PRAY TELL ME WHAT MAKES A MOMENT FOREVER

 

 

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A friend asked another "What is forever?" The other friend replied "It means for always." 

Experiences which delight the heart -- or expectations met -- or struggles rewarded -- and many more which take you up to cloud 9 in utter happiness, making you want to stay in that moment without end.

'Forever' has been carelessly thrown around and about in telenobelas, movies, celebrity interviews, chats, reminiscences, expectations, and is contained in young hopes and dreams and longing.

But life, in spite of its nuggets of wisdom and feel-good-lessons, won't always agree with you as you will discover soon enough. 

Because.......

Marriages and relationships crumble. Couples separate or divorce. Fortunes are lost. Financial charts perform dismally. Homes are broken. Families become dysfunctional. Health falters. Plans go awry at that point when you begin to think everything is going well. Good becomes bad. Laughter turns to tears.

Pray tell me then, what makes a moment 'forever?

Perhaps this ..... ? .....

--- When couples work hard to keep the relationship going,   when the team knock their brains out in solving problems at the workplace,  when a husband or wife work together to preserve family,  when options are created even if doors have closed,  when courage and strength is renewed again and again... and again!
And not because they have to or should, but because of what is felt in the heart. LOVE. Pure plain simple... love.

The love to help... to share... to succeed... to survive... to foster peace... to care and protect... to be faithful, truthful and honest... to rise with every fall... to pray unceasingly... to understand and act accordingly... to build and not to destroy. Love makes the doing special. Love makes it worthy. Love makes you want to do it over and over, again and again . And happily at that.

But, I think, still that does not assure forever in the external meaning of things or in the general expectations of many or most.

Rather it does this ------ it keeps the moment alive and strong for the longest possible time. The special and treasured moment lives on longer in the heart where it is nurtured and fed with love each time. Every minute, every hour, every day, every year of your life. Wonderfully enduring moments to last you possibly a lifetime if you strive to work at it.

Moments endure where love is.

May God bless you with His love, peace, and the grace to endure through life's journey. In Christ.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY -- BE IN IT WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, WITH ALL OF YOU

 

 

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Do we really need to get so worked up? ..... ??

Know that life is a journey. A time put there for all the stages of our life. Whatever stage you are in now, be in it with all of your heart. Live it with all of you.

Don't be serious; BE SINCERE.  Be sincerely happy, hopeful, content, positive, helpful, considerate, compassionate, supportive, understanding, funny, interested, loving, appreciative, kind, thoughtful, and prayerful. Put your heart into it. When the day is done, then you can say to yourself --- "I gave life my best shot!"

Blessings, everybody! :-) .May God bless you bountifully with His promises. Remember.... ask, and you shall receive.

May the good Lord bless you with His grace, love, peace, and balance in life. Blessings to you all, in Christ.

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT BEING KIND AND BEING OF GOOD COURAGE

 

 

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I got an early morning call from a good friend asking me what would I be doing today. Well, I wasn't expecting such an early morning friendly chat but I thought to spend a few minutes with her. So I replied... to start with, I'm going to sweep and polish the floor, dust the furniture, then take a bath and get myself a nice healthy breakfast. 

"Aren't you going out?" she retorted apparently not impressed with my litany of morning activities. 

"Oh yeah, later for a visit and a nice hair trim at my suki parlor." I replied ignoring her persistence. I was beginning to sense a quiet unease in her voice though. 

"Yeah, when I feel worn and weary I hie off to the mall. The shop windows can effectively shove your troubles to the bin. Even if only for awhile." she spoke.

"Okay, what's up?" I asked her straightforwardly. That's what friends do.... no masks, no pretenses, just simple good ole attention and heart. Mom taught me that.

"It's a lonely life. Nobody has time for me anymore. The children have all grown with lives of their own and husband is so dumb a___ insensitive that he makes me feel invisible. I feel invisible!" she moaned.

Whoah there! That's a lot heaped on my morning tray! (I thought)
"Get dressed. I'll meet you in an hour. Usual place." I retorted.

We did meet. We talked. A lot! We stayed for a wee bit longer than usual. Later, we hied off to the mall and window-shopped and ... yes, allowed it to shove her problems to the bin even if just for awhile. She'll probably take it up again when she comes home but this time apparently recharged, energized to face her battle once more.

But it made me think.........

"The children have all grown" --- So what does a mother do when her children have all grown and are living their own lives away from her? She copes with what she knows how. She gets busy or tries to get busy. She walks the long-winding-teeming-with-people halls of the mall. She takes up a new interest, hobby, activity, or tries her darn best to fill up the void left by her children. But she gets lonely.  In her heart she knows there will always be lonely days ahead without her children.

Do you know what would mean much to her now?

A phone call, a visit, spending time together, and shared expressions of love and affection. Make time for her. Share your life. You can.. if you darn try. It takes only so little but that little means the world to her.

