WAS IT WORTH IT? ( A Post Script to Holy Week)

"We are the reason that HE gave HIS life, we are the reason that HE suffered and died, to a world that was lost HE gave all HE could give, to show us the reason to live."

Those are my favorite lines from my favorite song "We Are The Reason". A fitting reminder, and my plea to everyone not to let JESUS' sacrifice go to waste.

Last Maundy Thursday, I once again viewed the film "The Passion of Christ". I guess no other movie could ever depict, as the title goes, the passion of JESUS and how he suffered for us, in a more detailed manner such as this. If you really love him that much, you can not help but be moved and shed tears. The flagellation by the soldiers on his lean body was so inhuman and unbearable. I had to close my eyes every time they would torture and whip him with those thick and heavy chains. I couldn't bear to see the blood streaming all over his face and body. With one eye totally closed as a result of the non stop beating, he endured the heavy cross on his shoulder, the weight of which, together with the excruciating pain in his entire body, caused him to fall countless times.

How unbearable the agony must have been for MAMA MARY to witness her son in such a helpless situation. The pain in her heart must have been twice the physical pain felt by JESUS. One of my favorite scenes in the movie, was when she couldn't bear to go near her son as they were watching him from amongst the crowd carrying his cross all the way to Calvary. St John was beckoning her to go to her son, but she wouldn't bulge from where she was standing. Then suddenly, she remembered the time when as a child, he stumbled and fell. She ran to the crying Jesus and said "Do not worry. I am here". This recollection, coupled with her motherly instinct, made her rush to her bloodied son, and on her knees, once again whispered, "I am here".

Although oblivious to the fact that the FATHER's heart was bleeding as well, but seeing JESUS in such a pitiful state, I couldn't help but ask why HE allowed his Son to go thru all the suffering, pain and humiliation. Of course, I know very well the answer to my own question. Don't we all?

The more important question I asked was, if it was worth it. Why? It's because people seem to have forgotten that JESUS sacrificed his life for us. It's discomforting that aside from not feeling any remorse at all,  some people have also taken for granted the true essence of the Lenten season. They even "celebrate" Holy Week by cavorting on beaches, or having out of the country vacations. This is a time for reflection. Can we not devote just one week for him? Would that be asking too much?

A couple of days after Palm Sunday, someone asked me that all too familiar question, where would I be spending Holy Week? I replied, in church, as I normally do. She said I was corny and that would take the fun out of Holy Week. Fun? Are we supposed to have fun while JESUS is agonizing and would ultimately die on Good Friday? In the Christian world, this is a time for mourning. When people who are close to us pass on, do we not mourn their death? Why then, pray tell me, should we not mourn the death of someone who died for us? He never imposed any condition in exchange for his death. His love was so great that he gave up his life to save us, obviously the most arduous way for anyone to prove his love.

So, if by loving JESUS, appreciating and being grateful for everything he did and continuous to do for me is corny, then so be it.

SMC CORPORATE ACCOUNTING REUNION (MARCH 2, 2013)

Yesterday, March 2, 2013, was another red-letter day for our closely-knit SMC Corporate (Head Office) Accounting family. It was our much anticipated annual reunion held at the Blackwood Bistro situated at The Venice Piazza in Mckinley Hill, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

In attendance were a great majority of our alumni who responded to our invitation, plus the presence of former colleagues from other Departments within the Comptrollership Division, such as Property, Insurance, Budget, etc.

The occasion was also graced by the timely homecoming of "balikbayan" friends (Baby Perete, Cenz Alminiana, Girlie Florin, and Manny Senoran). We entice our colleagues residing in other parts of the globe, to schedule their visit preferably during the first quarter of the year (as we normally hold our reunion around that time) so you can join in the fun.

It was time to rekindle the ties that commenced within the confines of the second floor of our former SMC building in Ayala, and lives on to this very day. What a delight to be in the company of friends whom we regard as our "extended family". Seeing familiar faces brought back a link to the past, a tinge of nostalgia and so many gratifying memories about the good old Ayala days. Everyone was busy reliving our glorious past, while at the same time regaling one another on activities and life after retirement.

There was a point of observation however, which I found rather amusing. Whereas the usual topic of conversations back then centered mostly on closing activities, bowling tournaments and the like, now it deals with senior citizen benefits and SSS pension.

The passing of time seemed to favor us though. Everyone still looked pretty much the same after all these years. Traces of extended waistlines, receding hairlines and a few excess pounds (pun intended) were temporarily dumped into oblivion.

