Life is like the seasons, sunny and bright on summer, weary and cold on winter, happy and blithe on spring, and gloomy and dreary on fall.
And like the trees and the birds, we have to live our life whatever season it is; go along with the cycle and hurdle the consequences.
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One of the pillars and can be considered the father of the Philippine News AGency (PNA), the government-run news wire agency, Jose L. Pavia or JLP to everyone is a person to reckon with. Tall with booming voice, you will be intimidated by his looks but no, he is compassionate and a good manager.
I remember when I applied for the job as a reporter he refused to hire me saying I am too young (I was 20 years old, fresh graduate from college) small and too fragile to be a cub reporter (title for newbies). He impressed on me that the job is not easy and threw one of the famous Filipino jokes saying "Pinabili ka lang ng nanay mo ng suka sa tindahan, dito ka na nagtuloy." (Your mom just asked you to buy vinegar from the store, you proceeded here instead). It took him three hours before he finally say okay. It was an interview that turned out to be a casual talk. He didn't ask any complicated questions but instead tried to discourage me from pursuing the job by saying the many tough challenges I will face as a reporter. True to what he has said, my first month was a tough experience but I pulled through. We seldom talk but his words served as my encouragement to learn the ropes of reporting. My being a PNAer has been a great advantage, had I not started my career there as a reporter, I would have not accomplished what I did during my active years as a reporter. My gratitude to JLP (and to other editors of the PNA) for the opportunity given to me, for growing with them and for honing my writing skills. So long JLP, we never had a chance to work together longer but I know you will remember me as the young girl who insisted that I can be a tough reporter despite my physical frailties.... (written after my former classmates gave me a birthday treat)
Last night was one of the most memorable moments in my life....had the chance to bond with my former classmates. The 30 years of absence of communication did not diminish the camaraderie we used to have. Ours is a friendship that crosses no borders and timeless. And it was heartwarming, they brought a birthday cake with my name written on it complete with candle....haven't remember doing that for long...blowing the candle and cutting the cake... Yesterday was also a realization that we do not have to look and long for people who seemed to have forgotten us. We do not have to hold on to memories that would just make us cry... We just have to live for the day, cherish the moments we have at hand and be thankful that we have friends who do not forget us.... To all of you, my sincerest gratitude...Thank You, Grazie, Tusen Takk, Tack sa Mycket, Gracias, Maraming Salamat. G While the road called life is both smooth and bumpy, let's just enjoy our ride and savor the sceneries. Have a blessed week everyone ♥.
Weekend once again, time to cap the week though we don't stop our daily, hourly, and minutely moments. Let us pause for a while and savor the beauty around us... bright sun, blue sky and the crisp cold winter wind bidding its farewell. God helg alle sammen ♥
Glad to be young
I was two years old when Papa left us for another woman. But despite my very tender age, I can still recall the scene during that day… the scene but I could not recall any feeling of sadness, anger or worry. That’s the beauty of being young and innocent…. we are spared from feeling sad, worried and angry. I just realized it today, how difficult if feels when you are left and abandoned by your partner. After hearing from a friend that her partner of 10 years left her for another woman, I felt a heavy pounding in my chest. I am just a receiver of the news but I felt sad and it made me wonder, why did this happen? And it has affected my mood, the day I heard the news. I could not concentrate on writing my term paper. It somehow ruined my day….why…I do not know. If this has been my reaction to the news….surely the person involved is feeling worser than I do. And I realized that had I been older when Papa left us, maybe, I will feel the same. Glad our case was over when I was younger. I was spared from a great deal of sadness and anxiety trying to comprehend why he left us. If only we could remain young and innocent forever….there would be no feeling of sadness, worry, anger and anxiety…. Marriage among Filipinos is synonymous to SACRIFICE, especially to women. More often, battered wives suffer in silence for fear of being ostracized. Male egoism is so high in the Philippine society that failed marriage is attributed mostly to women. And as religion plays a big role in the Philippine culture, it is common for couples to continue living together despite their failed marriage to keep up with the doctrine that "what God has put together, let no man shall separate them." Women rights and gender equality are purportedly high in the Philippines; however, getting out from failed marriage is a tedious and expensive process. The absence of divorce left the aggrieved party to opt for either legal separation or filing of annulment case. Legal separation, does not, however, allow the parties to remarry. Anyone who remarries and whose marriage has not been annulled, although legally separated, can be charged with bigamy. The annulment process, on the other hand, has difficult grounds before the marriage is declared null and void. (http://jlp-law.com/blog/annulment-divorce-legal-separation-in-the-philippines-questions-and-answers/) The only predominantly-Catholic nation in Asia, divorce, mixed marriage, abortion and even the use of contraceptive are among the social issues which the church actively campaign against with. Several times, bills and legislation calling for the adoption of divorce has been blocked and failed to pass at both, the upper and the lower houses. The church has so much influence to the Filipino people that even the politicians shy away from supporting the bills and legislations on divorce for fear that they will lose their votes on election times. With the absence of a clear law that will free couples from the bondage of their failed marriage, they, particularly the financially unlucky, are locked in their dilemma to hold on to their marriage or leave their spouses, find a new partner and live in “sin.” This situation leads me to the question, should divorce be adopted in the Philippines, could it be called a social revolution or moral degradation? My 18-year-old son says it is social revolution and I agree. What do you think? |
AuthorA mother, an aunt, a sister and a friend, they embody Archives
February 2014
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