This will be long, but I encourage you to spend a few moments of your time to read it. If you don't like it, leave a comment. If you do like them, don't comment at all. Just copy, read and ponder and digest what I wrote.
There are 3 priorities in life that I think are very important to all of us, not just OFW's but for all people. We probably know them, so this is just a reminder.
1. SARILI (SELF)
Sa lahat ng interest sa buhay, bilang isang tatay, nanay, kapatid, at OFW na sandigan ng pamilyang nagigipit sa hirap ng buhay sa Pilipinas, ang ating sarili ang pinakaunang bagay that we should look after as we look forward in our lives.
We need sometime to meditate and ponder, to think, and to wonder. Minsan nakakatawa kasi may mga taong kinakausap ang buwan o tinatawag si Batman but sometimes, probably that's all we needed to do too. Minsan kailangan magbasa ng good literature like Great Expectations ni Charles Dickens. o mga books ni Og Mandino o ang the best self-enrichment book na 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Isa sa mga the best book of all time for me na hindi nakakasawang basahin.
Last Friday, tinabihan ako ng kaibigan kong Kano na halos tatay na sa amin ni Mrs. Thoughtskoto. Tinanong ako kung kumusta na siya. Sabi ko "She's fine, we're recovering from the gossip trauma that definitely affected her though we know it is still going around. We shielded our lives with a wall for a while because people are so intrigue and jealous with the beauty and wonder of our lives."
He replied. "I don't see the glow and joy I was seeing in her eyes and face several months ago. Maybe she need some break. Maybe she wanted to walk along Corniche, or go shopping or just be with herself. Maybe she wants to read a book or be alone in the room."
I wanted to tell him. " You have no idea how we missed home. Na kung gaano kami nagtitiis dito because we have a dream to fulfill, and we have a baby whom we wanted to have a better life ahead."
So today, this very moment, a friend picked her and Babytots on the way to their house for an indoor pool swimming, and later, shopping and malling.
I must admit raising a baby without any help galing sa tatay at nanay is definitely stressful, but nevertheless we persevere and it is so joyful and rewarding. Nag-aaral pa po kaming mamuhay, everyday we learn a little lessons here, a little there. Pero sa isang munting tahanan ng pamilyang OFW na punong puno ng pananampalataya at pagmamahalan, miracles do happen, right?
Masyadong naging busy ang ating mga buhay-buhay. We run from one thing to another. Pinapagod natin ang ating mga utak sa pag-iisip at katawan sa pagkakahirap upang magkaroon ng mga bagay-bagay na hindi naman natin madadala sa kabilang buhay. Kelangan seguro ng isang araw or ilang oras na pagninilay-nilay. Isa sa mga pinakanamiss ko sa buhay, ay ang maglakad sa mga daanan ng palayan at langhapin ang presko at masarap na simoy ng hangin, o ang nakaupo na may hawak na libro sa isang malaki at malilim na puno.
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Ang pangangailangan at panlasa natin sa mga bagay na ito ay nagkakaiba sa edad. Pero lahat tayo need some of it. A Time to Stand Still and Ponder. To think what we really wanted to become and what we really wanted in life.
Kagaya ng mga sinabi niyo sa comments niyo sa post ko na SOME SIGNS THAT I AM OLD, we need to treat ourselves once in a while. We need to take care of ourselves. Di ba DAPAT IKAW ANG PINAKAHEALTHY SA ATING LAHAT? We need to have some laugh, we need to look at a child and smile. We need sometime for ourselves. To THINK. TO SET A GOAL. TO PRAY. TO RESOLVE. TO FORGIVE.
Remember this advises from the Thoughtskoto's;
Do not focus on what you haven't, or what is lacking and imperfect but rather on the things you have accomplished.
We need to be stronger, that's why we need to take care of ourselves. Remember that we are the hope of others, especially nila Tatay at Nanay, ng mga kapatid natin, ng mga anak natin, and habang sinisikap nating iaangat sila, we rise a little higher ourselves.
