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This morning, 5 good things happened. And guess what. My day turned out great. Though I goofed on one occasion, the greater part of the day was awesome. I was able to work more, be more perky and had more energy.

Traffic was bad. Cars were cutting in and out, buses were honking and piling. I was still on the road when I should have been sitting in the office checking emails. Nevertheless, even I was in a hurry, I made commitment not to lose my cool, be courteous and drive defensively.

I reached the parking lot and headed off to the elevators. I chanced upon a man gently, tenderly assisting his wife alight the jeepney. A smile formed on my lips and praised God for that gift. He was just starting.

Rushing to catch a closing elevator, but didn’t reach it. Out of the corner of my eye, a hearty “Good morning Sir!” boomed as i turned to see a smiling face. It was the lobby guard. That was very special for me since that guard never smiled at me before. I made it a point to smile and greet him everyday but all I got were blank stares. I think there were a few times hat the glared. I replied with a happy tone, as he pointed to another elevator opening for me to ride on. (Thank you Lord for #2!)

The floors passed and stopped at the 14th floor. Hurriedly, I clocked in and had 9 minutes to spare. And I thought I was going to get my first tardy record for quite some time. The Lord has never let me down when it came to his faithfulness. That’s Good Thing Number 3.

I placed my thing in my cubicle, getting ready for the day, opening my bible diary. An officemate comes bearing food tidings. Breakfast for me! She was thanking me for helping her and her mother to the hospital. I told her she didn’t have to but she insisted and was adamant that I accept. Not one to let a kindness done to me pass, I accepted graciously. Hurray for Number 4!

Then I remembered that a brother in our community who is helping us with the house repairs was following up and checking. Though he had other paying work and surely plenty of meetings to go to, he checked on how the work was going, and how the workers were doing and if what materials we still needed. This is number 5 but should have been number 1. But we are not really into ranking of kindnesses, are we?

Now as I write this, it occurred to me that God had given me good things as soon as I woke up. A good dream about looking at magnificent shooting stars and comets with Gina my wife, the hugs and kisses of my girls, a roof under my head, a job that sustains us, a car to use, running water, Rosary on MP3, food, clothes on my back, health, some savings, etc. I could go on, both small and big.

I started my day with a prayer of offering to God and sought to find the good He has planned for me. And good things, I had aplenty

“Recalling all that the Lord had done, he prayed to him and said: “O Lord God, almighty King, all things are in your power, and there is no one to oppose you in your will to save Israel. You made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under the heavens.” Esther C: 1 - 3

And now, I end the day having these good things in my heart.

Filed under General Interests, POSITIVE MINDSET, Personal

Give a man fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will ea for a lifetime.

And if he gives another man a fish, that’s one less hungry man for a day. But if he teaches him to fish, that’s another man who will never go hungry again.

Poverty is widespread and it needs all of us to eradicate. However little you may be able to contribute, do it. If we add up all these up, it would be a gigantic force is helping the poor among us.

My personal choice of contribution is in the area of education. When people learn that they can stand on their own feet, they would feel that they have been given wings to fly. Some things we take for granted such as reading and writing, personal hygiene, lifehacks, etc may be the ticket for many of the less privileged to a new and better life.

One other thing. It is not enough that we “give” and contribute. From a wise man I admire “Only when we put ourselves in the shoes of those suffering in poverty will we be able to understand what it means to be poor - and how we can help them get out poverty.”

I also remember what Mother Teresa said: “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” While we focus on the physical aspect of poverty, let us not forget that the poor also in need for love, care and attention, intangibles that do not cost much but would mean the world to a person who have been through so much.
In your own little way, teach a man to fish and let him teach you how it was not knowing how.

Today is Blog Action Day. Help get rid of poverty.

Filed under Bright Ideas, General Interests, BlogLight, Events

“What can someone like me do? I’m just an ordinary person.”
If everyone thought like this, the human race would have perished a long, long time ago.

I believe each person is wired to be bigger than himself. It’s a desire common to all. To transcend your self-made boundaries and contribute for the greater good.

We’ve seen a lot of advocacies and crusades which succeeded. There are a lot which faltered too. We will not rest on our laurels nor will we succumb to our failures.

It is human nature to seek betterment. Not just for himself, but for his fellowmen as well.

I know a friend who volunteers to tutor kids at HE CARES Foundation. Another chose to take care of Juveniles in prison at CRADLE. An officemate, who lost her husband to cancer, now counsels cancer patients and their families. These have their work or businesses, their families and other personal concerns. Yet they go out of themselves and give for others, without charge.

It doesn’t have to be full-time or formal. In your own way, you can be bigger than yourself. Obey traffic rules. Dispose trash properly. Go green. Set the example by being prompt. Contribute to worthy causes. Plant trees. Teach for free.

When you reach the point when your are no longer concerned in comparing your cause with your person, that’s the time that you have truly become bigger than yourself.

Filed under Improve Your Self

More recently, some movements have crossed my radar. For example, “XDRTB.org is an extraordinary effort to tell the story of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and TB through powerful photographs taken by James Nachtwey. XDR-TB, or extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, is a new and deadly mutation of tuberculosis.“And then there is Blog Action Day 2008, which has the theme Poverty for this year.

On a related note, this brings to mind Bono’s (of U2 fame) ONE campaign which “is an advocacy and campaigning organization supported by more than 2 million people and growing, from all walks of life all around the world, uniting as one against extreme poverty.”
In an uncanny coincidence, Google’s 10 to the 100th project seems to have the same thing in mind. Even the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are basically after the same thing.

Help end poverty. Do your share.

Filed under Bright Ideas, Inspirations

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An idea remains useless unless it is put into action. But if you think an idea is too big for you, Google just might help you see it through.
Called Project 10 to the 100th (10 raised to the power of 100, 1 googol, 1 followed by 100 zeroes), it “is a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.“

Send in your ideas now and change the world.

Filed under Bright Ideas, General Interests

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