My Advisory Class on their Recollection

     Kinda late to write this on my blog, since it happened last January 17. The place were Alagad ni Maria (Disciples of Mary) Formation House in Tahanang Nasaret (Nazareth Home) Retreat Center. This is actually a seminary for aspiring priest but as part of reaching out to the youth they offer recollection program for the graduating students of some high schools in and out of Antipolo vicinity. I'm actually handling 4th year students and they have joined this program initiated by our school.
     I was not in the room where the session is being held but I know what is happening inside since I had been into this kind of recollection program when I was in high school. Some of my students were sharing what happened during the session, what they have heard, and what they did. Well, there are some things that some students never shared to anyone but the session made them open it up. I wouldn't share what some of my students found out from their classmates, and it's a realization for them to understand each other and of course to understand these kids..what they have been undergoing in such a young age. But thinking of it, what's the recollection is all about..
     Every Retreat and Recollection is a SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER with GOD, meant to be a venue for silence, prayer, reflection and renewal. This Recollection is a special moment, each year, which would hopefully facilitate this meeting with God, so as to bring about transformation. A true spiritual experience brings about change in values, attitudes and convictions, rendering persons more “Christ-like” - this is the heart of all the goals and objectives of the Retreat and Recollection Program. As every students who had undergone a recollection program, each had their own story to tell, experiences to share and a reflection to think about. It is knowing who they are, what they have, what they will be if without God on their side or if with Him all through out their endeavors. Recollection is the time for them to bringing again their past experiences, recalling how it was, but not to mingle with these pasts but makes it a learned lesson on how they will face the present challenges in their lives and how they would walk on to their future.

     These students if properly guided and motivated can be pushed on to set and work out their goals. Though they are not the best of the best nor the cream of the crop, each has its own unique personality, special gift, and talents that they can use. Each passing day, I am discovering new things from them and the time is getting nearer for them to say goodbye to their alma mater. On Tuesday, they will receive their diploma and say, "I did not drop the class! I have graduated!"...

Watching The Super Moon

     As we all have known, the Supermoon started at 2 am Sunday, March 20, 2011 (Manila time).  A supermoon is a full or new moon that coincides with a close approach by the Moon to the Earth. The Moon's distance varies each month between approximately 354,000 km (220,000 mi) and 410,000 km (254,000 mi) due to its elliptical orbit around Earth. Lunar Perigee is what we call it. Super moon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. It is being said that with the combined effect of the Sun and Moon on the Earth's oceans, the tide is greatest when the Moon is new or full. At lunar perigee, the tidal force is even stronger resulting in more extreme high and low tides, but even at its most powerful this force is still weak.
     At 2:45 am, looking up in the sky, I took pictures of how the moon is closer to the earth. I was worried then if I could take a shot of it since I only have my Sony Ericsson Cybershot 3.5mega pixel cellphone..but..wow... it's very clear, to think I'm not even on top of a roof. That night you could even see the clouds slowly moving underneath because of the shining moonlight affecting the sky. According to some reports, this same phenomenon occurs every 2 decades.

The Sunflower, My Fave

     It's always been my standard-bearer, from email add, chat, IDs, my house, and decorations. Aside from the fact that my fave color is yellow (maybe one reason why I love this flower), the sunflower is very cool to the eye, whose shape and image depict the sun. It's like saying sunrise is here again for new hope and a new beginning. Sunflower for me symbolizes summer and spring, a bright day ahead, and, rarely, you couldn't see it in almost all commercial flower shops nearby.
     The sunflower got its name from its huge fiery blooms forming like a sun. Sunflower or Helianthus annuus is an annual plant native to the Americas that possess a large flowering head.  Sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves,  and circular heads of flowers. The heads consist of 1,000-2,000 individual flowers joined together by a receptacle base. Sunflower leaves can be used as cattle food, while the stems contain a fiber that may be used in paper production. With sunflower, what is usually called the flower is actually a flower head also known as a composite flower of numerous florets, (small flowers) crowded together. The outer petal-bearing florets are the sterile ray florets and can be yellow, red, orange, or other colors. The florets inside the circular head are called disc florets, which mature into seeds.

Head displaying florets in spirals of 34 and 55 around the outside

     Despite the common belief, mature sunflowers do not track the sun. The mature flower heads typically face east; only young sunflowers exhibit heliotropism or sun turning: the leaves and buds of young sunflowers follow the sun so that their orientation changes from east to west during the day. The movements become a circadian response and when plants are rotated 180 degrees, the old response pattern is still followed for a few days, with leaf orientation changing from west to east instead. The leaf and flower head bud phototropism occurs while the leaf petioles and stems are still actively growing, but once mature, the movements stop. These movements involve the petioles bending or twisting during the day and then unbending or untwisting at night. Members of the sunflower family are popular with butterflies because the wide flower head makes a good landing platform and the numerous individual flowers make for a high probability of finding nectar. Monarch butterflies are commonly seen nectaring on sunflowers during their fall migration.

