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[sweet-and-simplepat]

Gospel Reflection: 4th Sunday of Lent

Today's Gospel reading has two versions but both come from the gospel reading of John. The first option is the long version from John 9: 1-41, and the second one from John 9: 1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38. What is the story all about? The story narrates how Christ made the blind man see. The blind man was born blind and back then, the Jews believed that if you were born blind, your parents had committed a grave sin. So how does the story go?

Jesus spat on the ground and made clay and anointed it in the eyes of the man. After which, he instructed the man to go and was in the pool of Siloam. After the man washed, he was able to see. People who saw him started to question and ask him how he was made to see. The man narrated how he came to see and how Jesus has cured him of his blindness.

He was brought to the Pharisees who again asked him how he gained his sight. The blind man told them how he was able to see but then the Jews did not believe him and called for his parents who attested that he was blind at birth and they do not know how he gained his sight. The Pharisees asked him again and he replied: "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples?"(John 9:27)

If we are going to look and reflect on the gospel reading, we can say that the Pharisees and other Jews displayed what we can call metaphorical blindness such as Ignorance, Prejudices / Biases, Complacency, Apathy, and Spiritual Blindness.

The Jews and Pharisees can be considered spiritually blind. They believed that they are disciples of Moses, and did not want to accept the possibility that Jesus Christ is a man of God. In fact, they reviled the man and told him that they do not know where Jesus came from. (John 9: 28)

What causes our spiritual blindness? In the reading today, why were the Pharisees blind to the fact that Jesus is a man of God? If we are going to look into each and every gospel reading where Christ has been performing miracles, we would notice that the Pharisees would always come up with the accusation or statement that "this is not the work of God" or with other statements that claim that Jesus is not doing the Will of God.

The spiritual blindness of the Pharisees has been caused by their hardness of heart. I would say that this hardness of heart is caused by PRIDE. They could not admit that what they knew about the Law handed down by Moses was made simply as an offshoot of man's stubbornness. They were self-righteous and too proud to admit that not all the laws they were implementing during that time would lead one closer to God.

Christ, being the messiah, the Son of God, performed miracles and preached in front of them and yet, their pride blinded them from this reality.

As human beings, there are also times when we become spiritually blind to God's message. Often, we become blind when things don't go our way. When the plans we have not come into reality. There are times when we think we know more, but step back and reflect. The times when we become spiritually blind to God's plan in our lives are often the times when we reject and refuse what God wants to happen in our life.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Mangosteen and You

Mangosteen fruit scientifically known as Garcinia mangostana is a tropical evergreen tree, believed to have been originated in Indonesia and is widely available in several South East Asian regions like Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam and also in some regions of Africa. The purple Mangosteen, also known as ‘Mangustan‘ in Hindi, ‘Ivarumamidi‘ in Telugu, ‘Kaattampi‘ in Malayalam, ‘Kao‘ in Bengali, ‘Murugala Hannu‘ in Kannada, ‘Kokum‘ in Gujarati, ‘Kokam‘ or ‘Ratamba’ in Marathi, is acclaimed for its unique appearance and flavor is often revered as queen of the tropical fruits, especially in the orient.

The fruit has three major parts: the deep purple rind; the white edible flesh which is segmented like oranges and the seeds, found within the flesh. The seeds are extremely bitter in taste and are inedible while the flesh has a soft fragrance with a sweet taste. The outer shell or rind of the Mangostein fruit (called the pericarp) is rather hard, yet can be opened easily.

Mangosteen Health Benefits:

Mangosteen has been a part of the traditional medicine of various Asian countries for a very long time, and was once brought all the way around the world so that it could be sampled by Queen Victoria. The health benefits of mangosteen are known since 18th century and it has been proven that these benefits are not just mythical. It is a storehouse of essential nutrients which are required for normal growth, development and overall nutritional well being. Different parts of the fruit and plant are used in the treatment of various diseases and disorders. Here are some of the mangosteen fruit health benefits.

