Dedication I dedicate this book to my parents, Greg and Rose; to my brothers (The SMB- Samahan ng Magnaye Brothers) Zaldy, Wesly, Ronald, Raymund & Jason, and their families; and to all the people who have been part of my journey. To God be the glory …
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Contents Dedication iii Acknowledgment iv Foreword v
1. THE JOURNEY OF UPS AND DOWN The Starting Point Blue Moon Embracing Realities Generativity and Legacy Gift of Life Giving Up Fantasies Home Mustard Seed The Prodigal Son in Us The Real Source of Joy
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WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH Napapagod ka rin ba? (Do you also get tired?) Metanoia The Culture of Prominence The Desert Experience Why Is Life Stressful?
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FRUITS ALONG THE WAY Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion Truthfulness As A Way of Life The Labyrinth Walk The Spirituality of Magis When Are We Launched? WHAT THEY SAY…
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1 The Journey of Ups and Downs
The Starting Point
W
e often hear the proverb that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (by Lao Tzu).” Be it in
our personal or professional life, a good starting point always matters. In our involvement with any group, a clear goal is important for us to reach whatever we want to achieve. We need to check on ourselves, our motives included. It would help us when the going gets rough. Goals and intentions are good starting points. Being involved in many organizations have made me realize that we get something from our experiences. When we volunteer for a certain cause, it is incomplete to say that we only give ourselves without getting something in return. Honestly, the fact that we have served an organization for years tells us that we derive something from it: opportunities that have added to our personal and professional growth. We are after all called to become “men and women for others!” Man is a relational being. “No man is an island.” We are all called to live in communities with whatever status we are in. We grow into our full selves as persons only in relating with others. Life, after all is a shared experience. Another important reminder for those who want to serve and, in the process, become happy is that good intentions are not enough. We need to have values. The fact that we are dealing with people most of the time makes it inevitable to turn our 2
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focus on relationships. Relationships start with the self. This is also a good starting point -- our relationship with ourselves. We need to clear all the clutters inside us precisely because these can be obstacles in interpersonal relationships. Lastly, we need to focus on the present and future without disregarding the lessons from a victorious or miserable past. Life is like driving a car. We need to focus on what is in front of us but from time to time, we look at the rear-view mirror. What happens if we just gaze on the past? We will surely crash or be fixated. At the end of the day, there is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: zz Have you ever volunteered for any event or activity? zz What made you volunteer? zz What did you feel during and after the event?
Why is Life Stressful?
W
hen I was invited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Dental Society to be one of the speakers during their
Quarterly Scientific Seminar, I opened my lecture with the question, “Why is life stressful?” Of course, there were dozens of answers from the participants ranging from job-related issues, family, finances and relationships to other trivial matters. If I were to be asked that same question, my answer would be “unrealistic expectations.” These are expectations we have brutally imposed upon ourselves and those forced by others. In life, it is an unfortunate reality that many people have become too materialistic and are following a certain pattern which many believe is the only pattern of life. But, life is more than following a strict pattern. People are not robots. We are wonderfully created as unique beings. In life, it is more on the being, not on the doing. The present definition of success is nothing more than material success. I hope we learned this during this pandemic. At a certain age and status, one is expected to have a nice car, a beautiful house, a wife or a husband, a family and some money in the bank. But it is not always like that. With the world’s standards, one really believes that he is indeed a failure (“kawawa naman ako…” I am pitiful).
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