Forget the good stuff: You are on your way to wonderful rediscoveries. This brings back really good memories that you come to appreciate even more.
Forget the bad stuff: You are on your way to living a full life without the burden of the past. And when you do remember them, think about how you conquered and lived through it. Temporarily forgetting it helped you go on with your life.
So every time you forget something, remember what I wrote here. You see what I did there? Every time you forget, I want you to remember :P
All this because of that hearty breakfast of cheese on pandesal I had this morning. The taste of it I'd forgotten and now rediscovered. Yum yum!
No, this is not an iced tea commercial; they’re just really good in coming up
with this reminder.
Cast an intelligent vote.
Read
the candidates’ profiles. Listen to the news. Don’t vote on the basis of the
candidates’ promises in their advertisements. Look for what they have
contributed to the country or for the betterment of their respective provinces.
Surely, they couldn’t have run for senator without first handling local
government units.
It’s better to give than to
receive but it’s okay to receive.
On May 13, money will just come to you. The
excitement of receiving it has even become a Filipino joke that comes around
every three years. It’s okay to receive as long as your dignity stays intact
and by that, I mean don’t sell your vote. Ever. A senatorial candidate said
that he thinks like a marathon runner. He always looks at the long run. Selling
your vote can make you rich for a day or two or several days depending on the
amount they give out but when you look at the long run, you end up with corrupt
officials wanting back the money they gave out during election and a country
that is poorer than it already is. Think like a marathon runner and say no to vote buying.
Muster some courage.
I’ve been
told of the danger of breach of the contract of sale (in this case, the object
is one’s vote). They say one can even end up dead, especially in the rural
areas. Perhaps, this may be a bit idealistic but I think it takes some courage
to really fight for what you believe is right.
Shake off timidity.
On May 13,
it could be hot and humid out or it could be wet and muddy. Would the weather stop
you from moving towards a better Philippines? Go out and practice your right to
suffrage.
Pray for a clean election.
We never really know what happens once we cast our vote. We can never be sure of an honest election despite its being automated. However, we can always pray that the evil one be kept at bay so that we may have a clean and honest election.
My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused. I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me
And hold me as my father and mold me as my Maker.
Chorus: I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down? And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?" And you answer: " My child, I love you. And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."
At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You? I know I don't deserve You. And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.
Chorus* I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down? And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?" And you answer: " My child, I love you. And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace." You are so patient with me, Lord.
As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary.
So, instead of trying to repay You,
I'm learning to simply obey You by giving up my life to you For all that You've given to me.
Chorus: I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down? And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?" And you answer: " My child, I love you. And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace.
We've all learned from basic science the three layers of the Earth - the crust, the mantle and the core. Many geologists believe that as the Earth cooled the heavier, denser materials sank to the center and the lighter materials rose to the top. Because of this, the crust is made of the lightest materials (rock- basalts and granites) and the core consists of heavy metals (nickel and iron).
The crust of the Earth is broken into many pieces called plates. The plates "float" on the soft, plastic mantle which is located below the crust. These plates usually move along smoothly but sometimes they stick and build up pressure. The pressure builds and the rock bends until it snaps. When this occurs an Earthquake is the result! (Source: http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Earths_layers/)
Yep, that's Mother Earth. She has a lot in common with my own mother. The crust is what I see of her. The mantle is her motherly instinct of keeping the core deep under by avoiding serious talks and just seeming self-absorbed. The core is her circumstances.
The sad part is that I was too focused on the crust on which I live. I was too focused on the earthquakes and how they affect me. I never took the chance to understand the whole being of the Earth. You see, hidden under that thin crust and that very thick mantle is the core. These are my mother's circumstances. I realized that I may never have cared enough to understand what's going on deep below what I see. As of the moment, my greatest regret is having thought of my mother as the antagonist of my life.
She burst out last night. She told me some really nasty things about myself and how I've been acting up. They hit me hard. But I thought I needed to hear that. Now, she's still mad at me and I'm very sorry about giving her a hard time. I just hope she forgives me. My mother has been through a lot and I ought to try and understand that core.
It took me a heartbreak to realize that we all have different circumstances. Don't let it happen to you. After all those tears, I ended up blaming my own selfishness. I've known for so long how selfish I am, so I try to fight it every single time. It's not enough to scare it off, though. I'd have to defeat it and see it dead. Who knows? This might be the summer that could change my relationship with my mother forever.
PS. I'm thinking that what happened last night was partly because of my being irritable on the night before the first day of my girl-thing. My mother always falls victim to it. ALWAYS. This too shall pass. And out of all this will come a more understanding daughter and a better mother-daughter relationship like I've always wanted. I just have to take part in making it so.
