MGA MAKASALANAN AT MGA BANAL

Sa usaping Pananampalataya, may mga tao na kabisado ang buong Banal na Aklat mula sa simula hanggang sa katapusan na kahit saan man daanin ay kaagad na masasabi ang bawat versikulo at kung saan ito makikita.  Humahanga ako at naiinggit sa mga tao na ganuon dahil nasa kanilang puso at isip ang pagbabasa ng kanilang Banal na Aklat.  Humahanga din ako kapag nakakakita ako ng mga taong relihiyoso.  Madalas silang magtungo sa sambahan nila upang magdasal o makinig ng Banal na Misa.  Masipag silang makilahok sa mga pagtitipon upang magpuri sa Diyos at pag-aralan ang mga Salita ng Diyos.  Matiyaga silang nagpupunta sa ibat-ibang lugar upang magpalaganap ng Aral at mga Salita ng Diyos.  At masaya silang naglilingkod ng kawang-gawa sa simbahan upang mag-alay ng mga gawaing-simbahan tulad ng paglilinis at pagbabantay sa sambahan.  Sila yung sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos ay panay pang-relihiyon na bagay ang kanilang pinagkakaabalahan.

Marami na akong nakita, nakilala at nakasama na mga relihiyosong tao – mapa Kristiyano, Muslim, Budista, Hindu at iba pang relihiyon.  Sila yung mga tao na sa mahabang panahon ay walang patid sa pagtitipon-tipon upang pag-aralan ang mga Salita ng Diyos.  Sila yung sa araw-araw na buhay ay namumutawi sa kanilang mga labi ang mga aral sa Banal na Aklat, na ang bawat ginagawa nila ay sa ngalan ng Diyos, at anumang pangyayari ay kalakip ang pagpuri at pasasalamat sa Diyos.  Nuon ay nagkaroon ako ng pagkabagabag sa sarili na hindi ko magawa ang magpaka-relihiyoso.  Nakakaramdam pa nga ako ng panliliit at hiya sa sarili kapag may nakikilala akong taong relihiyoso.  Ngunit nuon iyon, dahil ngayon ay nagkaroon ako ng paniniwala na wala sa sinasabi at ginagawa ang pagiging relihiyoso.

Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ngunit mas madalas kaysa sa hindi ay karamihan sa mga taong nakilala natin na relihiyoso ay sila pang may mga itinatagong kamalian na patuloy na ginagawa.  Bakit kung sino pa yung mga nakikita nating relihiyoso ay sila pa yung nabubuhay ng hindi ayon sa kanilang sinasabi?  Ang kanilang prinsipyo sa buhay ay Banal na Aklat ang pinanghahawakan ngunit ang taong ito ay namumulitika, ginagamit ang lakas at kapangyarihan masunod lamang ang gusto, nakikipag laban sa maruming kalakaran ng buhay, nanggagamit ng kapwa tao para sa sariling interest.  Mga taong madalas magpuri sa Diyos ngunit sa kapwa nila ay sila yung masakit magsalita, mapag-duda sa kapwa, at mapagsalita at mapag-isip ng negatibong komento sa mga bagay-bagay.  Kilala silang madasalin, magaling mangaral, at masigasig sa pag-aaral ng mga Kautusan ngunit mayroon silang masamang ugali tulad ng karamutan, oportunista, mapanghusga, at mapang-lamang sa kapwa.

Marami rin akong nakikita sa mga relihiyosong tao na nabubuhay sa pakiki-apid sa hindi nila asawa, o di kaya’y mayroong dalawang asawa na hindi pinahihintulutan sa kinaaanibang relihiyon.  Mayroong limang beses magdasal sa kanilang sambahan ngunit mapagbintang, malupit sa kapwa, at mataas ang tingin sa sarili.  May mga samahang pangrelihiyon na nagagamit upang makapangalakal,upang maging dakila o di kaya ay makapaghatid sa kanila sa katanyagan, at kapangyarihan sa bayan.  Mayroon ding mga kapatiran ng ilang samahang pangrelihiyon na nakaka-ipon mula sa mga nalilikom na salapi bilang donasyon sa bawat pagtitipon na nagiging pondo upang maging puhunan para sa pagpapahiram kapalit ng maliit na pataw sa hiniram.  Ang ibang sekta ng relihiyon ay nagiging daan na lamang papunta sa ibayong kapakinabangan at kaginhawahan. 