A slideshow presentation featuring a succession of photos from Ayala to Ortigas served as one of the highlights of our reunion. Some snapshots in black and white revealed how vintage some of these photographs were. Fragments of the past brought about a mixture of emotions, joy in reliving the precious moments, but at the same time sad knowing we could never bring them back. Wouldn't it be great if there is a button that we could just press anytime to access a time capsule that could bring us back to the past?

Inspirational messages sprinkled with a bit of humor were shared by Messrs. Paco de Liano, Ber Navarro, Ferdie Constantino and Ms. Vicci Tomas and Amor Iliscupidez. First time attendees also gave us a glimpse of their personal experiences.

It was a wonderful and well-spent afternoon, albeit in the midst of the revelry, we can not help but miss our departed colleagues and longed for their company. Cognizant of the fact that time is an integral factor, we encourage everyone to attend and appreciate occasions like these while we still can, because for all we know, the next time around some of us may no longer be here.

In behalf of my tireless fellow coordinators, Glacie Atencio and Bogs Hermogenes, and our special guest coordinator Baby Perete, we would like to thank everyone for gracing the occasion and making our reunion not only possible, but successful as well. We appreciate your having to throw all your cares to the wind and sacrifice what normally would have been a regular "family day" just so you could share the afternoon with us. Special thanks also goes to Philip Albert Felix for creating the SMC Finance Alumni group on Facebook, Philip Bautista for the slide show presentation and Vicci Tomas for the tokens.

Above all, our deepest gratitude to those who generously doled out from their pockets to augment our funds for the defrayal of expenses. I would rather refrain from naming them individually, because I don't want to offend anyone in case a name or two escapes my memory at the moment. Rest assured however that we kept track of these kind-heart-ed souls.  

We look forward to seeing you all again, with God's grace, next year.

Until then, let us keep SMC Corporate Accounting's spirit alive.

Cheers and God Bless.

FAREWELL TO A DEAR FRIEND (GOODBYE JOSIE)

This is probably the most difficult article I would ever have to write in my life. I dreaded the day when I would finally be saying goodbye to my best friend. This is a very grueling task as I am actually choking with emotion now and the tears blinding my eyes make it even more tedious to write, but I'm doing this for Josie.

Josie and I joined SMC almost at the same time. She was ahead of me by only two weeks. After a few months, Manny Senoran joined the company and the three of us became very close friends. Josie was with our Typing Pool (Ayala days), and with our Beer Section (Ortigas days). She was a very jolly person and sometimes even the most simple things would make us laugh. We also had many things in common which  drew us closer together. She migrated to the US and Manny went to work in Saudi Arabia. Despite the distance, our communication lines remained open,  and we regularly updated each other on our respective activities. Josie and I would communicate thru email every single day.

Sometime in January 2007, I was worried because all of a sudden she stopped replying to my email. Then I received an email from Lu, a friend of hers in San Francisco, that Josie was at the ICU of Kaiser Hospital. At that time I did not know Lu personally, but she said she knew me very well because Josie would always talk about me.She said Josie underwent tracheostomy and since that fateful day, she lost the ability to speak. She stayed at the hospital for a long time. When she was finally allowed to go home, she would again write to me and this went on everyday. The only time I would not receive an email from her was when she was back at the hospital. So every time there was no email, I would worry because it meant only one thing, she was at the ICU again. It would be Lu (upon Josie's request) who would update me. Each time I got an email from Lu, it would take a while before I would open it because I was afraid it might be something negative about Josie.
 
For the past couple of years, she was in pain most of the time. She would tell me that she was already tired of the suffering and pain, and wished it would end soon. She told me her arms were already black and blue as a result of the needles that the nurses inserted for various tests and procedures done on her.

It breaks my heart to hear these words from her. Plus the fact that she was miles away and I could not be by her side  to take care of her. How ironic that when some of our SMC Accounting friends were confined in the hospital, I got to visit and cheer them up, something I wasn't able to do with Josie because she was in Daly City. I tried to console her by telling her not to lose hope for God and Mama Mary would never abandon her. And she would listen to me. I remember the time she was scheduled for a visit with her doctor and she was so afraid because she knew they would be inserting tubes and needles again. I advised her to try something that I always do whenever I visit a doctor or a dentist, and that is to imagine that Jesus is holding one of my hands while Mama Mary is holding the other. Every time I do this, I only feel a minimal amount of pain because I know they are enduring a big part of it for me. The next day, she wrote to me and she was very happy to tell me that it worked because she did not feel any pain at all.

