My Journey in Life

Sometimes we just need to be
reminded!

A well-known speaker 
started off his seminar by:

holding up a $20.00 bill.
In the room of 200, he asked,
‘Who would like this $20 bill?’

Hands started going up.
He said, ‘I am going to give this
$20 to one of you,
but first, let me
do thi s.

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, ‘Who still wants it?’

Still the hands
were up in the air.

Well, he
replied, ‘What if I do this?’

And he
dropped it on the ground
and started
to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

‘Now, who still wants it?’

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a
very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value.
It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives,
we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt
by the decisions we make and
the circumstances that come our way.
We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or
what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased,
you are still priceless to those
who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our
lives comes not in what we do or who we know,
but by WHO WE ARE and
WHOSE WE ARE.
You are
special
-
Don’t EVER forget it.’

If you do not pass
this on, you may never know the
lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to,
or the hope that it can bring.

Count your blessings,
not your problems.

‘And remember:
amateurs built the ark ..

professionals
built the Titanic.

If God brings you to it -
He will bring you through it.

The meaning of my name “JOY”

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you.
You never give up, and you will succeed… even if it takes you a hundred tries.
You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.
You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.
At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.
You may miss out by not settling down, but you’re too busy having fun to care.

The meaning of my name “TRINIDAD”

You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life.

You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You’re most comfortable when you’re far away from home.

You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You’re always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can’t handle you. You’re very intense.

You definitely are a handful, and you’re  likely  to get  in  trouble.  But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It’s easy to get you excited… which  can  be  a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly.

You don’t stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a  lot  in  a  short  amount  of  time.  Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You  are  prone  to  a  little  paranoia  and  jealousy.  You  sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.
You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.

People can see you as stubborn and headstrong.

You definitely have a dominant personality.

You are usually the best at everything … you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

Pasaway Ng Buhay Ko

ni W. J. Sonita

Likas daw matigas ang iyong ulo -

kahit anong gawing bilin sa iyo

di mo sinusunod nang buong-buo;

Ginagawa’y sariling diskarte mo.

Malakas ka raw sa nasa itaas…

kaya ka raw ganyan, mayro’n kang basbas;

Ikaw ri’y mayabang at abusado;

Ako’y magtatanong, ‘to ba’y totoo?

Tamad ka daw sa iyong obligasyon,

Mabagal magtrabaho at umaksyon;

Ayaw mong tumulong at mautusan

Lagi kang may nakahandang dahilan.

Namimili ka rin daw ng trabaho,

ayaw mo ng mahirap at mabaho;

Di ka sanay at lubhang madiriin

dahil sa angkang may-kaya ka galing.

At sari-sari pang mga asunto

ang reklamo nila laban sa iyo.

Dumating ang araw ako rin mismo

di nakatiis at naasar sa ‘yo.

Napikon ako’t nag-init ang ulo

Tamang sermunan ka ang naging trip ko.

Tahimik kang nakaupo’t nakinig

Sa ‘king tinurang iba’t ibang panig.

Nakita kong kulang ka sa paggabay,

ninais sanang gawin ang mahusay;

Di lang alam kung saan at paano

magsimula sa iyong pagbabago.

Sa lahat nang ito aking natanto,

may mabuti ka palang pagkatao;

Ang nakita sa iyong kayabangan

ay pagkahiya’t kakimian lamang.

Ika’y nagalak na kahit papa’no

sa iyo’y mayroong nagtitiyaga;

Nangangaral, nagbibigay ng payo

gumagabay at sumusuporta.

Ikaw nga’y lubos na nagpasalamat

na sa iyong buhay ako’y dumating;

Iyong naagapan ang mga lamat

sa buhay dulot ng maling gawain.

Kung noon ako’y nabubugnot sa ‘yo,

ngayon nama’y nais kong malaman mo:

Ako’y masaya sa ‘yong pagbabago,

ituloy mo kahit ako’y malayo.

‘Bigan, huwag mo sanang  kalimutan,

may isang JOY kang naging  kaibigan

na walang ninais at pinangarap

kundi tagumpay mo sa hinaharap.

                                            /

062407

A Tribute to God’s Greatest Creation - Mothers

     By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one"?   And the Lord answered and said, "Have you seen the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts, all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart, and have six pairs of hands."