Marami ang lalabas at magpapanggap na propeta – ngunit mga bulaang propeta.  Maganda kung magsalita, matatamis at mabulaklak ang mga dila upang makapagpamalakaya ng maraming taga-sunod ngunit hindi totoo sa kanilang mga sarili o di kaya ay mayroong mga itinatagong pangsariling-interes.  Banal siyang pagmasdan ngunit makasalanan sa totoong anyo ng kanyang mukha.  Dahil marami sa atin na kung sino pa ang sinasabing banal ay siya pang makasalanan.

Alex V. Villamayor

January 31, 2011

MY BOSS AND I

Practically, the labor and employment are dominated by the rank and file employees in terms of numbers. However, business in reality is dominated by the lesser Officers who are more powerful and authoritative. Although they are outnumbered by their subordinates, labor is actually controlled by the capitalists and officers. In a typical office environment, the office is consisting of one boss and numbers of staff which this alone means one is ruling over the many. In this situation, these staff are all cooperating, following and accepting the methods and approach of the boss that represents the management which owns by the entrepreneurs.

That is why it is important to establish a good relationship with your boss to have a smooth-sailing business, no matter how distasteful your boss is, you should exert effort to be liked by him. Well I had the situation. I have worked with a scrupulous, invincible, commanding and intelligent boss for more than four years. During the early years of our working together, I have undergone in what I called emotionally battered when I had repeatedly received his anger because of work mistakes which I never experienced in my past companies. Given it the consideration, I tried to be not too sensitive and I ignored the feeling of self pity and shame every time he got up-set to me. Giving myself the chance to learn from my work mistakes and to know him more – I thought I can overcome that period that drastically transformed me in a just so-so trainee. It ruined my personality and destroyed my confidence. Pessimism and hesitation ruled over the supposedly good foundation in my new work.

Colleagues advised me to stay where I was posted since my boss is not telling me to get out. Other superiors told me don’t leave without my boss’s instruction or until he complained to remove me. Over the years that advice made me barren and stagnant - it felt me unmotivated. Staying under pressured because of fear to meet the high standard of my boss corrupted my self-esteem. Cramming with the growing number of works drained my comprehension. I was occupied and exhausted which fails me to deliver good outcome. It gave me worse situation – more pressured and tensed than before. Worries to meet the expectations and thinking of not a good employee are always hounding me. Fear that anytime I will be called to scold again because of the errors and will get offended again. I cannot learn my lesson well because of these – they kept me disturbed and unease.

I endured all of these until I became fed up and I laid my cards. To put it in black and white, I sent message to my boss requesting him to replace me with an effective one that can fill my shortcomings and weaknesses since I was never good to him. I would like to give myself chance to find new hope and build again my self-esteem which I have lost while I am working with him. Well, he did not allow me to leave. I was contractual employee and by nature I cannot just leave as a regular employee can. When I did this, he spoke me and in contrary, he told me the things that I did not expect him to say about me. He said I am indeed an excellent employee and he cannot find someone else would do better job than me. Saying I was just over sensitive about making a slip but then again it is just fair for a professional person like me. In short, I went on to work with him until my contract expired.

Well I felt it was just a sort of comfort to an employee who wished to go, but I accepted it anyway. In fairness, my boss is professional even during those times he was getting up-set on me. He was so strict and he was striking me on all-work-matters only, and there was nothing personal I can say against him. After that time, it was not the same again – my boss had changed since then. He was still strict but a bit lesser. I am just little sorry why it needs to go up to that much before the better day come.

Alex V. Villamayor

January 20, 2011

NEEDING COMPANY

(The below story is the simple English translation of the original story written in Tagalog language)

Each one of us wants companion – be it a friend, partner or spouse, everyone doesn’t want to be alone.  It can be in romance, friendship, struggle in life, ambition, livelihood, and human relationships.  Almost all of us if not everyone, need someone to be with because no one can be independent.

Life is better when you have someone to share your happiness, whether is it great, ordinary or just small things.  In times of your suffering, loneliness, frustration and failures – that someone will be with you crying, hurting and troubling.  In times of good things – someone is laughing, enjoying and celebrating with you.  Everyone needs companion, someone who will be beside you when you’re alone, behind your back in everything you do, and ahead to defend you.  You need friend to be happy, friend who will tell your faults, help you, reminds what your needs and praise your successes.

You need partner in life who will love you till last, boost you up, fill your lack and weaknesses and revolve your life.  Spouse who will response in your physical and emotional need, even spiritually and morally.  You need partner who will make you totally complete until you both age.  Man needs company because not at all time he can do all things alone.  He needs companion because men live to love that makes him as human.  To have children whom he will pull out of his strength and whom his world will move around.

