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)
.....

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.

LIFE IS BOTH THE SMILES AND THE TEARS

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This morning good friend, Mr. Quote Man, sent me this quote. And I liked it. Because I know that it would ring a bell in many hearts out there. It speaks to your memories of how life happened to you then and as it continues now.

That's what I have learned, too. Back then, I was waiting to be happy because I thought that life was meant to be lived happy. And it did not begin until I felt happy. But I was proven wrong many times. Then I finally got it.. That the pain, hurt, fear, confusion, disappointment, frustration, anxiety, weariness, defeat, and even so much more which made my heart cry ----- were also called life.

Here's the quote:

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin.....
But there was always some obstacle in the way,
something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business,
time still to be served, a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin.
At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

---- Alfred Souza

Beautiful, isn't it?
Remember, folks..... Smile and the world smiles with you.

BILLY IS A PLANT

Today I have a little story for you............

Billy is a plant. A tiny one built close to the ground. It has no stalk, no branches but just a tuft of spike-like leaves of green and white. It looks like a dwarf sitting there in its tiny corner of the garden kingdom which other residents are tall leafy branch-y plants, one hedge, a bush, and a towering tree.

Sometimes I wonder just what goes on in the mind of Billy. 

What’s it like being small and growing in a place of giants and not getting equal chance or opportunity to shine or be noticed. Always there will be some other plant bigger and stronger. They get more of the water, more of the sun, more of the touch, more of the beautifying. They get to see more of what’s outside the garden kingdom. It makes me think that even in the plant kingdom there also is competition, struggle, and survival.

There was a time when I thought Billy gave up. It withered, shriveled, and almost was reduced to nothing. Almost gone, I thought to myself. So I mentally took note to find a replacement soonest I could get to the plant market. But I became busy. Well, the days turned into weeks and then a month went by when I remembered about Billy.

I rushed to the garden expecting to see empty soil and perhaps ghostlike traces of something which had inhabited it before.

But lo and behold --- Billy!

Still small, still short.. but now a rich thick tuft of spike-like green and white leaves pointing up to the skies. And happily, it seemed. I don’t know how Billy did it but I don’t need to go to the market plant anymore and nevermore. 

Billy tough Billy! Life may be tough in the garden kingdom – but Billy showed them who is tougher. Billy gave me a lesson I will remember for the rest of my life.

I hope to grow like Billy.


(In the absence of a picture taken of Billy, I surfed the internet for something and found this.... it sure looks like Billy; must be a close cousin; I can see the resemblance.) 
 
P.S. Billy is a real plant in my tiny garden.