2. Pamilya (Family)
Bawat normal na lalaki ay naghahangad ng mabuting asawa. Bawat normal na babae ay minimithi ang isang matinong asawa. Funny ba, pero it is very true. Dapat maging karapat-dapat tayo sa ating mga piniling minamahal. Respect and give encouragement to him or her. Kung may dalawang great commandment ang Diyos, seguro ang pangatlo ay ganito. Love your companion with all your heart, might, mind and strength. Ito ang pinakaimportanteng desisyon na gagawin ng mga single sa tanang buhay nila, ang pumili ng kanilang mapapangasawa.
Hindi ito pagkaing isusubo na pwedeng iluluwa kapag di masarap sa panlasa or mainit sa dila. Sabi nga ni Gordon Hinckley sa book niya na Standing for Something.
"Don’t cheat yourself. Don’t cheat your companion. Don’t shortchange your lives. Marry the right person in the right place at the right time. Choose a companion you can always honor, you can always respect, one who will compliment you in your own life, one to whom you can give your entire heart, your entire love, your entire allegiance, your entire loyalty. Determine that there will never be anything that will come between you that will disrupt your marriage. Make it work. Resolve to make it work. There is far too much of divorce, wherein hearts are broken and sometimes lives are destroyed. Be fiercely loyal one to another. You will not always be young and handsome or young and beautiful. There will come a time in life when instead of growing taller you will begin to shrink."
I have been married for 3 years now. I admire the likes of Blogusvox, NJ, Jess and The Pope. They been married for a long time, and they're stronger in their bonds, full of wisdom, full of inspiration. I love my wife more than she ever imagined. I told Hevyn, our one year old baby kagabi. "Ikaw ang inspiration ko." Napatanong tuloy si Mrs. Thoughtskoto, "Eh ako, ano ako dada?" I look her in the eye and said. "Buhay kita." I could not wish for any of you more than my caring and lovely wife.
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Hinckley continues, "A good marriage requires time. It requires effort. You have to work at it. You have to cultivate it. You have to forgive and forget. You have to be absolutely loyal one to another. Most of you will marry and have children. They will become the source of your greatest pride and happiness. I hope so. Rear them in love. You don’t have to kick them around. You don’t have to get angry with them. You just have to love them. If they make mistakes, forgive them and help them to avoid a repetition. But let them see in you their truest and best friend, their constant support."
Para sa mga Thoughtskoto, the greatest task of all, ang pinakamalaking challenge, at ang pinakagreatest satisfaction ay nakasalalay sa pagkakaroon ng isang matatag at masayang pamilya.
3. Work (Trabaho)
We spend seguro 8 or more hours a day sa mga work at career natin. I honestly didn't chose to be a Chemist, it just so happen na ito lang yung may available na scholarship that time. But I enjoy what I am doing. Income is important, pero hindi natin kelangan maging multi-millionaire para maging happy. Haha. Sa totoo lang hindi ka talaga magiging masaya kung ang tanging objective lang natin ay yumaman. Magiging alipin ka nito, na magbibigay kulay sa bawat desisyon mo sa buhay. Kelangan natin ng enough para maka get along. We need enough para mabigyan natin ng konting comfort ang ating mga pamilya. Mas maganda sana kung ang husband ang nagtratrabaho at ang wife ang nag-aalaga ng bata sa bahay, pero kadalasan, gawa na rin ng kahirapan at kakulangan kelangan talagang magtrabaho ng nanay. It is okay. Nasa mag-asawa ang desisyon na iyan.
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Be a good example in your work, especially about honesty, and dedication. Most of us have kind employers, never mind the one on top who thinks you are chasing him/her. Most of us OFW's had been given enough compensation and benefits. If unfortunately you are not, we pray that soon you'll have. Nasa sipag at tiyaga lang yan, and depende paano ka nakikisama sa mga katrabaho at sa mga nakakataas sayo. But most importantly, nasa skills at talento yan, nasa dunong ng tao, guts or diskarte sa buhay. But there is one thing that will shine forth in you as you exemplify the true Filipino values - hard work. If they won't notice as you try your best, it will be a disaster to them if you leave. You are giving them no choice to pay you for what you show your worth. Not a peso, not a dollar...thousands. Do it without stepping or putting down others. I know there is that inside you.
