Compassion

A person's nobility is manifested in compassion for others. Kindness and consideration for others resonate with both the Buddhist concept of compassion and the core Christian concept of love. When viewed from a larger perspective, we exist here thanks to the warmth, kindness and support, not only of the people around us but of everything on this Earth and in the entire universe.

All living things - flowers, birds, the sun, the soil - support one another in a beautiful symphony of life. Since the birth of this planet more than four billion years ago, life form after life form has been conceived and nourished. Human life is a part of that chain. If at any point a link were missing from this chain, none of us would be alive today. We are all proof that the chain hasn't been broken.

Life produces new life - surely this is consideration in its most basic form. Delving deeper into this idea, I think we can say that the Earth itself is a giant living organism filled with consideration. The activity of the entire universe is essentially a function of compassion.

Truly commendable people have the spirit to improve and grow, and continually striving to develop ourselves above all else is true consideration for others.

Daisaku Ikeda, The Way of Youth, Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life's Questions, p.146

The colors of Summer!

My grandmother's beach place is home to many fond family memories. Birthdays, holidays, simple sundays, or lazy days, Amah's beach house is THE place to be. We're ever so lucky to have such a place! (Or rather, to have an amazing grandma who owns such a place!)
I have a very close family. I have a HUGE family, in both sides! And we're very close-knit. It amazes me how we all remain close despite the busy work weeks, the classes, businesses, and the distant living arrangements. And now that we [the cousins] are all grown up, we don't spend as much time together like we used to when we were kids. But when we do get together, it's as if no time has passed at all. It's a gift really! But it can be a pain sometimes. In a family like mine, it's as if everyone has to know everything about everyone. And you really can't tell them to mind their own business, because we're, well, family.
Ah well.. You gotta take the good with the bad!
That's family for ya! :)

Photographer for a day!

I got a chance to use my camera today. My friend needed someone to take photos of her along with her church buddies for mementos. One of them is leaving abroad, you see. And so, I became a photographer for a day! I did warn them of my non-existent photography skills. They said they didn’t mind and hired me anyway. I do hope the pictures turn out ok. Thank goodness for photoshop!

It finally rained today, after weeks and weeks of dry hot weather. Not just little rain drops but real rain – nice and wet. I’m not exactly sure what set me off but I got into a really foul mood when I got home. Must be the hormones. My boyfriend was busy with his friends, and I’ve got no one to talk to. I ended up playing Plants vs. Zombies on my laptop; and got into thinking about the girl of my dreams. Sigh. You know, the perfect girl who has perfectly flat abs, and didn’t have to worry about looking fat, especially when she’s around perfect looking girls. Sigh. Yes this must be my hormones talking.

Weddings.

Weddings are just wonderful, aren't they? Not the ones on TV or on magazines. I mean the weddings of close friends and family. All the giddy anticipation, the exciting preparations, the happy smiles, the tears of joy, the picture-perfect moments, the I do's, the pre-nuptial photos, the mushy love songs, the sighs and ooh's and ahhh's, that blissful, heart-warming feeling that I'm sure everybody gets when they see their loved ones' genuine smiles of happiness and contentment. It just gives you that hopeful, happy, kind of love-ful feeling, doesn't it?
Kitty, Ma'am Peth, and I travelled for 4 hours by bus to just to attend a Marissa's wedding. It was well worth it! Mars looked fantastic, Rey looked incredibly happy, plus there were so many photo booths and photo walls at the reception! Our kind of thing! ^^, This was the 3rd wedding I've been to in 5 months! And there's another one coming this May. 2010 sure is the year for weddings! Or have I just reached the marrying age already? Sheesh! I feel so old! ^-^

Life is what you paint it to be.

I fell in love in Cebu..


with these...

Delphine Groult furniture! Some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my whole life! Delphine Groult is a french artist who has a passion for painting and wooden pieces. She combined her two passions to create her own collection of Parisian-inspired furniture. Desks, chests, tables, and chairs, all in solid wood, delicately hand-painted, some in bright pastels and whimisical designs, and some in bright blues and reds with pop art prints. I'd dearly love to see one of these in my bedroom. Alas! The prices are more (much much more) than I could afford. ^^,

I love Nature!

I've just started my own little business! It's actually a buy and sell kind of thing. It's small but viable, and I'm loving it. Gandang Kalikasan Inc. has opened a new line of affordable, organic, chemical-free skin and hair care products called Human Nature. This is a part of the Gawad Kalinga program and is made 100% by Filipinos. Two weeks ago, I was desperately looking for a body butter that would help my poor, very dry and very cracked hands. Coincidentally, a friend of my mom's gave her one of Human Nature's body butter's. And guess what, I loved it! The products are great! They feel really healthy, it's as if I'm feeding my skin real fruits. And they smell so delicious, that the phrase "good enough to eat" has never been so appropriate! And so, on February 14th, I officially became a Human Nature dealer! The rest is history. And here I thought I didn't have a single seller's bone in my body. And I'm proud to say that I'm doing quite well!
It's a small thing, but I feel like this was one of those aha moments, wherein one feels that she's made the right choice. (Which I have) I'm glad I jumped on this opportunity. Now, I'm happily -- shall we say -- minding my own business!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

I got off from work 2 ours later than the regular 8-hours this morning (not that it's the first time). One of our patients went all "toxic" all of a sudden. The adrenaline rush is preventing me from sleeping, thus, even after a grueling night shift, I am still able to write on this blog.
Valentine's Day is just around the corner! But that's not what really concerns me right now. February 14, 2010 is also the Chinese New Year, which gives me another chance to start (and re-start) anew! Plenty of my supposed new year's resolutions are still untouched. Some are half -done (half-started, rather); and some aren't going so well.

For starters, after promising never to be late for work again, I find myself.. well, late..again and again! Also, I think that I might be losing my mind. Seriously.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the unthinkable happened. I forgot my boyfriend's birthday.
Sheesh! As stupid as it seems, it actually happened, and if only I could split myself into two, I would've banged my own head against the wall! I'm forgetting things at work, too, plenty of times! My head's up in space somewhere, and it's been there since January. I NEED NEED NEED to bring it down!!

On the upside, I'm driving now! I drive to and from work during night and afternoon shifts, with my dad at the passenger's seat of course. My grandpa allowed me to drive his automatic so I can practice. So far, I'm still in one piece, and so is the car. And if you don't count the few times I accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the break, then I would say that I'm doing okay.
I'm taking painting classes again. It's a tad bit expensive, though. Then again, what's not nowadays? I've also learned to use the sewing machine! I already finished my first project - a plaid purse complete with zipper!
Jewel's coming over next week, all the way from Manila just to spend some quality time with moi! It's definitely something to look forward to! My brother's love life is going pretty well. The girl he's so discreetly dating is really pretty. I haven't met her but I think she's very nice. I'm really glad for him. And lastly, I'm at the last chapter of Fundamentals of Buddhism, the book that I've been trying to finish since last year!

Huh. My first 2 months of 2010 weren't so bad afterall. Still, the downs are there. I know what I need.

Love.

kidding.

I need to focus. FOCUS, darn it, if I'm ever going to make something out of the rest of my 2010.