Detoxification

Scientific Research has revealed that Mangosteen contains a class of naturally occurring polyphenol compounds known as xanthones. There are two types of xanthones in this fruit – alpha mangosteen and gamma mangosteen. Xanthones and their derivatives have been shown to have several benefits, including anti-inflammatory.  Xanthones are an effective remedy against various cardiovascular diseases. These antioxidants have healing properties which heal cells damaged by free radicals, slow down aging and ward off degenerative diseases and physical and mental deterioration. 

Boosts Immune System

Mangosteens are rich in vitamin C and contains about 12% RDA per 100g. Being a powerful water soluble anti oxidant, vitamin C provides resistance against flu like infectious agents and scavenge harmful pro-inflammatory free radicals. Therefore consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C is vital for developing resistance against diseases. Folate plays an important role in foetal development and evolution of new cells in the body. This particular vitamin is vital during pregnancy and protects neutral tube effects. 

Promotes Blood Circulation

Mangosteen aids in promoting red blood cells and prevents against anaemia. It improves the blood flow by causing dilation of blood vessels which helps to protect us against certain diseases like atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, heart congestion and severe chest pains.

By increasing the amount of blood flow to the eye, Vitamin C in mangosteen is effective against cataracts.1000mg Vitamin C per day is said to be effective in curbing cataracts and improving vision.

Lowers Cholesterol Level

Diet rich in mangosteen is helpful in reducing the level of cholesterol in human body. It also helps to control the level of triglycerides to take care of proper working of human heart. 

Cancer Prevention

The antioxidants found in mangosteen help to prevent cancer and other cardiovascular diseases. It is a powerful and effective antioxidant that protects our body from free radicals that cause oxidative stress, or” cellular rust” that can lead to host of severe medical conditions. 

Regulates Blood Pressure

Mangosteen also contains high amounts of of minerals like copper, manganese and magnesium. Potassium provides protection against strokes and coronary heart diseases as it is an important component of cell and body fluids and controls heart rate and blood pressure. 

Anti-Inflammatory

Mangosteen contains anti-inflammatory properties which is highly beneficial for people who suffer from sciatica pains which cannot be controlled by drug treatment. Consuming mangosteen two to three times a day will help to relieve pain through its anti-inflammatory and cox-2 inhibitor effects. 

These are just a few of the several other health benefits that you can get from Mangosteen.  It is readily available today in several drugstores in the Philippines and herbal supplement shops.

Since 2008, people have turned their direction towards prevention of illness rather than cure as it is more expensive to treat a disease rather than to prevent yourself from contracting it.  So what’s the wait?  Start now and enjoy a healthier you!

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Death Penalty: Morality and Ethics

Death Penalty has been one of the critical issues especially with the Catholic Church.  Here in the Philippines, the assumptive President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte, who has garnered around 15,970.018 votes in the last partial and unofficial tally of votes for the presidency has announced that he would like to re-instate the death penalty for convicted criminals of heinous crimes. 

There has been a lot of critics on the said move even if Duterte has not assumed the Presidency yet.  One of the opposing camps is the Catholic Church who states that God is the author of life and only God can take away life.  It is for this very reason that I have been curious and took on some time to read back on the teachings in Moral Philosophy to see if capital punishment, or death penalty is really a violation of morality or ethics.

One of the arguments being raised by the Church is the preservation of life.  However, preservation of life, is directly rooted to the 5th commandment: Thou shall not kill.  But is death penalty really an act of killing?  Shall we equate it with a criminal who committed murder?

The Principle of Double Effect

The Principle of Double Effect is one of the critical and most controversial ethical principle that was formulated way back during the Medieval times by no other than St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae where he states that  "The act of self-defense, can have a double effect: the preservation of one's own life; and the killing of the aggressor. ... The one is intended, the other is not."  (II-II, Qu. 64, Art.7)

Classical formulations of the principle of double effect require that four conditions be met if the action in question is to be morally permissible: first, that the action contemplated be in itself either morally good or morally indifferent; second, that the bad result not be directly intended; third, that the good result not be a direct causal result of the bad result; and fourth, that the good result be "proportionate to" the bad result. Supporters of the principle argue that, in situations of "double effect" where all these conditions are met, the action under consideration is morally permissible despite the bad result.

