Tuesday, January 31, 2017
XI. BOXING IS NOT ABOUT FIGHTING
Mike Tyson fought 13 times in his first year as a professional. When asked, his trainer Cus D' Amato said he has to to keep him out of trouble. He became one of the most feared fighter in the heavyweight division until D' Amato died and he lost his sense of direction. He fought for 20 until he lost via TKO to Kevin McBride in 2005. Retired and a constant follower of Manny Pacquiao seeing himself in Manny's fighting style. And he gave this advice to Pacman :
" I use to have an entourage of 30 people, now I'm just another face in the crowd. Cannot blame anyone for my miseries but I learned more from them than I did fighting. "
Boxing is not about fighting - its an art, a sweet science as defined by Bert Sugar. You cannot excel in the sports unless you are able to separate the man and the fighter in you. Boxers like two gladiators stand against each other inside the ring trying to psyche each other out for they know that to win in the intimidation game is half a battle won. The sound of the first bell gives you a chance to size each other out, measure the distance and test the power of your opponent. From then on as you mix it up, all your training and conditioning will go to work and usually the one better gifts prevail. The heart and courage helps a lot but against an accomplished fighter, you need more than just hunger and desire to win.
The movie " A Million Dollar Baby " is the best boxing movie I have seen for it shows what boxing is really all about. Rocky series is still my favorite but Clint's direction of the movie and Morgan Freeman providing support to Hilary Swank more than make up for the message of the movie. Some of the best movie about boxing are :
1. Rocky I to VI ( Sylvester Stallone )
2. The Cinderella Man ( Russel Crowe )
3. The Power of One ( Morgan Freeman )
4. The Champ ( Jon Voight )
5. The Fighter ( Mark Walhberg )
6. The Raging Bull ( Robert De Niro )
7. The Greatest ( Muhammad Ali )
8. Somebody Up There Likes Me ( Paul Newman )
9. Requiem for a Heavyweight ( Anthony Quinn )
10. Creed ( Michael B. Jordan )
11. The Hurricane ( Denzel Washington )
12. Tyson ( Michael Jae White )
" I use to have an entourage of 30 people, now I'm just another face in the crowd. Cannot blame anyone for my miseries but I learned more from them than I did fighting. "
Boxing is not about fighting - its an art, a sweet science as defined by Bert Sugar. You cannot excel in the sports unless you are able to separate the man and the fighter in you. Boxers like two gladiators stand against each other inside the ring trying to psyche each other out for they know that to win in the intimidation game is half a battle won. The sound of the first bell gives you a chance to size each other out, measure the distance and test the power of your opponent. From then on as you mix it up, all your training and conditioning will go to work and usually the one better gifts prevail. The heart and courage helps a lot but against an accomplished fighter, you need more than just hunger and desire to win.
The movie " A Million Dollar Baby " is the best boxing movie I have seen for it shows what boxing is really all about. Rocky series is still my favorite but Clint's direction of the movie and Morgan Freeman providing support to Hilary Swank more than make up for the message of the movie. Some of the best movie about boxing are :
1. Rocky I to VI ( Sylvester Stallone )
2. The Cinderella Man ( Russel Crowe )
3. The Power of One ( Morgan Freeman )
4. The Champ ( Jon Voight )
5. The Fighter ( Mark Walhberg )
6. The Raging Bull ( Robert De Niro )
7. The Greatest ( Muhammad Ali )
8. Somebody Up There Likes Me ( Paul Newman )
9. Requiem for a Heavyweight ( Anthony Quinn )
10. Creed ( Michael B. Jordan )
11. The Hurricane ( Denzel Washington )
12. Tyson ( Michael Jae White )
Monday, January 30, 2017
X. MUHAMMAD ALI IS NO BOXER - BERT SUGAR
Only Bert Sugar can say it without getting himself into trouble. He is one of the most recognized boxing analyst and historian aside from owning and editing Boxing Illustrated Magazine and The Ring Magazine. He recognized Ali as one of the greatest fighter of all time but advised upcoming boxers never to do an Ali.
He said Ali is no boxer defying everything a boxing trainer teaches his boxers. He seldom follow the advice of his corner during fights and do things a boxer should not do inside the ring. He leans back too far, never punches in the body, keep his hands low, and talks a lot when he's fighting. But truly gifted as he was, he was able to get away with his antics because of his amazing speed. A lot of fighters tried to imitate the man but only a handful was able to mimic his style successfully. Indeed, Muhammad Ali is one phenomenon in the world of boxing.
He was so good during his prime that he can take full control of every fight he was in predicting the round when his opponent will fall. His career was interrupted by almost 4 years as he dodged the draft and fought for his right up to the Supreme Court. It may have dented his boxing career but it paved way for him to be recognized as a champion of Black people's right to be treated as equals. He became a world symbol against racism and the only universal champion taking on challengers in different parts of the world.
Years after his retirement, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Among the first to know was his good friend, world famous TV announcer and commentator Howard Cossel but the latter refused to interview Ali on TV 'cause he believe he should not exploit the situation. Ali was still in the state of self-denial but months later he said on an interview that people should not pity him for he's had a life other people just dream of. Of all the millions of fighters fighting for recognition he managed to be dubbed as the greatest, and he never asked God why him. Now that he's down, he would never ask God why for he knew that God has other plans for him. From his own words - " I am not the greatest, God is the greatest.
Muhammad Ali's boxing career was indeed only a vehicle for his spiritual development. After his retirement he went around the world wherever he was invited to talk not about his glorious boxing reign but about how great God was and how we hould submit to His will. God gave him a great gift to shock the world, and He took it away but left him with an enlightened soul.
He said Ali is no boxer defying everything a boxing trainer teaches his boxers. He seldom follow the advice of his corner during fights and do things a boxer should not do inside the ring. He leans back too far, never punches in the body, keep his hands low, and talks a lot when he's fighting. But truly gifted as he was, he was able to get away with his antics because of his amazing speed. A lot of fighters tried to imitate the man but only a handful was able to mimic his style successfully. Indeed, Muhammad Ali is one phenomenon in the world of boxing.
He was so good during his prime that he can take full control of every fight he was in predicting the round when his opponent will fall. His career was interrupted by almost 4 years as he dodged the draft and fought for his right up to the Supreme Court. It may have dented his boxing career but it paved way for him to be recognized as a champion of Black people's right to be treated as equals. He became a world symbol against racism and the only universal champion taking on challengers in different parts of the world.
Years after his retirement, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Among the first to know was his good friend, world famous TV announcer and commentator Howard Cossel but the latter refused to interview Ali on TV 'cause he believe he should not exploit the situation. Ali was still in the state of self-denial but months later he said on an interview that people should not pity him for he's had a life other people just dream of. Of all the millions of fighters fighting for recognition he managed to be dubbed as the greatest, and he never asked God why him. Now that he's down, he would never ask God why for he knew that God has other plans for him. From his own words - " I am not the greatest, God is the greatest.