     It's amazing to know the characteristic of the sunflower, my favorite flower. It signifies coolness and new hope. A flower that can make you smile, rarely seen but delightful to look at and amazing to know...hope you have seen one..(",).

Mesmerized by Baguio..

     City of blooms! The summer capital of the Philippines! whatever you may call it..it's the place I've always wanted to come back to.. the mountains, its landscape, her flowers, the wind, its people. It's been a long time since my last visit to Baguio, 12 years ago..but still the memories, all that is in Baguio lingers. A happy family back then, it seems. I have 2 kids then and we went boating in the man-made lagoon in Burnham Park, took our walk up the 100 stairs, and took pictures with the Mines View Park behind us and The Mansion. Sweet memories..we even experienced a tremor at 2am.  Earthquake!   at first, I thought there was a monster opening the door since our room is connected to the other moving through a common bathroom.
Traveling 6 hours from Manila.. always excited to get there.. remember my first visit when I was in college for a leadership seminar sponsored by one of our student societies I was a member of. Six months after the July 16, 1990 earthquake when Baguio, one that was badly hit at that time.. though we could still see the ruins, its natural beauty can still be seen despite the tragedy. The warmth of the native people living there, and the rich culture, would also make you back and even wanted to live there. I think this is the place where I can really be one with nature, be what I am, be with other God's creation, It's a beautiful place..being tired of the suburbs' polluted air, the noise. it's one place that will bring you to your senses. Though I know there is a far better place than Baguio, still, her flowers leave their color in my eyes.
     One day, two days, or even three days are not enough to see the marvelous splendor of Baguio..and maybe after all these tedious days, I would go back and experience once again the different colors and blooms of Baguio.

TEACHER...TEACHER

      Being a teacher is indeed a noble profession, especially in public school settings. It's not the compensation nor the position that is important, it's the heart, the vision, the burden, and the fulfillment of teaching and guiding the students on how to learn, how to reach their goals, how to face and win the battle. We should help them to be the best person that they can be and be a great motivator to make them go on with life, a life that is worth living. Sad to say..it's not what I have been seeing with some of my colleagues. 

     Every day, my heart aches for these kids. They are not the typical students going to school with enough money in their pockets to spend during break time. They do not come from families who have much to spend on, parents who are good providers, a home with a father and a mother sharing responsibilities in taking care of them, a day without people barking and lashing out profane words, a table with food so it can sustain them throughout their class period. I have seen students running after some trucks or vans to hang out and make their back ride so they can go home, which is too dangerous for them. Some students even go to school without any food on their stomachs. What can a government do about it? and how about their parents not minding them off? And what about the teachers? Actually, some teachers spent more than what the government is giving them. 

     These kids are looking for someone who can give them the strength to carry on, many of them stop dreaming, never wanting to go into college but to get a job to sustain them. I should say, teachers could be their turning point. If nobody believes in them, teachers could be there to inspire and maybe extend some help for these kids that dreams are not impossible if they just focus and think that their dreams are just out there waiting to happen. I kept saying to my advisory class back then, never stop dreaming, dream dreams, go for it, never say I cannot; if they wanted it and if there's a will there is always a way,  there is always a reason for them to say they cannot. I have heard a colleague saying that we should promote these kids since they would never get into college anyway, and as if their life would stop from there. Teachers should inspire, and motivate them to go on, never be the one who will make them stick with what they have. Teachers should never put an end to what these kids can do. 

    However, many teachers are doing things beyond their teaching profession, though sorry for some students who had encountered teachers who took advantage of them in exchange for a diploma. Teachers asking for some "special projects" not even related to the subjects they are teaching. Whoa!,, I even heard one of my students that she was asked to buy something. Sad, but what should we do? Is it the system? Is it the people within the system? or is it the government? Yet, even the least profession being heard, this is the most tasking and beyond the nobility, one could serve. 

Unwritten Letter

I have come across a profile from a certain site and found a letter written by one of my chats. I am fascinated by what he has written and find it romantic and subtle. An unwritten letter may be for his future partner. Here's the letter he wrote...

This is a letter I write for my love...even though we've never met:

I need to be told how you feel. I need to be shown. 

I need you to communicate with me. I will listen. 

Forgive me, but when you pull me close one moment and push me away from the next;

I can't understand. I can't know what to do. 

All I know is to show you how I feel and hope for honesty and respect in return. 

I want you to have time to yourself. Yes, I want you to have friends. 

I want to also be included from time to time...as I will include you. 

I do this because I want you to know I am proud to walk beside you and I want to feel the same. 

I do this because I want you to know I have nothing to hide from you. 

I want you to KNOW I am with you, only you. I want to trust you.

No, I don't want to know all your past mistakes. They are yours and you must own them. 

I am human and have my own. I hope we both have learned their lessons. 

I want to love your imperfections. I want to love the changing lines in your face year after year. 

I know we will not always agree, but we can try and understand. 

When I walk away from an argument understand I do so 

because I know that people often say things they don't mean. 

