The Beauty of Being Alone

As I was sipping my caramel coffee, I heard two individuals pouring their sentiments and their agony of being single. Both of them look at the scenario negatively. And so I began to ask myself if I do have the same sentiments with them. My reflection brought me to a realization. First, it is really nice to be with someone else, yet, the culture of young professionals dramatically changed decades ago. I remember the time when I was being asked during my senior year in high school if what will I become five to ten years after graduation. I was 16 then, and I really don't know any better. I said that I will be having a very stable job and have my own family because my projection is that...by that time I will be 26. My other group of friends claimed that they will be married too and have like two to three kids. Others said that they will be somewhere abroad. After looking back on those statements we made, I realized that not all of us had able to accomplish those goals when we were 26. I'm 27 now and neither of my claims came to being. Well, I think it has something to do with my appreciation of enjoying to the fullest the life of being single in the mid-20s and onwards. I have a good job and finished my master's degree a year ago and halfway now to my doctorate. I enjoyed going out anytime I want. I enjoyed dating. I enjoyed watching movies alone. I enjoyed walking and strolling in the mall...alone still. Whenever I feel like breaking free and do something then I have no difficulties of asking permission. As the wind blows me to the north, I can be with the direction and sometimes go the opposite. I am totally independent and I am enjoying my independence. I declared total independence after passing my board exam and left home. Now, I am apart from my family for almost 7 years. I have no regrets of doing so because I learned so many things in life and experience real life situations. I was able given a break to handle life's adversities. It made me stronger so what is really wrong of being alone. At times, I felt lonely but actually, there are so many things that would patch up loneliness. Second, I have totally enjoyed my singleness and have nothing to look back and regret whenever I decide to settle down and start my own family. There are so many things that a single life has to offer and all of those are worth to be treasured and valued.


The aforementioned individuals who got so worried because they remain single in their late 20s maybe have not seen the beauty of being alone and the value of enjoying life.

Whenever I get lonely, I just give myself a grande macchiatto and a slice of banana or carrot cake. After hard days of work, I treat myself to a good movie and a plate of penne grancho rapido, chicken pesto fettuccine, baked pene and a solo box of high-protein pizza. But those are not taken at the same time. I have a small storehouse...believe me! Whenever I get stressed, a newspaper or one magazine will alleviate that but that has to be associated with a tall almond rocha or peppermint coffee. Bingo! All the loneliness has been buried even more than six feet under the ground. I send them to the center of the earth.

So for those who are so worried of being alone...you don't have to worry, but rather celebrate life! After all, it is short and you can never go back to the past. Remember, things will never be the same again. Enjoy your career. Enjoy your friends. Learn new craft. Like now, I am about to begin my violin lessons. I am going to study Spanish too. So those are new things to discover and to enjoy. Augment your intellectual domain. Increase your emotional quotient. Lead the led. Be a bandwagon of change. Strengthen your waterloo. Those are few but helpful tips of putting yourself somewhere on the edge.

Filipinos are by nature indefatigable of showing positive values. These values became our bandwagon in the context of globalism. It is undoubtedly accepted. Filipinos are described and identified hospitable and hardworking internationally. Philippines is the top producer of human workforce and has even occupied almost all foreign territories. These are not simple claims nor ruthless, but these claims are de facto.

Filipinos are the penchant of the universe as regards to human workforce. We export Filipinos from Arab nations to Africa. If there would be available jobs in the north and south poles, then Filipinos will be there as well. Our level of work and thinking is imperial. With this, we leave other race behind; thus, we will be the citizens of the world in due course because at present, we are to be found everywhere. Once we started doing something in the international arena, we do not fizzle out. Our emphatic values impinge a very strong impact; hence, we can make an international hoopla and can cause a gridlock once our character is taken to account. We deserve to be an advocator of social responsibility. We provide care to those who need it most. We provide skilled-work to those who lack skillfulness. We provide quality education to those whose goal is not mediocrity. We entertain those who need to be entertained. We are everything as we do all things. Our worldwide service is tantamount to the existence of the universe. Our absence in the dome of human workforce will probably cause other race teetering.