     The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one.  "Six pairs of hands! No Way!", said the Angel.  The Lord replied, "Oh, it’s not the hands that are the problem. It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"   "And that’s just on the standard model?" the Angel asked.  The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yes, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head, are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

     The Angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."   "But I can’t!"  the Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she’s sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower. " 

     The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord."   "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

     "Will she be able to think?", asked the Angel.   The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

     The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman’s cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."   "That’s not a leak." The Lord objected. "That’s a tear!"

     "What’s the tear for?" the Angel asked.   The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

     The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything; for mothers are truly amazing!" 

                                                                                      - Erma Bombeck

As a tribute to co-poet Erwin Kim S. Robledo, I am posting here some of his poems which are published at emanilapoetry.com

Featured Poems

The Poetry of Erwin Robledo When Sleep Comes Sleep, and dreams Want of a moment Weird, it seems Thoughts in a current Easily dispersed Sense of images spent *** "When Sleep Comes" is one of Erwin’s two poems included in emanilapoetry’s anthology Sa Kabila Ng Ritmo: Mga Piling Tula ng mga Bagong Makata. ~~~0~~~ Chocolate Starts as a wish on a chocolate star Grows to conquer the chocolate sky Rains on one person My chocolate Tita Mameng She sends some every year Wrapped in chocolate paper Into my mouth they go Filling every cavity Every crevice flattened With a chocolate fill: Tita Mameng’s embrace *** "Chocolate" is one of Erwin’s two poems included in emanilapoetry’s anthology Sa Kabila Ng Ritmo: Mga Piling Tula ng mga Bagong Makata. ~~~0~~~ Jump! Fill the lungs with air Cold, and perfumed by the mountains Then suddenly stretch Faster than the dictates of science And fly Leave your skin behind You won’t need it Or eyes; look with your hands The thick, damp foam of the heavens Exhale if you want to land Smile if you want to stay ~~~0~~~ Creativity It, that immobile beast Moves just an inch when all might’s used Retracts a mile when you let go Flings into the night Moves fast under the spotlight Caught only in a photograph Blurred unless followed ~~~0~~~ Hate and Consequence Twenty-five sticks beat one at a time It’s not the pain; it’s to survive Body and soul become one stone Anger is the saving throw That one alone beat twenty-five As all lay dead, all inside sinks Ripples of conscience scald the skin Therapy’s where the mind’s thrown in ~~~0~~~

Ipinapaalam po namin sa lahat na ang kasama nating si Erwin Kim Robledo ay sumakabilang buhay na. Ang kanyang labi ay nasa Forest Hills, Novaliches, Q. C., Philippines.

Ayon sa kanyang kasamahan sa simbahan at sa kasama na rin natin dito sa panulaan na si Neselle Magboo, galing daw sa bahay ng bestfriend niya si Erwin noong November 20, Monday, bandang 10pm. Naglalakad siya papauwi na, madilim (Susano Road makalagpas ng Novaliches Bayan), saglit na umihi sa MMDA urinal booth, hinoldap at tinutukan ng baril, dikit sa dibdib kaya umikot ang bullet sa katawan nya. Nanatili pa syang buhay ng 5 oras, nakapagsumbong pa sya sa prisinto, nakareport ng maayos, 2 pages pa kamo at maayos pa ang pirma nito. Matapos ay dinala na sya ng pulis sa Quezon City Gen. Hospital. Pinilit pang alisin ang bala, kumalat na ang dugo sa katawan. May pag-asa pa sanang mabuhay ngunit madami na syang tama dahil umikot nga ang bullet, pati baga apektado. Nakita pa nya ang mga magulang nya dahil sumunod sa ospital.

November 21 ng madaling araw, lumisan na sya. Sa sabado ang libing sa Forest Park, Caloocan bandang 10am.

Gumawa ng tula si Neselle na siya niyang inialay kay Erwin, ang "Just Last Sunday" sapagkat masaya pa daw silang nagtatawanan at nagchi-chikahan pa nung nagsara sila ng simbahan. Sabi nga ni Neselle, "Buhay nga naman, walang bata at matanda sa kamatayan, kung plano ni Lord, plano Niya talaga!"

Dagdag pa niya, "Well done, Erwin Kim." "You know guys, he’s been very faithful to the Lord, humble servant and a lover of God." "We will miss you, Kim." (as we often call him in the church)

Ako naman ang magkukuwento:

Nagpunta kami kagabi sa burol ni Kamakatang Erwin sa Forest Hills, Novaliches. Apat lang kaming nakarating, si Tata Raul Funilas, Pakner Willie Bongcaron, Rose Ydia at ang inyong lingkod, (Joy) W. J. Sonita. Si Mean Cariquez na kasama sa unang pag-uusap ay di na tumuloy dahil sa sumama ang pakiramdam, may ubo at masakit2 na daw ang ulo.

