Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
To each is his own way of looking at and appreciating things, if not feeling dismayed about whatever happened why things turned out so differently from what they were expected to be some years back.
Although I hail from the southern island of Mindanao and grew up in my home City of Gensan, Baguio City has always been a dream place to visit since my younger days. Well, my dream came true for the first time in December 1971, when Ernie Fernandez, a friend from Urdaneta, Pangasinan, invited me for a week's tour. And then again in 1990, just some few weeks before that devastating earthquake rocked Baguio and brought her down on her knees in July 16 that same year, me and my wife, Lynn, went up to the Pine City for a kind of "Honeymoon Refresher".
Some few days ago (Oct.12-14, 2008), me, my wife and kids went up again to Baguio for a family weekend breather. Thanks to the sponsorship and courtesy of our benefactors, Drex and Larah.
During this visit, however, I found many things around look so differently, they made me feel dismayed somehow. To me, the verdant cover of Baguio's surrounding hills which looked virgin and prestine 37 years ago is now out of sight. The ever beauty of her natural topography is gone. Instead, residential units of all sizes - small, medium, large - cropped up at random filling the slope from base to hillside and all the way up to mountain top. I wonder if the dreams and visions of Baguio's pioneering settlers and developers who made a wonderful beginning and succeeded in claiming the City to become the Summer Capital of the Philippines feel happier and fulfilled seeing the City as she is now.
Despite those dismal features, the segments of the City that kept Baguio's tradition as a unique and ideal destination for tourists as well as vacationers stand still. Camp John Hay is still there. The PMA Compound as well as other amenities in the suburb are kept and preserved.
You may ask, "Is Baguio City still a dream place to visit?". Oh, sure yes! I love Baguio's 24/7 cool and soothing climate. And best of all, I love the hospitable people like Oscar "Charo" who made our 2-day stay in his well-kept and fully-loaded Inn real safe, secure, and comfortable. After all, it's the hospitality of the people in a place that makes it homely.
Friends, take a break! Go and visit the Pine City and get refreshed and better still recharged.
Happy holiday!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The ROLLING STONE and Moss
Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
Let's reminisce some more guys...
Take a close look and see if this guy is familiar to you. He sort of hops from one company to another, not because his former employers dismissed him nor terminated his tenure. It's just that he simply disliked their management style and culture.
My unassuming multi-millionnaire former employer, Mr. Jack, intrigued me when we chanced upon reminiscing our youthful escapades over a cup of coffee during one of our usual mid-afternoon breaktime in the office.
Had he remained a diehard "8-12; 1-5" six days a week technician-employee for the next ten long years since he got employed in a garment manufacturing firm in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, in late 1960s, I would not have met and known him in August 1983 as the modest multi-millionnaire-proprietor who was instrumental in giving me the FIRST EVER managerial career break that led to my further growth, progress and advancement in the field of corporate resource-conversion as well as human resource organization, management, and development.
How Mr. Jack became a millionnaire-proprietor of a progressive labor-intensive knitting and ready-to-wear manufacturing and marketing enterprise, employing some 30-40 strong workers in a little less than a decade from 1974 to 1983, is one typical "Scrap-to-Crop-up" success story, only himself is worthy to tell and emote with spontaneity.
One episode in his early adulthood adventure that struck my attentive chord is his recollection of a disheartening and tormenting encounter with an autocratic former boss. The fed up Jackie, who couldn't take it anymore, following a repeated verbal skirmish with the lording over superior, called it quit at the time when the firm needed his technical expertise the most.
Feeling bad and quite mad, the tensed boss retorted with a resounding tenor, saying in effect,"Jackie boy, you're no different from a rolling stone down the stream to nowhere...you'll never gather moss..."
Well, Jackie boy and my boyhood then had something in common - a rolling stone temperament. Today, thanks Providence, I'm stuck around and found a home since that great day when I found myself already bumped and laid upon the One Big and Stable Corner Stone, The Rock of All Ages - The Great Master and Lord of servant-leaders whose management style is one of compassion, humility, justice, understanding, patience and forgiveness.
Friend, remain steadfast and gather more nourishing moss of compassion to feed the hungry souls who might still be rolling down the stream of disappointments.
Be of Good Courage!
Let's reminisce some more guys...
Take a close look and see if this guy is familiar to you. He sort of hops from one company to another, not because his former employers dismissed him nor terminated his tenure. It's just that he simply disliked their management style and culture.
My unassuming multi-millionnaire former employer, Mr. Jack, intrigued me when we chanced upon reminiscing our youthful escapades over a cup of coffee during one of our usual mid-afternoon breaktime in the office.
