Pagsibol

 Pagsibol:  Words and music - Fr. Arnel dC Aquino, SJ; Performed by Himig Heswita

Pagsibol 

                                                                                                      (To Spring Forth; To Bloom)

I                                                                                                        (Note by note phrasing) 

       

Bawat huni ng ibon sa pag-ihip ng amihan.                        Birds trill as  the North wind’s blowing

                                                                                                       touching my being at its core.

Wangis mo’y aking natatanaw.                                           I see Your face before me everywhere.

Pagdampi ng umaga sa nanlalamig ko’ng kalamnan.        The morning light caresses the growing

                                                                                                         coldness in my flesh.

Init mo’y pangarap ko’ng hagkan'                                     How I yearn to embrace all Your warmth.

Chorus:     

                                                                      

Pangino-on ikaw ang kasibulan ng buhay.                        O Lord, Almighty God You are my life’s

                                                                                                               fullest bloom.

Puso’y dalisay kailan pa man.                                           Your heart so pure, e’er undefiled.

Ipahintulot mong ako’y mapahandusay,                           I beg Your leave O Lord that I collapse

                                                                                                          in Your arms

 sa sumasaibayong kaginhawahan.                                   So I could feel transcendent peace 

                                                                                                          and joy, at last! 

II

Nangungulilang malay, binubulungan ng tinig                The spirit sick with longing, will hear       

                                                                                                     the whisper of Your voice,

           Mo’ng, nagdudulot ng katiwasayan.                     giving it comfort and easing it’s pain.

Paghahanap katwiran nilusaw mo sa                               A life looking for reasons, doubts melt

                                                                                                          away in the fire……,

           simbuyo’ng karilagan ng pagmamahal.                in the fire of Your loving embrace!

Chorus 2 (2 x)

Panginoon ikaw ang kasibulan ng buhay.                       O Lord, Almighty God You are my life’s

                                                                                                          fullest bloom.

Puso’y dalisay kailan pa man.                                        Your heart so pure, e’er undefiled.

Ipahintulot Mo’ng ako’y mapahandusay,                       I beg Your leave O Lord, that I collapse 

                                                                                                                   in Your arms,

sa sumasaibayong kaginhawahan                                  so I could feel transcendent peace 

                                                                                                        and joy, at last!

Finale

Dalangin pa sana’y mapagtanto kong tunay           O how I pray that I could fully grasp and realize

Kaganapan ng buhay ko’y ikaw lamang                That You alone O Lord is the fullness of my life.

The Canvas World

All the world is an incomplete canvas. We all contribute, in large or small ways, to this work by how we are as collective humanity.

This canvas can never be completed because humanity, the only contributor to this work, continually evolves. It is a continuing work-in- progress. If this canvas ever gets completed the world as we know it will cease to exist because by then it is "finished."

Somewhere in the infinite universe, some other beings may see what we are working on. They may give us credit for our great accomplishments. But, they will certainly condemn us for the ongoing stupidity that we perpetrate on mother earth's once pristine backyard.

And, they will surely laugh at the shit that we throw at each other everyday as we work on the canvas. One can only imagine the filth that we smear the canvas with even as we work!

By our mindless acts of destruction upon mother earth's resources and the evil that we cause each other we are creating an ugly canvas. Surely, it is not the masterpiece that the Giver wanted us to come up with.

We can not fully appreciate the panorama because we are all part of it; we are in it. Like the fish not being able to see the water it is swimming in.

But, if by some stroke of wonderful fortune you get a furlough from your never ending "work" and take a step back to look at it, what will you see? Now, that you are focused on your own "contribution" - do you like what you see? What have you contributed?

Every human act is reflected on this canvas; big or small; good or evil; constructive or destructive; monumental or mundane; truly great or ho-hum. Everything is etched on it.

It is somehow frightening to think that as we project our thoughts into our actions we are creating a world almost unconsciously. And, it may not even be the world we really want to live in; the world we truly want to have.

Religion: The Instinctive Urge To Be One With God

Man has always had the urge to seek something higher than himself. Something superior to which he can submit, and which he can accept without hurting his ego. Early man considered the natural phenomena around him - the wind, the sun, the stars, even the moon as things which are more than what he was because he had no control over them. What he cannot control, therefore, must be more powerful than he was.

He learned that his own existence depended largely on things that are more powerful than the others - like the sun and the wind. Instinctively, he knew that without the wind and by extension the breeze that cools his lungs when he breathed he would die. He knew that without the sun, the plants from which he drew sustenance would die. He knew too, that the creatures with flesh like himself would die without the sun since most of them feed on the plants. Then he realized, that he too would die since what nourished him would all be gone without the sun.