Muhammad Ali's boxing career was indeed only a vehicle for his spiritual development. After his retirement he went around the world wherever he was invited to talk not about his glorious boxing reign but about how great God was and how we hould submit to His will. God gave him a great gift to shock the world, and He took it away but left him with an enlightened soul.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
IX. YES TRUE LOVE'S A MANY SPLENDORED THING
Love is a many splendor thing, its the April rose
that on grows in the early spring ...
Love is nature's way of giving, a reason to be living
the golden crown that makes a man a king ...
Once on a high and windy hill, in the morning mist
two lovers kissed and the world stood still
Then your fingers touched my lonely heart
and taught it how to sing ...
Yes true love's ... a many splendor thing
I wrote poems, love letters and love notes during those days hoping that the woman of my desire would reciprocate with a smile. So many loves, so many dreams until you find the right one and now I need only one word to describe the woman I love - happiness.
Its a feeling born out of understanding and sharing everything that comes our way be it good or bad. Realizing that both of you have flaws and imperfections, never argued about reasons, just the plain feeling that each one just wanted the best for each other. The common notion that at times things doesn't always turn out right and mistakes are just part of figuring out how to do better the next time around.
Maybe 30 is not long enough proof , but we have prepared for another 30 if fate would allow us the time. Except for 5 kids with bright hopes, we have nothing to show that our marriage worked. No house, no car, no money in the bank, not even a TV set at home, but hoping that next year after our 4th kid graduates from college things would be a lot different. We fell, we lost everything we've worked for, we're neck deep in debt, but like the spirit of the mythical phoenix we'll rise again.
Age may have caught up with us for gone is the beauty that once enchanted me. Beauty is but a fading flower, yet things need not fade the same way. The closeness, the nearness that welded our lives together is just as important as the pauses and the spaces we allow ourselves to have. Its not only about being with each other most of the time but about knowing that even in the baddest time your partner will always be there.
As the saying goes " The door to happiness is a very narrow one that only one person can pass through -- so you must become one "
that on grows in the early spring ...
Love is nature's way of giving, a reason to be living
the golden crown that makes a man a king ...
Once on a high and windy hill, in the morning mist
two lovers kissed and the world stood still
Then your fingers touched my lonely heart
and taught it how to sing ...
Yes true love's ... a many splendor thing
I wrote poems, love letters and love notes during those days hoping that the woman of my desire would reciprocate with a smile. So many loves, so many dreams until you find the right one and now I need only one word to describe the woman I love - happiness.
Its a feeling born out of understanding and sharing everything that comes our way be it good or bad. Realizing that both of you have flaws and imperfections, never argued about reasons, just the plain feeling that each one just wanted the best for each other. The common notion that at times things doesn't always turn out right and mistakes are just part of figuring out how to do better the next time around.
Maybe 30 is not long enough proof , but we have prepared for another 30 if fate would allow us the time. Except for 5 kids with bright hopes, we have nothing to show that our marriage worked. No house, no car, no money in the bank, not even a TV set at home, but hoping that next year after our 4th kid graduates from college things would be a lot different. We fell, we lost everything we've worked for, we're neck deep in debt, but like the spirit of the mythical phoenix we'll rise again.
Age may have caught up with us for gone is the beauty that once enchanted me. Beauty is but a fading flower, yet things need not fade the same way. The closeness, the nearness that welded our lives together is just as important as the pauses and the spaces we allow ourselves to have. Its not only about being with each other most of the time but about knowing that even in the baddest time your partner will always be there.
As the saying goes " The door to happiness is a very narrow one that only one person can pass through -- so you must become one "
Thursday, January 26, 2017
VIII. ITS BETTER TO FOLLOW HEART
What are you becoming is more important than what you are accomplishing. A few years from now you will be disappointed not by the things you failed to do but by the things you wanted to do but didn't do. You don't have to prove yourself to anyone or heed other people's advice on how to fix your life - you may fail, you may lose, but failure is never permanent, you can always make a new start. They say that God gives you a direction in life but God too allows U turns.
Some years back a newspaper made a survey - " Who are the happiest people ? ". Four answers were chosen as winners, as follows :
A craftsman or artist whistling over a job well done
A child building sand castles
A mother bathing her baby
A doctor who has finished a difficult operation and saved a life
I got this articles from the book P. S. I Love You : When Mom wrote she always saved the best for you. Its a good book with plenty of inspiring notes - a mother to a son or a daughter.
And of course let me share to you the words of one of the greatest president who guided the United States through the darkest and bloodiest years of its nationhood ;
" If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for another business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can ; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference. "
Following your heart may not bring you glory, it may not bring you fame and money, but surely it would bring you happiness. The kind of happiness that Oliver Barret had in "Oliver's Story", and Superman giving up all his powers just to have a normal life with Louis Lane.
I have been a bookseller for 26 years and I have met thousands of people who had a common love love for reading. People read books for different reasons but a great majority of them want books irregardless of its genre, to have a touch of romance or sort of love encounters in them. They are always excited to know who gets the girl in the end.
Book readers read to satisfy their taste for knowledge and adventure but they always have a place in their heart for great lovers.
Some years back a newspaper made a survey - " Who are the happiest people ? ". Four answers were chosen as winners, as follows :
A craftsman or artist whistling over a job well done
A child building sand castles
A mother bathing her baby
A doctor who has finished a difficult operation and saved a life
I got this articles from the book P. S. I Love You : When Mom wrote she always saved the best for you. Its a good book with plenty of inspiring notes - a mother to a son or a daughter.
And of course let me share to you the words of one of the greatest president who guided the United States through the darkest and bloodiest years of its nationhood ;
" If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for another business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can ; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference. "
Following your heart may not bring you glory, it may not bring you fame and money, but surely it would bring you happiness. The kind of happiness that Oliver Barret had in "Oliver's Story", and Superman giving up all his powers just to have a normal life with Louis Lane.
I have been a bookseller for 26 years and I have met thousands of people who had a common love love for reading. People read books for different reasons but a great majority of them want books irregardless of its genre, to have a touch of romance or sort of love encounters in them. They are always excited to know who gets the girl in the end.
Book readers read to satisfy their taste for knowledge and adventure but they always have a place in their heart for great lovers.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
VII. SOMETIMES A GOOD SCARE IS WORTH MORE THAN A GOOD ADVICE
One of the proudest moment of my grade school years was when I got into a fight with a school bully. He was the son of the school janitor, a year older, and a head taller than I was. We were playing marbles when he ruined our game and tried to muscle me when I protested. He pushed me back so I retaliated with punch that almost knocked him down. We fought and I was giving him a beating when other schoolmates separated us. I was hardly marked and I can very well see the look of admiration especially from my classmates. Some of them too were bullied by the guy and in that day they looked at me like I was their champion.
