aftir lass year's kampirince, I win hum(went home) and tuld dat lazy husband op mines, Pidro, dat I was tro getting his slippers, kuking his meals ol da taym, washing his undiwir and dat he was guing to hab to do dem himsilf.

(The crowd went wild with cheering and clapping that lasted for five long minutes)

She continued, "Aftir da first day, I see nating. Aftir da secun day, agin I see nating, but aftir da tird day, I could see a little bit out of my leff eye."

1. Pwede bang uminom ng softdrink kapag coffee break?

Pwedeng uminom ng softdrink kung coffebreak ngunit kailangan itong lagyan ng asukal at kopimeyt. kopimeyt dapat at huwag gatas. (milk in my cereal, kopimeyt in my pepsi. sounds good to me!)

2. Pwede bang gamitin ang a.m. radio pag gabi na?

Maari lamang gamitin ang a.m. radio kapag umaga, kapag gabi kung ang iyong pakikinggan ay f.m.

3. Ang fire exit ba ay labasan ng apoy?

Ang fire exit ay ginagamit lamang bilang labasan ng apoy kapag may sunog. Ito ang kanilang daan upang sila'y makatakas o ang tinatawag na "fire escape".

4. Ang uod ba pag namatay ay inuuod din?

Ang tao kapag namatay ay hindi tinatao. Malamang ang uod ay hindi rin inuuod. Kung ang tao ay inuuod kapag nalaguatan ng hininga, siguro ang uod kapag namatay ay tinatao.

5. Totoo bang ang mga manok na pinatay sa jolibee ay masasaya kaya sila tinawag na chicken joy?

Ang mga manok na pinatay sa Jolibee ay masaya kung kaya't sila'y tinawag na chicken joy. Ngunit hindi kinakailangang sa jolibee patayin ang manok upang maging ito ay maging masaya...ang mga manok ay nagiging masaya kapag sila ay may kasama sa buhay. Kapag ito ay nag-iisa lamang, ito ay hindi chicken joy kundi...mcchicken singles. (Ang pinakamasayang manok sa lahat ay iyong 6 pcs. chicken mcnuggets)

6. Kung ang 7-11 store ay bukas 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week , at 365 days a year. bakit may lock pa ang pinto nila? bakit? bakit?

Dalawa ang dahilan. Una, may coffee break (tingnan ang katanungan bilang 1 hinggil sa maaaring inumin kapag coffe break) din naman ang mga nagtatrabaho sa 7-11. Pangalawa, mayroon tayong tinatawag na leap year.

7. Bakit di mataas ang highway?

Dahil kung mataas ang hiway, walang paglalagyan ng skyway.

8. Ba't alang lumilipad na sasakyan sa flyover?

Hindi lang natin nakikita ang mga nagliliparang sasakyan sapagkat hindi tayo tumitingala kapag tayo ay nasa flyover. Ang pagsalin ng dayuhang salita na flyover sa katutubong wika ay "fly"-lipad, "over"-sa ibabaw. Ibig sabihin nito na ang mga kotse ay hindi lumilipad sa flyover ngunit sa ibabaw ng flyover. Ngayon kung titingala ka naman kapag ikaw ay nasa flyover ang tangi mong makikita ay ang kisame ng iyong sasakyan. Alam kong wala sa inyong mayroong sasakyan na Miata, Boxster, Kompressor, Z3, Z8 at kung ano-ano pang kotseng pangmayaman kaya't huwag na kayong magpumilit mamilosopo...ako lang ang may karapatan. Kung idadahilan niyo naman na mayroon kayong sunroof, hanapin ninyo ang inyong tinatawag na "sense of humor". namamatay ng maaga ang palaging seryoso!"

There is this good old barber in some city in the US. One day a florist goes to him for a haircut. After the cut, he goes to pay the barber and the barber replies: "I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service." The florist is happy and leaves the shop.
The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.

A policeman goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: "I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service." The cop is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting at his door.

A Filipino software engineer goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: "I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service."

The Filipino software engineer is happy and leaves. The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, guess what he finds there
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Can you guess?
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Do you know the answer yet?
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Come on, think like a filipino....
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A dozen Filipinos waiting for a free haircut!
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Mwa ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a slowdown in the performance of the flower and jewelry applications that had operated flawlessly under the Boyfriend 5.0 system.

