Mother always lie

This article is based on a email message came from my officemate and my sister. I want to share this story with all of you and reflect on the scenes from this story:


This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we  hadn't
enough to eat. Whenever we had some food,  Mother often gave me her portion
of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say
"Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry." This was Mother's First Lie.

As I grew,  Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house;
she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could gave me a little bit more
nutritious food for my growth. Once  she had caught just two fish, she would
make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and
eat the what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten, My heart
was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish
to her on my chopstick
but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really
like fish." This was Mother's Second Lie.

Then, in order  to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to
bring home  some used matchboxes which she filled with fresh matchsticks.
This helped her get some money to cover  our needs. One wintry night I awoke
to find Mother  filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother,
go to sleep; it's late:  you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother
smiled and said "Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired." This was Mother's Third
Lie .

When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother  accompanied me. After
dawn, Mother   waited for me for  hours in the heat of the sun. When
the bell rang, I ran to meet her..  Mother embraced me  and poured me a
glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos.
The  tea was not as strong
as my Mother's love,  Seeing  Mother covered with perspiration, I at once
gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said "Drink, son! I'm
not thirsty!".  This was Mother's Fourth Lie.

After Father's death,  Mother had to play the  role of a single parent.

She  held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our
family's life was more complicated.  We suffered from starvation. Seeing our
family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to
help us solve our problems big and small.

Our other neighbors  saw that we were poverty stricken so they  often advised
my mother to marry again. But Mother  refused to remarry saying "I don't
need love."

This was Mother's Fifth Lie.

After I had finished my studies and  gotten a job, it was  time for my old

Mother to retire but she carried on  going to the market  every morning
just to sell a few  vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was
steadfast  and  even sent the money back to me. She said,  "I have enough
money."

That was Mother's Sixth Lie.


I  continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree.  Funded by the
American  Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies.

With a big jump in my salary,  I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in
America but Mother didn't want to bother her son;  she said to me "I'm not
used to  high living."

That was Mother's Seventh Lie

In her old age, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized.

Now living far across the ocean, I  went home to visit Mother who was
bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken

because she was so  thin and feeble but Mother  said, "Don't cry,  son!  I'm
not in pain."

That was Mother's Eighth Lie.

Telling  me this  her eighth lie, she died.



Yes, mother was an angel!


 - My reflection on this story, some of our mothers really don't want to show their true feelings. They really think of the welfare of their children. They want their children to be strong and this story also teaches us to be more compassionate. Some of us are really very fortunate that our mothers are always there to encourage us and gives us what we need, they also give their love on us. Let's not forget that they are the reason why we are here. For those of us who are lucky to be still blessed with our mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this story is even more beautiful.

Woman in chains

The song “Woman in chains” was sung by the famous 80’s band Tears for Fears leaded by Roland Orzabal together with Oletta Adams (She was very famous for the song “Get Here”). He said: “The song is an anthem for the women’s movement, if a man can write such a thing…” The song is also about how men traditionally play down the women and how both men and women suffer for it. Well, let me explain some of the lines or stanzas from this song.

A.      “You better love loving and you better behave” – this explains something like you’re here for sex and you should used to it and like it. This is really a very disgusting stanza but this is very true in the minds of most of the men and very important in the introduction of the song.

B.      “Calls her man the great white hope” – this suggest the elements of abuse to women which can be taken individually or culturally.

C.      “Men of stone” – “Stone” refers to the hearts of men who keep the women down. Who indulge in them for superficial pleasures & who don’t treat them as humans.

D.      “And I feel hopelessly weighed down by your eyes of steel” – what women feels that they never getting a chance to voice herself, & also applies to any men who understand her plight and agree something should be done which namely the songwriter.

E.       “It’s a world gone crazy keeps woman in chains” – people see this in a society, men and women are alike, but since it’s just one of a multitude of serious social problems, they just let it happen.

