"The Pilgrimage"

"The good fight is the one that's fought in the name of our dreams. When we're young and our dreams first explode inside us with all of their force, we are very courageous, but we haven't yet learned how to fight. With great effort, we learn how to fight. But by then we no longer have the courage to go into combat. So we turn against ourselves and do battle within. We become our own worst enemy. We say that our dreams were childish, or too dificult to realize, or the result of our not haiving known enough of life. We kill our dreams because we are afriad to fight the good fight."



"We alway know which best road to follow, but we follow only the road that we have become accustomed to."



"You have your own way of living your life, of dealing with problems, and of winning. Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself."



"Everything is contained in sounds - the past, the present, and the future. The person who does not know how to listen will never hear the advice that life offer us all the time. And only the person who listens to the sounds of the moment is able to make the right decisions."



Here are some passages taken from 'The Pilgrimage', a novel by Paulo Coelho. After reading another Coelho's masterpiece, I learned a lot of things about life. How to conquer anger and to understand that life is not easy path to travel.

"People always arrive at the right moment at the where someone awaits them."
- Paulo Coelho

Thoughts on 'By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept'

“My eyes filled with tears.” - Pilar
“I am going to sit here with you by the river. If you go home to sleep, I will sleep in front of your house. And if you go away, I will follow you--until you tell me to go away. Then I’ll leave. But I have to love you for the rest of my life.” - Childhood Friend
“I could no longer hold back the tears, and he began to weep as well.” - Pilar
“I want to tell you something…,” he started to say.
“Don’t say a thing. Read this.” I handed him the pages.

“Thank you” was what he said as he gave the papers back to me. “And forgive me.”
“On the bank of the River Piedra, I sat down and wept.” - Pilar
“Your love has saved me and returned me to my dream,” he continued. “I had forgotten, and you brought it back to me.” - Childhood Friend
“Do you think your gift has returned?” I asked
“I don’t know. But the Goddess has always given me a second chance in life. And She is giving me that with you. She will help me to find my path again.” - Childhood Friend
“Our path.” - Pilar
“Yes, ours.” - Childhood Friend
“He took my hands and lifted me to my feet.
“Go and get your things,” he said. “Dreams mean work.”


I love the end of this novel. I like the above passage because it is simple, and filled with great emotion and hope. For me, it isn’t about how the story ends. It is the lesson that “dreams mean work.” No dream is achieved without a journey. The journey is not always easy. There are battles that we will win and lose along the way. There are mountains to climb, rivers to cross, and valleys to walk through; there are risks that we must take and suffering we must endure all along our journey to our dream. For me, I see my dreams as worth it all. I do believe that the whole world is conspiring to help me achieve my dream.

“"Why do we have to listen to our hearts?" "Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you'll find your treasure."” - Coelho

Pagpapahalaga

Habang nakasakay ako sa jeep na bumabaybay sa gitna na mausok na kalsada pauwi sa aming bahay.. Narinig ko ang dalawang magka-ibigan na nag-uusap.. Tanong ng isa.. "Marunong ka bang magpahalaga?", napa-isip ako at hindi na nawala sa aking isip at parang umaalingaw-ngaw sa aking tenga... PAGPAPAHALAGA... PAGPAPAHALAGA... PAGPAPAHALAGA... Marunong nga ba ako nito? Ibababalik kosa iyo ang tanong... Marunong ka bang magpa-halaga?

Lahat ng nasa atin ay hindi permanente, dapat alagaan, dapat pahalagahan.. dahil baka bukas makalawa maaring wala na ito sa atin.. Mawawala... Mauubos... Lilisan... Parang nung bumili ka ng paborito mong cake... masaya ka.... sinimulan mo kainin, ninamnam ang bawat kagat... pero nauubos ito. bukas alaala na lang, panandaliang saya... nauubos.

Ang ating mga magulang, na nag-palaki, nag-alaga at nag-mahal sa atin. Natatandaan mo ba kung ilang beses mo nasabi sa kanila na salamat at na mahal mo sila? 5 beses? 2? o hindi pa? kelan mo balak itong sabihin sa kanila? Pag hindi ka na nila naririnig? Hindi sila permanente, alam ko at alam mo na darating ang araw na lilisan sila.. Hindi pa huli.. Hanggat andyan pa sila paramdam mo ang kanilang kahalagahan.