That day changed my grade school life and making friends was a lot easier than before. From a company of three our group grew to about a dozen and with our number other groups avoided us. We got into some school skirmishes and we turned from good guys to bad guys. The next year we got into a fight with another group and to avoid a gang war I was paired with the other group's leader and we squared off after school. He was lot bigger than I was so I was hit a lot of times before I was able to wrestle him to the ground and started to pummel him to submission. It was a close call and it was then that I realize that I would get into a lot more trouble if I continue hanging out with the group.
I learned a good lesson out of that fight and it was then that I thought of learning Karate. I started watching Karate movies of Tony Ferrer and Roberto Gonzales hoping to pick up some techniques. Before going home I sometimes drop by Vilcat Karate Club to watch people including some kids practicing Karate. I still got into some fights thereafter but at least for some good reasons. I was small for my age so I got bullied a lot and I had to fight my way out most of the time.
Fighting had been a part of my young life and I could really say that luck was always with me for I never got hurt seriously from those encounters. I did a lot of things in those days that I'm not proud of and those little scares taught me a lesson - fighting is a serious business. I honed my boxing skills and later in life put up a fight club of my own.
I studied Aikido and Muay Tai and after a couple of years of training I realized that the deeper purpose of martial arts is just a vehicle for personal spiritual development. Its not just about acquiring skills to defend one's self but also to learn how to react to violence.
To go up against opponents not to hurt or defeat them but to measure up your skills against another individual is the true essence of martial arts. Hate have no place for fighting for it clouds the mind and dull your reflexes. You match your techniques against another to see what techniques you're lacking and learn from each other's mistakes. Its the kind of personal satisfaction only fighters understand cause they have experienced how it is to fit your skills against another. How you see respect in your opponents' eyes not because you are able to hurt them but morely because you are able to withstand their power.
That day changed my grade school life and making friends was a lot easier than before. From a company of three our group grew to about a dozen and with our number other groups avoided us. We got into some school skirmishes and we turned from good guys to bad guys. The next year we got into a fight with another group and to avoid a gang war I was paired with the other group's leader and we squared off after school. He was lot bigger than I was so I was hit a lot of times before I was able to wrestle him to the ground and started to pummel him to submission. It was a close call and it was then that I realize that I would get into a lot more trouble if I continue hanging out with the group.
I learned a good lesson out of that fight and it was then that I thought of learning Karate. I started watching Karate movies of Tony Ferrer and Roberto Gonzales hoping to pick up some techniques. Before going home I sometimes drop by Vilcat Karate Club to watch people including some kids practicing Karate. I still got into some fights thereafter but at least for some good reasons. I was small for my age so I got bullied a lot and I had to fight my way out most of the time.
Fighting had been a part of my young life and I could really say that luck was always with me for I never got hurt seriously from those encounters. I did a lot of things in those days that I'm not proud of and those little scares taught me a lesson - fighting is a serious business. I honed my boxing skills and later in life put up a fight club of my own.
I studied Aikido and Muay Tai and after a couple of years of training I realized that the deeper purpose of martial arts is just a vehicle for personal spiritual development. Its not just about acquiring skills to defend one's self but also to learn how to react to violence.
To go up against opponents not to hurt or defeat them but to measure up your skills against another individual is the true essence of martial arts. Hate have no place for fighting for it clouds the mind and dull your reflexes. You match your techniques against another to see what techniques you're lacking and learn from each other's mistakes. Its the kind of personal satisfaction only fighters understand cause they have experienced how it is to fit your skills against another. How you see respect in your opponents' eyes not because you are able to hurt them but morely because you are able to withstand their power.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
VI. KIDS ...THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE
American Indians believe that every child is born with 2 wolves inside them, the good wolf and the bad wolf. Always a fight between the two spirits - the one you feed is the one who wins.
In Ancient China, the monks always fall prey to bandits so they developed Kung Fu to defend themselves. They studied different animals like monkey, the snake, the mongoose, and the crane techniques in fighting off their natural enemies, and adopted their fighting styles. But their efforts were not enough to ward off the bandits until one day when they came across a village plundered by bandits. Everyone was killed except for a baby which they took to the monastery. The monks took turns taking care of the baby until one day the Master noticed something different. He observed that when you allow the baby to clutch your finger, its grip tightens each time you try to pull it away. Without much effort and acting on instinct the baby reacts by reflex. The master knew then that that kind of reflex action - the inner strength or chi - should be developed by every warrior to be able to defeat the bandits. It was then that martial arts was born - aside from learning the techniques inner strength must also be developed for it to become effective.
It was also from children that Confusius likened the true art of forgiving. Children when they fight, they really try to hurt each other. But after a few moments, they forget about their anger and play as if nothing has happened. Confucius taught that if only adults act like like children there could be real peace for faults are easily forgotten and they go back to normal once the conflict is settled. To forgive you must also learn to forget the hurt and the faults.
As parents we like to teach our kids how lead a good life but if you would only spend more time with them we'll learn what life is really all about. It pays to listen to them, what they have to say may not sound logical at times but they sure are worth pondering about. They are a reflection of how we were in our past life and its our second chance to rectify some of the things we did wrong. The time we spend with them maybe the best chance we'll ever get to have a real feel of being alive. Its the next best thing to falling in love.
In Ancient China, the monks always fall prey to bandits so they developed Kung Fu to defend themselves. They studied different animals like monkey, the snake, the mongoose, and the crane techniques in fighting off their natural enemies, and adopted their fighting styles. But their efforts were not enough to ward off the bandits until one day when they came across a village plundered by bandits. Everyone was killed except for a baby which they took to the monastery. The monks took turns taking care of the baby until one day the Master noticed something different. He observed that when you allow the baby to clutch your finger, its grip tightens each time you try to pull it away. Without much effort and acting on instinct the baby reacts by reflex. The master knew then that that kind of reflex action - the inner strength or chi - should be developed by every warrior to be able to defeat the bandits. It was then that martial arts was born - aside from learning the techniques inner strength must also be developed for it to become effective.
It was also from children that Confusius likened the true art of forgiving. Children when they fight, they really try to hurt each other. But after a few moments, they forget about their anger and play as if nothing has happened. Confucius taught that if only adults act like like children there could be real peace for faults are easily forgotten and they go back to normal once the conflict is settled. To forgive you must also learn to forget the hurt and the faults.
As parents we like to teach our kids how lead a good life but if you would only spend more time with them we'll learn what life is really all about. It pays to listen to them, what they have to say may not sound logical at times but they sure are worth pondering about. They are a reflection of how we were in our past life and its our second chance to rectify some of the things we did wrong. The time we spend with them maybe the best chance we'll ever get to have a real feel of being alive. Its the next best thing to falling in love.
Monday, January 23, 2017
V. THE BEST THING TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
Every composer knows that to be able to come up with a good song you must leave some moments when the singer can pause and breath while dishing out the tune. Real music is when during the moment of silence you have some time to listen to your thoughts and recall back some memories while listening to the song.