Each of these conditions has, however, been a matter of considerable controversy. The first condition requires some criterion independent of an evaluation of consequences for determining the moral character of the proposed action. Moral philosophers who believe that the moral character of an action is exhaustively determined by the nature of its consequences will, of course, object to this requirement.

The second condition assumes that a sharp distinction can be drawn between directly intending a result and merely foreseeing it. This requirement has been the subject of much debate. Some philosophers argue that if an agent recognizes that a certain consequence will inevitably follow from a contemplated action, then in performing the action the agent must be intending the consequence. Others argue, less strongly, that defenders of double effect have failed to delineate a practicable criterion for marking off the intended from the merely foreseen. Defenders of the principle typically respond by pointing to the implicit recognition of the moral significance of this distinction in the moral practices of ordinary persons.

The third condition writes into the principle of double effect the so-called Pauline principle, "One should never do evil so that good may come." Again, philosophers who reject the view that actions can have a moral character independent of their consequences will find this condition unacceptable.

The fourth condition, by bringing in the notion of proportionality, has seemed to many philosophers to undercut the absolutism presupposed by the first condition. Although the first three conditions have a decidedly anticonsequentialist character, the fourth may appear to embrace consequentialist reasoning. Defenders of the principle typically attempt to accommodate the consequentialist character of the fourth condition while ensuring that it does not render the more complex features of the principle irrelevant.

The Principle of Double Effect on Death Penalty

Death penalty is understood as an act of self-defense on the part of civil society. In more recent times, as you point out, Pope John Paul II has taught that the need for such self-defense to resort to the death penalty is "rare, if not virtually nonexistent." 

The important point here is that the Pope cannot change the constant and fundamental teaching of the Church on this matter, based as it is on the natural law, namely that it is the right and responsibility of the legitimate temporal authority to defend citizens against the aggressor. 

What the Pope is saying is that, in modern society, the modern penal system, along with an intense anti-life culture, makes resorting to the death penalty as a solution to the threatening aggression. (According to the 4th criterion of the principle of double effect, the unintended evil effect of the act of self defense has to be proportionate to the intended good effect of that act.) 

The burden of proving the need for the death penalty in specific cases should rest on the shoulders of the legitimate temporal authority, it remains true that the legitimate temporal authority alone has the authority to determine if and when a "rare" case arises that warrants the death penalty. 

It is therefore, in such a rare case that the government sees it as an act of self-defense in relation to the population and the majority of the people who could be harmed by the criminals who committed such heinous crimes and would thus appear as a morally good action even if it has the unintended and unavoidable effect on the criminal or the aggressor which is death as death alone is in itself bad based on the basic tenets and principles of morality.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Where Am I Being Led?

Sometimes, I would often ask myself where am I being led?  The question though is a question that is brought about by impatience and doubt.

Just a few days ago, I saw the video of another elementary school mate of mine and this was not just any ordinary video but her wedding video.  While I was watching the video, I kept on asking myself, “Will I ever get to that point where I would have someone whom I would spend my whole life with?”

Whenever I ask that question, my mind leads me to the thought of staying single for life, of not having that partner who would fall in love with me and be my partner for life.  It is a bit disappointing on my end as no one wants to live a single life or no one wants to be single forever.

If I were to think more of it, I’m already 34, turning 35 and yet, up to this time, I am still single.  No girlfriend, not in a relationship and pretty much just living my life alone.

At some point, I would like to think it would just be better if I were to go back to the seminary and be a priest.  But then, I am also thinking, I might just be running away from the truth and the reality that is happening in my life.  I know I once did this way back in 1997 when I thought that entering the seminary would end all things.

It was during that time when I always got rejected by women whom I have been courting and thus, I saw this as a sign that there is a possibility that it is not the kind of life for me.  Then, after 2 years of being in the seminary, my formator saw otherwise.

I guess these are just my thoughts on the things that’s currently happening in my life.  I am pretty unsure of what I need to do or where I need to go.  I’m like in a road, a pathway that’s currently all dark and gloomy and I can’t turn back but can only move forward hoping that by the end of the long tunnel, I would soon see the light.