In general, people believe that success can be measured through having your own family which makes the essence of your existence and reason why you were created human.  But how come there are people who cannot find partner in life?  There are those whose searching of the right, true, worthy at deserved partner seems so difficult and elusive to find – whether in friendship or relation.

There are some who’d been good to his family, friends, and country but the return of good fate seems too long before achieved. There may be something wrong with him as a person like he may be slow learner, difficult to understand, old fashioned, distant and aloof to social interaction.  But isn’t it just fair for his decency to receive the return of love that he gives?  In his desire not to lose friends and companion, he has to take care them through giving, providing constant favour and pampering his luxury.

He does everything to protect the marriage, relationship, friendship, or partnership.  He sacrifices, sometimes extending his kindness in taking the responsibilities even to the next kin of his partner.  Because he loves companion, he doesn’t want to give chance and reason that might cause his partner to lose the affection towards him.  He accepts to understand these as much as he can, until his effort reaches to sky just to protect his love for the person.  And yes, including in his daily prayers, that’s how great his love.

Some people need companion through badly means which we can’t blame because of their sincere kindness, love and utmost needs.  Understanding is the least we can give next to compassion because needing company is as much as we need to live.

Alex V. Villamayor

January 18, 2011

NANGANGAILANGAN NG KASAMA

Ang bawat isa sa atin ay naghahanap ng kasama, maaaring kaibigan o asawa – lahat tayo gusto natin ng kasama. Dahil gusto natin na magkaroon tayo ng katuwang sa buhay – maaaring sa pangarap, sa kabuhayan, pakikipagkapwa-tao at pakikipaglaban sa buhay. Halos lahat, kung hindi man bawat isa, ay nangangailangan ng kasama dahil walang tao ang makapag-iisa – dahil ang buhay ay mas maganda kapag mayroon kang kasamang tumatawa sa kasiyahan – maging malaki man ito o kababawan lang ng buhay. Sa panahon ng iyong paghihirap, kalungkutan at kabiguan – kasama mo siya na umiiyak, nahihirapan at nasasaktan. Kasama na nagsasabi sa iyo ng mga kamalian, nagpapaala-ala ng iyong mga pangangailangan at nagpupuri sa iyong mga tagumpay. Kailangan mo ng kaibigan upang ikaw ay sumaya. Kailangan mo ng kasama na makakatulong mo sa lahat ng bagay, mula sa pagtugon ng pangangailangang pisikal, damdamin, at pangkaluluwa, hanggang sa makakasama sa iyong pagtanda.

Sa pangkalahatan, ang tao ay naniniwala na nasusukat ang tagumpay sa pamamag-itan ng pagkakaroon ng sariling pamilya na siyang pinakasaysay kung bakit ikaw ay ginawang tao. Subalit bakit may mga tao na hindi makatagpo ng makakasama sa buhay? May mga tao na ang paghahanap ng tama, totoo at karapat-dapat na makakasama ay tila ba napakahirap at napakailap makuha – maging sa pakikipag-kaibigan o sa larangan ng pag-ibig. Naging mabuti naman siya sa kanyang pamilya, kaibigan at kababayan subalit ang balik ng kagandahang kapalaran ay matagal bago makamit. Maaring may mali sa kanya bilang tao tulad ng maaaring siya ay mahinang umintindi, makaluma, mailap sa pakikipagkapwa-tao, ngunit hindi ba’t bilang kabayaran sa kanyang kagandahang-asal ay ang sukli ng pagmamahal na kanyang ibinibigay? Sa kagustuhan niya na huwag mawala ang kasama ay inaalagaan at pinasasaya niya ang ito sa pamamag-itan ng pagbibigay ng magagandang bagay. Pagbibigay ng mga pabor, pagpapaubaya sa kanyang layaw at pagsama sa mga panalangin araw-araw. Ito ay sa kagustuhan mo lang na para hindi siya tuluyang mawala at umalis dahil kailangan mo ng makakasama.

