God, Happiness and Life

My son's godmother and one of my dearest friends, came over recently to visit. It's been awhile. Lots of things happened in her life. Some good, others not that good. I learned she'd been shuttling to the U.S. for the last year or so. Because, first, her marriage unexpectedly, nosedived. Good there are no children :-( Or is that the reason why the marriage went bad? I don't know. Second, her father was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. Recently, both her mom and dad decided to go back here to spend his remaining time with old friends and relatives and a couple of children and grandchildren. Most of the family is in America, you see. It is so depressing. My friend's dad is a quiet and dignified person possessing an aura of respectability. Kind and gentle, he always was a cool dad, easy to please and chummy to all his children's friends. Why do the good one's seem to go ahead first? Early this month, my own uncle was also diagnosed with lung and liver...

Easter holidays to others is really Holy Week for us this part of the world. Especially to the mature and the elders, Holy Week is a solemn observance of the Passion of Jesus Christ and and His ultimate death on the cross. Throughout the Christian world, today Christ is alive again from the dead. He was crucified , on a Good Friday so God's children shall all be saved. I personally, remember Holy Week through Jesus Christ's Superstar , a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It was adapted for the film with the same title in 1973. To me it is the most contemporary interpretation of man's questioning attitude or doubt if you may towards Jesus, the son of God. Anachronistic as it seems, the opera gives an interpretative accounting of Jesus' last moments on earth.

Black Saturday is the day Jesus God is dead. He's been taken down from the Cross after his crucifixion on Good Friday. He shall rest today. So keep quiet. That's how I remember my childhood's holy week. It is always good to remember for in remembering everything comes to life again. My young and termagant of a mother, my father who loves to tease and cajole my mom every time she spends so much time in Church. He wasn't a good Catholic either. And remembering that brings a smile to my lips and yet I feel a lump on my throat, a tear fell. God Bless My Father. I know he is heaven. It used to be watching penitents, today it's Black Saturday and I blog. My, times have really changed.

For Christians or Catholics like myself, this is the day Jesus Christ died on the cross to save mankind from eternal death. It's been a while that I have practiced the rituals of the Holy Week. Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, The Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday, The Way of the Cross on Good Friday. Black Saturday in Church, with the Lord Jesus wrapped in velvet cloth because he was dead and finally, the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Week is really the continuing story of Jesus' sacrifice, HIS death and HIS Resurrection. Truly a remarkable story of a remarkable God made man. My mother used to tell us that the Holy Week is so sacred that we are not allowed to talk loud, make noise, nor take a bath :-) on Good Friday. That we should make little sacrifices to commiserate with Jesus as he hang out there saying HIS seven last words. I remember, one summer, in Sta Rosa, Nueva Ecija where my father comes from and where I witnessed penitents flagging themselves till their b...

What is it like having a narcissist in your life? Why do you think I ask such question? It is said that narcissism is an illness - starts during childhood or early adolescence where the narcissist suffered from abuse as a child, or traumatized by either parents, authority figures or peers. Narcissistic tendencies are classified as cerebral, that which comes from possessing intelligence or from being endowed with scholarly achievements or it could be somatic, a condition resulting from superior physical countenance or sexual conquests from sexual prowess. Seventy-five percent of those who suffer from narcissism are men. Now, why am I not surprised to see that medical fact? If you want to find out if there are narcissists around you check these out. Five of these conditions confirm that. Good luck. I hope you do not have the misfortune of knowing one. 1. Does the person feel self-important? Does he or she exaggerate his achievements or his talents to the point t...

Last month my cousin's husband died at a ripe age of 49. Stroke. Last week. another cousin informed me her father, my uncle was found to have tumors in his lungs. One is 7 cm in size and there's 10 more smaller ones. This is so depressing. It's been quite... how shall I say it - discomfitting. My cousin died with breast cancer last year. Her husband earlier suffered a stroke and died. Within the same year, another aunt also died of a heart ailment. The other day, I was informed one more aunt suffered a mild stroke. It affected her facial features. It's good that the doctor confirms that it can still be rehabilitated. Whew! And just this morning, THAT uncle with tumor in his lungs now also have it in his liver. Oh GOD! This afternoon my Mom called to tell me she dreamed that we were attending some sort of a big celebration with THAT uncle looking so happy, lots flowers and lots of people in attendance wearing just white and black. This is not good. She insisted that...

I feel for this girl. All the time before the announcement was made on who's going first from the top 12, Ramiel could not contain her seeming insecurity. Her body language reveals that she's about ready to go. What? Without putting up a fight. Girl you have great voice. But be mindful of the songs you choose and the arrangements that is compatible with your true style and voice range. Do not be afraid. You have gotten this far, haven't you? Realistically however, I don't think they will really allow you to win. American citizenship and all, but you are not white, my dear. So, do I detect cynicism here? That's for them to judge :-) Go Ramiel!

Yes, Ryan Se acrest said Ramiel Malubay 's legs are short. Arrggghh. So what? What she lacks in height , she makes up with that great voice and cute demeanor. Okey? Actually, I didn't like what she said the very first time she was chosen to become Top 25. She mentioned about being Asian American not Fil-Am. The fact is she is pure Filipino by blood but American by virtue of being a citizen. Duh! But that's okey because the next chance she got she corrected herself. I hope she lands in the top 5 at least because I think she is good. Better than Jasmine Trias and also more perky. (Although I doubt it. She will I think be one of the first to go Sigh!) Nuff said. Ramiele Malubay's moment in last week's 'American Idol'. (Photo courtesy 'American Idol' website) Here's one news item I like about her joining the Top 12: Fil-Am Malubay Lands In 'American Idol's' Top 12 Guam - Filipino-American Ramiel Malubay made it as one of the ...

My daughter sent me this sometime ago :-) This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece. Please read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in leisure...do not hurry....this is a treasure... For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom, this is beautiful. For those of us who aren't, this is even more beautiful. For those who are moms, you'll love this. The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning. But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, Nothing will ever be lovelier than this. Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the ...

Who among us can claim to have the kind of friendship ascribed to by Kahlil Gibran in his book The Prophet ? "And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship. And he answered, saying: Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And he is your board and your fireside. For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace. When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "yay". And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart; For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unclaimed. When you part from your friend, you grieve not; For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. For love that seeks aug...