The Little Prince

photo courtesy: wikipedia

 Some quotes from the book that best describe what I feel this moment:

"Les hommes ont oublié cette vérité, dit le renard. Mais tu ne dois pas l’oublier. Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé."

"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." 

"Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux "

Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye

"Mais les yeux sont aveugles. Il faut chercher avec le cœur"

But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart

So much for taming the foxes and the roses with thorns, I feel responsible forever for the people, things, places and events I have been a part of.   

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important." 

"You know — my flower... I am responsible for her. And she is so weak! She is so naïve! She has four thorns, of no use at all, to protect herself against all the world.."

Thank you my Little Prince.

My First Bazaar

This is quite unexpected.  I never planned to join bazaars this Christmas season but the unexpected turn of events led me to signing up to a series of bazaars with my new business partners.  In fact, our partnership is quite a surprise too.  After we've worked on the charity vintage bazaar, a few of my sisters in the Singles for Christ community tapped me to join forces with them and thus the GALZ group, taken from the last letters of our names (A from Imelda, Z from Emiluz and L from Hazel).  We've added "G" to remind us that our ultimate Boss in this endeavour is God who has led us to each other.

The greatest lesson I've learned so far in this venture is to always bear in mind your objective that is not the selfish motive. There is always a deeper reason for getting into business aside from earning a living.  In this case, the GALZ girls and I share the same passion of inspiring young entrepreneurs in our community to step out of the comfort zone and finally live their dreams.  And I must say that after a few weeks of getting our hands work for our business, we've already inspired a lot of brothers and sisters in the community to try going into business aside from getting busy with our day jobs.  And in a month's time, we've already got a few business proposals, mergers and publicity support from the people in and out of the community.

I still can't say the monetary success of our efforts, but I know with the lessons we've learned from the experience, the GALZ can always venture into more profitable endeavors armed with the skills and learnings, and most of all, guided by the grace of God.

jar of hearts

i know i can’t take one more step towards you
cause all thats waiting is regret
don’t you know i’m not your ghost anymore
you lost the love i loved the most

i learned to live, half alive
and now you want me one more time

who do you think you are?
runnin’ ’round leaving scars
collecting a jar of hearts
tearing love apart
you’re gonna catch a cold
from the ice inside your soul
don’t come back for me
who do you think you are?

i hear you’re asking all around
if i am anywhere to be found
but i have grown too strong
to ever fall back in your arms

ive learned to live, half alive
and now you want me one more time

who do you think you are?
runnin’ ’round leaving scars
collecting a jar of hearts
and tearing love apart
you’re gonna catch a cold
from the ice inside your soul
don’t come back for me
who do you think you are?

it took so long just to feel alright
remember how to put back the light in my eyes
i wish i had missed the first time that we kissed
cause you broke all your promises
and now you’re back
you don’t get to get me back

who do you think you are?
running around leaving scars
collecting a jar of hearts
and tearing love apart
you’re gonna catch a cold
from the ice inside your soul
so don’t come back for me
dont come back at all

who do you think you are?
who do you think you are?
who do you think you are?

11.11.11 (unabridged)

To be honest, I waited for a long time for this day to come, perhaps hoping that something really good will happen.

Maybe I'd get to my dream destination, a grand vacation with the person I care most about.

Or how about walking the aisle to say vows with him?

Hah?!  Of course that didn't happen.  And that never will.

But then something good came out of 11.11.11.

Had a great bonding time with my friends in the church community I am in, and a very fruitful business meeting with my partners. Also had a very hearty breakfast chat with my family that morning, a rare occasion for me.

I realized, why do I keep looking for happiness elsewhere when it is actually right in front of me.  Why do I waste my time sulking in loneliness when in fact I am surrounded with loving and caring family and friends. The Lord has constantly blessed me with so many good things, some even undeserved, but I keep focusing on what I've lost that I fail to see the blessings I already have.

Knowing who esteems me high, I won't need to go searching for love somewhere else. I guess I should also give up my futile attempts to reconcile differences from the past that I know will never find their places.  

Someday, I will be complete and totally healed.  And hopefully soon, I can share myself again with someone as whole as I am.

11.11.11

SO WHAT!

Delays

I hate delays.  With my rigid and well-planned hectic schedule, I ought to have much patience to deal with them.  But recently, I've learned to accept delays as part of God's greater plan.

Here's how delays changed my life:

1.  I had to delay my enrollment for the business school for another term due to schedule conflicts. The program coordinator offered me two options: either I fix my work schedule so I can come to school in the evening or take a new program offering a weekend class.  Should I go with the first option, I only had two days to negotiate with my boss my workshift (omg, that is not possible!). So I chose option 2.  I had to condition myself to like and embrace whole-heatedly the new program offered to me.  But I can't be admitted this term because I only have two days to process my application that normally takes two months. Hence I decided to delay my enrollment until the next semester.  It took a great deal of effort to understand the situation, and much faith to  hold on to believing that God's hands is working behind all those delays.  Patience and my total surrender helped me accept that something better is up for me.  

Now I am so much grateful for that delay, as it paved the way for me to help a friend in need, and as a bonus, introduced me to a wide array of business opportunities.  Through the event I spearheaded, I met several hardworking people who share the same passion as mine, and eventually became my business partners.  Wow!  Truly, the Lord rewards us more than what we expect when we entrust our endeavours to His mighty hands.

2.  Our holiday trip to Ilocos was postponed because of a bad weather.  I felt so devastated when the trip that took us months to prepare had to be rescheduled the last minute because of a typhoon.  So we moved our trip to a date that coincides an event that I don't want to attend.  Isn't that fantastic?  I am now saved from creating alibis.

3.  I have been applying for the current post I am holding since 2007 and in fact, I have been rejected twice.  And early this year, without me applying for the post, I was offered by my manager the same job, but this time with a higher rate and rank than what I was applying for four years ago.  See how God works through delays as He prepares you for the best.

From these recent experiences I learned to embrace delays as part of life, sometimes inevitable though really annoying. When things go not according to our plans, our faith and optimism can save us from getting frustrated about life. In short, allowing changes with an open heart and mind, being optimistic and letting the hand of God take over are the keys to a life free from unnecessary worries.

May God bless you through delays. :)

Benefit Bazaar

I always wanted to mount a bazaar. But I never thought my first will be for a cause.

Call for pledges banner

It is so overwhelming to hear the positive responses from the people I tapped for this activity. Everyone's enthusiastic to take part in this sale, as well as looking forward to the improvement of Baby Yzrael's health. 

It is once again proven that during tough times people get together to care for a friend, a brother or sister in the community, or a relative, even if they are in the midst of their own concerns too.  I once got a test message that says, 

"Love won't run out.  In moments when you feel like you have given and given until there is no more of yourself to give, remember that love won't run out. God has an infinite amount of love for you and for you to pass on to others.  Even at times when the well seems dry, God can send a flood.  Let the flood of love wash over you and drench everyone around you."

Indeed, the Lord has flooded this world with so much love.

And may God bless you more.