ato-ato lang

A Life Well-Lived

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Some questions as the first month of the year is coming to an end...

Why do we wait for people to die before we say good things about the person?
Have I been a blessing to others?
Have I been a good Christian?
Have I had a life well-lived?
Have I lived according to my purpose?

How could I be a blessing?
How can I be a better Christian?
How should I live each day of my life?

If there's a Will, there's a Way

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:58:00 +0000

Kung gusto, may paraan
Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan.

A Beautiful Sighting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 02:06:00 +0000

As I sat and savored the beauty of being up on the air and looking over the beauty of creation from a plane's window (on a Bacolod to Cebu flight) yesterday, September 10, 2010, I caught this beautiful sighting:

The shadow of the plane on the clouds over a rainbow

Awesome!

Thank you Lord for the gift of sight!

Three Steps to Asking for Forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:03:00 +0000

1. "I'm sorry."

2. "It's my fault."

3. "How do I make it right?"

-Taken from Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture"

The Youngest Santa Claus

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:20:00 +0000

The award goes to my 3-year old nephew, Damian who
goes out of his way to bring food for his friends.

He probably thinks there's an endless supply
where they come from.

Message to the Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:37:00 +0000

Let the rain pour,
the sun shine
Embrace the stars.

Delicate Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:16:00 +0000

Broken
Crushed
Smashed
Scattered

Walking quietly
Gathering gently
the shattered pieces

Miss Universe 2010 Question

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:56:00 +0000

Please allow me to join the bandwagon and answer one of the most talked about Miss Universe question these days .... at least in the Philippines - - -

What is one big mistake that you did in your life? And what did you do to make it right?

My one big mistake is not loving enough. And when I do love, it's not showing and expressing that love enough. Choosing to love and showing it is still a work-in-progress for me. Deciding to love unconditionally every moment is still a challenge. Recognizing this, I try to start with something easy - - - at home by loving my nephews and nieces. Just recently I reminded them to be good and if for some reason they think they have done something bad, they should remember not to fear coming home for at home love awaits them without judgment.

I wish it were that easy when it comes to dealing with adults.
Well, one step at a time and one loving moment at a time.

For after all, love is really all there is.

Love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:29:00 +0000

Love
Be love
Be loved
Beloved.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Another Answered Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:36:00 +0000

On my flight from LA to Korea, I prayed for a good-looking and nice smelling seat mate.
You know who He gave me?

Predictably, God that He is, He sent me what I actually needed and preferred ---
No One.

That means, more space.
In a cramped, economy section of a B747-400, that was a very welcome space.

So when it was obvious that No One was showing up for that middle seat, the nice, old Korean gentleman (seated at the window side) and I (seated a the aisle side) could not help but share a thankful and triumphant smile!

We shared a number of smiles after that.
Towards the end of the flight, we shared a bond enough for him to ask me my share of the food served to us (that I was not eating) for him to eat. Hahaha!

Ah! The simple joys of life!
Space. Smiles. Friends.
Giving. Receiving. Sharing.
Answered prayers.

Student for Life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:42:00 +0000

"You should have been done with school years ago," my sister said to me this January 2010.
It was a comment after I told her "I am done with school."

And yet, yesterday, I was at the Library of Congress researching for my class on Alternative Dispute Resolution. It excited me!

And the thought of flipping over the book pages, reading more and learning more and more exhilarated me. And now I'm thinking of looking for research fellowships.

The acquisition of knowledge is addicting.
Hmm...So that's probably why they ate the apple.

What is Your Word?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:59:00 +0000

In Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert writes that her friend Luca Spaghetti claims:

Every person and city has a word.

Like for example, Rome is "sex"; the Vatican, "power"
New York, "achieve"; Stockholm is "conform" and Naples is "fight"

So what's my word?

"Laughter" does not feel right.
"Light" is contrived.
My friend Aileen jokingly asks if it's "complicated."

"Kaleidoscope" or "Paradox"
are almost there but not quite.

Perhaps two words will do the trick.

Passion&Delight

Yes, so it is.

What is your word?

All True

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:14:00 +0000

I like roller coaster rides.
I don't like roller coaster rides.

I like solving puzzles.
I don't like solving puzzles.

I like playing games.
I don't like playing games.

All true.

Secret to Success

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:09:00 +0000

Time and again, this has been true for me:

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

I read that in a magazine somewhere and as I google it,
I learn it's a quote from Woody Allen.

Thanks Mr. Allen.
Life is better lived indeed when we are actually there to live it.

Nothing To Do

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:50:00 +0000

Funny how family and friends perceive me as not having something to do.

There are gazillion things to do.
I just don't like "busy" as an excuse.

So, I make time for family and friends.
Chat is not idle.
It's sharing memories with loved ones.

Conversations on the Road

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Amazing how drivers on the road can converse with each other simply by using sign language and lights.

Random Acts of Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Aren't they heartwarming and fun?

