Destiny’s children?

Destiny versus free will  is a debate that has gone on for centuries…and still no answer. I believe that there is really no black-and-white answer here, only personal conviction, personal beliefs.  I’d like to think of  it as whatever we choose and decide to do as a result of these beliefs and convictions, we would  eventually be led to our destiny.

Destiny

(author and source unknown)

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.

 On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose."

"Destiny will now reveal itself."

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.

After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny."

"Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

But then, I am bugged by a question: Can destiny be changed? Another point to ponder on as April comes to an end…

Adventures in Cagayan de Oro

The first time I went to Cagayan de Oro City in 2004 was with my family to celebrate the holy week there, so it was more of visiting churches and other tourist spots. (We also went to Iligan and Bukidnon, which was one of the nicest places I’ve been to.)

I had another opportunity to go to CDO in 2006, this time with Paul, Jane, and Rico—a birthday gift for myself. And this time, it was all about adventure!

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You want a nosebleed? Inday, move over

Sometimes, our kids bring us lots of problems….but sometimes, they give us nosebleeds. Princess Wendy has been a source of problem for our family because of the nosebleeds she’s been giving us over the past years. Her vocabulary is such a pain! I can’t count the number of times we had to run for tissue because of the blood coming out of our noses…below are some examples.

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Mama: Wendy, dumaan na ba si manong ice cream? [His homemade mango ice cream is my absolute favorite.]

PW: Hmmm…. Apparently yes.

[I mean, who uses the word apparently in normal conversations?]

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Mama: [Talking a mouthful about something]

PW: Mama, that’s a lot of baloney!

[I had to look that up in the dictionary!]

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Tita 1 and Tita 2 talking with Princess Wendy

PW: Tita, what’s a crime?

T1: Wends, yun yung pag may ginawa kang bad…

PW: Ahhh…like pag nakabasag ka ng glass?

T2: No Wends, mas bad pa. Like pag pumatay ka ng person, o kaya pag nagsteal ka ng person. 

T1 [looking at T2]: Ano na nga ba tawag dun Wends, pag nagsteal ka ng person?

[Both were thinking of kidnap. And I bet that’s what you thought of also.]

Wendy: Ahh..yun yung abduction… 

[I had to ask an officemate studying law the difference between the two…] 

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And to think she was only 6 years old when whe said these! 

Maybe I should ask Wendy if Inday is her real mother… 

Can you learn to be the wind?

I’ve recently finished reading a book that I thought I’d never read: The Alchemist (by Paolo Coelho). I know most of you know and have read it. I guess my reluctance to read it before stemmed from my experience of reading a Paolo Coelho book that I didn’t like. But now that I’ve read The Alchemist, I don’t regret having read it.

The book gives so many tidbits in life….which deserves more discussion. But for now, I would like to share the three most important lesons that I’ve learned from it, and no, there are no lines that will tell you these directly, they are deduced when you read the whole book.

First, to find our "personal legend" or our purpose in life, we have to get out of our comfort zones and seek farther and wider. Ika nga, we must  get out of the box we are in right now. Now, this is easier said than done…we have been used to most aspects of our lives that we are reluctant to give them up. Personally, I know that there is something within me that makes me feel that I have to do something that I don’t know what! But I’ve become used to my life (work, house, WEndy, travel, bake, mall…) that I’m afraid to change it. Well, as one Chinese author (asa Springer pa ako nun) said: We must not become prisoners of the circle that we draw around ourselves. I hope someday I get to step out of that circle….

Second, sometimes, we search the world for our "treasure," look far, and travel time and time again, only to find out that our treasure was where we were in the first place. This may entail different treasures for  person, it may be our home, our family, our work, our organization, but the message is the same: sometimes, we are blind that we do not realize that our treasure was with us in the first place…. But then, don’t lessons 1 and 2 contradict? Not really, because I believe that it is in the process of searching for our treasure that we learn of our personal legend. Sabi nga nila, it is not the destination, but the journey.

And the most important thing I leaned is that when you reach a certain level that you truly, truly believe in yourself (not in an arrogant, conceited way), you can do and be anything, turn lead into gold or even be the wind.  Many people don’t believe in themselves…and it is important that when you want to achieve something and go somewhere, the place to start is within you: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

The book was "matalinhaga"… does the same apply to life? I don’t think so…life is straighforward…we live to be happy, to enjoy, to love, but remember that we are here for a purpose.

Princess Wendy turns 7!

 Six used to be Wendy’s favorite number for the longest time. Recently, however, about 3 months ago, she changed it to seven. Why? She said because when you turn seven years old, "special ang party mo." Last April 6, Sunday, our princess turned seven. And we did have a very special party…not in grandeur, nor in budget. It wasn’t held in a hotel or in a resort. We held it at the de Castro’s garden. We did not have celebrities or politicians as guests. On the other hand, what made it special was that we invited the less-fortunate kids in our ocmmunity to share this wonderful occassion. And guess what? WE HAD LOTS OF FUN!

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