Had he remained a diehard "8-12; 1-5" six days a week technician-employee for the next ten long years since he got employed in a garment manufacturing firm in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, in late 1960s, I would not have met and known him in August 1983 as the modest multi-millionnaire-proprietor who was instrumental in giving me the FIRST EVER managerial career break that led to my further growth, progress and advancement in the field of corporate resource-conversion as well as human resource organization, management, and development.
How Mr. Jack became a millionnaire-proprietor of a progressive labor-intensive knitting and ready-to-wear manufacturing and marketing enterprise, employing some 30-40 strong workers in a little less than a decade from 1974 to 1983, is one typical "Scrap-to-Crop-up" success story, only himself is worthy to tell and emote with spontaneity.
One episode in his early adulthood adventure that struck my attentive chord is his recollection of a disheartening and tormenting encounter with an autocratic former boss. The fed up Jackie, who couldn't take it anymore, following a repeated verbal skirmish with the lording over superior, called it quit at the time when the firm needed his technical expertise the most.
Feeling bad and quite mad, the tensed boss retorted with a resounding tenor, saying in effect,"Jackie boy, you're no different from a rolling stone down the stream to nowhere...you'll never gather moss..."
Well, Jackie boy and my boyhood then had something in common - a rolling stone temperament. Today, thanks Providence, I'm stuck around and found a home since that great day when I found myself already bumped and laid upon the One Big and Stable Corner Stone, The Rock of All Ages - The Great Master and Lord of servant-leaders whose management style is one of compassion, humility, justice, understanding, patience and forgiveness.
Friend, remain steadfast and gather more nourishing moss of compassion to feed the hungry souls who might still be rolling down the stream of disappointments.
Be of Good Courage!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Climbing up the LONELY SUMMIT
Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
In summer of 1993, I stumbled upon a multi-billion group of companies that sell packages of Investment and Insurance plans pre-programmed to meet future needs like Pension & Retirement, Education, and Memorial services.
The 6-month probationary contract I entered into with the company as an Independent Entrepreneur taught me good lessons more than it made me richer selling intangible items.
A kind of revealing encounter and at the same time eye-opener took place in a training hall where a gathering of sales people would spend a whole week of rigid training in character building, career development and professionalism in sales and marketing of future promises on paper. Little wonder that the multi-billion group of companies hired a trainor like Mr. Yuppy. For one thing, I personally got impressed with Mr. Trainor's deductive style and approach in delivering his subject matters. Not only that he has got the Big Picture of what and how the Investment and Insurance Industry works, but he has the assertiveness and the objectivity that leave no room for his audience to doubt he really meant business.
Fortunately, I got the chance to have a one-on-one talk and exchange of thoughts and views with Mr. Trainor during our free time. Perceiving that he really made it to the top in his chosen career path, I asked him a straightforward question, "Sir, what have you found and how does it feel living at the summit of your achievement?" As though starlit came flashing from out of the dark, Mr. Trainor's confession made me think twice and over again when he answered, "IT IS LONELY UP THERE, YOU KNOW!"
Friend in the blogosphere, if you are happy with who you've become now, where you are and what you've already gotten, y0u must be so blest to have ascended up the RIGHT SUMMIT of Joy, Peace, Love, Wisdom, Good Health and Prosperity.
KEEP UP!
In summer of 1993, I stumbled upon a multi-billion group of companies that sell packages of Investment and Insurance plans pre-programmed to meet future needs like Pension & Retirement, Education, and Memorial services.
The 6-month probationary contract I entered into with the company as an Independent Entrepreneur taught me good lessons more than it made me richer selling intangible items.
A kind of revealing encounter and at the same time eye-opener took place in a training hall where a gathering of sales people would spend a whole week of rigid training in character building, career development and professionalism in sales and marketing of future promises on paper. Little wonder that the multi-billion group of companies hired a trainor like Mr. Yuppy. For one thing, I personally got impressed with Mr. Trainor's deductive style and approach in delivering his subject matters. Not only that he has got the Big Picture of what and how the Investment and Insurance Industry works, but he has the assertiveness and the objectivity that leave no room for his audience to doubt he really meant business.
Fortunately, I got the chance to have a one-on-one talk and exchange of thoughts and views with Mr. Trainor during our free time. Perceiving that he really made it to the top in his chosen career path, I asked him a straightforward question, "Sir, what have you found and how does it feel living at the summit of your achievement?" As though starlit came flashing from out of the dark, Mr. Trainor's confession made me think twice and over again when he answered, "IT IS LONELY UP THERE, YOU KNOW!"
