You're the fastest person on earth if you're competing to no one :P

You always thought that you're "the best" not until you met someone who is better than you. I bet all of us already experienced that. But it is not something that we should be sad of, because for sure, someone also thought that he's the best not until he met you.

Life goes that way. Something is taken from you but something is given to you in return. However, most of us is still discouraged by the fact that someone will always be better in all aspects - that we are not good enough. That's true. We will never be good enough because human capacity is greater than we expected.

I play keyboards for less than 2 years including abruptions, and I can say that I can play well. But whenever I see other people play, I am like a toddler playing keys. So I became intimidated. I expected a lot from myself. I expected myself to be like those professionals. The result is depression. Depression comes when we try to expect a lot from ourselves.

There's a line in the film _00-pound Beauty that I like. It says that God is the only One who can do all things, we people only do what we're capable of. Playing keyboards is a talent that only interested me when I was 15, although we had piano lessons in our music class in Gr. 6. I never expected myself to really like. Therefore, I am not one of those who had taken up lessons since they were a child, yet I expect myself to be like them. So to save myself from depression, I expected less from myself and seeked what I really enjoy in playing keyboards-singing and chord playing. I cannot read notes simultaneously while playing keys although I know how to read them; I still have to write the notes. But I'm very fine and happy with it. Those people who can really play piano (like they've got hundreds of fingers) inspire me. I am not envious of them anymore because I have my own edge.They push me to do better.  Also, I am planning to play in Church choir but that requires a lot of practice. Wish me luck! :)

So, just like what I did, I suggest you look for the things you really enjoy, not because being envious drives you to do that. Do what you're capable of. You may try things, but if you think it's not really for you, leave it. It'll make you disappointed. Let other people do their thing, do yours. =)

I said in my previous blog (Three Idiots...) that life is not a race. However, a bit of competition should not harm. Summer has come and you will not see your classmates (unless you're in summer classes). It's time to relax and do whatever you want. You are the master of your time. Less interaction mildens competition, and therefore you think that whatever you do is good enough. But when classes return, competition will again ignite. Your skills will be challenged again. For example, me writing a blog during vacation does not make me better than my classmates, because I can't compare. They still might be better and more creative than me in writing. Got it? But I would like to be aware about it in order to improve. Therefore, competition should help us to be better.

The person who thinks that she is the fastest might be the slowest, but she doesn't know. And I guess most of us don't want to know that. Why? Because of fear and cowardness. We do not want to admit that we are losers. But those people who do not want to admit they are losers are the cowards because the tendency is for them is to stop improving, to stop competing. When a person thinks he is the best (which is not), he does not acknowlegde other people's abilities anymore.
However, although life is a competition, it should not be in the sense that we should be better than others, rather it should lead towards improvement. Actually, the person you should be competing to is yourself. While other people should be your basis on how much did you improve.

I just watched the film Coach Carter and one of the characters said:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Until now, I do not want to acknowledge myself to the things that I do good because I don't want other people to get insecure. (Haha!) I do not want to be boastful, yet I allow other people to keep boasting whatever. There's really nothing to boast! Who are we to boast?! But there's nothing bad in being proud of what we are capable of and what we've done. If you're going to tell about them to you're friends they should be proud of you. At the same time, you should also be proud of their accomplishments. Keeping achievements/talents/skills to yourself doesn't make you any good. It makes you a turtle hiding inside its shell. Believe in yourself and shine!

Knowing the things you can do and cannot helps you do better. If you can't do something, let other people who's capable do it. You have to admit that you cannot do everything no matter how hard you try. However, you just make sure that you will not eat your words. Be sure you can really do what you say. :)

THREE IDIOTS - Are you one of them? You should be. :)

I have watched Three Idiots (2009 Indian comedy film) for almost two times - I was only halfway for the second time. It's too long - almost 3 hours - nevertheless it's worth it.

When I first heard the title, I thought it's the usual comedy that is about three friends who commit funny nonsense things for the 90% of the film, which will be the key in saving the day. I really do not have any idea about the film, but a friend of mine badly wants me to see it.

Three Idiots is about three friends (Rancho, Farhan, and Raju), referred by many as idiots - not because they are ludicrous but because they do not follow the trail of life (well yeah, still considered crazy by many). Actually if it wasn't for what we may call the 'impetus' - Rancho - Farhan's and Raju's lives would have not been full of adventures. Rancho thinks indifferently by believing that learning should not be boxed to the convention of books.