"...he makes me feel invisible!" --- You might as well hit yourself with a rock on the head! Because nothing you'll ever do will make him "see" you. Until some deep issues are resolved. Every couple, every marriage has it in some small or large measure. Deal with it; how is all up to you.. or to both of you. But please be kind to each other. Be kind sana. It makes life easier for everybody. Be kind.

Take care, friends. Remember, life is all about being kind and being of good courage. God bless you!

A MIGHT HAVE-BEEN HAS NEVER BEEN, BUT A HAS WAS ONCE AN ARE

 

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I was sitting by myself with green tea frappe (but of course!) just watching people walk in and out of Starbucks (again but of course!). Why alone? Well, my daughter was running errands inside the mall. Now as I have told you before when in the midst of people I always turn-on my radar. The reason? People make for an interesting subject anytime anyplace. Perfect feed for the writing.

Not far from my table near the wall sat two friends engaged in serious conversation. Looking like in their early thirties and holding corporate jobs (their clothes tell me that). Of course accompanied by the usual laptop and cellphone. Funny thing is they spoke in voices loud enough for everybody to hear. I looked around but good thing though that the coffee bar wasn't that full yet with just four tables occupied. 

So couldn't be helped if snippets of their conversation trailed to my table and which immediately my dependable radar picked up (as expected heheh...).
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Friend #1:    Ginawa ko na ang lahat pero mukhang walang nangyayari. (I did everything I could but nothing seems to be happening)

Friend #2:    Cool ka lang! Mararating mo din ang mga pangarap mo balang araw. Tiyaga lang, pards. (Cool it! You'll get your dreams yet one day. Patience.)

Friend #1:    Kelan pa!? Inip na 'ko! (But when? I'm getting impatient)
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I turned off my radar at that point. No sense in leaving it on. That seemed to be the gist of their conversation anyway.

That person is just like anybody else anywhere in the world aiming for a dream or reaching for a star. Putting in blood-sweat-and=tears into the effort, into each day, into the fight.. A cliche would be apt for this....... 'crossing the highest mountains, sailing the seven seas, braving the fiercest storms' and what other hurdles or obstacles may face him at every corner or bend. The going gets tough and long and tedious but then sometimes it would seem like getting nowhere with it at all; like time drags. Just like friend#1 must have felt.

I can understand that. My younger brother had a dream but the dream died with him. At some point I think he too got frustrated by the slowness of things. I have mine and I don't know where the journey is taking me or what roads I would be traveling but its beautiful flame persists to glimmer. I am glad that it does. But of course I too sometimes wonder.

I know there are many others out there like me. Yup, been there-done that.
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Here's something to say to yourself when the temptation to give up creeps in............... keep punching, keep hammering, keep moving, keep believing, keep dreaming. Image the dream in your mind, feel the thrill and excitement in your heart, and look up to the heavens and say...... "Thank you for this dream!" And you know what else ----- HE just might say "Hmmm... I think I'm going to let her (him) have it!" with a hugely divine smile. That's awesome!!
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God loves you more than you'll ever know. God bless you.
Have a wonderfully blessed day, friends.

ACHIEVEMENT MEANS DOING THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARILY WELL -- NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE

 

 

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Heard this said by Madame Secretary (in the TV series of the same name) ---- "Achievement is often anonymous." -- I liked those lines then and still do now. And I guess always will.
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So how is achievement defined?
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I know of several friends who give the word human being a good name. They highlight the beauty of life and living. Extending their hand of friendship and comradeship to all regardless of race, color, or creed....... exercising perseverance and determination in times of trial or struggle..... being joyful even during difficult times....... persistently stressing the good in men....... non-judgemental no matter how the situation or person can look so bad...... doesn't care who gets the credit being happy with the thought that the goal has been served and very well at that...... And even so much more like it.

Achievement doesn't have to be on a grand scale or grander, nor should it be up there for all to see and applaud. It doesn't necessarily have to be up for awards, recognition, certificates, trophies, medals, or plaques of distinction. (But those aren't bad in itself either. It all has its uses naman.)
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To my mind, achievement is something like this ........
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--being a good mother, wife, father, son or daughter, husband, grandma or grandpa, sibling or relative, friend, boss, school or office colleague, a brother in arms, a good neighbor, an honest vendor, cop, government employee, street sweeper, teacher or mentor, doctor or nurse, shoemaker, or whatever profession you have chosen for yourself.   It's being exceptional without needing an audience for it. It's right there in or from your heart where it truly matters.
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Maybe it's better said this way.......... It's someone doing ordinary things extraordinarily well and with a humble and sincere heart day after day after day.
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Nothing for show, nothing for money, praise, or fame. Not because everybody does it nor because it's the fad or trend. A friend puts it this way.....  "It's essence above form."
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It's simply doing the best with his or her god-given gifts. It's being authentic with 'who-I-am-and-what-I-have'. Humbly. Honestly. By Divine Design.