Monday, June 18, 2012

@itssuperKZ Sharing this with you. Minimum Fear lang naman katatakutan ngaung pasukan (^∇^)

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Sunday, May 20, 2012

My Turkish Delight

When I was in elementary the MV Doulus Ship visited our place. For those who are not familiar with it, the MV Doulos held the biggest floating library in the world. Normally there were somewhere between 3000 to 5000 books on the shelves and half a million in the hold. Too bad in 1991 foreign crew members got killed when a grenade was thrown at them by the Abu Sayyaf in Zamboanga. I think after that they never returned to our country. She made her last World Tour in 2009.

My mom brought me there since we live very near the port before. It was the first time I was so amazed by the numerous books I saw. It was also the first time I encountered The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.

I cannot forget the part of book where Edward told the White Witch his favorite: Turkish Delight. Just reading it that time when I was still a kid, it sounded so delicious already. When it was made into a movie, the scene of Edward and the white witch reminded me again of Turkish Delight.

Ano ba yang Turkish Delight na yan? Parang ang sosyal, name pa lang lol! When I searched Wiki, sosyal nga naman pala talaga siya:

"Lokum" was introduced to Western Europe in the 19th century. An unknown Briton reputedly became very fond of the delicacy during his travels to Istanbul and purchased cases of it, to be shipped back to Britain under the name Turkish delight. It became a major delicacy in Britain and throughout Continental Europe for high class society. During this time, it became a practice among upper class socialites to exchange pieces of Turkish delight wrapped in silk handkerchiefs as presents.


I still haven't tasted one even until now. Although I found out its available in Marks and Spencer.

Now, I checked it out and truly, it looks delightful!

It will be just one of those sweets I would taste when I visit the place where its made. Masaya pa nito, dami kong kasama.

Turkey, you delight me!

Here I come!



 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

What Creates Wonder In You?

 

"Wisdom begins with wonder"~Socrates

Yesterday, when we were at the beach in Batangas, my eldest Galahad, went to me very excited showing me a shell he found at the beach. He was telling me it was the best one he found that day. I got fascinated by the way he was holding it with such joy and amazement of finding such treasure. I have seen several shells before and looking at, I know it's just an ordinary shell. However, I stopped myself from giving such response for I saw the look in his eyes full of wonder and amazement. Hearing my comment would definitely kill such pure joy I saw in his eyes. Instead, I asked him where he found it and just like any kid who discovered something new, he told me all the details with excitement which reminded me of what childhood really is; full of wonder and amazement.

Then just this morning my youngest, Paris, kept on running a video from my mom's phone. My mom said it was a video he took with his cousins in the province. My mom said that he never got tired of watching it. He was so happy showing it to us. I couldn't help but smile watching him laugh so hard watching the one minute video over and over again. For us, adults its not even an extraordinary video yet for him it's like the only treasure he has in the world right now.

As an adult, I realized that we stopped having that child-like wonder and amazement when we look at things. When I looked back and remember the faces of Galahad and Paris as they watched in amazement their new found treasures, I somehow missed my childhood. However, I realized that it doesnt necessarily mean that just because we became adults we can no longer have that childlike "awe" in us.

Looking at my two lovely boys, I learned something from them. They opened up to me on seeing the possibilities inherent in small things. I realized, I for one, have that small thing that also keeps me in a state of wonder even now as an adult.

I am always fascinated by pens, different kinds of it especially colorful ones. A lot of people might find it weird however, until now it creates wonder in me. I remember when I was still a child, my mom would buy me one before classes begins. Growing up we never really had enough. Somehow, the beautiful lovely pens gave me a world beyond what surrounds us that time. I remember myself looking at it very carefully, holding it like its the only important thing I the world even if it could be the cheapest one my mom bought for me that time. I remember how I kept it very carefully in my pencil case and in fact let it stay there for months and seldom use it at all. There was even an instance which I could remember when my mom was cleaning our house from flood that went inside our house after a storm. I put my pen on the topmost corner of our cabinet to protect it from the flood. It was something that allowed me to forget what happened even on that day, that the storm really didn't matter at all. It was like just looking at it that time, was pure joy of having something so precious.

Little did I know that I have brought it with me as an adult. Its something I couldn't stop myself from not buying. Sometimes, I just bring my pens with me even if I won't be using it all. Seeing it inside my bag puts a smile in my face. It's like the different colors brightens my day.

People might find this weird you know. However, remembering my two kids and the happiness those small treasures gave them reminds me that we must not kill the childlike wonder inherent in all of us and not allow impending adulthood to hinder us from being constantly reminded that there is joy even in small things. In fact, being in a state of wonder or this "beginners mind" according to Shunryu Suzuki, allows us to learn faster. Come to think of it, being in a state of awe and wonder, gives us joy. Working towards something with joy, will most likely get us to what we want to accomplish.