Without science, he still could not understand how nature worked. He noticed that the wind blew in four directions, and sometimes it got very angry. Thus, he recognized the nuances of the four winds. The strength of the angry wind. The gentleness of the breeze. Then, he recognized the behavior of the sun. He disliked the heat of summer and the cold of winter. And, he appreciated the mildness of spring, the coolness of fall.

The knowledge that his entire existence depended on the forces over which he had no control, engendered in him a mixture of respect, admiration, and fear. Yet, beside himself, he felt a deep sense of gratitude. The overriding emotion above all was awe. All these powers around him gave him life. But, they also could take it away.

This awakened in man the need to create a balance between the forces that could kill him, and those that could sustain him. If he could, somehow, repay those forces for their kindness or at least acknowledge their power, perhaps he could keep the balance in his favor.

In primitive ways man then began to devise methods of reaching out to the powerful forces. He began to speak out to the Powers directly. Then, he offered gifts. He offered sacrifices. The dearer the offering, the more appeasing, and pleasing to the Powers. Early prayers were incantations invoking the Powers' kindness, and exultations of their might and glory. They were also supplications to the Powers to accept the humble offerings and make them worthy.

Offerings, and prayers had always been directed upwards, simply because early man noticed that the powerful forces came from above. The sun shone down from above. The stars were up there. The powerful winds seemed to come down from up there. Man's primitive logic told him the Power must be up there.

Thus, when he recited his prayers and incantations he directed them upwards. He burned his offerings so that the smoke would rise upwards. And since, the offerings had been made worthy by his prayers, the smoke would be pleasing to the Power up there.

Religion was born of nature, because man by nature had always sought a union with the Power that had control over his life and death. First, he respected this power. He admired it. Then, as he experienced more of this power, he began to fear it. Then, he was awed by it. Gradually, he began to revere it.

Survival was the key. Early man wanted to live. He desired to survive in the harsh conditions of early earth. Since, he has no control over the power that impacted his existence, he found it necessary to "befriend" it. It was not even religion, in the sophisticated sense that we understand it now. It was simply a relationship. It was like man saying:

"Power from above, be kind to me. I'm a mere mortal, powerless, and fragile. Please, restrain the forces that destroy, and shower me with the forces that give life. I am at your mercy. I recognize your might, and I am forever subject to it. Please, accept my offering, and in your kindness deemed it to be worthy."

And, then man hoped. He hoped that his offerings, and prayers would be pleasing enough to merit the Powers' kindness. He could do nothing else. That's how he began to have faith in the Power that he considered his friend. Faith that the Power would accept him in kindred spirit and shower him with the natural forces that he prayed for.

Early man experienced the multiple powers of nature. This inspired him to worship many Gods. Later, the Romans and the Greeks exemplified this. But, the idea of a one omnipotent God began with Yahweh, God of Abraham.

Present religion(s), adopted monotheism from the Bible. But, the roots began with early man. The basics are still the same. You still pray to an Almighty Power God, for mercy and for graces. And, by your acts you hoped to merit God's continuing kindness.

What then, is religion? It is a union between you and the God you believe in. God is the power that has control over your life. And, you are the supplicant who, by your pleasing acts, either through prayer or good works, hopes to merit his grace and kindness to make your life the way you want it to be - meaningful, happy, fruitful, safe. To many, religion is a way of life. After all, is not being happy, and having a meaningful life what you aspire for? If you can find it in religion why not?

Spirituality should not be confused with religion. Spirituality is a popular term used by organized religions. It is simply how you, the supplicant, gives substance and meaning to your relationship with God. Many people have the idea that through prayer they can achieve full spirituality. Fine. I will not argue with that.

However, you should look back to the example of early man to appreciate the act of "giving back what you get." Primitive as he was, early man was on the right track when he thought of making offerings to the Power. Remember, spirituality is giving substance to your relationship with God. So, as the modern man, how do you give substance to your relationship with your God? In other words, aside from praying, worship and going to Sunday service, how do you give back? More precisely what can you give back?

You don't need to stretch your imagination so thin to recognize ways of giving back. Start with your neighborhood. Your environment. The air you breath. Have you had your car tuned up recently?

So, what is faith? Faith is an emotional force that sustains your spirituality. It is believing in the God you do not see. That he is there for you. That he is true. It is also hoping that as you give back and pray you also receive. It is hoping that what you are before your God is worthy enough to merit his recognition.