F.       “Well I feel lying and waiting is a poor man’s deal” – if we understand what’s going on and we do nothing about it, we are poor. Meaning, poor in spirit and poor in integrity.

G.     “I will not accept the Greatness of Man” – on other words, “I don’t care that man achieved so much in society if it means that he has to keep woman down.”

H.      “So free her” – a very beautiful, sad but true ending stanza of the song meaning let the woman give a chance to be independent.

This song really reminds us that in this society, women also have a bigger role in building a community. Women must also have an equal treatment as men and men must also respect the right of a woman.

Another Day In Paradise

There was a song entitled “Another day in paradise” by none other than Phil Collins which explains about problems in our society today like poverty, homelessness, hunger and other social issues. The contents of this song are somewhat puzzling but very meaningful.

The way people can be callous towards others and the writer’s lack of faith in the ability for people to change. This may also somewhat relate to how we neglect our fellow men for our own materialistic wants and desires. It also brings attention also to our unwillingness to help those who are in need. We are living in a materialistic society.

I may find this opinion be related to all of us but I will really find this song be related also to our politician, businessmen and especially the Catholic Church. Why? First of all, politicians nowadays only know about investigating on this issue, which issue and issues everywhere. They are only wasting time and money on nonsense investigations. Why don’t they spend their budgets on helping the poor, the homeless and those people who are sick but can’t afford to go to the hospital? Second, to all businessmen who only knows profit and capital instead of the welfare of the workers and employees, have you ever think also the hardships your employees & workers are encountering? I know you have a so called “Corporate Responsibility” which aims to help various non-Profit organizations in some of their projects but maybe this is not enough. And to the Church, who has many Catholic Schools (many of which has very high tuition rates), has many offertories during mass (of which is comes from the pockets of the parishioners), and other businesses; have you ever think also of the welfare of other poor Catholics who seeks help from you? I know the Church has a huge financial statements, they don’t even share (even just ¼ of their capital) to those also who are in need and homeless.

Just like Phil said one of the stanzas of the song, we are seeking for God’s guidance. “Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do. Oh Lord, is there something you can say.” Few people in this society really think the welfare or our less fortunate fellow men, but I really hope all of us will do our part in lifting them up. Maybe I could say, “It’s just another day for you and me in paradise”

Get Here

The song “Get Here” sung by Oleta Adams is one of my most favourite songs and this is also one of my father’s favourite piano pieces. This song is all about a person missing someone who has a very significant or very part in his or her life and that person want that someone to be back no matter what happen. I will explain some of the lines or stanzas in this song. This can also relate to our love ones who are apart from us.

A.      “You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trail way, you can reach on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind” – this explains that the writer wants her love one to reach her or to remember her because she really misses her love one.

B.      “I don’t care how you get here, just get here if you can” – this means that if you love someone, you will find ways to be there with him or her no matter what happens.

C.      “There are hills and mountains between us, always something to get over, If I had my way, surely you would be closer, I need you closer” – there are many hindrances, obstacles and scenarios between two people who misses each other. Even they are apart, if they will had their way, they will surely be closer to each other.

This song really reminds us on how we can communicate with our love ones no matter what happens. We just want our love ones to get here and be with us.

The winner takes it all

“The winner takes it all.” This was ABBA’s one of the most popular songs during the 70’s and also one of my mom’s favourite songs. But do you know that this song can be related to 2 things? The first is all about broken relationships and the second is all about principles. Let’s summarize these 2 things related to this song.

1.       Broken relationships

-          Why this song is all about broken relationships? This song is all about the divorce of the 2 band members of the group ABBA (Agnetha Faltskog & Bjorn Ulvaeus) in 1979. In real life, Agnetha was the one who broke up with Bjorn because whe didn’t want their relationship is in the eyes of public and she’s got sick of it. The composer, Bjorn Ulvaeus, said that this song takes the experience of a divorce. He is right. There wasn’t a winner or a loser and in every broken relationship, there is no win-win solution. Both parties are losers. The first stanza of the chorus “The winner takes it all, the loser standing small” means that in a broken relationship, there is no winner and both are standing small.