Where am I being led?  This is such a big question and a mystery for me.  Right now, all I can do is to simply cling on to my faith and never falter in praying this little prayer:

God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace Taking, as He did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right If I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him Forever in the next AMEN

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Time to Reflect

It is not so often that people give a few moments to reflect on their lives. We have been too busy in our lives and our jobs that we tend to forget to spend a few moments with the Lord.

The Lenten Season, more particular this Holy Week, invites us to reflect on the year that has passed. There are several questions we might want to ask ourselves, such as:

1. How have I spent my previous year? 2. Have I done good things? 3. Has my life been in accordance to God’s will?

These are just a few of the questions we might find ourselves asking. Life is a journey towards our perfection and the only way to perfect ourselves is to acknowledge our shortcomings and act.

We have to change whatever shortcomings we have in life, and changing that starts by acknowledging our shortcomings.  We have to admit that we have committed a mistake, and then reform and change it.

Change is not simple though.  It cannot be as simple as an overnight change that we want to happen.  Things don’t change overnight, especially habits and our personalities which we have grown for Nth number of years.  These are habits and personalities we were accustomed to do.

So how do we change?  I guess this would be something that needs to be discussed in a separate forum or article.  What’s important at this point is that we give some moments to reflect on our life.

It is a bit odd that here in the Philippines, the Holy Week is also the week when people start to go on vacation.  The time when resorts and beaches are fully occupied with people.  Apparently, people just enjoy and forget the essence of the Lenten season.  Why do we need to reflect during this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday?

Let’s take time to pause from the chaotic world, from the noise of our everyday life and sit in a place that’s silent.  Let’s try to listen to God’s voice speaking to us.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

The Source of Morality and Ethics: Natural Law

Observing the world today as it is, there has been quite a big confusion with people in terms of what is moral and what is immoral.  Nothing against 3rd sexes but then, there are societies that now accept 3rd party or same sex marriage.  Better yet, there are those that welcome same sex relationships.

I am a bit enthusiastic about this particular topic because yesterday, I had such a fruitful discussion with one of my friends about it.  According to her, same sex relationships has been common and acceptable now-a-days because as you can see, a lot of them are pretty much involved in it.  She also stated that same sex relationships exist because most of the time, the lesbian takes care more of the girl vs. the guy in a normal guy-girl relationship.

Here is my simple reply to her statement.  Not because it is accepted by majority of society means that such is moral and upright.  From the standpoint of ethics and morality, a relationship between same sexes is immoral.  Why is it immoral?  Because the relationship in itself does not conform to the Natural Law.

She went on and asked, what is the natural law?  I answered her, “the natural law often tells us what the end of things are.  A thing is created based on a particular end in mind.  Example, a chair was created in order to be sat on and not to be thrown at your enemy.”  The same is with same sex relationships and marriage.  The male and female organ was created with it ultimate end which is procreation, to multiply species, for reproduction.  How can one person of the same reproductive organs be able to reproduce themselves?  Again, this is not possible and therefore, such relationship is going against the natural law.

She further stated that there are a lot of communities that accept same sex relationships and same sex marriage.  Well, I told her that if majority are accepting it, it is not automatically ethical or moral.  The basis of whether it is moral or immoral would still depend on the Natural Law.

A thing is created for a certain final end and Natural Law states that in order for that thing, that creature, or being to undergo what is otherwise known as the perfection of species.  Therefore, if a thing does not fulfill its final end, it goes against the natural law.  Going against the natural law, therefore makes the act itself unethical and therefore immoral.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Thy Will Be Done

In our life, often we find ourselves in a situation that we do not want.  You might be asking me, what am I saying?  Well, let’s be honest to admit that most of the things that happen in our life are something that we really don’t want, right?  We often want the opposite of what’s happening to us and often that is not what God gives.

I have also come across several people who often doubt, question, and even lose their trust in God because according to them God does not give them what they ask for in prayer.

Well, this is the common misconception and sometimes, it is really hard to reconcile the notion of prayer, i.e. asking for what we want vs. the notion of what is actually happening in our life.

I remember way back in 2004 when my contract for teaching was not anymore renewed by the College / institution that I was teaching for.  One of the professors in Theology told me that often, we do not see God’s plan for us and often we question and this is because we are humans.  Sometimes, it is hard to trust and simply move on without knowing where we are going.  She then told me to go through the Lord’s Prayer.  According to her, the Lord’s Prayer is the most powerful prayer ever.