In the final analysis, religion, spirituality, and faith could not be found in books that you read. You find them in yourself. They constitute how you make of the life that you have. What you are is what the Power gave you. What you make of yourself is what you can give back to him.

The Man Who Would Be King

In preparation for his ascendancy to the throne, the young man was sent to the Wise One to learn the secret of how to run a kingdom.

The Wise One sent him to the forest to sit in silence in the middle of it. Then, he was to report his experience back to the the Wise One. After a time, he went back and reported:

"Master, as I sat in silence, I can smell the fragrance of the flowers. I can hear the breeze blowing through the leaves of the trees, and I can feel it's coolness on my skin. I can hear the stream flowing in the distance. I can hear the birds singing. At night, I hear the crickets chirping."

The Master replied:

"Normal and ordinary. Go back the forest and sit some more. Then, come back when you have better things to tell me."

The young man went deeper into the forest and sat in silence once more. After a longer period of time, he went back to the Wise One and reported:

"Master, as I sat in silence, I can hear the rustling of the grass as it grew under me. I can can hear flowers opening up to full bloom. From inside their holes in the depths of the earth, I can hear the ants at work storing food. In daylight, I can hear the leaves crackling as they open up to receive the sun."

The Wise One replied:

"Well done, future king! But, there are still some things that you need to learn before you can become a great ruler. Go back and sit some more."

The young man went much, much deeper into the forest. As he sat in silence for a long time he became quite excited. At one point, he almost stood up to run to the Master to report his experience. But, he stayed where he was, and he sat for a long time. As he settled down, a calm came over him. He sat and learned. The longer he sat, the more he learned. When he was satisfied, he got up and went back to the Wise One and reported:

"Master, as I sat in silence in the middle of the forest, I became one with it. I could feel the pain of the trees as woodcutters cut them down. In my mind, I could see the breeze as it caressed the leaves of the trees. I could sense the grass and the flowers drinking in the dew. Where there's no sun, I could feel the grass reaching out to cover the forest floor to make it greener. Master, it is so strange how I could feel the need of every creature in the forest. Even of the forest itself. I am so filled with sadness because there is not much that I can do."

The Wise One replied:

"Excellent, young king! You are now ready for the job. Indeed, the true measure of a great ruler is to be able to become one with his realm. To see beyond what the eye sees. Seeing dreams that others dreamed and understanding them. To hear the unspoken. To hear beyond what the ears hear. Feeling beyond feeling; feeling the unvoiced pain. Feeling the unexpressed needs. Feeling the suppressed fears, the silent hopes. Being a ruler is going beyond what you think you are and becoming what the need of the moment demands. For after all, you are what you rule. Sadly, many of those who rule fail at it."

The story ends, but the drama continues.

How everyone in this great U.S. of A wish that its leaders could be discerning enough to sense the need of the moment. But, it seems rather difficult when those who assumed the yolk of leadership have lost their bearings. They have confused obstinacy with strength, stubbornness with courage, and one-track mindedness with resolve.

So, while history marches on, America's claim to greatness, left behind as a legacy by the Founding Fathers, has taken an extended lunch break. Worse, those who have sworn to preserve it may have killed it in an effort to leave their own individual imprint upon the annals of human events.

It is sad, not because there is not much they can do, but that their incompetence has stymied even their very best efforts to do a little.

Would You Willingly Lock Yourself In a Room For Fifteen Years for $2 Million?

Anton Chekhov tells a story (The Bet) of a banker and a lawyer. The two made a bet. The banker bet $2 million that the lawyer couldn't stay 15 years inside a cell. The lawyer wagered his freedom.

This was self-imposed imprisonment which hinged solely on the lawyer's word. The banker reasoned that being forced was different from willing submission. The idea that he could free himself at anytime but being constrained by the conditions of the bet would be enough to drive the lawyer crazy and quit.

In a sense, $2 million dollars would be as nothing to the rich banker. The bet was simply a whim of a well-fed man. On the part of the lawyer, it was more of greed.

The conditions were stringent. The lawyer was not allowed to step out the door. He could not see people, hear human voices, or received letters and read newspapers.

However, he was allowed to have a musical instrument, read books, write letters, drink wine, and smoke tobacco. He could communicate only via notes passed through a small window built for the purpose. If he escaped even if only for a fraction before the time, the banker would be freed from his obligation to pay.

Over the years, the banker almost lost all of his wealth. His greatest fear was that he would be broke after he gave away the two million, and the lawyer would ridicule him. The self-confident banker has become a mere shadow of his former self.

