Curbside Stories

The first mountain that I climbed was Mount Batulao. It holds a special place in my heart because I got to conquer it with my son. I find happiness and fulfillment the entire trek despite its extreme physical demand. Every ascent to steeper terrain was so hard that I thought about quitting a couple of times. Each time I think of how far away I am from the start and how close I am to the summit, it fuels me again to just move forward. I guess the lesson is, to achieve happiness and fulfillment, you have to work hard for it.

It's Holy Week and I succumb myself into watching the television with my son. I have to take this opportunity to spend the long vacation with him because I have a really busy schedule. Yesterday's show was about the 7 Last Words, the first word of Jesus Christ is what really brought me into deep reflection. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) A married couple shared about their struggles in life. The husband was a drug addict, philander, and plainly irresponsible father. For ten years the wife endured everything but her faith and trust in the Lord did not falter. One day, the wife's prayer was answered. Her husband completely turned his back away from his old ways and sought the Lord's hands for healing.  What struck me about the couple's story is the wife's commitment to their marriage. Yes, her husband drifted away from them but she remained steadfast and loving. She was ready to forgive and forget everything...

"The greatest tragedy is that while most managers, supervisors, and colleagues genuinely appreciate the people with whom they work, they often neglect to verbally express that appreciation." "While character traits are not easily observable as specific accomplishments, they are in the long run far more important to an organization." "If words of affirmation are to be most effective, they must be given in the context of a positive, healthy relationship." Source: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman

I had a rare conversation with a friend. It is probably be the most memorable one we had in years. He said, he always prayed for the happiness of his ex when they were still together. His ex also prayed the same for him. They are now happily married... to a different man and woman.  Just this afternoon, someone told me that he can make me happy. I frankly told him, "no, you can never make me happy because you don't know what will make me happy. You can only make me smile. And smiling is different from happiness."

Photo from here . If I could turn back the clock, I'd turn it to the time when I was still a medical student. It's really my dream to become a doctor but due to some unavoidable circumstances, I had to stop. And stopping was the silliest decision I have ever made in my entire life. I am actually still regretting it. Whenever I remember how bad a decision it was, I just tell myself that if I pursued it, I wouldn't have had the most precious man in my life... my son.

We had a book study again, this time it is Tom Reilly's Value Added Customer Service: The Employee's Guide for Creating Satisfied Customers . It sounds complicated but it is not.  I learned a lot from this book. The book tells us that everyone is a salesperson and we all have our own customers.  The book also mentioned the nine universal rules of business which I think is a great tool to understand the ins and outs of marketing and selling. Here are the rules: 1. Every employee is a salesperson. Everyone in the organization sells something to someone. 2. Not everybody believes rule number 1. This rule has a relation to rule number 4. 3. Not everyone behaves according to rule number 1. 4. Every employee has a customer. 5. Value-added service is not a spectator sport. 6. Each value-added team member affects the creation of satisfied customers. 8. Value is personal, perceptual and performance driven. 9. Everyone must belong to something. The book also list...

I have forgotten about this challenge, but, better be late than never. I had the most memorable and productive year.  I know that what I had in 2010 is the result of my being optimistic.  So, if there is one thing (not really a thing) that I would really like my son to have, it is my being optimistic. I know that he is.  He doesn't give up easily on anything especially if it has meaning to him. I may not have the riches but the right attitude towards life is something that will make him survive the surprises of life.

"Feeling appreciated is one of the most important needs that people have. When you share with someone your appreciation and gratitude, they will not forget you. Appreciation will return to you many times."  - Steve Brunkhorst ****************************************** The most important lesson I have learned this year is to learn how to appreciate. The year 2010 has been a year full of blessings and I thank the Lord for His generosity.  I could not even remember the problems I had because all of those were overshadowed by His grace.  He showered me with blessings better than what I prayed for.    This year I have learned to appreciate the things that we sometimes take for granted--the seemingly bottomless refrigerator where we can always pull out something whenever we are hungry, the clean and comfy sheets we lay our body when we sleep, the cool breeze, the sun's rays kissing our cheeks in the morning, the falling leaves, the raindrops, the cheerful jeepney ...

Photo from here . Do you think of New Year's resolutions as early as now? I haven't thought of it... in fact, I don't do resolutions.  I don't think resolutions to be better should be ritually done every New Year because we can start changing ourselves for the better any day even without an occasion.   I remember when I was in elementary up until high school, during the last day of school before Christmas vacation, my teachers would give us an assignment (yes, they are so cruel).  On the first day of classes during the new year, we will have to submit our New Year's resolutions.  If I have known that year after year I will have to do the assignment, I should have kept the first one that I made and just copy it year after year.  It is hard to do a resolution.  It is just like having a debate to yourself that you should be better in this area of your life and it is hard to negate oneself.  Listing the whats becomes even harder when your inner self ...

Photo from here . You know that it is already Christmas when you hear carolers outside your house singing Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad and all other famous Christmas songs known to mankind.  I like caroling, I used to sing with the gang every night after school to raise fund for our small Christmas party.  It's fun and you get to know the generous and not so generous people around the neighborhood.  And no matter how big or small amount we receive from them (even if we receive none), we always end the caroling with the song "Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo (you're so kind), thank you!" As the years go by, more and more carolers are forgetting that the real spirit of caroling is to renounce through songs that Our Savior is born.  And that the essence of Christ being born is selfless giving and unconditional love. I am not the Grinch who will steal Christmas.  I love the Yuletide season, as a matter of fact, but carolers a...