Those aforementioned ideas are pleasing platitudes. With those, we can be vanguards of emphatic values. Quebec Premier Jen Charest once mentioned that Filipinos are “efficient, hardworking, ambitious, and determined to improve their lives”. These assertions are our helms to achieve excellence. These good characteristics are honed by our own beliefs. We, Filipinos, are actually the descendants of good-will. I hope that these positive remarks can pacify the political turmoils we are experiencing. Let us look into the affirmations of Charest one by one concerning our values. We will look at each if these claims still exist, still on the right sharpness or simply allegorical.

Efficient! Yes, we are worthy to be described as that because we can work well with little waste. I hope that this is not paradoxical. We have proven the world how efficient we are. The provinces of Canada, Manitoba and Quebec, would not be eager or interested to sign labor agreements with the Philippines. Manitoba came last month and just recently, Quebec wants to increase recruitment of skilled, semiskilled, and unskilled Filipino workers who would be willing to work in Quebec. Their Provincial Nominee Program can hasten the application. The saddest part of this beautiful description is that, there are some political leaders who display efficiency too. They are so efficient in corruption. They work well with their anomalies and they have little waste to be made known or not at all. We can never know the venalities in politics unless one who was not paid or given the right share of kickbacks would come out from nowhere. Money can really change lives and lanes. We remain to be hopeful that one day we can mean efficiency in the most positive definition and keep efficiency always on the right track.

Hardworking! Yes, we are also worthy to be called as that because it is the visible representation of our eagerness and dedication to work without ceasing and with or without supervision. Hardworking runs in our veins because it is our innate not to have a single moment of idleness. We also extend our services pro bono to others. That’s how responsible we are. In contrast, there are those leaders who are also hardworking when it comes to doing unrighteousness. We are all familiar of who they are. They make the worse situation to be worst. I don’t know how they have done all these things. I believe that our leaders came from noble families. We expect so many good traits from them but sad to note, they are even an advocate of austerity. We can’t tell if they are like those agent provocateurs in France. Everything went wrong. I don’t know if Prozac can still take effect if to be taken as antidepressant against these political upheavals we have.

Ambitious! What a world of experience it evokes! Philippines is just a tiny spot in the globe yet it is too ambitious to make a difference. We want to be big the eyes of those who belittle our race and our land. That is really a good thing. It displays so much confidence despite of our size. I can remember one of the dearest Pulitzer recipients, Carlos P. Romulo, who was uncomfortable of his short height during the United Nation General Assembly in the 1940s and 50s, and where he was a representative of our country, was being dwarfed by the towering Soviet delegation. In one of the sessions, the discussion became frenzied when one of the Russians considered more of his dwarfism and the smallness of the Philippines. Carlos P. Romulo, an exemplary of ambitious Filipino, explained the metaphor of how little David flung a stone into the head of Goliath. He was the little David who opened the eyes of the lofty Russians for truth, that small things can be a leap of success. We have so many ambitious Filipinos now who do everything to make a spot in politics because they know that big amount of money can be earned from there. They even kill those whom they considered greatest rival in politics. Ambitious is now synonymous to greedy in the context of politics.