By fate, the three become roommates as they entered college at Imperial Institute of Engineering, a renowned school where thousands apply but only a quater of it (even lesser) pass. The school's director (Viru) expects a lot from them, and tells them that life is a competition by comparing it to a cuckoo bird that takes the nest of another bird and kills its babies. He said that they should do everything (fair or not) to top among others because being number two is never important.

A lot of (crazy) things happened in their four years of college life - lessons that they shall bring for the rest of their lives. But they are not lessons comming from the professors rather from Rancho and their experiences. It's hard to elaborate in here, I'll pass about it later in my reflection. However, for ten years, after graduation, they will not see Rancho. Why? They do not know. Not until one time a very competitive classmate of them (Chatur) who always losts to Rancho calls both of them and tells them that they shall see Rancho, which he only assumed because of the promise he had made with Rancho that they shall meet each other in a specific place at a specific date to see who is more successful. Rancho does not show up, but luckily they are able to get an alleged address of him which they try to seek. What awaits them? They do not have any idea.

So.... I recommend you to watch this movie to find out what happens. :)

My reflection:

I was strucked by the very first thought that I learned, which comes from the line "We all studied it, he applied it." There is a part in the story where the seniors intimated them. If the freshmen don't follow their rules (that includes taking off of trousers), seniors will pee on their doors. All followed except for Rancho who stayed in his room. When a senior peed on his door, Rancho improvisely made a simple device that electrified the senior (since salt is a good conductor of electricity). Oftentimes, we read books to learn new things but we do not really apply and integrate them. We are satisfied to know definitions, illustractions, etc. but we do not integrate the ideas to learn more, causing them to fleet immediately. Therefore, we should not be contented in learning only the given things but we should seek to learn more. Rancho said that people often cares about getting good grades but not really gaining knowledge. To put it further in the words of Rancho, he said, "students are good not because they are well-educated, but well-trained."

I admit that I'm having a hard time in defining things, and as much as possible I want to define by how the book defines terms. But when Rancho was asked to define 'machine', he defined it simply - that most people would understand. On the other hand, Chatur defined how the book defines it - technically, with all the jargons. But it's obvious that he just memorized it. He doesn't even understand what's he's saying. I learned that defining things should just help us in understanding and differentiating terms. We don't have to exaggerately be serious about it.

Since childhood, we have always been oriented to top always. They (most especially our parents) will often say that high marks will secure us a good job in the future, although it's a very good intention, that's not the case always. A child will likely get high marks because of memorization, but he does really understand it, just like Chatur. It is actually easier to get high grades than to love what you're doing. Moreover, college is very critical in one's education because it determines one's goal for his future. Farhan's passion is for wildlife photography, and he's really good at it, but his father wants him to be an engineer that they believe will make him successful. But one's profession does not immediately imply success. A person may be an engineer but not successful. Rancho said that success runs after us, it is not we who is seeking for it. If we love what are doing, success will come.

Also, personally I admit that I'm intimidated to my professors because they hold my grades. Students should follow their criteria, limiting them to explore more things. (However, I acknowledge that not all teachers are like this.) That's why teacher's pet were born. I am tired of treating life like a race. There's really no race. It is only made by those people who are too competitive and envious.

I have never been sure like this about my future before, that's why I know I will succeed (that's a secret for now :D). I suggest a person should find out what she really loves doing because that's the only way to have no regrets in life (although some people may have their eyebrow raised up), I believe that success is relative.

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I was dazzled to know that Three Idiots has become the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in India. It has set a box office record for the Indian film industry, grossing 339 crore (unit in the Indian numbering system) worldwide (according to Wikipedia). It also received a lot of awards - one of it is Best Story. I agree with it. The film tackles an extraordinary story that is very much applicable to our society. It is an eye-opener. Many believes that education will solve poverty, but many films feature poverty (also an eye-opener) not education. Showing films about poverty, I believe, only informs us about their situation and makes us feel sympathy. However, a film like Three Idiots makes us think about how we see the world and react upon it, making us more aware of ourselves and our society. It encourages us to be better persons intrinsictly, not only externally, because almost all of us can relate because we go to school.

I like the simplicity of the production for it amplifies the story.