Photo from here . Yes, I planned about changing my career.  I am already growing tired of bureaucracy, excessive politicking, communistic type of management.  I never knew that it is more rampant in private offices than in government agencies.  I am actually wondering how I get to live by it for almost 4 years now.  The last quarter of 2009, I already decided it is time to go and look for a better environment to use and hone my skills.   I extended my stay as requested by my dear friends at work.  Actually, it is just the company of friends that made it hard for me to deny their request of me staying for a little while.  The little while went on for months and  I could not believe that it is the last quarter already and I am still living the life and working the work. Changing career is still in my plans, I am actually getting ready for it.  If you are following this challenge, I already mentioned it in my previous entries.   ...

When I was at a lost, about 7 years ago, I said to myself that if I can't go back to continuing my medicine course, I will venture into business.  I actually had two businesses a year after that but it didn't went well.  My planning was bad and so I went back to working in an office.  I did not close the possibility of having my own business, I just need the right time and conviction that it is what I really want in life.  I was engrossed to doing office works that I forgot about the thought until last year when working started to bore me.  It's like getting up each day thinking that I will do the same thing over and over again.  I actually sit for at least thirty minutes on my bedside to condition my mind and my body that I need  to go to work.  It was hard... harder than dieting.  The process went on for two months but within those months I was already looking for something to help me get back to my senses.   Fortunately, I have foun...

Me? Satisfied? I think so.  I am not materialistic.  I find happiness in the simplest of things.  When I had a child, everything about me has changed--my priorities and perspectives in life.  When I was still single, I just do whatever I want--taking little consideration about the people around me.  When Lance was born, I had a 360 degree shift.  Everything that I do now is for him and seeing him happy is what brings me much joy and contentment.   I was asked a while ago a classic question of who will I save in case the boat will sink--my son or my husband?  I said, my son.  Of course at this point, it is all about my son.  He's too young not to be taken cared of.  I did not choose to save my husband (if I have) because I know that he would want me to save our child--there's no doubt about it. I have dreams for my child, although I am not sure whether those are his dreams too, seeing him develop his full potential and creating mi...

Yes! I envy my grand aunt.  She worked in Germany for so many years as a nurse and now that she's retired, she's touring the world.  She recently got back to Germany from a three-week vacation to the US and Canada.  She's planning to put up a business here in the Philippines.  I just admire her for everything that she is.  She shares her blessings to her loved ones.  I for one had my share actually even before she retired.  She sent me to medical school, although I was not able to finish it (I know she's disappointed), she still motivates me to all my endeavors.  I remember one time when I was in college, I was so depressed (I could not remember the reason, though), she bought me a Nokia 6260 cellphone. Although, I have different life path than hers, I hope that I can live the life that dream of not after I retire.

Photo from here .  I hope I am as passionate as they are.  I have lots of things in mind, too many things that I would like to accomplish, that I sometimes lose focus on the things that are really important.  I guess that what makes my dream elusive at times... I lack the passion to pursue it.  I will try do my best to improve on that aspect of my life.  Hopefully by the end of this challenge, I am as passionate as ever... more driven and more inspired to do the things that make me complete.

  Yes.  I wanted to put up a business but I don't have enough funds to start with.  But I am saving for it.   Aside from that, I don't have problems with not doing things because of money.  Money will come and I need not worry about it too much.  I think the problem with some people is that they worry too much about money that when they have more money they can handle, they start to lose grasp of reality that they start to believe that everything in this world comes with a price tag.  Money can't buy happiness... it really couldn't.  It can only give you momentary and superficial happiness that becomes insignificant in time.

This is a really hard question.  I am actually lost, still wandering and looking for my niche in terms of creating  a legacy.  I am still in the process, it is a hard process.  I hope you can bear with me.   While I am still in the process, I wanted to share something that I have read in a book by Kevin Elko and Bill Beausay entitled True Greatness: Mastering the Inner Game of Business Success .  The authors said that most of us are chasing false rabbits.  We are being introduced to a world of materialism that we forget that those things are not the real source of happiness and greatness.  Things are just momentary source of contentment.  The authors, therefore, challenge us with the question: What is your reason for being?  If we have answered that question in a straightforward manner, then we have achieved our greatness.  Are you living your life and not just thinking of how to survive?  The book surely made an impact o...

Today is again not a question but a task that is related to day 16 and 17 questions and this task falls exactly on November 1--the day we commemorate dead loved ones.  What could be creepier than that?   I just got home from the memorial park, it's tiring but I had a great time because I get to chat with my relatives.  In the Philippines, All Saints Day is also the time to have reunions.  Weird, but true.  I noticed that my great grandparents' death dates has a pattern.  Change topic, it gives me the creeps. Today's task is:  Write your epitaph - the sentence you would want to appear on your grave. Photo from here . I want my epitaph to be simple:   "You made a difference in our lives.  You will be missed forever."

Today's question is just right for the season--Halloween and All Saints Day.  I only have one thing that I want people to remember about me when I die.  I want people to say that I have lived a good life, a life that God wanted me to live and die with.

Photo from here . I am reading a book called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.  It is a self-help book about how a person can make things happen in his life.  It says there that the Law of Attraction works every day of our lives and all we have to do is ask for something that our heart truly desires, receive as if we are holding our dream at this very moment and believe that it will be given to us.  Those are actually the steps on how to use The Secret in your life.  I just had a realization that I have been quite living my life based on the secret.  I am living my life and I am happy with where it is going now.  Sure, there have been a few downs in my life but those did not stop me from living and from experiencing life.  Life is precious and I have appreciated life even more when I had my son.  He is actually the one who keeps pushing me to be a better person and to pursue my dreams.  With him by my side, I don't think anything or anyone could...