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Sabi nila sa buong buhay natin, 2 or tatlong beses tayong nagpapalit ng profession or career. I didn't get it, pero I prepared for it. Kailangan maging handa at masigasig sa mga new effort and new ambitions, of new discoveries and new challenges. Kaya napagkamalan akong Computer Engineer, or Cellphone Technician, or Graphic Artist, pero ang kinakarer ko ngayon, BLOGGING!!! Haha. I want to be remembered as as OFW STOCK TRADER. :)))
Kailangan kong mag-aral ng masteral or MBA, yan ang isa sa pinakagoal ko sa buhay, pero kahit hindi na, kailangan kong makapagtayo ng isang negosyo. In this world, competition is terrible. It eats up people. It destroys many. Pero kelangan nating harapin ang katotohanan na iyan, if you want an increase in salary, increase your education or work efficiently. If you want makaahon sa buhay, kailangang magnegosyo, hindi maging trabahador.
So this 3 are my priorities in life. Service to others comes fourth, as well as my dedication to OFW causes, lalo na PEBA. I also want to serve more in my faith with my wife. We want to live our lives in a way that someday when we depart, it will be a better place than it was when we found.
I think it is time to set yours too. A roadmap perhaps, an outline at where we are heading, so we have a direction to follow.
©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO
[(I will not leave a comment.)]
ReplyDelete<<<- no comment ->>>
ReplyDeletespeechless!
ReplyDeleteno comment...
ReplyDelete:D
Ha?!!
ReplyDeleteoo nga we really need to take care of ourself. How can we take care of those we love if we don't take care of ourself. Siguro balance lang between being too selfless and too selfish. If we are healthy physically, psychologically, socially, and mentally this will bring balance so those around us can be happy too.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Mrs. Thoughtskoto didn't like it. HAHHAHAHA! Mwah! She laugh.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much guys and gal, for not commenting. LolS!
>>>>no comment 2!
ReplyDelete:|
ReplyDeletecomen...... NO.... :)
ReplyDeletetao po!magandang lalaki po ako! este magandang araw pala!..
ReplyDeletekomento wala ako.napadaan lang at napatingin,napabasa narin.at sa kakatngin.aray ko! naumpog ako at naduling! toink!
sa mga nagcomment ng 'no comment'. Thanks for not commenting! Lols! Haha, very funny.
ReplyDeleteSalamat po.
***Ever
ReplyDeleteI am sorry at naduling ka. Take some time to rest, masyado kang busy sa work mo, yayaman ka na niyan. hehehe Kitakits sa PEBA ha. Email pala kita.
well second the motion na rin ako bro! :)
ReplyDeleteNo comment. Have a nice day!
bawal mag comment? Its dictatorship!
ReplyDeletejoke joke joke.
Seriously;
Basta ako, i learned a lot in France,
to be:
kind to yourself, Master Francesca, because no one will. Yan, sa self yan ha. hehe
sa Family, hmmn, if may rules ang head of the family and it is not abusive, oks ako. i am a submissive wife to Lolo Michel, but im not a doormat. theres a difference, hehe
Work: honest ako, but if the Boss plays a trick, I go.
I have a roof over my head , Im not afraid to lose them. They dont deserve a good worker.
on top, they are not the only rich in Monaco, LOL
Ayan, raleyesta ako, kaya I comment,kenjie, hehehhehe
Meron din po akong similar entry sa blog ko dati nyan. It was featured in GMA website-pinoy abroad section 2 years ago.
ReplyDeleteSana po mabasa nyo heto po yung link
http://utaknidrake.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-10-reasons-why-im-here-in-saudi.html
: )
ReplyDelete"Eh ako, ano ako dada?" I look her in the eye and said. "Buhay kita."
ReplyDelete(Isang malalim na buntong hininga...)
Someday...someone will say the same thing to me!
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