Determined! It is exactly the common denominator of every Filipino. Each of us is so determined to improve our lives. By all means, we take all the risks to make our lives and our living condition to be better. That is how Filipinos strive and that is why I said earlier that once we started doing something we do not fizzle out because we have everything it takes to be very determined, focused, and dedicated to everything we do. Does determination has a negative undertone? Yes, it does. I don’t want to sound so gloomy regarding the leadership of our leaders but the truth won’t stop us from scrutinizing the values and traits of the leaders. The leaders’ greatest task is to lead. They must lead us to somewhere unexpected. They must lead us in the formation and implementation of the good values we inherit. They must lead the way in doing good things. Where on Earth have all these expectations gone? It seems that we do not see those expectations to some leaders. In the game or world of politics, only few want to lead in the transformation of worse practices to better, rather, many follow where the worse things go. They play the game of corruption. They play the game of bribery. What other games do they play? Do they have more games to play that are not beneficial of the masses and beneficial only to their own interests? I hope they play unrighteous games no more. This is really the usual resentment of people who are overly affected by political aggression. We have a better economy now then why concentrate on displaying political antagonism and belligerence? If the call for truth would stop all these crises, then why not accept the fault justly? Whoever is reliable from all these political oppositions should be accountable of the mess, then why keep the blatant brigands? We are as if in the lunatic asylum. We fight, we howl, we protest, almost everyday. We are not feebleminded so why let childish arguments and contentions be continued? Let us drink milk no more, rather, feed our minds with just things that are in accordance to the will of our Creator. I can remember how my professor and my colleagues in International Relations agreed with me when I said, “It takes divine intervention to make things right and do right things when surrounded by people with earthly motivations and selfish desires.” If we want to lead an orchestra, we must turn our back from the audience. I hope our leaders would have the same thinking. They must lead and not join the forces of unrighteous leaders. Upright and blameless leaders cannot beat the unjust in a snap of a finger, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but for sure unrighteous will be beaten.

I reckon Filipinos are somehow mysterious. The ambiguity behind our values are seen and felt in the hearts of those who indirectly experience the political mayhem. We still appear to them like an apple, precious to their sight. Let us not forget our training. Let us not forget the values being taught to us. We are by nature a person rich in those. If foreigners have seen us as efficient, hardworking, ambitious, and determined, then let it remain to its virtuous definition and let us escape from its negativity scot-free. Those avowals are courtly bliss. Let us make our character, the replica of our being a true Filipino, as our weapon to shake the world. Let us settle our problems with the weapons we have inside our heart and in our mind. Our values, like a chivalrous rhapsody to some, should remain to be the strongest bludgeon against political oppositions.

Poetry consumes me!

Pink

of
my
John

As a chap sauntered lamentably in the tiled pathway of the garden

On a bend near a spout with a stone, an exquisite fille or belle he saw

Fleetingly gazed and then whiffed on the velvety heartsease end

Then lay a hand on the love-in-idleness with awe

Downpour there was and so each took a shelter

Not too close, both on the opposite side of the patch

The beauty of the pansy is washed away by the pelter

Where on violas plot the rosebud would go, he must then watch

The deluge went on and so the chap had taken forty winks

The rosebud was hopeless…in her thought, she must go home

She grabbed a Johnny-jump-up in less than a couple of blinks

So that her Johnnie will not get cross, and strike her not on her dome

When the chap, often called sirrah, had finally awaken

He was surprised because the stunning peri wasn’t there

He drenched himself, looked for the belle he thought a maiden

He put the blame on the cloudburst, he didn’t find her anywhere

The rosebud, at Johnnie’s feet, was questioned and then was slapped

The bimbo explained but then the obnoxious bruiser didn’t lend an ear

Johnnie’s bimbo was kicked, whipped with a saddle’s brougham strap

With his bull, massive vigor, the rosebud shed a blood, and withered

Sirrah never missed a day in taking a solemnly walk in the garden

He hoped day after day to see the woman she met on her first day of liberty

Emancipation from the wrath, curse of his vindictive begetter and his men

But he saw no more the belle who loves the heartsease and tufted pansy

The bruiser’s bimbo escaped and brought her withered self in the patch

She should get a handful of love-in-idleness to alleviate her wounds

Wounds on her body, in her heart, that she needs to staunchly watch

For when the time comes a single wound grows, to her lifetime it haunts

The vile and loathsome of the bruiser to the rosebud never stopped

It went on and on until his belle should only stay in bed, and helpless

She needed shoddily pink of my John that Johnnie can’t ever grabbed

To her weakness, Johnnie can’t accept, purged his self…doubtless!