The last thing I want to do is hurt you or reinforce doubts you have about yourself. 

I want only to lift you up. When you're sick I want to take care of you. 

I want to tuck you into bed and keep you warm. 

I'll hold your hand in public and sit beside you when we dine alone. 

I'll put my arms around you at unexpected times and at others, 

you'll look in my eyes and know I am undressing you in my mind. 

I want to send you flowers for no reason. 

I want to leave you notes in places you wouldn't expect to find them. 

Cards will come in the mail on random days. 

I want to let you know throughout your day that I am thinking of you. 

And at night, while you're asleep, I'll whisper how much you mean to me 

and hope you'll remember me in your dreams. 

I want to love and to be loved.

LOVE LOST

I have come across this letter from a mobile blog, written by a fellow chatter. 

It used to be a letter written for the lost love of a friend...

📷favim.com/image/588768/

From that day when you left me,

my whole world fell apart...

my heart has broken into pieces...

and yet you were never satisfied...

never expected that you will step into it...

You've asked me what was wrong,,

but I refused to answer what is inside of me...

I just said, "NOTHING SERIOUS"...

but when you turned your back on me,

.....continue

What do you think happened in this prosaic story? 

It seems the writer of this poem is heartbroken...

LOVE LETTER & POEMS

I have asked some of my 4th year high school students to submit a poem about anything in Filipino or English. I am surprised to find out that many of them can really write poems whether in Filipino or English. I have made some editions to share you some of them..

©istockphoto.com/peepo

DEAR 

is written by Jeremy Alba 

A love professed for someone dear to him.

==========================

A POEM FOR MY LOVE

is also written by Jeremy Alba

An admiration for someone  he loves, 

yet waiting for her to love him back.

================================.

YOUR SONG

Jeisoun Douiyan 

Kung lahat ng tao sa paligid mo iniwan ka

H'wag na h'wag mong iisiping ika'y nag-iisa

Nandito lng ako mag-aalaga sa 'yo

Ibibigay ko sa 'yo lahat-lahat pati sariling buhay ko

Pag ika'y nagkamali sa iyong ginawa

Ipapakita ko sa 'yong hindi ka dapat mahiya

Hahawakan ko nang mahigpit ang iyong kamay

At sasabihin ko sa 'yong "hindi ka dapat malumbay"

Ito ang awitin ng buhay ko

Ang lirics nito ay umiikot sa mundo mo

K'ya please h'wag ka mawawala sa buhay ko

Dahil baka matapos ang "your song" ng buhay ko!!!!

This is lyrical poetry about making a promise to a woman he loves. 

Translation in English is provided in the link

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What's More Painful?

     The "physical" definition of pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. But what about the pain that we have experienced emotionally?..well, actual and potential tissue damage is not present here. Emotional pain is what we feel inside..things that make us hurt as if we're bleeding inside.
     Pain, according to Dr. Don Ranney in his "Anatomy of Pain" says that it is a perception, not really a sensation, in the same way, that vision and hearing are. It involves sensitivity to chemical changes in the tissues and then interpretation that such changes are harmful. This perception is real, whether or not harm has occurred or is occurring. Cognition is involved in the formulation of this perception. There are emotional consequences and behavioral responses to the cognitive and emotional aspects of pain.

*image credit to sweetdelight.deviantart.com

     From that definition, I would say pain depends on what we perceive as painful, how we could tolerate a certain pressure, disaster, calamities, life-threatening situation, unacceptable words, a love loss..whatever you have in mind that could stop your world for a while. One thing is for sure.. what we think would hurt us is really painful.

     Emotional pain is not necessarily the cause of physical pain..and sometimes..emotional pain can cause physical pain. So what's more painful?... Let me see... I met an accident sixteen years ago, I was crossing the street when a car suddenly hit me and according to some witnesses, I flew 4 meters away from where I stand. Does it hurt?.. I didn't feel anything during those times because I fell unconscious and didn't even know what had happened. Just after I woke up that I had gotten to know I met an accident. I got bruises and stitches on my head. After six hours, that's when I felt the throbbing pain in my head maybe due to a shock...and every time my headaches I always remember the dreaded pain I had felt that time. After a year, I found out that my boyfriend was dating another woman not only one but two. It hurts and I will find out later this incident will have bearing on what I am going through and what I am writing now.

     As everyone perceives it, it's painful to have trusted someone and yet you found out he doesn't deserve it; very painful to have known that the baby inside your womb would not live a normal life; very painful too to have met a blow from the one you have loved most, receiving every word that you would not even thought he would say; and painful too to find out he's turning you to a fool making every bit of what he had done would take the blame on you...and later to find out he got another woman pregnant...Pain??..Yes! very painful..don't even know how I would live every bit of it. I made some mistakes but who would understand? The one I trusted so much now has lost it... Every day, the pain seethes in, losing my respect for the person I have been with for the past thirteen years. The happier I turns to be withdrawn and make a happy face though sad within. Painful it is that I can no longer say such words as tears began rolling on my face again...and up to you what you think is more painful...