Hindi ba’t napakahirap maghanap ng makakasama kapag ganuon? Anu pa at ginagawa mo ang lahat para lang maprotektahan ang inyong pagsasama na mag-asawa o bilang pagkakaibigan. Nagsasakripisyo ka alang-alang sa kanya, kung kinakailangan mong mag-bigay ng mga material na bagay ay ginagawa mo. Kung minsan ay kailangan mong palawigin ang iyong kabaitan sa pag-ako ng responsibilidad niya sa kanyang mga mahal sa buhay – ganuon kalaki ang pag-mamahal mo sa kanya. Dahil mahal mo ang iyong kasama ay ayaw mong magagalit siya sa iyo dahil maaring hindi ka na niya mahalin kapag nagalit siya sa iyo. Ayaw mong mayroon siyang masabing hindi maganda sa iyo dahil baka maging dahilan iyon upang mawala ang kanyang pagtingin sa iyo. Inuunawa mo ang lahat ng nangyayari hanggat nakakayanan mo. Kung kaya ang iyong pagsusumikap ay sukdulan hanggang langit upang mapangalagaan lamang ang iyong pagtingin sa kanya.

Ang tao ay nangangailangan ng makakasama dahil hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay makakaya niyang gawin ang lahat ng nag-iisa. Kailangan niya ng kasama dahil nabubuhay ang tao sa pag-ibig na siyang bumubuo bilang isang tao, upang magkaroon ng supling na siyang paghuhugutan niya ng lakas at iikutan ng kanyang mundo.


Alex V. Villamayor
January 18, 2011
Dhahran, KSA

HEAVEN

(Inspired by song of Bryan Adams)
When you are alone, have you figured it out in your mind the picture of you and your other half are living alone in the home without your grown up children? That is the time when your own children are building their home and raising their own family. And on that time, most likely you will come thinking how you and your spouse have started, how your story had begun since the very first day you have met each other.

Maybe your better half is your childhood friend, a former classmate or an ordinary friend. For long you may have known each other all the while when you’d learned to love. It could be a casual friend like a brother and sister or the best of friend where you’ve shared secrets. Until you realized you two will be destined by fate. That is the reminiscence of that past the you always want to think of.

Love is colorful during the younger years, – for you always thought the world is only between the two of you. Young, free, strong and aggressive – you were that before. Though it has been passed for many years now, yet it’s still nice to have those times playing in your mind and you can’t help bringing those times to keep on coming back.

Now, looking at her tonight while she is resting in your arms, when you are closely staring at her face – you may probably say time has changed her beauty but for you she is still the same girl you loved for so many years passed. She might just does not know but sometimes when you are looking at her while on sleep – you are crying because you have found on her the heaven in earth.

For so long, you have been waiting a love to come and own. You have met and acquainted a lot and may have ended-up in a place just for you and shared the love, you may have had some short-live relationships with them while trying to find the real one. But sometimes it comes along in our way that someone will come in our life to make us change. That someone is bound to meet us to help us when we are down and troubled. Now that you had found her, you had whispered to yourself that she’s what you have looking and you will not find anyone else anymore.

She is there for you, since then till now – she’s really with you. Despite all of your shortcomings and mistakes she is still standing at your side, she never left you. Now you are crying, you are teary-eye because you can’t afford to lose her. And you are overwhelmed because to be with her for the rest of your life is heaven to think about.

Today, if you are already in the picture of living alone with your wife or husband away from the grown-up children, or maybe you are in your mid-life now and visualizing that time – today is definitely not too late. You have all the times to say your promise, or renew it again. To be with each other through thick and thin, rich and poor, sick or health, for better or worse is the realization of your dream. And for the years to come, the least you can offer is the love for each other until to your second life come. Heaven is in both of you that you need to regard, the overflowing joy in your hearts will be the eternal affection that holds your adoration.


Alex V. Villamayor
December 2010

LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY

(The following story was published in 2010 4th Quarter issue of JAL Focus, a company newsletter).

At this very moment, you have the opportunity that you might never have again. Seizing up this very moment, it is now your option to take it off or make full the use of it. The very moment you have right now is your opportunity to improve yourself and move your life forward. The very moment you have right now is your chance to correct your mistakes from the past days, prove something valuable, and develop more effective ways of doing things.

The word opportunity is refer to an auspicious circumstance. It is a favourable state of situation or a suitable time that you readily waited. It may appear rarely that comes in intervals of time, and the tedious people say it comes once in a blue moon. But unwearied men can appreciate the opportunity every minute. Every day is our opportunity to make our ambitions realistic and start the better future of our life. Every time you wake up in the morning from long night of sleep is an opportunity – opportunity to have a better day, opportunity to change and start new life, opportunity to do anything you want to do. The moment you opened your eyes, you have just started the new opportunity for the rest of your life.