I asked myself, how can the Lord’s Prayer be the most powerful prayer.  In her reply, she told me that the Lord’s Prayer is the most powerful prayer because it was a prayer that Christ Himself taught the people.  Let us recall this particular passage from Luke 11:2-13.

He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  

It was only then that I saw the meaning of what she was trying to say.  God gives us what we ask for but we must be persistent in asking for it.  However, when God gives us what we asks for, He also ensures that it is something that would be for our good.  

I guess another part of what we have to learn is being like Mary when she said, Thy Will be done.  This is something that is hard to accept because, as I mentioned in the earlier statement, we want things to happen our way.

Thy Will Be Done is learning to accept what God’s plan is for our lives and human as we are, I would say this is a blind acceptance of that plan that we are unaware of.  So if we find ourselves in that situation where we’re having a hard time of accepting what is happening, my only suggestion is that we ask God to grant that grace of serenity, cling on to our faith, and trust God more.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Extra Income Opportunities: Create a blog and start writing

If you’re the type of person who enjoys writing and loves writing as a hobby, you can earn from it by creating a blog.  Learn from one of the youngest Filipino blogger, Carlo Ocabwho was only 13 years old when he started writing blogs about the famous…

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The wonder of e-loading

I remember way back when I was in high school in the year 1999.  My mother and I ventured into the business of selling cellphones.  At that time, I had one former colleague in the Dominican Seminary who was working at SMART communications in Batangas and…

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Facing the Long Term Problem

One of the famous rich people who goes by the name of Robert Kiyosaki said in his book “Employment is a short term solution for a long term problem.”  Reading this in his book, I asked myself, “what is the long term problem?”  As I continued to read his…

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How strong is your faith

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.  One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet  and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.  There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.  She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.  She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.  She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.  Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"  But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'"  And he looked around to see who had done it.  The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.  He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."  While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith."  He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.  When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.  So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.  He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded.  He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43)

The gospel reading last Sunday has been touching and I guess my former formator has given further light on the topic by being able to relate it with what's going on with our daily life.  According to him:

The gospel shows us pictures of two people, one with a position in society, Jairus, and another who has no position in society whatsoever.  The mere fact the lady was suffering from hemorrhage which is incurable speaks of a person who has been so ostracized by their society then.  We can even compare it to a poor man who has nothing.  Amidst the fact that both are from two different worlds, they had one thing in common.... FAITH.  Both of them accepted that Jesus Christ was the only hope they have.

Fr. Jepoy, O.P. continues on to relate this in real life by saying: 

Most of us encounter our own trials, tribulations, and problems in life. However, do we have enough faith to accept that none of these things are within our control?  That no matter how much we try to control and get hold of things, they simply tend to falter.  One of the things we must do as Christians and believers of the faith is to accept that nothing that happens in our life is controllable.  Accepting this fact is not easy as it needs a lot of HUMILITY coming from us.  Yet, are we faced with enough FAITH to believe that despite of the turmoil, God has never left us?

Faith... it is not just faith in believing that God is Our Father; that there are 3 persons in One God.  It is not just believing in the things that we don't see.  It is the faith that allows you to live your life amidst the turmoil, problems, and everyday struggles that we face.  I remember one of my mentors say, when you are faced with a problem, deal with it head-on.  After talking to that mentor of mine, I asked myself, why head-on?  Now that I've heard Fr. Jepoy's homily, I have come to this understanding that facing problems head-on, having that faith that God is with you, would allow and be an avenue for your faith to grow.

As Christians, and as Catholics, we have to grow both physically and spiritually.  Often, when we face problems, we start losing our faith; we start blaming God for the things happening; we start to curse God; we start to rebel against God's will.  But then again, my father would always have a good note for me every time I start to question the things that happen in my life.  "My son, you are not God.  You can't make things happen your way.  It is always His way that matters and that happens because He knows better than you."