Just like fighters, when hurt and under attack you must take a pause and watch your opponent as he presses on. As he tries to overwhelm you you could observe how deep he breaths as he punches, the sting of it slowly diminishing and the speed at which they are delivered are too slowing down. That's when your training plays a part as your instinct takes over giving you the ability to roll with the hits and block and evade some. As he loses steam you get back your second wind and launches your counter-attack. That's how you win or survive a boxing bout.
The same with life, the best thing to do when you feel that you're getting hit from all directions is to stand still and wait for the right moment to bounce back. Its only about winning or learning a lesson from a setback - you never give up. Round seven of the Foreman - Holyfield fight as shown was a good example. Given the slightest chance to win back the crown at the age of 42 Foreman defied the odds and made a good stand against the young Holyfield who was at his prime. He may have lost the decision but he won the respect of every boxing afficionados. The ten years or so he spent sulking over his defeat to Muhammad Ali was not wasted for he came back not only to restore his broken pride but for a grander desire to help other lost souls to find better lives.
When problems seem to overwhelm you, try pausing for a while. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and maybe say a prayer or two. It may not solve the problem but in some way you get to recall some of your training in handling those kind of situations. Always remember that the cracks of your life is where the light comes in as in the Christian way that the end of our rope is the beginning of God's. Oriental philosopher's tells you that you need to empty your self of self-defeating thoughts so positive thoughts would come in. And for martial arts practitioners, getting beat up is a part of learning the limits of your techniques and setting your sights towards extending your line longer rather than cutting off your opponents'.
As the good old Foreman used to say when asked how he felt about his defeat - " I did not lose, I just failed to knock him out ! "
Just like fighters, when hurt and under attack you must take a pause and watch your opponent as he presses on. As he tries to overwhelm you you could observe how deep he breaths as he punches, the sting of it slowly diminishing and the speed at which they are delivered are too slowing down. That's when your training plays a part as your instinct takes over giving you the ability to roll with the hits and block and evade some. As he loses steam you get back your second wind and launches your counter-attack. That's how you win or survive a boxing bout.
The same with life, the best thing to do when you feel that you're getting hit from all directions is to stand still and wait for the right moment to bounce back. Its only about winning or learning a lesson from a setback - you never give up. Round seven of the Foreman - Holyfield fight as shown was a good example. Given the slightest chance to win back the crown at the age of 42 Foreman defied the odds and made a good stand against the young Holyfield who was at his prime. He may have lost the decision but he won the respect of every boxing afficionados. The ten years or so he spent sulking over his defeat to Muhammad Ali was not wasted for he came back not only to restore his broken pride but for a grander desire to help other lost souls to find better lives.
When problems seem to overwhelm you, try pausing for a while. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and maybe say a prayer or two. It may not solve the problem but in some way you get to recall some of your training in handling those kind of situations. Always remember that the cracks of your life is where the light comes in as in the Christian way that the end of our rope is the beginning of God's. Oriental philosopher's tells you that you need to empty your self of self-defeating thoughts so positive thoughts would come in. And for martial arts practitioners, getting beat up is a part of learning the limits of your techniques and setting your sights towards extending your line longer rather than cutting off your opponents'.
As the good old Foreman used to say when asked how he felt about his defeat - " I did not lose, I just failed to knock him out ! "
Friday, January 20, 2017
IV. GOD DOESN'T REALLY ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS
In the movie " Evan Almighty ", Morgan Freeman playing God talked to Evan's wife, Lauren Graham about how prayers are answered. He said God doesn't really answer our prayers but He gives us opportunities to achieve what we want to achieve. If we want courage, He doesn't give it instantly. He provides us with opportunities to prove our courage by putting us in a situation that we could test our self. The same with happiness, there is no such thing as instant happiness. It requires time and effort, sometimes some pain and suffering, and the understanding that we need to give a part of our self to achieve it.
I remember watching live on television George Foreman's fight against Michael Moorer. It was for the heavyweight championship of the world and Foreman was hoping to be the oldest boxer to win a championship. Fresh from an upset victory over the then reigning champion Evander Holyfield, Moorer was looking for a big payday against the 45 year old Foreman. George was considered by many as way past his prime and was given a slim chance of dethroning the current champion. For 9 rounds Moorer was beating Foreman to the punch until the latter land a two punch combination that hit Moorer on the jaw knocking him out for the count. I will never forget Foreman's reaction for instead of jumping in triumph he looked up and knelt on a corner and uttered a private prayer. It was an answer to his prayer, an opportunity to show that the past is past and that he is no longer the Foreman of the old.
Losing to Muhammad Ali via knockout while still in his prime was a bitter pill to swallow for the young George Foreman. It took him ten years to accept that it was a right hand that did him in and not the lack of stamina that caused him his defeat. He became a pastor afterward trying to put sense into his well being and erase the bitterness of the humiliating defeat to Ali and shied away from the prying eyes of boxing critics. Ten years later at the age of 38 he returned to the ring not only for glory but also to raise fund for the youth center he founded. He knew that at that age when most boxers retire he has to train doubly hard than other fighters to be able to shine in his comeback. He also knew that he has to get his fire back inside the ring for him to survive the brutal battles he will be up against. Some thought that not sitting between rounds was a ploy to get media mileage but at that age he knew better that the harder part of the fight is getting his stiff old knees to get up from the stool to start the round. Its the only time in the sport that boxing analysts voted the older version of Foreman as a better fighter than the younger one.
Prayers work better when you have learned that every morning you wake up is something to thank the Lord for. Life is a gift itself, every breath you take, every heartbeat, every step you take is a miracle. And every moment is an opportunity to undo the wrongs. George Foreman was a good example - it may have taken him ten years to take stock of his past life but he prayed and prayed deeply to undo the wrongs. He learned his lesson and was given another opportunity to get back everything he lost and build a better life right after.
Some movies you can enjoy watching and learn something from :
1. Bruce Almighty ( Jim Carrey )
2. Evan Almighty ( Steve Carrel )
3. The Upside of Anger ( Kevin Costner)
4. Tin Cup ( Kevin Costner & Renee Russo)
5. Lethal Weapon ( Mel Gibson & Danny Glover)
6. The Devil at 4 o'clock ( Frank Sinatra )
7. Tears of the Sun ( Bruce Willis )
8. Cliffhanger ( Sylvester Stallone )
9. Blood Diamond ( Leonardo Di Caprio )
10. The Mission ( Robert De Niro )
These movies highlighted undoing the wrongs in one's life. God will always give us a second chance if we will only ask for it, a prayer maybe, or just looking inside our hearts.
I remember watching live on television George Foreman's fight against Michael Moorer. It was for the heavyweight championship of the world and Foreman was hoping to be the oldest boxer to win a championship. Fresh from an upset victory over the then reigning champion Evander Holyfield, Moorer was looking for a big payday against the 45 year old Foreman. George was considered by many as way past his prime and was given a slim chance of dethroning the current champion. For 9 rounds Moorer was beating Foreman to the punch until the latter land a two punch combination that hit Moorer on the jaw knocking him out for the count. I will never forget Foreman's reaction for instead of jumping in triumph he looked up and knelt on a corner and uttered a private prayer. It was an answer to his prayer, an opportunity to show that the past is past and that he is no longer the Foreman of the old.