In addition, Husband 1.0 un-installed many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.9, but installed undesirable programs such as NFL 7.4, NBA 3.2 and NHL 4.1. Conversation 8.0 also no longer runs and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do?

Signed,

Desperate



Dear Desperate,

First, keep in mind that Boyfriend 5.0 was an entertainment package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Try to enter the command C:/ITHOUGHTYOULOVEDME and install Tears 6.2. Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Guilt 3.3 and Flowers 7.5. But remember, overuse can cause Husband 1.0 to default to such background applications as Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0, or Beer 6.1. Please remember that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will create SnoringLoudly.wav files. DO NOT install Mother-In-Law 1.0 or reinstall another Boyfriend program. These are not supported applications and will crash Husband 1.0. They could also potentially cause Husband 1.0 to default to the program Girlfriend 9.2, which runs in the background and has been known to introduce potentially serious viruses into the Operating System.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have a limited memory and can't learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to enhance his system performance. I personally recommend Hot Food 3.0 and Single Malt Scotch 4.5 combined with such applications as that old stand-by Lingerie 6.9 (which has been credited with improved performance of this hardware).

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them in to the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The students laughed.

He asked his students again if the jar was full? They agreed that yes, it was. The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important! things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. The pebbles represent things like your job, your house,your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly most important. Pay attention to the things that are critical in your life. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

Take care of the rocks first! - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand.

A minister, passing through his church in the middle of the day, decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray. Just then the back door opened and a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while. His shirt was kinda shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.The man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap. Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap. Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear. He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power. "I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away. As I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kinda what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY."

The minister, feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime. Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried to the door.

The minister knelt at the altar, he'd never done it before. His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY."

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some. At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad, when no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had. The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern: No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile; "The nurse is wrong. She couldn't know that in here, all the while, everyday at noon He's here. A dear friend of mine, you see. He sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to me":

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN. ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY. AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY."

May God hold you in the palm of His hand and angels watch over you.

Lesson Number One
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A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"

The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson?
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson Number Two
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A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."

"Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients."

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Management Lesson?
Bull Shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

Lesson Number Three
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A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Management Lesson?
1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.
2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

Here endeth your management course.

Nung nasa elementary pa ko, di pa uso ang cellphone. Kahit nga telepono noon madalang. Kaya pag may kelangan kang kausapin ASAP, no choice ka, kelangan mong pumunta sa bahay niya. Kaya kami ni Petra, ganito kami noon:

Monday, 5:00pm (sa harap ng bahay namin)
Ako: O, bakit?
Petra: Tatanong ko sana kung anong assignment natin sa Hekasi. Di kasi ako pumasok.
Ako: Lagi naman. Tara sa loob.

Nung nasa high school na ko, di pa rin uso ang cellphone. Kaya pag may gusto kang maka-usap ASAP, telepono ang gagamitin mo. Kaya kami ni Petra, ganito kami noon:

Saturday, 10:30am (walang tigil sa pag-ring ang telepono)
Ako: Hello?
Petra: Kakagising mo lang?
Ako: Obvious ba?
Petra: Ligo na. Punta tayo SM, libre kita.
Ako: Ang aga-aga.
Petra: Sige na. 15 minutes andyan na ko. Bilisan mo ha.

Baka akala niyo childhood sweetheart ko si Petra. Hindi. Childhood friends kami. As in baby pa lang magkakilala na kami. Pareho kami ng school nung Elementary, minsan magkaklase, minsan hindi pero laging magkasama. Nung Highschool na kami, pareho pa rin ng school. Magkaklase, pero hindi na madalas magkasama. Syempre ang kasama niya yung mga pretty na walang ginawa kundi makipagtsismisan at mag make up. Ako naman yung mga taong mahilig lang manood at magala..

Pero pag uwian na, sabay kami lagi. Babalitaan ko siya tungkol sa crush ko tapos siya babalitaan niya rin ako tungkol sa mga crush nya sa school namin. Habang tumatanda na kami, nagkaroon na kami ng kanya-kanyang barkada. Nagseryoso na ko sa pag-aaral ko, siya naman nag-concentrate din naman sya. Pero oras pa din ang binibilang ng mga usapan namin sa telepono.

