sssshhhh....

when i'm bored i think i am tired of my surroundings but i am really tired of my thoughts. it is trite, repetitious, unobserved thinking that is producing the discontent. adopting a quiet awareness, a kind of listening attitude, usually freshens my mind and brings the situation i am in to life.   

boredom

when i'm bored i think i am tired of my surroundings but i am really tired of my thoughts. it is trite, repetitious, unobserved thinking that is producing the discontent. adopting a quiet awareness, a kind of listening attitude, usually freshens my mind and brings the situation i am in to life.   

(echoing hugh prather)

humility. . .

when gabby concepcion returned to manila years ago he was asked of his life experiences during his stay in the US. he said it's been very humbling to live and work in america. i seconded him on that because i felt the same way when i migrated in canada to build my life, family and career. i met the first face of humility in victoria university during my very crucial first day at work through welcoming handshakes and gestures from my colleagues who, until now, remains humble and grounded. it's a breath of fresh air to be around people who are not enamored of their position, power and ideas. the humble experiences i go through is the thing i would like to pass on to my children and to the people i meet everyday. i won't elaborate the virtue of humility here as i continue to be cognizant about it. in the real sense though, humility is the way to achieve wisdom, perseverance, blessing and successful relationships. we all reek with pride, and so "humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God." (1 Peter 5:6).

agree, disagree

whenever i find myself arguing for something with great passion, i can be certain i'm not convinced. i find it almost impossible to make a strong declarative statement in conversation without feeling little nagging doubts and reservations. "i agree" and "i disagree" are impossible states of mind. no two people can think exactly alike or anthithetically. sometimes i say "i agree", because i want to avoid an encounter; sometimes i just want to get the other person to shut up. i usually say "i disagree," when i want to exhibit myself. there is an important difference between telling a person how i experience him and adding arguments to support the correctness of my view. my feelings about another do not require a case. i don't notice them deductively. 
(echoing h. prather) 

celebrating women. . .

again we’re in celebration of the day when crucial steps towards gender equality were made. this year international women's day marks 100 years since it’s first March 19, 1911 in austria, denmark, germany and switzerland. the decision t...o observe this day happened in 1910 at the second international conference of working women held in copenhagen where it was proposed that every year in every country to celebrate and to press for various demands made by women. being a feminist, i’d would always mark the day by sharing titles from my archives which might give you answers to some perinnial questions about gender equality. happy reading and happy women’s day!



ain't i a woman- the book is about intersectionality and the manner racism and sexism correlates and interacts. the book was written from a more scholarly and historical perspective.

singled out - talks about the lives of women during world war 2 and n deals with the generation of unmarried women that followed world war 1.

singled out - talks about the lives of women during world war 2 and n deals with the generation of unmarried women that followed world war 1.

one of the most beautiful sunrises we've ever seen. . .

one of the most beautiful sunrises we've ever seen. . .

cai's sun! she noticed the glowing orange disc this morning, january 19, 2012 at 7:53 am, while dressing up for school from my bedroom window. she blurted out "mommy sunset!" i said "sunrise!" to correct her. the sun's glorious display in the east was so beautiful that we couldn't let it disappear without taking a photo. neil took a photo of it from her DSi and i did mine too. a mixture of yellow and orange was so beautiful when the sun peeked over the horizon. with the light of the sun coloring the clouds the sky had turned in pinkish hue. as the sun slowly ascended, the sky in the west became a deep neon blue as the light reached further out. God surely showed himself to us this morning. :-))

new year 2012 reflection

only 5 minutes and the coming of 2012 holds deep reflection for me. it’s a yearly task of whipping up thoughts and reviews of what had gone by in 2011. my life had been a real stretch traveling through straight lines, winding paths and sharp turns. and as I think of it, i went through to those paths before perhaps only in a different speed and intensity. it hasn’t been easy. yet life, without any ...complications, seems not right to me.

i'm taking this special moment for my thoughts to run back to time to assess what had gone by in my life, search for common threads and recognize areas of growth. i'm again reviving a landscape of colourful memories which every year slowly change into sepia as time ticks away. but i must say that some past events remain steadfast in bright colours and could never die in my heart.

year 2011 had been very trying and busy, and, undoubtedly, happy. i experienced many longings and low-times but as usual i did my best to creep up to the surface to see the light and to assess the meaning of what struck me down. i remain coping to hurting and adjusting to variety of changes. however, despite the stress and uncertainties, i remain very thankful of the blessings and good-times which never cease to lift my spirits up. i have loved ones who constantly admire me and remind me of my value as a person.

my life has been in the offing for clarity and results. much so, i'm anxious to see where my life is heading. waiting can be a very tough game but i know that waiting has a reason all on its own.

i hope that 2012 will open me to more vigilance, strength, happiness, togetherness and full of awareness to people, events, time and place. definitely, and as always, it is going to be a happy new year for me and my munchkins. my sights are now gazing far enough, just enough to see what the future has in store for us. dreams are piling up. I’m slowly gearing myself up to accomplish the tasks.

may 2012 give you a happy note and may we all grow gracefully!