Losing to Muhammad Ali via knockout while still in his prime was a bitter pill to swallow for the young George Foreman. It took him ten years to accept that it was a right hand that did him in and not the lack of stamina that caused him his defeat. He became a pastor afterward trying to put sense into his well being and erase the bitterness of the humiliating defeat to Ali and shied away from the prying eyes of boxing critics. Ten years later at the age of 38 he returned to the ring not only for glory but also to raise fund for the youth center he founded. He knew that at that age when most boxers retire he has to train doubly hard than other fighters to be able to shine in his comeback. He also knew that he has to get his fire back inside the ring for him to survive the brutal battles he will be up against. Some thought that not sitting between rounds was a ploy to get media mileage but at that age he knew better that the harder part of the fight is getting his stiff old knees to get up from the stool to start the round. Its the only time in the sport that boxing analysts voted the older version of Foreman as a better fighter than the younger one.
Prayers work better when you have learned that every morning you wake up is something to thank the Lord for. Life is a gift itself, every breath you take, every heartbeat, every step you take is a miracle. And every moment is an opportunity to undo the wrongs. George Foreman was a good example - it may have taken him ten years to take stock of his past life but he prayed and prayed deeply to undo the wrongs. He learned his lesson and was given another opportunity to get back everything he lost and build a better life right after.
Some movies you can enjoy watching and learn something from :
1. Bruce Almighty ( Jim Carrey )
2. Evan Almighty ( Steve Carrel )
3. The Upside of Anger ( Kevin Costner)
4. Tin Cup ( Kevin Costner & Renee Russo)
5. Lethal Weapon ( Mel Gibson & Danny Glover)
6. The Devil at 4 o'clock ( Frank Sinatra )
7. Tears of the Sun ( Bruce Willis )
8. Cliffhanger ( Sylvester Stallone )
9. Blood Diamond ( Leonardo Di Caprio )
10. The Mission ( Robert De Niro )
These movies highlighted undoing the wrongs in one's life. God will always give us a second chance if we will only ask for it, a prayer maybe, or just looking inside our hearts.
III. IT'S OKAY IF YOUR PLAN FAILS, GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU
Freddie Roach dreamed of being a World Champion but his dream vanished when he was badly beaten by Greg Haugen in his 48th bout. It was his 9th loss and he admitted to quitting the game 5 fights too late before he retired at the age of 26. He was known for his heart and willingness to take a barrage of punches just to land one his own. But courage was not enough to take him to the top so after showing signs of deterioration due to Parkinson's Disease, he decided to hang up his gloves.
With not much saved from boxing having his biggest payday at only $ 7,500 he worked as an unpaid assistant to trainer Eddie Futch for 5 years. In 1991, actor Mickey Rouke tried to make it in boxing hiring Freddie as trainer but making no headway decided to quit 4 years later and retired in 1995. Mickey later gave his boxing equipment to Freddie who then started putting up a stable of his own in a gym now known as the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Having tasted leather through most of his 53 fights he devised moves and countermoves while recalling his past bouts. He knew how he was getting beat up, in his mind he knew what to do but could not command his body to move the way he knew how. He knew then that he he has the proper knowledge to equip fighters - he only has to find someone who has the moves and refine those attributes and he could make a champion out of them. Then entered the gym an aspiring young boxer by the name of Manny Pacquiao.
Just thirty minutes with the punch gloves and instantly he knew he had a future champion in his gym. He confessed to knowing boxer who has blinding speed and others with dynamite fist but he never met one having both speed and power. Couple that with extra-ordinary discipline and zest for working out and the devil may care attitude in the ring and he had a fighter not yet before seen in the square arena. Just as he was being slowed down by his deteriorating physical condition, he got his second wind for he knew that though Pacquiao has the gifts he also needed a trainer-mentor to chip off the rough edges in his skills. Fate as you would have called it crossed their paths and they became the Batman and Robin team of boxing.
Freddie Roach failed in accomplishing his dream but he became an even bigger figure training the likes of Oscar Dela Hoya and Virgil Hill. All in all he has trained 27 world champions to date and his guidance was even sought by mixed martial arts big stars like Arlovsky and St. Pierre. All the beatings he got in the rings were never wasted for the pains and the agony he suffered shaped him as what he was today - a builder of champions.
Truly it can be said that no matter what comes out of you is never wasted - all you need to have is the winner's attitude. A setback is not a loss for if you did not win anything, you learned a lesson. It may take you years to understand ...but always believe that things happen for a reason. They are just but part of a plan, maybe not the way you wanted things to be, but Someone up there have something in store for you.
When customers ask of books they could read about to inspire them, I know I could come up with a lot of titles. But I know too that finding those books once it has been taken out of the bookstore would be difficult so I instead give them movie titles that they could easily download. If you're interested in trying to find answers why some things doesn't work the way you wanted them to be, see this movies, it may inspire you.
1. It's a Wonderful Life (starring James Stewart)
2. The Family Man ( Nicolas Cage & Thea Leone)
3. Good Will Hunting ( Matt Damon, Robin Williams)
4. A Little Bit of Heaven ( Kate Hudson )
5. Adjustment Bureau ( Matt Damon)
6. Letters to Juliet ( Amanda Seyfried)
7. Lock Up ( Sylvester Stallone)
8. It Could Happen To You ( Nicolas Cage & Brigette Fonda)
9. The Bucket List ( Morgan Freeman)
10. Message in a Bottle ( Kevin Costner)
With not much saved from boxing having his biggest payday at only $ 7,500 he worked as an unpaid assistant to trainer Eddie Futch for 5 years. In 1991, actor Mickey Rouke tried to make it in boxing hiring Freddie as trainer but making no headway decided to quit 4 years later and retired in 1995. Mickey later gave his boxing equipment to Freddie who then started putting up a stable of his own in a gym now known as the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Having tasted leather through most of his 53 fights he devised moves and countermoves while recalling his past bouts. He knew how he was getting beat up, in his mind he knew what to do but could not command his body to move the way he knew how. He knew then that he he has the proper knowledge to equip fighters - he only has to find someone who has the moves and refine those attributes and he could make a champion out of them. Then entered the gym an aspiring young boxer by the name of Manny Pacquiao.
Just thirty minutes with the punch gloves and instantly he knew he had a future champion in his gym. He confessed to knowing boxer who has blinding speed and others with dynamite fist but he never met one having both speed and power. Couple that with extra-ordinary discipline and zest for working out and the devil may care attitude in the ring and he had a fighter not yet before seen in the square arena. Just as he was being slowed down by his deteriorating physical condition, he got his second wind for he knew that though Pacquiao has the gifts he also needed a trainer-mentor to chip off the rough edges in his skills. Fate as you would have called it crossed their paths and they became the Batman and Robin team of boxing.