Friend in the blogosphere, if you are happy with who you've become now, where you are and what you've already gotten, y0u must be so blest to have ascended up the RIGHT SUMMIT of Joy, Peace, Love, Wisdom, Good Health and Prosperity.
KEEP UP!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Breaking Through the TWIST & TURN of CIRCUMSTANCES
Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
To some extent, there's sense is such line as "You are what you read..you are what you imbibe!.."
During my youthful years, reading comics as well as paperbacks about romance, detective stories, adventures, and suspense thrillers occupied some of my leisure time at home.
Being a home-bodied type, I also loved listening to melodramatic series via transistor radio. Television was not yet available in our domain in the farm in southern Mindanao at that time. This was in the nineteen fifties and sixties.
In my junior years in college, my interest shifted to reading more on success stories of people in the world of business and commerce where they made it from rags to riches, so to speak. But on top of my reading interests, the classical discipline I got out my 5-year enclosure in a religious seminary in Lipa City (1970-'73) & Tagaytay City (1973-'75), added sophisticated menu to what I already digested since youth.
After college and seminary life, when I was out on my own in the open secular world of "anything goes" working to make a living, I turned to and loved reading books dealing with success motivation, positive mental attitudes, getting rich quick, and the like. Really, I absorbed so much of the latter dosages that I learned to think "Big", day-dream, and wish for the stars.
By the time I got caught up, felt responsible and held accountable in a commitment which left me no choice but admit as destiny to carry on - Married Life, I was already an ambitious materialist.
Carried away with my vainglorious ambition, the more I got excited when I was already riding a "corporate high horse", at age 33, at the peak of a career ladder in the corporate business enterprise. Meantime, the legitimate and serious demands of marriage and family life were less and less attended. One time, my "Once-charming lady-turned-brooding" partner in life (forgive my negligence) asked, "AM I A MERE DECOR IN YOUR LIFE?"
Well, the twist and turn of events made great difference. It may sound paradoxical, but I eventually found a liberating reason to be grateful for the rocking socio-economic-political quake in the early 1980s - The declining years of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos'
regime.
Sifting though the socio-economic-political crisis was, my mind was quickened to see and realize WHO I AM, WHAT I LACK, WHAT I NEED first and foremost. Then, flashed glimpse of fresh opportunities and new perspective leading to an inward journey, search, discovery and providential recovery of the long lost SELF.
The first major breakthrough in life would then ensue - A New Life Path opened leading to what this blogger persistently uphold in his blogging business as "Cherished Liberty in a Sublime Paradigm".
Friend in the blogosphere, rising above the hardness of one's circumstance makes great difference! There's always a Breakthrough-For-Good ahead of a persistent living soul. Move on in Faith, Hope, and Love!
Call UP HIGH & Claim LIFE - LIFE IN ABUNDANCE!
To some extent, there's sense is such line as "You are what you read..you are what you imbibe!.."
During my youthful years, reading comics as well as paperbacks about romance, detective stories, adventures, and suspense thrillers occupied some of my leisure time at home.
Being a home-bodied type, I also loved listening to melodramatic series via transistor radio. Television was not yet available in our domain in the farm in southern Mindanao at that time. This was in the nineteen fifties and sixties.
In my junior years in college, my interest shifted to reading more on success stories of people in the world of business and commerce where they made it from rags to riches, so to speak. But on top of my reading interests, the classical discipline I got out my 5-year enclosure in a religious seminary in Lipa City (1970-'73) & Tagaytay City (1973-'75), added sophisticated menu to what I already digested since youth.
After college and seminary life, when I was out on my own in the open secular world of "anything goes" working to make a living, I turned to and loved reading books dealing with success motivation, positive mental attitudes, getting rich quick, and the like. Really, I absorbed so much of the latter dosages that I learned to think "Big", day-dream, and wish for the stars.
By the time I got caught up, felt responsible and held accountable in a commitment which left me no choice but admit as destiny to carry on - Married Life, I was already an ambitious materialist.
Carried away with my vainglorious ambition, the more I got excited when I was already riding a "corporate high horse", at age 33, at the peak of a career ladder in the corporate business enterprise. Meantime, the legitimate and serious demands of marriage and family life were less and less attended. One time, my "Once-charming lady-turned-brooding" partner in life (forgive my negligence) asked, "AM I A MERE DECOR IN YOUR LIFE?"