Opportunity exists in different forms and many ways. A cynic person may ask “If your job is digging garbage, should you say you love digging garbage?” Usually, we don’t love to dig trash, dirt and garbage but if it’s your opportunity to make it as your stepping stone to the ladder of success – why not to love it? Actually, you really don’t have to get stuck yourself on it, you just need to learn to appreciate the things you have today. Not everyone has the opportunity to do what they are presently doing – whether it is small or major thing. Learning to appreciate things around you will start your enthusiasm to love the opportunity. If someone says opportunity doesn’t knock, why don’t you build a door? People should not wait the opportunity but rather find the way to get it.

If you were given a new task that is totally strange from you, you have to accept the challenge as you love the opportunity rather than the intimidation of fear. When you were removed from what you say your ideal job that perfectly fits your personality and transferred to another assignment that is far from your specialization – see it as an opportunity to prove your strength and ability. Take it then as an opportunity to learn more rather than doing the usual and routine sequence of your job. It is your chance to experience new work, new environment, chance to meet new circle of comrades, get more duties and responsibilities that will sharpen your career path.

Anything happens is an opportunity. A difficulty in life is your chance to strive harder and motivate to further your full determination. Albert Einstein, a German theoretical physicist, philosopher, author and an awardee for Nobel Prize in Physics said “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Even the negative occurrence is an opportunity to learn and an experience to charge for. If you were lost, you have opportunity to find your way into your new world or pick up your pieces and stand anew. When you are down, it is your time to test your skill, endurance, and will power over the situation. Learn to smile at every situation, and your difficulties will lighten the burden.

People must not worry as opportunity is just a parade. Do not get worry if one chance has passed, for the next in line are flute, fife and drum rolls echoing from the far distance. There are plenty of opportunities out there. Surprisingly it is always with us – we may overlook it and unknowingly have it in our hand now. A nice quote by Albert E. Dunning says “Great opportunities come to all, but many do not know they have met them. The only preparation to take advantage of them is simple fidelity to watch what each day brings.” The least we are expecting might be the biggest opportunity we are waiting – it might be embedded but trying to open it might give us the chance of the lifetime we are waiting for long.

Alex V. Villamayor

December 22, 2010

MACARONI SALAD FOR TODAY

Sometimes we have our frame of mind to plan something good for our friends that will make them pleased and happy. How much more in a special day that will really make them extra pleased and happy? Well, I would like to toss a potluck meal for a friend on a rare day made special for him – it’s his birthday. And I would like to prepare an ordinary thing but will become special because of the occasion. For him, I want to give him a present that will bring enjoyment not only for him but for the whole group of friends. Since the group love eating, I would like to prepare a simple, traditional and classic macaroni salad made diverged for the occasion.

The preparation set me off a couple of days before the day. I can choose only any of the shell and elbow macaroni, but I rather picked up the later. The load of my shopping bag was quite weighty to cart all the way to walk-home but the desire to make a salad lightened my hand-carry.

Then a day before the day, I started doing the choirs in the kitchen. On a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, I cooked the macaroni noodles for 8 minutes until its tender softness. On a separate casserole I boiled the chicken breast, drained it and set aside to cool. I shredded it into strip very thinly pieces. On a salad bowl, I poured the cooked and drained pasta, added the all-purpose cream and real mayonnaise until soaked and done. I mixed the shredded chicken meat. I diced the pealed carrots and the white onion minced, then the pineapple chunks finely chopped and the black raisins and stir them until well blended. The grated cheddar cheese added the highlight of the macaroni salad. And for seasoning I added a dash of salt and crushed pepper to taste.

Kept it refrigerated for at least an hour before serving it cold, but before I finally served it, I garnished it with stalk of broccoli on the centre sided with thinly sliced cucumber to present it well. And sprinkled with some chopped eggs on top that completed the finishing looks of my macaroni salad.

Imagining the dish in a small platter encircled and shared by a group of friends is a moment in time that highlights the bonding of the friends. Aside from sharing with the group of friends the food I enjoyed to prepare, the delight on a friend’s eyes and good gestures of the rest of the group is my reward that cannot pay off with any amount.

It’s the traditional preparation of the all-time favourite macaroni salad but what made it different is the presentation to a friend. Well, in an occasion like this, the simple dish can make special and elegant when you made it hands on. It doesn’t need to do it in a classy restaurant or spend lots of perks and cash to make the occasion grandiosely. It is not required a special day to do this but even in simple and ordinary days will do.

Alex V. Villamayor

January 1, 2011