She would often tell me that it was only my email and articles from my blog that would cheer her up. I tried to be strong for her but deep inside I was breaking down. She would open up to me all her problems, fears and insecurities, which I cannot share with you because they were said in strictest confidence, and as a result of which, I will keep under lock and key for the rest of my life.

She would only be happy every time I tell her that we would be having an Accounting reunion. She would get excited and tell me how she wished she could attend. She would ask me to post pictures so she can see our colleagues. I would do that every time and she would be so happy to see familiar faces.

About two months ago, she stopped replying to my email because she was once again taken to the ICU of Kaiser Hospital. Lu said this was the weakest she had seen Josie so far, and I had a feeling the inevitable was near. I get regular updates from Lu. Last Nov. 29 she got an anointing. Two days ago the doctor asked her siblings to be with her at the hospital. I prayed that as much as I still wanted her to live, I leave it all up to God now. If HE thinks it is time that she should rest because 5 years is a long time of suffering, then HIS will be done. I also prayed that if ever she has to go, I hope it would be on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. My prayer was granted. Mama Mary took Josie under her care on the morning of Dec. 8. And even though I knew it was bound to happen, when I got the news from Lu, there was still that piercing pain in my heart. We could never really be prepared for a loved one's death. It's a good thing I got an overseas call from Manny. He was checking on me because he knew I was crying. That phone call helped ease the grief somehow. Thank you Manny.

In what would be Josie's last email to me, she told me " Alam mo, marami akong kin-wento sa iyo." I was surprised and asked her how, because we haven't communicated for a while ever since she was taken back to ICU. She answered, " sa isip ko at sa puso ko nag kwe-kwento ako sa iyo".  Oh my God, I'm crying again.

Goodbye Josie. I will miss you. I will miss our friendship that spanned for 33 years. I will miss our everyday exchange of email. I thank GOD for having shared you with us, with me most especially. Thank you for the friendship. Thank you for loving me.Thank you for being the sister I never had. We'll see each other again, I just don't know when because everything happen's in GOD's time. When that time comes, I know you'll have a lot of stories to share with me because you will be able to speak once again.

Take a rest now my dearest friend. God has set you free from all the pain that held you captive for a long time.  

MY TWO CENTS WORTH ON FACEBOOK

I admit I am far from being techie, but I relish social networking. I find nothing wrong in joining social networking sites for as long as it is used for a good cause and within the bounds of decency.

Of all the social media accounts, I believe Facebook and Twitter have the most number of subscribers. I subscribe to Facebook since there is an option to accept or reject people who want to be friends with you, but not on Twitter where anyone is free to follow and make comments. Of course you can always block them should they cross the line.

Facebook is a great venue for finding long lost friends. I actually have rekindled bonds with friends I haven't seen or heard from in ages. It keeps us connected through status updates, photos and private messages. It also serves as a great tool in coordinating reunions (be it office or otherwise), conveying the sad news of someone's demise, or simply getting a message across. Prayer requests and fund raising for humanitarian reasons are almost always acted upon, thanks to prayer warriors and good samaritans.

Most of the time, I share inspirational quotes/messages with the hope that they serve as reminders for people to reinforce their faith in God.

Every now and then, I also share articles from my blog.

I  upload pictures too, but mostly on office related events for the benefit of colleagues residing abroad. It keeps them abreast of our group's activities here.

For most people, Facebook has become an arena where activities are chronicled such as: what they are doing at the moment, where and what they had for lunch or dinner, or even uploading pictures of newly acquired designer bags for whatever purpose it might be. Add to these the never ending invitation for all sorts of applications and games. It somehow provides an interesting and comic relief of sorts. If it makes them happy, why not?

What I find disturbing though is when people tend to misuse, much more abuse, these networking sites. Amidst all the circus of posts prevalent on Facebook, what I find really unappropriate and unethical for that matter, is when the status reflects unsavory comments about other people. We sometimes come across a criss cross of banters or inuendos being hurled against one who obviously is not in good terms with the other. Some even go to the extent of posting the end of a relationship, including the reason behind it. These things are better kept to oneself, and as a rule of thumb, dirty linen should never be washed in public. Furthermore, always be guided by the dictum that if you can't say anything nice about anyone, then refrain from saying anything at all. Besides, who would care anyway? It is the least of their (Facebook friends) concern. It would be wise to stay away from these networking sites when you are vulnerable or at odds with someone.