Also, I  love how Indians like to put those singing and dancing (choreography) in their films, just like in Slumdog Millionaire. I enjoy it! :)

Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF8W7DyPhsI. =)

An Extraordinary Mass - a leap of faith

****This is supposedly posted last April 2 (Saturday; Anticipated Mass).

A part of Dagupan St. road was closed to give way for a very special man coming to our Parish Church, Sta. Monica - a relatively small Church. One way to prove it is the fact that once you get out our Church, the road would gladly welcome you. It's unlike the other Churches that have large facade and parking lots in front - we do not have it. Its size is only about half (or even smaller) of a normal Church, let's say Quiapo Church. That's why the barangay officials closed a part of the road and instructed the coming cars to change direction.

Today we had an extraordinary mass. It's special not only because it's the installation of our new Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Juanito Arroco Jr., and it's the 21st celebration of our Parish, Sta. Monica, but also because the homily was delivered by his Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales. It's really amusing to see our small Church being crowded by people - some standing were almost reaching the front. Luckily we were able to sit at third row since we came 30 minutes earlier. The number of priests also overwhelmed me - around 20 priests were present (input name here, I only know some).

Cardinal Rosales, often referred as "tatay", is a big man compared to his other companion priests. He looks like a foreigner. I don't really know how to react when I saw him but one thing's for sure, I had goosebumps to see a holy man standing near me. Although I assume that the other priests are also holy, but his holiness is different and exceedingly elevated than them.

The Gospel was about a man who was born blind. He was healed by Jesus, but was criticized by Pharisees, saying that "This man (Jesus) is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." Cardinal Rosales, in his homily, said that a blind man would only want one thing. If you ask him to choose between money and sight, he would undoubtly choose sight because that's the thing he never had in his entire life - to be able to see again and see the truth. On the other hand, a person who can see would want so many other things, which already depends and differ from person to person, since having a sight is already normal. Just like the pharisees who since then had a normal vision but have never seen the truth. On the other hand, the blind who was only able to see a few moments ago has already seen the truth immediately.

Just like in life, many of us can see normally and yet we are too distracted by the demands of the earth. We try to seek but we never succeed because we are looking at the wrong way. Cardinal Rosales said that it is better to be blind physically than be blind in our hearts.

Towards the end of his homily, he said that it is not the task of a priest to give us the light (it's God's) but to bring us near the light; to guide us. A parish priest should do everything he is capable of to guide us towards that light that will lead to eternal happiness. In return, we also have our tasks, which are to obey, support, help and pray for our parish priest.

I actually like our new Parish Priest, Fr. Juanito Arroco Jr. He replaced Rev. Fr. Paschal Ma. Gorgonia who served us for 10 years. Fr. Paschal is a jolly priest - a natural born comedianne - but has a very long homily. He is also frank and surely elaborates his homily, which makes his mass lasts for 2 hours or more. But I loved him; I cannot refuse that I've learned a lot from him. However, as I said, I'm liking our new Parish Priest (more? I don't know haha!). Fr. Arroco also cracks jokes that keeps the spirits of the people alive. More importantly, his mass is not too long, but does not sacrifice the quality of his homily. Hehe. :)

He's most probably 35 years old now. I've got some information about him from http://www.rcam.org/news/2004/ordain_7.htm. Its reflective to his personality that he came from a very humble family. He's from Tabaco City, Albay (Bicol region and still part of Luzon). His father is a farmer and tailor while his mother is a housekeeper. He studied Philosophy and Theology at UST.

When delivered his speech as the new installed Parish Priest of Sta. Monica, Cardinal Rosales can't help to smile (that is so cute!) because of the funny sensible things he was saying, like being assigned by "tatay" (Cardinal Rosales) as the spiritual coordinator of Pieta that is composed of widows. He also said that he is starstrucked everytime he sees "tatay" - like he is some kind of a celebrity. Moreover, he sarcastically reacted about the problems that he shall face after seeing our not yet well-constructed Church (stressful, yay!). After that, the mass had finally ended and a small feast was celebrated outside the Church - they served lugaw.

As much as I want to bless and hold the hands of Cardinal Rosales, I can't because of the many people crowding him that I do not want to include myself or else there will really be a chaos. I will have my time. I know it.

As for our new Parish Priest, I shall watch out on how he will steer the Church for the next years of his term. I think that's more important than observing on how he will improve the church (the building itself) because it is faith of the people that shall make our Church well-constructed. Today is another leap of faith for all of us.

====================================== Side comment:

My brother and I were confused on the terms cardinal, archbishop, and other titles of the priests.

So I researched about it in Google (that you can obviously search also):

Priest - has the authority to give sacraments of the Church (baptism, marriage, etc.)