What about you? What creates wonder in you? What is that thing that brings you joy that you always bring with you?

Share it.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

A Problem Is A Gift

Do you like pepper? Me, I love pepper! Especially when I make my favorite spaghetti. Aside from the health benefits pepper provides, what I also like about it is that it constantly reminds me that problems are actually beneficial.

You might be asking, really? How is that so?

I'm not sure if you know the story of the search for pepper. From the what I learned from Roger Oech, from the Middle Ages on, pepper was the most important spice traded between Europe and the Far East. No form of preservation other than salting was generally employed and no other spice aside from pepper make heavily salted meat edible. Food before in Europe is bland and that is the reason why there was a demand for pepper. Thus, it was salt and pepper that stood between meat eating Europeans and starvation.

If we will go back in our history, it was around 1470 that the Turks began disrupting the overland trade routes east from the Mediterranean which caused pepper prices to skyrocket. As a result of this, European explorers sailed west and south in search of alternative passages to the Orient. As historian Henry Hobson put it, "The Americas were discovered as a by-product in the search for pepper". In fact, as far as I could remember in my Asian History class in college, the search for the spices (which includes pepper) led as well to the discovery of Asian countries by the Europeans.

Most people don't like problems. Who would want to have problems? Who wants to experience roadblocks, conflicts and impediments? Of course if you ask people, they would definitely tell you, they don't one problems. I, for one don't like problems. It gives me sleepless nights, stops me from eating, distrupts my routine. In short, problems takes away our peace of mind. It's no wonder we don't like it because it gets away with what we are trying to accomplish.

However, in my years being in business, I learned and appreciated problems. One thing I've seen that probably most of people won't agree with is that, I realized problems can be beneficial. I'm not saying this for the sake of making you feel good because the fact is, we don't feel good when we have a problem especially if it is up in our face. However, in all the problems I have encountered, although it has given me headaches etc., it turned out to be a blessing after all. Yes, it can distrupt our mental patters however, it forces us to think and re-think what we are doing.

Along the way of solving my problems, I learned not to get stuck with it and try to find an alternative solution. Along my search for finding an alternative solution to get me to what I want to accomplish, (just like how the Americas and Asia was discovered in search for pepper), I discovered a lot about myself and found alternative solutions to what I was dealing with. In the end, I was still able to solve it and at the same time got more from from it.

Looking back, all my problems, turned out to be beneficial. Not just we become great in handling it, at the same time we become more prepared in mindset and attitude when another problem or obstacle distrupts our routine. So, the most important thing first and foremost is to also accept that problems (obstacles, roadblocks, conflicts and impediments) is part of life. Just always remember that if you don't take away your focus in accomplishing whatever it is you want to accomplish, you will never be stopped by any problem at all and will do your best to find ways in going over any obstacles along the way.

It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe~Muhammad Ali

 

Get The Right Support

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Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it. Whoever you are, you need one.~Jane Howard

Did you know that one of the reasons why gypsies have a good health record is the role family plays in establishing a positive health environment?

When a family get sick, it's not uncommon for six to eight other gypsies to accompany her to the doctor. Such family participation provides not only a support system for the ill member, it also creates a high expectation for getting well.

Similarly, it's much easier to succeed if your environment both supports and expects success.

I remember when I was still a kid, my family transferred from a place I grew up where most kids never go to school, people go into drugs and prostitution was rampant. I was around 7 years old then. When I asked my mom why we need to transfer, she simply told me that we're already growing up and she wanted to transfer us to an environment that would support our growth.

Then about two years ago my mom informed me that my childhood friend, whose family remained in the same place where we left, was already in jail and already mentally incapacitated because of drugs.

I'm not condemning the place where I grew up. In fact, I have fond memories of our place. When I was still a kid, I didn't see what my parents saw. I just knew then that they wanted the best for me.

What I am saying here is this, if we want something in life, we cannot deny the fact that we need to be with people who can support us to achieve what we want to achieve. This is the reason why success is not for everyone, because part of success is getting out of environment or spaces that no longer contributes to our growth.

I'm sure my parents don't want to leave the place but they have to, to get the right environment that would support all of us towards achieving what we want. Similarly, this is true in any aspects of our life. If we want to succeed, we must be with people who also wants to succeed, have dreams and are committed to make it happen.

Get out of your comfort zone. Get the right support and the positive environment you need in whatever it is you are upto in life.

Photo courtesy of Emilydombeck