Madali lang hanapin ang Forest Hills, nasa hilera lang siya ng Quirino Highway, bago dumating ng Bayan ng Novaliches.

Napakarami ng taong naroroon, ang magulang at kapatid ni Kim (Erwin is fondly called Kim by his family and friends.), mga kamag-anakan, kaibigan at kasamahan sa simbahan. Sayang at wala kagabi si Neselle, magpapahinga naman yata dahil ilang gabi na silang puyat sa lamay. Nakausap namin nang medyo matagalan ang mama ni Erwin, nito daw mga huling araw, parang mas gusto daw ni Erwin na tawagin siyang "Erwin" kaysa sa nakasanayan na nilang "Kim". Nakausap din namin doon ang mga kasamahan niya sa simbahan, mapabata man o mapamatanda, they only have good words to say about Erwin. Napakabait na bata, napakatahimik, napakatalino, magaling gumawa ng kanta sa simbahan (note lyrics & music), siya pa nga daw ang nagtuturo sa kanilang music ministry.

Nagprint si Rose nung 5 tula ni Erwin at yung tula para kay Erwin nina Luisa at Megs. Bilang pagbibigay pugay kay Erwin, nagkaroon kami ng biglaang poetry reading doon. Nauna si tata na walang dalang kopya ng sariling tulang ginawa niya para kay Erwin kaya ang binasa nya ay yung tula ni Megs. Pumangalawa si Willie na binasa naman ang tula ni Luisa. Pumangatlo ako na binasa ko naman ay yung tatlong tula ni Erwin na "Jump", "Creativity" ang "Hate & Consequence". Ang pinakahuling nagbasa ay si Rose, binasa niya ang dalawang tula ni Erwin na na kasamang nalimbag sa aklat ng Emanila Poetry na Sa Kabila Ng Ritmo, ang "Chocolates" at "When Sleep Comes". Maluha-luha nga kami nung nagbabasa nung mga tula nya, pati na rin yung mga tao ay may mga napapaiyak na. Yung emcee ang nagsarado nung poetry reading sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa niya ng tula ni Neselle na "Just Last Sunday".

There was a corner there especially dedicated to Erwin, wherein they have placed a corkboard-all of Erwins poems are there, and also that of Neselle. There are several printed pages of Friendster testimonies to Erwin. And a lot of bits & pieces of messages from his friends. There is also an example of the comic strip he also did. Really, what a gifted man Erwin was!

Bago kami umuwi sinilip namin si Erwin, para lang siyang natutulog, ever gwapo pa rin, naka-Amerikana pa. Tahimik kaming nag-alay ng dasal sa kanya at nagpasalamat rin kami sa kanyang kontribusyon sa Panitikang Pilipino at sa ating samahang Kamakatahan at Emanila Poetry.

Sa iyo, Erwin, sandaling panahon ka man lang namin nakasalamuha, umasa kang hindi ka namin malilimutan, narito ka sa aming puso.

ni Joy W. J. Sonita

Kahit inaabuso

tao’y nagtatrabaho

maliit man ang sweldo.

Sa oras ng pagkain

wala nang maihain

kundi luha at asin.

Anak di mapag-aral

kahit leksyon na basal,

lumaking walang asal.

Bawal ang magkasakit,

lunas ipagkakait

sa taong bulsa’y punit.

Di ka makapapayag

na tao’y magpahayag,

hininga ay kinalag.

Ano pa ba ang kulang?

Dignidad n’lang naiwan…

Iyo pang dinungisan!

Sana

ni W. J. Sonita

Hindi ako sadyang naglaro ng baga,
ako’y nahalina lang sa kanyang ganda;
Naroon ka at ako ay itinulak -
nasunog tuloy ang aking mga pakpak.

Kay-gandang titigan ang kanyang kariktan!
Di ko alam ako pala’y masasaktan;
Sana ay hindi ko ginawang suwayin
ang bilin ni Inay, “Apoy h‘wag salingin.”

Disin sana’y buhay ko ay di nagulo,
sana’y narito pa sila sa piling ko;
Di sana lumuluha ang mga mata,
di sana ako mag-isa’t nagdurusa.

Kung maibabalik lang ang nakaraan,
wala Sanang kumukurot sa ‘king budhi.

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