She, now, can frequent in the garden of her survival and finally meet her man

Johnnie’s demise gave Belle a new verve, a new beginning, a brand new chance

The beauteous encounter bechance, and then sharing of their stories began

A lifetime vow was made; pink of my John mollycoddled their romance.

I wrote this poem three years ago. I surprisingly found it from my file today so I decided to post it on my blog. I can remember well when someone criticized the poem and asked me why did I write that kind of poem and how did I come up with that title. Nobody knew the real meaning of the title. It was described enigmatic. I can still visualize clearly the real meaning of the title. It is not any other thing nor something like a life-issue. It is just purely an expression of a deeper and playful thought. An art! The title symbolizes a wild pansy in real life and yes, it is really existing...love-in-idleness! The picture shown above holds a very strong relevance to the title and to how the story of the poem goes round. Just leave your literary criticisms though!

Metaphysics of Brilliance

In this world, we face everyday with fracas or scuffles in the context of intellectuality. To win those is not through physical aggression or to appear with so much belligerence. It all matters on how you use your wits to overcome such agnostic preference of wiles. Man does not need to be obnoxious to be considered dominating but supremacy through sagacity and prudence is a good obnoxiousness; hence, the latter remains to be undefeated by corporeal preeminence.

Join me in this quest or pursuit of eruditeness!

If Filipinos can be like Jews…Credibility is not an Issue

One of the most peculiar civilizations in the world is probably the Jews. Years after years they face hullabaloos against those who question their existence. Age after age they are expected to disappear, and yet they endure. Epoch after epoch, large numbers of Jews have been murdered. They have been forcibly converted; hence, they abandoned their extraordinary faith to gain freedom from the wiles of their hecklers and disbelievers. The strife of their race will remain to be a flimsy trepidation. The mystery of their evolution remains to be salient in the international arena. They are few in number but their unrelenting journey underscores the history and the future of humankind. Hitherto, their persistent expedition highlights the world economy.

Jews are the most successful and blessed populace in the world. They have always been lavishly important in the spiritual history of humankind. They are also the most brilliant citizens in the world. From Chaim Weizmann to Albert Einstein, reflected a gargantuan figure of Jewish men and women of talent and genius. They dominate the world of science and technology. Most Nobel Prize winners in the field of Physics, Biotechnology, and other scientific disciplines are Jews. They are considered the richest magnates in the world. Tycoons in affluent countries like U.S.A., Canada, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, and many more are Jews. If these countries have strong and established economy, who would have to be thought of behind their hefty wealth if we are to make an analysis concerning elements of power? The dwelling of Jews, Israel, is slightly smaller than a state in the US, New Jersey, but the impact Israel brought to US’ economy is far, more, and larger than the combined 50 states and even to the other wealthiest nations in the world. Israeli companies are undeniably a dominant force in the financial capital of the world as how Israeli stocks traded on Wall Street. As of 2003, Israel, following Canada, ranks the utmost number of non-US stocks on Wall Street. The existence of Jewish tycoons on the American Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and New York Stock Exchange is a concrete and substantial testimony on Israel’s escalating significance in the global trade and business; thus, Jews’ dominance in the world economy is importunate. Majority of their stocks is focused on high technologies in the field of electronics, software, communication systems, electro and fiber optics, and many more which lead to the vanguard of high-end innovations.

Israel dominated also the production of aviation and military equipment that were being exported to U.S.A., China, and other countries. Nevertheless, Israel has a very strong military. Who could have forgotten the Arab-Israeli War or the Six-Day War in 1967? Their combatants were the Arab nations like: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and later joined by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria. These combined forces may be the world’s deadliest and strongest, yet the result of the upheaval was a decisive Israeli victory. During that time, Israel had a total 264,000 troops including the reserves, while their combatants had 547,000. Israel had 300 combat aircrafts and 600 tanks while the combatants had 957 combat aircrafts and 2,504 tanks. During the war, Israel had only 779 casualties with 2,563 wounded. Israel killed 21,000 and wounded 45,000 of the troops of their combatants. There were only 15 Jewish prisoners while their combatants had 6,000. Only 46 of Israel’s combat aircraft were reportedly lost while their opponents had over 400. With those statistical facts and figures, we can see obviously and evidently how powerful Israel is and how strong and tough Jews are. The abandoned, forsaken, and forcibly converted society remains to be strong from then ‘til now.