Hindi kami mag-bestfriend (sabi ng Boyfriend niyang sobrang seloso, siya lang ang bestfriend ni Petra), pero hindi rin kami simpleng magkaibigan. Hindi ko na inalam o nilinaw pa kung ano talaga kami, kahit na lagi niyang sinasabi sa kin na isa ako sa mga taong importante sa buhay niya. Madrama din yung babaeng yun. Nung college na ako, laganap na ang cellphone. Kaya pag may gusto kang maka-usap, pa-text-text ka na lang dyan. Minsan nga pati pag-compose ng message kinatatamaran pa. Kaya karamihan satin, pag gusto magparamdam sa isang kaibigan, magfo-forward na lang ng message na ginawa ng kung sinong walang magawa. Eto namang kaibigang pinadalhan ng forwarded na message ay sasagot din sa pamamagitan ng pagfo-forward din ng isa pang message. Wala nang personal na kahulugan. Wala nang damdamin.

Paminsan madrama din ako. Ganon na kasi ang nangyari sa amin ni Petra ngayong college. (May kung anong graphics muna)
"Juz hope dis HUG cud make up for ol d tyms I was supposd 2 txt u but wasn't able 2. GudPm! God Bless!"
Sender: Papa
Sent: 17-Jan-2002 21:44:40

Sagot naman niya, "Il reach 4 ur hand n d cold of winter. Il reach 4 ur hand n d heat of summr. But f my short lyf cant reach d dawn of spring, I promis n heavn il reach u wid my wings."
Sender: Petra
Sent: 17-Jan-02 21:58:10

Si Petra talaga, paminsan corny.

Hanggang ganito na lang ang pag-uusap namin. Sinemento na ang kalsada mula sa bahay namin patungo sa kanilang lugar pero hindi na ulit ako nakadalaw sa kanila. Pati nga telepono namin halos hindi na nagri-ring. Nung bakasyon na, naisipan kong kamustahin siya. Napapadalas na kasi ang pagtext niya, hindi naman ako makasagot kasi walang load. Siguro break na naman sila nang Boyfriend niyang seloso kaya naghahanap na naman ng male presence yung loka. Sabi ko pupunta ko sa kanila ng Sabado. Pero nag-Induction Ball ang org kaya di natuloy. Di bale, bukas na lang. Kaso, napuyat ako. Di na ko tumuloy sa kanila. Natulog lang ako maghapon.

Sumunod na linggo, binalak kong tawagan siya. Kaso ang pinsan kong high school na-Super-Glue na yata sa telepono namin, di ako maka-singit. Natulog na ko, may bukas pa naman. Dumaan na ang maraming bukas (at isang milyong text message ni Petra) ay di ko pa rin siya nakausap o napupuntahan sa kanila. Sobrang init kasi, ayokong lumabas ng bahay. Isang umaga ng Sabado, sa mundo ng kabataang umiikot sa maliit na screen ng kanilang cellphone, nag-ring ang telepono namin. Malamang para sa pinsan ko yun, kaya tinawag ko. Eh naliligo pala. No choice ako.

Ako: Naliligo sya.
Petra: Ha?
Ako: Petra?
Petra: Anong sabi mo?
Ako: PETRA!!!
Petra: PAPA!!! Buhay ka pa pala!
Ako: Oo naman.
Petra: Ligo ka na. Punta tayo SM, libre kita.
Ako: Ang aga-aga.
Petra: Sige na. 15 minutes andyan na ko. Bilisan mo ha.

Kaya ayun. Kahit na ang init-init sumama din ako kay Petra. Wala kaming ginawa kundi kumain at magkwentuhan buong araw. Binalikan namin yung dating ginagawa namin. Dating buhay. Mga dating kaibigan, teacher, niligawan, nanligaw, kinabag nga yata ako sa kakatawa. Si Petra talaga kengkoy. Sa isang araw na yon, binalikan namin ang buong labing-walong taon namin dito sa mundo. Parang kami daw yung commercial ng Standard Electric fan, "ikaw at ako marami nang pinagdaanan (tama ba?! Ah basta, yun na yun).