Freddie Roach failed in accomplishing his dream but he became an even bigger figure training the likes of Oscar Dela Hoya and Virgil Hill. All in all he has trained 27 world champions to date and his guidance was even sought by mixed martial arts big stars like Arlovsky and St. Pierre. All the beatings he got in the rings were never wasted for the pains and the agony he suffered shaped him as what he was today - a builder of champions.
Truly it can be said that no matter what comes out of you is never wasted - all you need to have is the winner's attitude. A setback is not a loss for if you did not win anything, you learned a lesson. It may take you years to understand ...but always believe that things happen for a reason. They are just but part of a plan, maybe not the way you wanted things to be, but Someone up there have something in store for you.
When customers ask of books they could read about to inspire them, I know I could come up with a lot of titles. But I know too that finding those books once it has been taken out of the bookstore would be difficult so I instead give them movie titles that they could easily download. If you're interested in trying to find answers why some things doesn't work the way you wanted them to be, see this movies, it may inspire you.
1. It's a Wonderful Life (starring James Stewart)
2. The Family Man ( Nicolas Cage & Thea Leone)
3. Good Will Hunting ( Matt Damon, Robin Williams)
4. A Little Bit of Heaven ( Kate Hudson )
5. Adjustment Bureau ( Matt Damon)
6. Letters to Juliet ( Amanda Seyfried)
7. Lock Up ( Sylvester Stallone)
8. It Could Happen To You ( Nicolas Cage & Brigette Fonda)
9. The Bucket List ( Morgan Freeman)
10. Message in a Bottle ( Kevin Costner)
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
II. GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was an athletic young man, arrogant in some way, and highly ambitious. He aspired to be the president of the United States of America but at the age of 39 he was stricken with polio that rendered him paralyzed from waist down. Despite his handicap he won the presidency when America was in turmoil due to the Great Depression when people lost most if not all of their savings when the stock market collapsed. One out of four Americans were jobless and thousands of bank went broke. America needs an inspiring leader and Roosevelt rose to the occasion.
The mere act of standing up to every time he makes a public appearance, with heavy metal braces needed to be locked in place was a real painful experience. Crippled and unable to move around, he spent most of his time reconciling with his God and it expanded his mind and sensibilities. Looking back the old fancy world he used to have he came to emphatize with the poor and the under-privileged knowing how difficult life is when fate dealt you with a heavy hand. It was that sort of immersion that gave him the strength to lead the nation out of the depression and the second world war.
Arthur Ashe is another example. He was the first Black tennis superstar but was stricken with cancer after his playing days. When interviewed about how he was handling it, he said " There were millions of athletes who aspired to be where I was before and I never asked God why I succeeded where most people failed. Now that I am dying of this disease, who am I to question God why me ? " He died months later at peace with himself and left a legacy, a fine example to all aspiring athletes that they can excel if only they put their heart into it.
I for one, to a lesser degree, have some kind of similar experiences and it was only when I learned to take what life dishes out for me did I found the serenity that I've been longing for. I found my rightful place where I was able to make full use of my talents, sharing the things that I have learned with people who are willing to listen. I did those things for the pleasure of it and I never thought it would cause ripples for some of them, touching their lives. It may mean a little to most but for me it meant everything - knowing that I able to touch other people's lives the way I learned from other people who I came in touch with. For surely I can attest to the truth that every person you meet were by no means an accident, pre-arranged to travel that path, to impart a lesson or to deliver a message. The only thing we need to do is to listen and open our hearts, better things are in store for us only if we are willing to wait and allow the storm to pass - for God never make mistakes.
The mere act of standing up to every time he makes a public appearance, with heavy metal braces needed to be locked in place was a real painful experience. Crippled and unable to move around, he spent most of his time reconciling with his God and it expanded his mind and sensibilities. Looking back the old fancy world he used to have he came to emphatize with the poor and the under-privileged knowing how difficult life is when fate dealt you with a heavy hand. It was that sort of immersion that gave him the strength to lead the nation out of the depression and the second world war.
Arthur Ashe is another example. He was the first Black tennis superstar but was stricken with cancer after his playing days. When interviewed about how he was handling it, he said " There were millions of athletes who aspired to be where I was before and I never asked God why I succeeded where most people failed. Now that I am dying of this disease, who am I to question God why me ? " He died months later at peace with himself and left a legacy, a fine example to all aspiring athletes that they can excel if only they put their heart into it.
I for one, to a lesser degree, have some kind of similar experiences and it was only when I learned to take what life dishes out for me did I found the serenity that I've been longing for. I found my rightful place where I was able to make full use of my talents, sharing the things that I have learned with people who are willing to listen. I did those things for the pleasure of it and I never thought it would cause ripples for some of them, touching their lives. It may mean a little to most but for me it meant everything - knowing that I able to touch other people's lives the way I learned from other people who I came in touch with. For surely I can attest to the truth that every person you meet were by no means an accident, pre-arranged to travel that path, to impart a lesson or to deliver a message. The only thing we need to do is to listen and open our hearts, better things are in store for us only if we are willing to wait and allow the storm to pass - for God never make mistakes.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
I. " GOD DOESN'T PLAY DICE " - ALBERT EINSTEIN
Coming from the man considered as the " Time Magazine's Man of the Century ", the comment came as a surprise to his peers and other men of science. Scientists are believe to be agnostics - people who don't believe in God. Albert Einstein argued that everything had been prearranged and we are here on Earth not to create but to discover the wonders of nature. The man himself said that although he doesn't want to involve himself in any religious sect, that " Its either you do not believe in miracles or you consider everyday is a miracle. "
Even today I have to hear a good explanation of his Theory of Relativity that could make a layman understand what it is all about. I have read a lot of them but I still can't picture out how Einstein was able to figure it out. I am not about to give up but I became more interested on how the man lived his life. Unlike other men of science, he believed that everything is controlled and designed by a Supreme Being. He understood that the world is like a puzzle to solved and figured out. He believed that his role was to solve as much of the puzzle as possible and each and every one of us should play a part in deciphering the meaning of life instead of arguing about it.
Its that kind of knowledge that separates us from other creations - there is almost no limit as to what our mind can do if we only put our heart into it. Albert Einstein is one good model to emulate - he loved life, he tried to unravel its mysteries and he shared what he discovered to the world. Different God-given gifts, different fields, different heroes, but they all tried to explore the limits of what they could do in their lifetime. Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, Bruce Lee, Jacky Chan, Michael Jordan, - those are just a few names that excelled in their field of sports - but they also have different stories to tell.
By no means, they are accidents or freaks of nature. They were there to deliver a message, to teach some lessons and to shape the world's thinking about the things that could be achieved if only we put our heart into it. For each triumph there are dozens of failures but in all it only expands the capacity of the human heart to bear the pains and the trials of trying to figure out what is in store for us. For some it was God assisted accidents that made them great like Sir Isaac Newton when he was hit by a falling apple as he was trying to figure out how gravity works. Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin the same way through an unintended contamination of a vial he was putting up for an experiment. And biblically, Judas Iscariot was doomed for he was prophesied to betray Christ.