For his part, the lawyer became a cynic. He abhorred the things of the world. His readings enabled him to master many languages, the classics, and literature written by well-known authors. History and the sciences. And yet, he despised even the books that gave him his knowledge. He had assumed a superior attitude, and he scorned all that the world has become, the good along with the bad. His knowledge had corrupted him. He was also physically frail and his body became a mere wisp of what he used to be. Old before his time.

But, what was very significant about his life inside the cell was how his readings fired up his imagination. He went places, climbed mountains, and made love to beautiful women. But, it was also his imagination that altered his thinking.

Ordinary men would think that his confinement had made him lost his mind. But, the lawyer gave up his right to the $2 million! It was the crowning glory of his disavowal of all things worldly. He made the decision to leave his cell 5 minutes before the time to free the banker from the conditions of the bet.

It would appear that both men were losers in this bet. But, the banker has learned a lesson in humility. There are things that money can't buy. As for the lawyer, you can never sell your freedom for anything. While the mind maybe free, the host in which it resides would still feel the physical shackles of confinement. The mind will eventually fail as the physical host fails.

Travel as an Insider

How would you like to go on vacation, write it off as an expense, and then get paid to do it? Sounds impossible? You can do this if:

1) you are a travel agent, and
2) you have a travel business/agency

Let me explain. As a travel agent, it is your business to go to vacation spots to check them out. For example, how does the service measure up? What kind of facilities do they have? What makes each one of them unique? What are the add-ons to the basic? Perhaps, most important of all, what compelling reason would make you go there in the first place? In other words, as a travel agent, it is your business to know your product. If you don't know anything about the places you are sending your customers to, you have no business being in the travel business.

Now, since your travel is business or work-related, as opposed to leisure, it can be considered an operating expense. But, while you are "at work", say in Hawaii, you should take some effort to fill out some kind of survey of all the hotels and resorts you visited, and/or make a report of everything that you have observed. Make a journal if you have to. Why? The IRS might ask for it.

So, how are you going to get paid for doing this?

You have a business, right? What if you do business on the internet like Expedia, or Orbitz? You know what Expedia and Orbitz do? They refer travelers to hotels, cruise lines, resorts, airlines. These travelers will make their purchases through their website. Since the purchase was made through their website, they get a commission. And they make millions. Since, it is your job to travel, you can book your own travel in your own website. Right? So, you get a commission from your own travel. This is what you call paycation.

How much is a travel website? Expedia was bought for $5.1 billion. If you hire a webmaster to make one for you, it might cost you thousands. But, what if you can get one for under $500.00. An operational website with a search engine, that provides access to airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and resorts, car rentals, and all other facilities that makes travel easy and fun wouldn't you just grab the opportunity to own one? Of course you would!

Here's the bonus. Do you know how much it cost to maintain a travel office downtown? Thousands of dollars. But, this travel website will be maintained for you for just under $50.00. It has a back-office where you can track your commissions, an automated marketing system that takes care of advertising and selling for you. All you do is provide names and e-mail addresses of friends, family members, and contacts. You do not need office staff.

It's about time time to own your travel website. Be a Referring Travel Agent, like Expedia, or Orbitz. Now is the time, or the world will pass you by.

Flavier's Parable of the White Jar

Once upon a time there was a young beautiful white jar. She was so fragile and delicate her mother over protected her. She lived a sheltered life. She has to follow a lot of rules that her mother imposed on her. Her mother told her, these rules came from the creator. But, of all the rules, the most significant are:


a) don't go swimming in the sea,
b) stay away from brown jars

One day while she was occupied with making herself shiny and more beautiful, the white jar saw something she had not seen before in her life. It was a brown jar solidly made and strong. Suddenly, she felt something inside of her that she never felt before.

The brown jar went up to her and began talking in a soft masculine voice that captivated her. That was the beginning of a relationship between the white jar and the brown jar.

Everyday, the brown jar would come to visit and tell the white jar of the world she had never seen, of places she could only dream of.

Then, one day the brown jar invited her to go swimming in the sea. Forgetting her mother's advise she went with the brown jar.

It was fun swimming! She never had that much fun in her life before. Then, the wind began to pick up and the waves started to swell. As much as she tried to keep her balance she could not. A particularly strong wave washed over both of the jars and the white jar was pushed violently against her brown companion. As she shattered into a hundred fragments a thought entered the white jar's mind in a flash.

"Stay away from brown jars."

Moral: When the wise one tells you something, there's always a reason for it.