Pagtapos non, nagsimula na ang summer classes ko. Balik na naman kami sa dati ni Petra. Halos walang communication. Binalak ko syang tawagan para kamustahin, pero laging may assignment o kaya may lakad. Bukas na lang.

Bukas na lang. Di ko na mabilang kung ilang beses akong nagbalak at sinabing bukas na lang. Basta nalaman ko na lang, nung dumating na yung bukas na hinihintay ko, ubos na pala ang pagkakataon ko. Isang umaga ng Sabado, sa mundo ng kabataang umiikot sa maliit na screen ng kanilang cellphone, nag-ring ang telepono namin. Kakagising ko lang kaya di ko muna pinansin. Inuna kong tiningnan ang cellphone ko at baka may message. Meron nga. Babasahin ko na sana kaso walang tigil sa pag-ring ang telepono. Nakakairita.

Ako: Hello? Caller: Jose?
Ako: Yup. Sino to?
Caller: Si Doray.
Wow. Ate ni Petra. Ganda yun. Bakit kaya?
Ako: O, Ate Doray, napatawag ka?
Caller: Kasi Jose, ano kasi, si Petra...
Ako: Bakit? Magpapasama siya sa...
Caller: Hindi, nasagasaan siya. Jose, wala na si Petra.

Hindi ko alam kung natanggap ko na. Hindi ko alam kung kelan darating yung oras na maiisip ko si Petra ng hindi ako iiyak. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kelan ko pagsisisihan ang mga pagkakataong sinabi kong bukas ko na lang siya kakausapin. Sya nga pala, yung nag-text bago tumawag si Ate Doray, si Petra yun. Nung gabi siya nagtext, nung gabi bago siya nawala. Yun ulit ang pinadala niya, pero iba na ang kahulugan sa kin.

"Il reach 4 ur hand n d cold of winter. Il reach 4 ur hand n d heat of d summr. But f my short lyf cant reach d dawn of spring, I promis n heavn il reach u wid my wings."

I hope she reaches me with her wings.

Moral of the story: WAG MAGTEXT HABANG NAGLALAKAD.... BAKA MASAGASAAN KA DIN...

Dear Lord, in the midst of today's fast-paced society, help me to slow down lest I miss all that You have for me. ... There are moments when Your creation crosses my path -- a bird's song, a new rose bud after a dry summer, a clear view of the mountains, a child's laughter, a friend's greeting, a stranger's smile -- but is my mind on other things? ...Help me to recognize and seize these precious moments that may not come again.


In Jesus' Wonderful Name, Amen

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-THE VERSE-
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For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61:11

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-THE VOICE-
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Even when people are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered, love them anyway.

Even if people accuse you of selfish ulterior motives when you do good, do good anyway.

Even if in success, you win false friends and true enemies, succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow, do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable, be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight, build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you help them, help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth, give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

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-COMMENTS-
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Even though as humans, we want to react differently to the world, we can't. We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must understand that we are a part of something bigger, and there is not any room for our desire for carnal individuality within the body of Christ. We are called to not conform to this world, and do as the people of this world do. But we can conform to God's will and do as He wants us to do. Why? Because this world has the interests of a hedonistic lifetstyle, a lifestyle that benefits absolutely no one. However, God's will benefits all. It is made in such a way that in no way can His will be harmful, it can only be helpful.

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-PRAYER-
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Father, help us to be molded to Your will today. Help us to know that You are bigger than us.

A little boy got on the bus, sat next to a man reading a book, and noticed he had his collar on backwards. The little boy asked why he wore his collar that way. The man, who was a priest, said, "I am a Father".

The little boy replied, "My Daddy doesn't wear his collar like that".

The priest looked up from his book and answered "I am the Father of many."

The boy said, "My Dad has 4 boys, 4 girls and two grandchildren and he doesn't wear his collar that way."

The priest, getting impatient said, "I am the Father of hundreds," and went back to reading his book.

The little boy sat quietly...but on leaving the bus he leaned over and said: "Well, maybe you should wear your pants backwards instead of your collar".