Let me share the words of American President Abraham Lincoln - " If I were to to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can ; and I mean to keep doing so until the the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end bring me out wrong, not even ten angels swearing I was right would make a difference. "
I came across this lines as I was watching for the nth time one of my favorite Stallone movie - " LOCK-UP ". Coincidentally the theme song was Evercsince the World Began where the phrase - " Were just another piece of the puzzle, just another part of a plan, a lone life touches the other, with so much to understand ", and so goes the song. A lot of times giving up crossed my mind but there was so much unexplained joy I was feeling in what I was doing that I went on even when we getting hit from all directions. I always say to my self - be like Leone - we only want to do our time.
Even today I have to hear a good explanation of his Theory of Relativity that could make a layman understand what it is all about. I have read a lot of them but I still can't picture out how Einstein was able to figure it out. I am not about to give up but I became more interested on how the man lived his life. Unlike other men of science, he believed that everything is controlled and designed by a Supreme Being. He understood that the world is like a puzzle to solved and figured out. He believed that his role was to solve as much of the puzzle as possible and each and every one of us should play a part in deciphering the meaning of life instead of arguing about it.
Its that kind of knowledge that separates us from other creations - there is almost no limit as to what our mind can do if we only put our heart into it. Albert Einstein is one good model to emulate - he loved life, he tried to unravel its mysteries and he shared what he discovered to the world. Different God-given gifts, different fields, different heroes, but they all tried to explore the limits of what they could do in their lifetime. Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, Bruce Lee, Jacky Chan, Michael Jordan, - those are just a few names that excelled in their field of sports - but they also have different stories to tell.
By no means, they are accidents or freaks of nature. They were there to deliver a message, to teach some lessons and to shape the world's thinking about the things that could be achieved if only we put our heart into it. For each triumph there are dozens of failures but in all it only expands the capacity of the human heart to bear the pains and the trials of trying to figure out what is in store for us. For some it was God assisted accidents that made them great like Sir Isaac Newton when he was hit by a falling apple as he was trying to figure out how gravity works. Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin the same way through an unintended contamination of a vial he was putting up for an experiment. And biblically, Judas Iscariot was doomed for he was prophesied to betray Christ.
Let me share the words of American President Abraham Lincoln - " If I were to to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can ; and I mean to keep doing so until the the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end bring me out wrong, not even ten angels swearing I was right would make a difference. "
I came across this lines as I was watching for the nth time one of my favorite Stallone movie - " LOCK-UP ". Coincidentally the theme song was Evercsince the World Began where the phrase - " Were just another piece of the puzzle, just another part of a plan, a lone life touches the other, with so much to understand ", and so goes the song. A lot of times giving up crossed my mind but there was so much unexplained joy I was feeling in what I was doing that I went on even when we getting hit from all directions. I always say to my self - be like Leone - we only want to do our time.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
2017 ... A NEW BEGINNING
call of books by Kimberly Dela Cruz
2017 ... my 58th year on the planet and what have I got to show ? No house, no car, no money in the bank, not even a TV set at home, and the possibility of losing our business after 20 years. With the kind of financial mess were in, losing our only means of livelihood made our nights a little longer trying to figure out how we'll gonna make both ends meet. Then came the Inquirer story, it may not have solved our problem but it gave us some ray of hope that maybe we should take this one as an opportunity in disguise.
It seems like its not yet the end of the road for me but just a temporary setback. The proposed renovation will set us back a few meters behind our original place, a bit farther from the eyes of pedestrians but the Inquirer story have aroused the curiosity of some booklovers who came in droves to see what we have got to offer. Since we will be in the interior closing time will be adjusted to 8:00 PM losing my extended closing time but giving me more time to check my Facebook account and do some writings. The upside of modern technology, it will help me widen my market base.
Its not everyday that you get this kind of opportunity - getting recognized for something that you're doing for the love of it. I may have lagged behind my contemporaries in terms of financial gain but somehow I was able to even things up by having a meaningful life. The simple bookstore was my world where I got to communicate with people who share the same passion. I got to talk about the things I love to talk about and helped open doors for them to see the world in different horizons.
The article meant a lot to me knowing I have earned some stripes in the field I decided to jump in. The road to knowing is easy for there are a lot of books that could help you communicate with people who lived hundreds of years before you but making them listen as you relay to them the things you have learned is another thing. The last 20 years I've been talking to different faces most of which I could not even remember but luckily for some it had caused ripples and at least I could say I was able to touch them in a positive way. I have learned a lot but I have not learned everything. I wish to go on learning while I still can and share them to whoever is willing to listen.
And this year, this day will be a new beginning ...
2017 ... my 58th year on the planet and what have I got to show ? No house, no car, no money in the bank, not even a TV set at home, and the possibility of losing our business after 20 years. With the kind of financial mess were in, losing our only means of livelihood made our nights a little longer trying to figure out how we'll gonna make both ends meet. Then came the Inquirer story, it may not have solved our problem but it gave us some ray of hope that maybe we should take this one as an opportunity in disguise.
It seems like its not yet the end of the road for me but just a temporary setback. The proposed renovation will set us back a few meters behind our original place, a bit farther from the eyes of pedestrians but the Inquirer story have aroused the curiosity of some booklovers who came in droves to see what we have got to offer. Since we will be in the interior closing time will be adjusted to 8:00 PM losing my extended closing time but giving me more time to check my Facebook account and do some writings. The upside of modern technology, it will help me widen my market base.
Its not everyday that you get this kind of opportunity - getting recognized for something that you're doing for the love of it. I may have lagged behind my contemporaries in terms of financial gain but somehow I was able to even things up by having a meaningful life. The simple bookstore was my world where I got to communicate with people who share the same passion. I got to talk about the things I love to talk about and helped open doors for them to see the world in different horizons.
The article meant a lot to me knowing I have earned some stripes in the field I decided to jump in. The road to knowing is easy for there are a lot of books that could help you communicate with people who lived hundreds of years before you but making them listen as you relay to them the things you have learned is another thing. The last 20 years I've been talking to different faces most of which I could not even remember but luckily for some it had caused ripples and at least I could say I was able to touch them in a positive way. I have learned a lot but I have not learned everything. I wish to go on learning while I still can and share them to whoever is willing to listen.
And this year, this day will be a new beginning ...
Monday, January 9, 2017
XXI. WHY FIX SOMETHING WHEN IT IS NOT BROKEN ?
2017, my 58th year and what have I got show ? Still no house, no car, no money in the bank, not even a TV set at home. I can't blame my moneyed brother and sisters for thinking that my life need fixing. Can't even reason with them, or even call them to greet or something for they might think I'm asking for some more favor. Old friends and relatives ? they've heard so much negative things about me the last 20 years, I could no longer bridge the gap. Its a good thing there's Facebook to at least to make them know that I remember ...