In addition, personal matters should be relayed thru a private message instead of on a friend's Wall, unless you want everyone to be privy to your conversations. 

Another point of concern is when friends post birthday greetings on one's Wall and the celebrator issues just a solitary status to acknowedge, e.g. "Thank you to everyone who greeted me on my birthday". I find it a bit impersonal and discomforting. It is more prudent to acknowledge the greetings individually even though you have to type "Thank You......." maybe 500 times or more. The rationale behind it is, if your friends took the effort to greet you, couldn't you at least return the favor by thanking them personally too, regardless of how tedious the task may be? After all, it happens only once a year. Always bear in mind that they have a choice whether to greet you or not, and the mere fact that they chose to do so, means you are precious to them. It therefore merits a sense of gratitude somehow, in a personal way. Of course most people might find it inconvenient, not to mention tiresome, but the trade off is worth it, believe me. I take my hat off to those who actually acknowledge every greeting, but sadly only a handful do so.

The same principle should likewise apply to those who check "Like" on posts made because it means they appreciate what you posted and a simple "Thanks" wouldn't hurt. Besides, isn't it a wonderful feeling to receive a thank you note personally addressed to you? It somehow makes you feel special even for just a moment. Never get tired of expressing your gratitude towards people because a simple "Thank You" goes a long way. 

At the end of the day however, all of these only boil down to one thing. As in everything else, it is  a matter of choice and you have the prerogative to post what you want, but wouldn't it be better if you try to be a little discreet and more considerate of people's feelings? It is of utmost importance to always value and show our respect for others.

After all, what you post is a reflection of your character.

SILENT ANGELS IN MY LIFE

There are people who make a difference in our lives and leave a permanent mark in our hearts.

They are those who go out of their way to please others without even realizing that they have made an impact on someone else's life. And what makes it truly amazing is that they don't even have to try hard enough. All they have to do is be themselves, after all being good is second nature to them. And for someone like me who values even the most simple act of kindness accorded to me, I am truly grateful to these people.

When I think of these kind hearted souls, the first person who comes to mind is my best friend, fashion designer Oskar Peralta, who always finds time for me in his busy schedule. He takes my calls even if he is in the middle of a meeting or attending to a client. I am reminded of something that I read which goes, "Respect the people who find time for you in their busy schedule, but love the people who never look at their schedule when you need them" That indeed is Oskar personified.

Another person whom I have the highest regard for is Dulce, the singer, who happens to be a casual friend. I have admired her for the longest time for having such a forceful voice and for belting out songs in a manner that only she can. But now I admire her even more not only for her voice, but more so because of her character.

And because she happens to be a Facebook friend as well, there never was a time when she did not reply to my messages, and in the shortest time possible for that matter. She always gives me a feeling of importance.

About a week ago, she posted a request for prayers on FB for Tony Espejo (a relative of  mine ) who happens to be the founder and artistic director of Gantimpala Theater Foundation, the theater group of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Tony had a heart attack and was in critical condition at the ICU of Manila Doctors' Hospital and needed to undergo a triple bypass operation.

A couple of days after however, she again posted that Tony passed on. I sent her a private message to ask where the wake is being held. She replied, "found out just now that the wake is at Don Bosco, Makati". So I thanked her for being her usual ever accomodating and unassuming self. I never had the slightest idea that she is in Japan at the moment. No wonder her reply was, "found out just now.........". I suppose she took the time to ask her theater/artist friends here where the wake is being held so she could provide me with details.

I find it so gracious of her to do that. She could just as easily tell me that she was out of the country and to just request the Gantimpala artists for the information I needed. But no, she had to find out for herself so she could provide me with the facts. And to think that my relationship with her is not the same as the one I have with Oskar who is very close to me. If it was Oskar who did that I wouldn't be surprised because it really is his nature, but I find it truly impressive of Dulce who is just an acquaintance to go through all the trouble for me. She truly is of a rare breed and had earned another star in my heart.

They are among the silent angels in my life who do acts of kindness without even being aware of it. It is something habitual in them.

There are a lot out there, and who knows, maybe you and I could be silent angels ourselves.

After all, an act may seem so insignificant for us, but could mean the world to someone.

A TEST OF FAITH

A lot of people, myself included, were disappointed at the outcome of the Pacquiao-Bradley bout. I can say that the decision was indeed unfair. That however is coming from someone who does not claim to be an expert in boxing. Maybe the judges saw it from another point of view, and we have no reason to dispute that.