Ang iyong boyfriend o girlfriend... Pinapahalagahan mo ba siya? Pinapahalagahan ka ba niya? Walang perpektong relasyon, hindi pwedeng lagi kayo maayos, laging masaya. Dumadating ang ang oras na may pinag-tatalunan, at di pagkaka-intindihan, na nagpapatibay sa pagsasama.. napapag-usapan... at naaayos... 'wag silang gawing tanga sa luma at gasgas nang mga palusot.. mahaba man ang pisi niya pero may hangganan din iyon.. Pahalagahan sila ng tama, mahalin, huwag hinataying mauubos ang pisi. Hindi siya robot... Hindi ako... At ikaw man din ay hindi.. Napapagod siya, ikaw at maging ako... Tao lang tayo

Patuloy ang pag-andar ng jeep... ako'y nakatanga sa kawalan habang inaantay na makarating ito sa aming bahay... napansin ko na malubak ang daan.. Baku-bako... Parang buhay.. hindi laging masaya pero dapat nating pahalagahan.

Maya-maya nakita ko na ang kanto ng aming eskenita.. "Para!" sabay hinto ng jeep.. at bumababa na ako...

Teka! Teka! di pa ako tapos...

Sa pag-basa mo nito may natutunan ka ba? Malamang wala hindi naman ako teacher eh..
Pero naisip mo ba kng marunong ka ba talagang mag pahalaga?.... O ikaw mismo ay kulang sa pagpapahalaga.. Wag naman sana......

Obligatory New Year Meme

Ah, 2008. This year has seen the worst of me, and the best of me. So many new things have happened this year, so many new places have been traversed. And just when you think you've had enough, someone comes along and shows you there still is hope.

Obligatory New Year Meme Time!

2008: A Review Meme

Lost a friend?
Perhaps, moving around, you lose touch of each other eventually...

Stayed single almost the whole year?
Umm... maybe for the first half of it....

Kissed someone new?
Umm... hehe ;)

Had your heart broken?
I do the breaking of hearts. Haha -_-'

Had a stalker?
YES! Oh my god!

Done something you've regretted?
Yes! Quite a few actually


Were involved in something you'll never forget?
My Disneyland adventure i guess

Visited a different country?
Yeah, Hong Kong

Lost something important to you?
My sanity?

Got a gift you adored?
Not adored but very much appreciated. Zachary. :)

Dyed your hair?
Wish I could with my semikal hair. haha


2008: Your Lovelife

Did you break up with anyone?
Yeah.

Did you get anything for Valentine's day?
Not really.

Did you meet anyone special?
Yes...

Did you fall in love?
Of course.

Do you like someone right now?
Yeah...

2008: Friends and Enemies

Did you meet any new friends this year?
Quite a lot. @_@

Did you dislike anyone?
Perhaps...

Did you make any new enemies?
Not yet...

Did you resolve any fights?
Not yet...

Did you grow apart from anyone?
Kinda...

Do you have any regrets when it comes to your friendships?
None at all.

2008: Your BIRTHDAY!

Did you have a cake?
Yes! Courtesy of my bestfriend! :)

Did you have a party?
A small one with close friends in our house.

Did you get any presents?
Yes!

If so what was the best thing you got?
Shoes.

2008: All about YOU

Did you change at all this year?
Yup. I think I changed a lot. I've undergone a lot of hell and learned a lot

Did you get your hair cut?
Not really, I've been a skinhead since late last year :p

Did you change your style?
Not really.

Were you in school?
I wish I am. Been intoxicated by work. haha

Did you have a job?
Fortunately. Yes.

Did you drive?
I wish I can...

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Soon....

Did you move at all?
No. Still living were I am living for the past 22 years.

Did you go on any vacations?
Quite a lot. Puerto Galera, Baguio, Hong Kong, Cebu.


Would you change anything about yourself now?
Not really. Aside from quitting a few bad habits...


Thank you to all of you dear friends. It's been one roller coaster of a year!

Today I am starting my new journey, I am inviting you again to be with me on my journey, together let us explore life, learn new things, and visit new places that can give us new friends and experiences. CHEERS TO 2009!