Last week, I went to the post office to mail a voucher. I only needed one stamp but the automated machine won't let me.

So I told the lady behind me to go ahead of me instead while I stand on the side and wrestle with my mind how not to spend too much money on stamps I may not use.

Okay I was not silently thinking. I was thinking out loud. And sure enough the lady heard me.

After she bought her stamps she turns to me and beaming widely hands over to me a stamp. She even peeled it from the paper and had it ready for me to use right there and then.

Nice. Isn't it?

Thank you very much, ma'am. It sure made my day.

It's Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:23:00 +0000

Over and over
I promise myself
to blog again.

But never got around to it.
Until now.

Welcome back to me!
Hahaha

Where Have All The Scrunchies Gone?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:56:00 +0000

Tell me. Just how many scrunchies have you had? And where have they all gone? Where do they go?

This goes too for all socks, gloves, pins, pens, paper clips, etc. that somehow just disappears.

Just where do they go?

Boy Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:22:00 +0000

I have a boy friend. His name is Edu. He is sooo cute! He is the boy next door.

I've met his loving and doting maternal and paternal grandmothers. Since they are from Peru, I TRY to converse with them in Spanish. And when the going gets tough, Edu translates for us.

He is sooo adorable.

He is celebrating his birthday this April 27. He is turning six.

That's the story of my boy friend. You should meet him. :)

Do you speak English?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:19:00 +0000

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

I open the house's main door. I see a lady standing on the threshold holding a clipboard.

"Are you the owner of the house?" She asks.

I shake my head.

"Do you know when is the best time for me to come so I can speak with the owner of the house?"

I again shake my head.

"Do you speak English?"

I nod.

"Okay, thank you. Bye."

Well, I just had to share that. I find it funny.

Oops, wrong hymn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:38:00 +0000

On Sunday masses, I am one of those that sing like I am part of the choir. Come on, this is praising, right? So why not sing to our heart's content! :)

So last Sunday I did just that. Listening to the crowd and not looking at the guide I chanted something like,

"Shed us some light, Oh God!"

A few repetitions thereafter, I scanned at the Mass guide for the day. To my mixed amusement and embarrassment the right response read,

"Shepherd me, Oh God!"

Oops, wrong hymn. I wonder if that made our loving and fun God laugh. Hehehe.

Welcome back!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:54:00 +0000

After months of silence, I come back with a list of blessings to thank and praise God for:

Life - - - Somewhere I read that our mere existence should be reason enough for us to celebrate.

Family - - - I especially thank my family for just being there and for the patience. A special shout out to the best mom (according to me) in the world - - - which of course, is my mom. Yehey!

Friends - - - At some point, I awoke from this egotistical presumption that I have enough friends to last me a lifetime. One can never have too many friends – Dunbar’s number, notwithstanding.

Freedom - - - Being able to feel the sun, snow, wind, rain…. being able to dance, sing, laugh, run, dream, soar …. Magical!

Beauty - - - To borrow from Desiderata, I quote, “with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”

Indeed, there is so much more to be thankful about --- good health, knowledge (hopefully in time wisdom), opportunities, humor, joy, and hope.

And above all these, I am thankful for God’s peace and love. :-)

Belated happy valentine’s everyone! Although I do agree with some friends like Aileen that Valentine’s day is “overrated.” Haha. But that’s another entry for another day perhaps.

In the Nick of Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:34:00 +0000

Married for more than two years with no baby yet - - -
Nope that’s not me but some of my friends.

Sometimes I run out of comforting words to convey to them how, just as sure as I’ve met a drunk bird (which is another story), God will provide in His own time. My experiences tell me so.

Okay, so I am not married and therefore never had a baby… but in my single life, it is tested and proven that the Great Provider gives in the nick of time.

Just before I wanted to give up and return back to Cebu for not finding a job in Manila right after I took the bar exam, He found me a job at the UP Law Center Institute of Judicial Administration. I was then able to travel around the country with new found friends and colleagues.

Just before I could not afford to fend for myself in Manila after resigning from UP, He gave me a job in the Ateneo Human Rights Center that took me to different parts of the world. I also met new friends and formed deeper friendships with old ones.

Just when I thought my life was going nowhere after resigning from Ateneo, He gave me a scholarship in the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, which took me to, well, South Bend. It might not be a big city but it was perfect for me at that particular point of my life. He also gave me new friends and some deeper bonds are still in process.

Just when I was desperately praying for a post-graduate internship, He gave me one with the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Human Rights Center in Washington, D.C. I start with them soon.

Just when I was close to not breathing - worrying about my employment authorization, I got an email from the USCIS that they have ordered the processing of my card. Whew!

Of course the list goes on. I have so many other stories. But I will stop here and pay attention to your own stories of how you’ve received an overflowing of blessings in the nick of time. I’m listening. Please do share.

To God be the glory!

Psalm 23:1-6

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:29:00 +0000

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.