I never knew it then but I guess I'm exactly at the place where I have been designed to be. I grew up with my grandparents in a remote barrio in Alfonso, Cavite in the early 1960's. It was about seven kilometers from the town proper and public transport passes only once every Tuesday and Thursday. The public market in Barrio Luksuhin, some 14 kilometers from our barrio is only open during those days so the only time a BLTB Bus makes a round trip pass. Travelling was mostly done on foot and if you're lucky enough to own a horse.
My grandparents were very protective of me, being the fourth child and the first son after three elder sisters. My Lola was my constant protector so while other kids my age were being taught how to farm I was taught to wash dirty clothes. While other kids help in planting, I was relegated at home prying corn from its cobs and separating peanuts from its shells for drying. Since we own the biggest parcel of land in the barrio, we almost never run out of harvest to take care of at our barn yard. There was no Lego during those days so I play with corn bits to make figures for I have no friends to play with most of the time. The other activities was doing houseworks but I don't remember getting bored with all those.
A year before schooling I was taken back by my parents to Blumentritt, Manila. They were vendors but since we occupy only a little makeshift room for the 3 of us I was like a prisoner the whole not allowed to go out to play. My world became even smaller so I learned to create a private world of my own. It was only when I started schooling that I learned how to make friends. School became a memorable place at the back of my mind - and even until now I still remember most of the names of my friends and classmates though I never got the chance to connect with them later in my life.
High school was less memorable except for the first girl I learned to fall in love with. At UST Education High School where most of my classmates were from the upper and middle class, I was like a square groove trying to fit a round hole. It was 4 years of screw ups that I would rather forget. Some 36 years later I tried connecting up with them in an organized class reunion but again I made a mess of my self. Again I disconnected myself from them, most of them are living in the high road or pretending to be there, and I don't find comfort in trying to be what I am not to be.
Worked in an Aluminum Factory after High School for a couple of years. Got a little bit of freedom after spending my younger years doing most of the houseworks - keeping the house clean, doing the dishes, laundry and pressing of clothes, and helping take care of our fruit business. At home I was the busiest guy and even have the job of taking care of my 2 youngest brothers. Actually I enjoyed doing those things, only I also got most of the scolding from my father who's not exactly an ideal guy to work with. That was mainly the reason why I opted to work so I could get away from all those scolding.
Two years of trying to support myself at college I only got to finish 28 units of Civil Engineering at Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP). It was actually the best years of my young life. I was a bit popular at school and most of my batchmates like or at least pretended to like me. Since most of my schoolmates are from the provinces, they like to listen to my jokes and I was almost always invited to get-alongs and round of drinks.
Never wanted to be an engineer though but the thought of having the name tag was attractive enough so I opted to be one.
After graduation, I got employed as a Cadet Engineer at MWSS , passed the licensure exam after two tries and got myself promoted as section head after 7 years.
It was a promising career but my heart was not in it - can't get use to playing the crooked game of supposedly called public servants. I just couldn't fit in so I resigned on my 10th year, got into the buy and sell business and here I am now - lagging behind my contemporaries in terms of financial achievements.
Now again I asked my self --why do I feel that I am where I am suppose to be ? The best explanation I could come up with is - the Rocky I ending. Badly beaten, badly bruised and aching all over, Rocky Balboa sought the comfort of having Adrian comforting him - contented of the fact that though almost everyone gave him little chance against Apollo Creed, he lasted the distance and came a few seconds short of snatching the crown. That's how I feel right now ...
I never knew it then but I guess I'm exactly at the place where I have been designed to be. I grew up with my grandparents in a remote barrio in Alfonso, Cavite in the early 1960's. It was about seven kilometers from the town proper and public transport passes only once every Tuesday and Thursday. The public market in Barrio Luksuhin, some 14 kilometers from our barrio is only open during those days so the only time a BLTB Bus makes a round trip pass. Travelling was mostly done on foot and if you're lucky enough to own a horse.
My grandparents were very protective of me, being the fourth child and the first son after three elder sisters. My Lola was my constant protector so while other kids my age were being taught how to farm I was taught to wash dirty clothes. While other kids help in planting, I was relegated at home prying corn from its cobs and separating peanuts from its shells for drying. Since we own the biggest parcel of land in the barrio, we almost never run out of harvest to take care of at our barn yard. There was no Lego during those days so I play with corn bits to make figures for I have no friends to play with most of the time. The other activities was doing houseworks but I don't remember getting bored with all those.
A year before schooling I was taken back by my parents to Blumentritt, Manila. They were vendors but since we occupy only a little makeshift room for the 3 of us I was like a prisoner the whole not allowed to go out to play. My world became even smaller so I learned to create a private world of my own. It was only when I started schooling that I learned how to make friends. School became a memorable place at the back of my mind - and even until now I still remember most of the names of my friends and classmates though I never got the chance to connect with them later in my life.
High school was less memorable except for the first girl I learned to fall in love with. At UST Education High School where most of my classmates were from the upper and middle class, I was like a square groove trying to fit a round hole. It was 4 years of screw ups that I would rather forget. Some 36 years later I tried connecting up with them in an organized class reunion but again I made a mess of my self. Again I disconnected myself from them, most of them are living in the high road or pretending to be there, and I don't find comfort in trying to be what I am not to be.
Worked in an Aluminum Factory after High School for a couple of years. Got a little bit of freedom after spending my younger years doing most of the houseworks - keeping the house clean, doing the dishes, laundry and pressing of clothes, and helping take care of our fruit business. At home I was the busiest guy and even have the job of taking care of my 2 youngest brothers. Actually I enjoyed doing those things, only I also got most of the scolding from my father who's not exactly an ideal guy to work with. That was mainly the reason why I opted to work so I could get away from all those scolding.
Two years of trying to support myself at college I only got to finish 28 units of Civil Engineering at Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP). It was actually the best years of my young life. I was a bit popular at school and most of my batchmates like or at least pretended to like me. Since most of my schoolmates are from the provinces, they like to listen to my jokes and I was almost always invited to get-alongs and round of drinks.
Never wanted to be an engineer though but the thought of having the name tag was attractive enough so I opted to be one.
After graduation, I got employed as a Cadet Engineer at MWSS , passed the licensure exam after two tries and got myself promoted as section head after 7 years.
It was a promising career but my heart was not in it - can't get use to playing the crooked game of supposedly called public servants. I just couldn't fit in so I resigned on my 10th year, got into the buy and sell business and here I am now - lagging behind my contemporaries in terms of financial achievements.
Now again I asked my self --why do I feel that I am where I am suppose to be ? The best explanation I could come up with is - the Rocky I ending. Badly beaten, badly bruised and aching all over, Rocky Balboa sought the comfort of having Adrian comforting him - contented of the fact that though almost everyone gave him little chance against Apollo Creed, he lasted the distance and came a few seconds short of snatching the crown. That's how I feel right now ...
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