Well, the twist and turn of events made great difference. It may sound paradoxical, but I eventually found a liberating reason to be grateful for the rocking socio-economic-political quake in the early 1980s - The declining years of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos'
regime.
Sifting though the socio-economic-political crisis was, my mind was quickened to see and realize WHO I AM, WHAT I LACK, WHAT I NEED first and foremost. Then, flashed glimpse of fresh opportunities and new perspective leading to an inward journey, search, discovery and providential recovery of the long lost SELF.
The first major breakthrough in life would then ensue - A New Life Path opened leading to what this blogger persistently uphold in his blogging business as "Cherished Liberty in a Sublime Paradigm".
Friend in the blogosphere, rising above the hardness of one's circumstance makes great difference! There's always a Breakthrough-For-Good ahead of a persistent living soul. Move on in Faith, Hope, and Love!
Call UP HIGH & Claim LIFE - LIFE IN ABUNDANCE!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
In search for and in pursuit of a CAREER
Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
The making of a creative work of art such as this present writing amongst other posts in this blog site, is a task that simply started off as a wishful thinking.
There were lots of day-dreaming at first about what I'd like to be. Many times I would attempt to compose a narrative story of my personal life just for keeps. In fact, I still have drafts of those materials in my file.
But to write for others to read was something beyond the limit of even my wildest dream then. Not that I didn't have a story to tell, for I realize that no matter what, everybody has a tale about anything, be it escapades and other experiences and learnings in life.
The two major drawbacks that kept me undecided for long are: First, my thinking that I am a nobody and I know of none in my immediate progenitor who was a literati. And besides, literature is one of those subjects during my elementary and secondary school days that isn't much of my delight. Even in my first two years in the tertiary level, my focus was business mathematics or accounting.
The other drawback revolved around the question of personal motive and purpose: What for and why would I write?
It came to a point in my intermittent brooding for years that writing, just like any other creative works such as public speaking, fashion designing, cooking, housekeeping, gardening, handicraft making, etc. are "Functions of Creativity" that COME REAL IN THE MAKING. Nobody is born as "IS" already. One has to go, search, and find for his likes and interests, and once found, pursue on it like a thirsty sheep panting for the stream.
The key elements then are GOING, SEARCHING, and PURSUING amongs the myriad of choices around. Skills development and mastery of a chosen craft follow suit as a consequence of constant practice, diligent exercises, and above all, faith and persistent patience and endurance from start to finish.
The other drawback that seemed to hold me in going all out is the question of what to write and what for. Well, I understood that motive and purpose differ and vary in each individual person. Furthermore, motive and purpose are determined and conditioned by personal values, conviction, system of beliefs or world views.
What motivated me to write, what to write, and why write is: Firstly, my conviction that as the "Masterpiece" of The Eternal Creator, I need to live up to why I was made alive for. I believe that you, me, and every rational & free moral being is designed and made in the beginning in the Image and Likeness of the Eternally Creative God of all creation. Secondly, The goodness, truth, and beauty that I learned and enjoyed in life are far too precious for me to keep all to myself alone. I must share them as I do now.
Hope you enjoy and love seeing even a glimpse of it just for the moment.
BE MY GUEST!
The making of a creative work of art such as this present writing amongst other posts in this blog site, is a task that simply started off as a wishful thinking.
There were lots of day-dreaming at first about what I'd like to be. Many times I would attempt to compose a narrative story of my personal life just for keeps. In fact, I still have drafts of those materials in my file.
But to write for others to read was something beyond the limit of even my wildest dream then. Not that I didn't have a story to tell, for I realize that no matter what, everybody has a tale about anything, be it escapades and other experiences and learnings in life.
The two major drawbacks that kept me undecided for long are: First, my thinking that I am a nobody and I know of none in my immediate progenitor who was a literati. And besides, literature is one of those subjects during my elementary and secondary school days that isn't much of my delight. Even in my first two years in the tertiary level, my focus was business mathematics or accounting.
The other drawback revolved around the question of personal motive and purpose: What for and why would I write?
It came to a point in my intermittent brooding for years that writing, just like any other creative works such as public speaking, fashion designing, cooking, housekeeping, gardening, handicraft making, etc. are "Functions of Creativity" that COME REAL IN THE MAKING. Nobody is born as "IS" already. One has to go, search, and find for his likes and interests, and once found, pursue on it like a thirsty sheep panting for the stream.
The key elements then are GOING, SEARCHING, and PURSUING amongs the myriad of choices around. Skills development and mastery of a chosen craft follow suit as a consequence of constant practice, diligent exercises, and above all, faith and persistent patience and endurance from start to finish.