Almost everyone has already said his/her piece so let's not dwell too much on that anymore.

I would like to explore it though, from a different perspective.

Earlier while I was taking lunch and waiting for the bout to begin, I don't know why all of a sudden, the following thought crossed my mind. We all know that Manny Pacquiao has been a reformed Christian for sometime now. He has openly professed his faith in God and has in fact been preaching his new found faith to others. But what if God decides to put him to a test and not grant him a victory over his opponent? Will his faith remain steadfast and will he still love God?

It is easy to love God when you are given so many blessings in life, but the real test is when setbacks happen. Would you blame HIM, ask why and turn your back on HIM?

When the decision was announced I was stunned, not only because I can't believe the result, but because it was exactly what I was pondering about earlier. Maybe God did put Manny to a test after all. Or could it be that God was probably sending a message that it is time to give way to others, or that Manny is needed more to spread HIS word than in the ring.

We have no way of knowing what goes on in Manny's mind, but if I were to base my opinion on his anwers to interviews, I surmise that he seems to have passed the test. 

If there was something positive that came out of this bout, it was that Manny came out of it unscathed, as opposed to Tim Bradley who had to be taken to the press conference on a wheel chair, and to the hospital soon after.

Manny gained the respect of a lot of people by accepting the judges' decision with grace and humility, exemplified by saying, " Let's give the credit to Bradley ". It also proved to the world that Filipinos know how to accept defeat.

I am sure Manny will be vindicated in their rematch. After all, resilience is one of his traits and like a phoenix, he will soon soar again, and much higher this time.

MEN OF THE HOUR

I am sure no one will disagree with me when I say that Senate President Enrile was the "star of the impeachment proceedings". The senators themselves admitted that no one amongst them could ever do justice to the position of presiding officer as efficiently as the good senator.

He exercised fairness not only to the prosecution and the defense, but to the respondent as well. So much so, that it hurt him when the Chief Justice staged a walkout.

He was the guest at ANC's "Headstart" this morning, and as I was watching him, I admired him even more. The host, Karen Davila asked him how he manages to stay fit, articulate, brilliant, etc., not to mention having a good memory at the age of 88. He said he memorizes poems and reads heavy books. Prior to the trial, he studied and read three books about impeachment. He also advised that no matter how intelligent you are, you should never stop reading. He also watches old/classic movies on television and plays golf whenever time permits.

He not only studied the case on hand and the evidence presented, but observed the senator judges as well. He took out from his wallet, a small piece of paper which contained a handwritten list of how he perceived the senators would vote, which he prepared months ago or about the middle of the trial. It was accurate as he had listed Senators Santiago, Arroyo and Marcos as voting for acquittal, which actually transpired.

He was not ashamed to admit that he met his father only when he was already 21 years old. He was used to being referred to as a bastard. He narrates that his father took him home to live with his family and that his siblings welcomed him and never treated him as a half brother. He harbored no ill feelings towards his father for had he (father) not taken him home when he (father) met him, he wouldn't be where he is now.

When asked if he would be running for President, he said he is too old for that. And even if it would be offered to him on a silver platter he would refuse, but nonetheless thank those who would extend the offer. Being very well versed not only in law and in accounting, but in military matters as well (having been Secretary of National Defense in pre-martial law years), he would have made a good President. But maybe he was meant to serve on a different capacity, and he did serve very well.

There was another man who stole the show on the day the verdict came out, no less than Senator Lapid. Everyone was looking forward to how he would defend his vote. He stepped on the rostrum with no prepared speech like the others. He said you are probably wondering what a mere high school graduate and someone who can't speak English would have to say. He admitted he couldn't quote any Republic Act because no one would believe him anyway, but would merely base his vote on his conscience and what he believes is right. I was deeply touched when he said in the vernacular, " Mr. Chief Justice naniwala ako sa inyo. Akala ko totoo ang sinasabi ninyo, yon pala hindi. Pasensya na po, pasensya na po, but I vote guilty ". Such a simple and straight to the point statement, coming from his heart.

For me, it weighed more than all the lenghty narratives of the other learned senators. He was Juan dela Cruz personified, a true representation of how the lowly man on the street understood the impeachment proceedings and would have voted given the chance.

Kudos to Senators Enrile and Lapid. These two gentlemen may have an obvious and glaring disparity in terms of intellectual capability, but in the end, they were one in their verdict and that's all that matters.