2.       Different principles (better related this to some PROs and ANTIs)

-          In some cases, this song is somewhat related to different principles. I will site a good example and that is the controversial “RH Bill”. There are PRO-RH advocates and the ANTI-RH advocates. Well, why did I relate this song to different principles like this issue? My answer:

A.      “The gods may throw a dice” – meaning that in destiny, there is no one who can make a dice turns out the way they want to.

B.      “Spectators of the show, always staying low” – the people who are watching what is happening will not get involve. Why? Who cares???? Maybe they will tell you, “If you don’t educate us about this issue, well, we don’t care what you are arguing about.”

C.      “The winner takes it all” – this line will be reserved for the one who will win in the debate about a certain issue.

In every game of life, there is always a winner and a loser. But we should also remember this line “I apologize, if it makes you feel bad.” Meaning we should also apologize in every not so good situations that we made.

The stanza “The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall” is simple and plain. So why should we complain? But I tell you, the loser will not always be a loser…

The Art of Practical Shooting

Several people nowadays are into extreme sport like motor cross, carting, wakeboarding, skateboarding, and air soft. But few people specifically law enforcement agents are into this kind of sport, practical shooting. Even few civilians who have a licensed handgun and have a permit to carry are also into this kind of sport. I was also introduced to this kind of sport when I was in 4^th year college by my uncle who is a police general and now, I’m very much active into this kind of sport especially on weekends.

Practical shooting is now one of the most popular shooting sports today. This kind of sport has 3 most important elements a player must have; speed, accuracy, and power. Before you enter into this kind of sport, you must have a licensed firearm and get a permit to carry (outside of residence) from the Philippine National Police (if you’re from the Philippines.) This sport is a venue that seeks to develop and test an individual's shooting skills in a controlled sporting environment and practical shooting matches are usually in obstacle-laden courses called stages, requiring a player to complete the stage.

There are 3 scoring methods for this kind of sport; the “Comstock”, “Virginia Count”, and “Fixed Time”. The “Comstock” allows the player to engage the course of fire w/ an unlimited number of rounds & time that stops the last shot fired. The stipulated number of hits per target will be counted. The “Virginia count” also has the same time limit as the “Comstock” but the difference here is that the “Virginia Count” has limited number of rounds to be fired per target. The “Fixed” method limits both the time and the number of shots to be fired.

Guys, at first, it’s really very hard to start in this kind of sport. You need to be tough enough to hold a gun, be precise with the target and be accurate with the time given to you. But with enough practice and conquering you fears, you will be able to shoot the target and win.

Finding Christ in random online strangers in the net

Every time we open our facebook, twitter, plurk, and other social networking sites; we may find some notifications like a friend posted a comment on your wall or maybe a new friend request. But, do we ever think that we may find Christ on some of our online friends from these social networking sites?

Even thou we don’t really know them personally; we may seek Christ in them. For example, an online friend posted on your facebook wall encouraging you to study harder or work harder. Or maybe, a friend sent you an email message giving thanks to you for helping him/her in their problems in life because you gave the words of encouragement. Another example is like this, a certain facebook user or a group of facebook users encouraged us to participate or join in a community project or a fun run for the benefit of a certain congenital heart disease patient (Just like what they did in a fun run call “Takbo para sa puso” or “Run for the heart.”)

Even thou we have problems in life; there are some friend who could help or give us good advice on how we can overcome our problems. And for that, God uses these online friends of ours to look unto Him and and say, “Lord, we thank you for blessing us these online friends to be Your instrument in overcoming our problems.” Even thou they are not really your personal friends and in the first place you find that they are only online strangers seeking for your friend approval, maybe you could find that they may be used as God’s instrument in your life.