The other drawback that seemed to hold me in going all out is the question of what to write and what for. Well, I understood that motive and purpose differ and vary in each individual person. Furthermore, motive and purpose are determined and conditioned by personal values, conviction, system of beliefs or world views.
What motivated me to write, what to write, and why write is: Firstly, my conviction that as the "Masterpiece" of The Eternal Creator, I need to live up to why I was made alive for. I believe that you, me, and every rational & free moral being is designed and made in the beginning in the Image and Likeness of the Eternally Creative God of all creation. Secondly, The goodness, truth, and beauty that I learned and enjoyed in life are far too precious for me to keep all to myself alone. I must share them as I do now.
Hope you enjoy and love seeing even a glimpse of it just for the moment.
BE MY GUEST!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Cherished Liberty in a Sublime Paradigm
Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
Hasn't it ever occurred yet in your life when, amidst the merriment of peoples whirling here and there on the corridor and foyer of a Shopping Mall, you squirmed while sitting on a corner bench a lonely stranger with no one to turn to for company and comfort?... Away from family, jobless, and uncertain of life's destiny, you felt bored and tired of emptiness day in and day out? Admittedly, I was once such a guy in my early adulthood.
Freed, in my mid-20's, from a 5-yr. enclosure (1970-'75) within the confines of a religious seminary in Tagaytay City, Philippines, this time in my latter 20's I'm out alone on an indefinite probation to find my way through thick and thin, twists and turns in a polarized and pluralistic metropolis where everybody seems going to and fro any which way.
During one of those lonely moments, the propensity to shy away from the suspecting sight of peoples in the mall, moved me to enter a movie house and spent passing the time where nobody cares.
Whether it was mere coincidence or sheer providence, what mattered most then was, I found the story flow and the theme song of the film being shown to be appropriate and telling somehow of what's happening with me.
While I got stuck musing and relating with the manner and mood of the character portrayed in the movie, I couldn't help but shed tears listening to the soothing melody of the background music even as I internalized the lyrics of the song lines such as,"DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO? DO YOU LIKE THE THINGS THAT LIFE IS SHOWING YOU? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO...DO YOU KNOW?
Wretched guy was I then, for dark cloud of dissipation obscured my life's path for the next seven years or so from latter 1970's to early 1980's.
But, graceful waiting and persistent patience paid off in time. And, by Unmerited Grace, once again as in the beginning when nothing else exists but ETERNAL GOODNESS, the endless mercies from Up High freed this prodigal guy and recreated a new man in him, worthy to be reconciled back and be blest with cherished liberty in a Sublime Paradigm.
Hasn't it ever occurred yet in your life when, amidst the merriment of peoples whirling here and there on the corridor and foyer of a Shopping Mall, you squirmed while sitting on a corner bench a lonely stranger with no one to turn to for company and comfort?... Away from family, jobless, and uncertain of life's destiny, you felt bored and tired of emptiness day in and day out? Admittedly, I was once such a guy in my early adulthood.
Freed, in my mid-20's, from a 5-yr. enclosure (1970-'75) within the confines of a religious seminary in Tagaytay City, Philippines, this time in my latter 20's I'm out alone on an indefinite probation to find my way through thick and thin, twists and turns in a polarized and pluralistic metropolis where everybody seems going to and fro any which way.
During one of those lonely moments, the propensity to shy away from the suspecting sight of peoples in the mall, moved me to enter a movie house and spent passing the time where nobody cares.
Whether it was mere coincidence or sheer providence, what mattered most then was, I found the story flow and the theme song of the film being shown to be appropriate and telling somehow of what's happening with me.
While I got stuck musing and relating with the manner and mood of the character portrayed in the movie, I couldn't help but shed tears listening to the soothing melody of the background music even as I internalized the lyrics of the song lines such as,"DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO? DO YOU LIKE THE THINGS THAT LIFE IS SHOWING YOU? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO...DO YOU KNOW?
Wretched guy was I then, for dark cloud of dissipation obscured my life's path for the next seven years or so from latter 1970's to early 1980's.
But, graceful waiting and persistent patience paid off in time. And, by Unmerited Grace, once again as in the beginning when nothing else exists but ETERNAL GOODNESS, the endless mercies from Up High freed this prodigal guy and recreated a new man in him, worthy to be reconciled back and be blest with cherished liberty in a Sublime Paradigm.
Well then, make me see more of what's up and exciting in said Sublime Paradigm?, you may ask.
Ok! you may keep posted for more to ensue...BE OUR GUEST!
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