Jews are the “chosen people”. No matter what you do to the Jews, the Lord’s favor will always remain to them. The “chosenness” of the Jews is a mystery. No one can explain the mystery but only God knows His own purpose why He chose the Jews, only God knows why He set apart a very obscure tribe to be persecuted and to achieve more than anybody else and only God knows why He always gave His favor to the Jews in their stormy journey. In Deuteronomy 7:7, God says, “I chose you because you are more numerous or powerful, and not because you are morally, spiritually, or intellectually superior. You are not. I chose you out of my unknowable will.”

Jewish chosenness is not an enviable state. Sir Isaiah Berlin, who was perhaps the most brilliant British intellectual of this age, kept insisting that the Jews would be better off becoming a normal nation like the Albanians (his example) and not this unique people that spawned so much brilliance and creativity. Berlin added a striking metaphor to his argument. The healthy oyster, so he said, lives and dies in a state of normalcy and never produces a pearl. The pearl is a result of disease in oyster. Berlin wondered if given the choice the oyster would prefer to suffer the disease in order to produce the pearl. So it is with Jews: between persecution by their enemies and their own self-image as a chosen people (Hertzberg and Manheimer: 30). I am an advocate of the given metaphor. I am not skeptical in the relationship of the metaphor to the hounding and triumph of Jews. The metaphysics of Jews has something to do with the divine powers. I personally like Jewish character. Their successes never became a springboard for boastfulness rather an inspiration to do more in a way that it will surprise anybody. I can compare the Jews to a duck seafaring so slickly above the water but down under, they feverishly paddle. Jews work so hard to achieve and surpass other populace but it is never made known to anyone. They remain to be so silent despite of their numerous accomplishments. They let other people discover what they have achieved. That is the true HUMILITY. They are the less-heard and known citizens to some. Not even all have known their impact to the world economy and to the country that we always look upon, the land of milk and honey.

My contentions are: If Jews would have embargo of their stocks in those great and powerful countries, what will emerge? If Jews will freeze their global impact in trade and business, what will happen to the humankind? If Jews will become selfish as regards to their global contribution, what will happen to the world economy? The HUMILITY of Jews will keep things in balance. After all, God would not want them to be immodest. It is their character, lifestyle, and spiritual stability makes them to be liked and to be loved. Their personality opened the heart of God so He poured so many blessings to them and I believe that it was their character that kept the heart of God open for more blessings. I do not sound cynical regarding our own character and of our own present condition. It is really out in the context of gloominess. What I want to happen is Filipinos must have to brood over on the events and accounts that had happen in the lives of Jews and the metaphysics behind their unending success. Do we need to walk in the streets chanting phrases and clauses upholding disrespect to our fellowmen to display democracy? Do Filipinos really need to fight and howl in senate hearings and meetings or in the streets of our business districts? Do we really need to brag how good we are in so many ways? Like in the small wins we have, we already tend to shake the world with our pompous fête. We even fight for the credibility of some but we do not look at ourselves if we do have humility. We cannot tell who is credible unless one will admit his faults. Not all credible persons have humility in their heart but all humble persons are credible. If we will replicate HUMILITY then credibility is not an issue. Humility will suffice the unresolved issues of our lives. Nonetheless, it will teach us to be submissive and to seek more of the divine intervention to solve the issues in our lives and in our country. Moreover, the blessings that are meant for us all will not be hindered any longer; hence, we will become more progressive and productive. If we think like a Jew and act like a Jew, then we will have no enough room for our blessings and the then achievements and successes.