Pan - entire; Gaea - also spelled as gaia - meaning earth. Pangea Day, literally Entire Earth Day.

This is not about the Earth Day celebrated some weeks back (though I’m all for that too) where we turned off our lights for one hour. This is about a dream come true about a dream. A dream shared by everyone on earth.

Her dream: World Peace, like you, me and the beauty pageant contestant. It is really our desire, right. But we ask ourselves “But what can one person do?” I think she asked the same question and she came up with a first step: To meet together. I agree.

From Pangeaday.org

In 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the TED Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish. Watch Jehane Noujaim’s 2006 acceptance speech now.

Pangea Day, the day the world comes together through film.

Pangea Day is over and many Asian countries, including the Philippines, as Technogra.ph blogged, missed the four-hour event because of the time difference. Though we didn’t get to participate actively, it was just the beginning. There is still a lot to do.

Am just wondering if any Filipino film maker submitted, or any Filipino was part of any film or organizing the event, or if there was a Philippine representative in any of the seven cities where the event was. It would be great to hear (or read) first hand info with a Pinoy perspective.

If it’s any consolation, we could trace Pangea Day to a Filipina who had an influence on Jehane. In her 2006 TED talk, she mentions a certain exchange student named Donna from the Philippines.

From the TED talk video:

“A long time ago, about forty years ago, my mom had an exchange student named Donna.”

(Note the Rosary, Missal and “Belo”)

(Donna eating ice cream.)

“And this is Donna teaching my Aunt a Filipino dance.”Unmistakably Filipina, either an Igorot or Muslim dance.
Anybody who knows her? Where is she now, the Filipina behind Pangea Day? Might be a great story for FilipinaImages.com.

Images captured from the TED.com talk.

In the weekly email I send as a supplement to MabutingBalita.net, I mentioned that Pentecost, (the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and Mary) and Mother’s Day fell on the same day this year.  It must be because mothers receive a special grace from God to do what they do, and to love unconditionally and without limit.

A woman becomes a mother once life is conceived in her womb. For men, it is impossible to understand how it is to carry a child inside your body for nine months. The changes, anxieties, pain and discomfort are quite difficult to fully explain. Yet, mommies bear this burden. It does not end there.

When we were born, there is the feeding, bathing, waking up in the middle of the night, worrying when you are sick, teaching how to walk, talk and get toilet-trained, etc. This lasts for around 10 years (sometimes more).

When the teenage years come, the mothers work continues. There is still the feeding, guiding, relentless worrying, waiting up, advising and a whole gamut of ings.

Even when the baby becomes an adult and has a family of his or her own, mothers continue to be mothers. Even if they are now called lola or granny or mamita (as my officemate’s children call their grandmother), they still are mothers. Caring, giving, guiding, praying for us.

A mother is forever. Because she loves.

Mama, Mommy, Nanay, Naynay, Nana, Inang, Ina, Mom, Mamu, Momsie, however you are called - you are loved.

Thank you for everything.

Happy Mother’s Day to my mama, to Gina the mother of my children and to all mothers.

5 AM. Along the road towards the highway. We are heading home, back to Manila after a week of vacation.

The farmers are already up and about. A few jeepneys and trucks have begun their route. The day has begun, we have a long trip ahead of us.

Five hundred meters from the railroad crossing is a stretch of several fields. On ther right, a majestic sight greeted us.

What a beautiful going away gift God gave.

A new dawn. I feel it empowering me with renewed energy and vigor. It was as if my whole being basks in the glory of a new day.

Life is awesome.

Mistakes. Errors and failures.

Whatever word you use for it, think of the mistakes you’ve made. How do you feel about them now?

I have committed a lot of mistakes (and still do). Many times, I feel bad and berate myself. My self-esteem dips. All are normal reactions. But I do not end there.

Mistakes have negative connotations but they can also be used for improvement. The greatest success come from the lessons learned from errors committed.

Here is a breakdown on what to do with mistakes, using my own.

I once forgot to leave the keys to my car (which was blocking another one) to the parking attendant. When I came face to face with the owner who been waiting for an hour… It was not the best situation to be in.

Be Aware. As I entered the parking lot, the parking attendant were not smiling or greeting me. I was about to ask for my keys when I felt a familiar jingling in my right pocket. I forgot to leave my keys. That’s when I knew I made a mistake.

When you see the facts, don’t be in denial. Listen. Observe changes (or non-changes). Don’t feign innocence.  Be level headed. Everybody makes mistakes. You are not perfect.

Admit. Once you realize your mistake, take the blame. Take responsibility for your actions ((or inactions). In humility, say you goofed.

I faced the lady whom i have unintentionally inconvenienced and told her straight that it was my fault. I had no good reason.

Do not justify mistakes with reasons. It just diminishes your credibility but does little to make the situation better. No finger pointing. Do not make a second mistake of placing the blame on somebody else, the weather or the traffic. Do not lie and insist that you are not wrong.

Make amends. Do corrections when necessary or you are able to. Ask for forgiveness but do not overdo it. Listen to what they are saying and what they are not saying. Sometimes it’s better to leave them alone first and let them cool down. At times, that would be enough.

I asked for forgiveness and said I was very sorry. I took the cue that she didn’t want to hear anything else from me when she said “Can you move any faster?” She just wanted to get going. So move fast I did.

Many times, we can make amends after our misdeed immediately after. If you broke a vase, you can buy or pay for it. At other times, it is best to let go for the moment and make up for it later when.

Move on. When I came home, I was still playing the scene over and over that I was still shaking from embarrassment. “What If” was the mind game i played. But I’ve realized that it’s already in the past. I can’t change it. Even if I ran it over and over my head like a DVD movie, the deed has been done.

There is no use crying over spilled milk. Don’t wallow in pity, misery or fostering depression.

Sometimes we get so focused on a failure that we stay in a state of helplessness and shock. We feel guilty and unconsciously wallow in misery.

We must get up on our feet and begin anew. Let go of what was and look to the now and tomorrow.

Learn the Lesson. Guess who gives his key to the parking attendant even before it is asked? I’ve learned how to be more responsible after that embarrassing incident.

Focus on what can be done better. What could work? How could it have been prevented and how could it be

Do better next time. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Perseverance is a good trait to have but if you insist on doing the same thing that made you fail, you might need to go to the shrink. Edison “failed” more than 1000 times so we can now enjoy the light bulb. But he tried several times using different combination of materials until he got it right.

In every setback, there is an equal or greater opportunity. Find that gem in every failure which will lead you to success.