Bishop - govern a diocese (local regions)

Archbishop - a bishop of a higher rank; presides an archdiocese

Cardinal - a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop; collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which a body elects as a new pope.

So, in short, it's a rank - priest as lowest and cardinal as highest (for this part only). According to http://www.cbcponline.net/bishops/index.html, there are over 60 bishops while 14 archbishops (including Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan who was interviewed last Wednesday by Winnie Monsod at Bawal ang Pasaway episode about homosexuality).

I don't know how they decide on the jurisdiction but basically it is based on the size of the area. I also noticed that that in places that is lead by an Archdiocese, for example Fernando Capalla as Archbishop of Davao, there is an auxillary (helping) bishop, like George Rimando as auxillary bishop of Davao. Therefore, this place is huge to govern that is why such titles are needed.

Cardinal Rosales is the Archbishop of Manila and Cardinal of the Philippines.

=====================================Another side comment:

I am disappointed.... to see only and a lot of men in front of us.

Why isn't there any woman? Oh yes, there is one - just the lector.

Let's go back to history. Before Spaniards came, our ancestors were govern by babaylans (even higher than a datu) who is a woman. Therefore our society that time is very much matriarchal, But the  Spaniards came and introduced us one God and a patriarchal kind of society. Actually, they were very shocked to know that women are considered very important. The rest happens, and then we came here in our current situation.

It's funny to share but I actually like to be a priest before but that's crazy. Holy women are only called to be nuns, and that's it. I envy priests. And why Jesus should be a man, not woman? I can't either answer this question. That's the way things are.

However, I will just grip on the fact that one does not need to be a priest to be holy. Anyway, Jesus said that gender, food, societal status, etc. does not matter in Heaven.

Also, I can't imagine a woman doing the passion of Christ. It's awful. I think God made that decision for good. Our biases just get in the way.

Firsts are always exciting, but oh-so-scary.

Whenever we try something new, we get excited but at the same time scared. It is mainly because of unfamiliarity. Although we are aware of the possible things (positive and negative) that may happen, we do not have any idea of what may actually happen. Lately, I just learned how to drive but still on practice mode. I was really excited about it, but I am also scared because I might accidentally crash into something or even worse, into someone. I'm also scared to know that driving is not really my thing. I might be interested to it at first but in the end, I might not be good at it. That's a common concept of "firsts". It's both exciting and scary.

Today, I've finally decided to create a blog, and I am excited about it! Most especially for this entry - my first! I always like to write - from my teacher's notes on the board to my thoughts -  whether it makes sense or not. I feel fascinated when I am able to put down into words whatever is inside my head. It also enables me to remember more. But, you may ask why only know did I create a blog. It's because I am scared. I am not confident in my writing. I might commit mistakes then be scrutinized because of it. However, I took all the courage that I can get and created a blog! It is my stepping point to overcome my fear. Anyway, I do not expect a bunch of readers! Yaha!

I believe it is more than having a bunch of readers. I do not write to impress. Who's to impress? My satisfaction in writing will not be completed by the positive response of (a few) readers, but rather on writing what I want to write. Wouldn't that be more fun than being constrained to the expections of other people? I write to inform and to inspire. That's what I want to do and will continue to do for the span of my life.

My blogs would be composed of random topics - whatever bump into my head. Haha! But to give you an idea, I am the kind of person who likes to explore, who do not undermine simple matters or questions, and who likes to reflect with my life in the course of the world.

Also, I like to learn and to share what I learned. I hate selfish people. If you happen to read my blog, do not regret to share something about yourself also (that of course you can relate to the topic of the blog). I'll be happy to read about it, and I'll even give my insights about it.

Questions:

Why am I using English?

I would either use English or Filipino. We all know that English is the international language, and me using it is just one way to expand my reach. However, my way of thinking is still Filipino. I would like to put Filipino thoughts using the English language. Moreover, it is also a way to improve my English, especially its grammar, although don't you treat Filipino an easy bit. Sometimes I am also having a hard time in Filipino grammar. I'll use both languages, depending on my mood. Yaha! :)

What's with "Blind spot"?

Blind spot, in reference to vision, is the "obscuration of the visual field". It is the spot that we do not see because our eyes are focus into something else. In connection to my blog, I want to explore those blind spots in my life (which I hope you can relate). I want to know myself more by being more open-minded and seeing all the possible angles, which is through my blogs.


PS This is not a hardcore blog. I just want to write my heart and mind out. :)