So why am I sharing this here?  Basically because this is the time, that I, myself have come to that realization that things happen, we all have problems that we face in life but we also must have that FAITH of a Mustard Seed in order for us to survive.  Amidst the struggles, problems, turmoil... I still believe that God is working with me in order to produce better fruits and outcome out of this.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

I Just Want To Say....

It's been months that I've been here and all I could ever think of is ask myself, "have I done anything wrong?"  Have I done anything wrong that there's ONE PERSON WHO TOLD NUMEROUS LIES ABOUT ME?  Have I done anything wrong to BE TREATED AS THOUGH IT IS MY FAULT WHEN IT IS NOT?

You said that you'll take care of all my needs to make me happy... but then again, I was mistaken to have believed you.  You never took care of the simple things I was expecting you to take care of like: the adjustment of my salary, my ECN and announcement, and even to the very extent...deciding to grant me that leave.  You believed all the things you've heard from complaints of other people, I just don't know if you believed all of these without even trying to analyze if I were really that type of a person.

I know I am not perfect and there will always be loopholes for as long as others would look only at the negative side of things.  Question is, are you part of them who have always been looking for ways and means to bring me down?  Are you a part of the people who have been criticizing me for my shortcomings?  Are you perfect that you don't have shortcomings of your own?

What am I saying?  I know that it is not right that I brag about my feelings in a blog such as this but I just want things to end.  I just want it to end all here as I really can't take it anymore.  Let's put it this way...

A person aims for promotion, for a higher position because he has financial needs.  There's no problem in that sense because I got the post I long worked hard for.  Being Team Leader Apprentice and entering that program for 4 times is not a joke. No matter what others say, I still did strive to be extra-ordinary.  Now that I am here, it took 5 months for my Intern allowance to pop up.  An allowance that comes with tax.  Supposedly my full fledged TL announcement was on May 7 but up to now, am still an Intern.  I don't know what else is wrong.  If I have not been performing and doing my duties, then I would understand and would not feel this bad.  But the fact that the promotion came last September 21, the actual announcement took effect November 7 is already a big injustice.  Now that my full fledged should have taken effect last May 7, which still has not, I am at a loss.

I don't know how you would feel if you were in my position.  But I have not failed you.  I have never complained about the tasks you gave me, nor did I cut short on my deliverables.

A simple leave which you could have approved without me escalating it to those higher than you.  Is that a hard decision?  Now that I'm being questioned about the process, you sent an email nagging about it and saying it is my fault.  Have you even thought of the process that Time Keeping requires the leave form submitted to them 2 days prior to the actual day of leave?  I don't think so because in your email you mentioned that I did not follow the process.  How will I be able to meet that requirement when my shift starts 2am, and the person to whom you escalated my approval for leave gave the approval by 3am?  That was already Tuesday Manila time.  My leave would be by Wednesday.  Technically, it's not going to be 2 days prior to the leave already.  Have you thought of that?  That it was simply because you did not approve of the leave that made things complicated?

I don't think you even thought of it because if you did, you would not have sent that horrific email blaming me for everything.  Yes, you can always blame me and blame others as this is HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.  I admit, I did not follow normal procedures because I was thinking about Time Keeping's process.  I was thinking that if they don't receive it in time, it would still be marked as an absence.  Well, I guess, since there was no confirmation of the adjustment, I'd still be marked absent for the 2 days.  But why would you care?  It's not you who's getting deducted from your salary.  it's me, right?  Me, who's salary still remains to be the basic salary of an agent when it should, by this time, already be the salary of a Team Leader but since you did not follow up on my ECN, it got delayed.  It's me who's been doing everything to ensure my team gets the best stats, yet currently in a "remedial" program simply because of 3 agents that supposed to be out for non-performance.  I guess it's always been me from the start and it's always my fault.

Well, don't worry as things won't be my fault anymore.  I did say from the start and again, I'll say it.  I'm not a hard person to talk to.  If you don't want me, just tell me.  I'M GOING.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

I have always been misunderstood

Sometimes, I don't like this feeling of being misunderstood.  When people think I'm a perfectionist, when they say I'm idealist, when others say that I am not a simple person.

How can a person be a perfectionist if he himself is not perfect?  Sometimes I tend to ask why people see me as a perfectionist.  I have my own imperfections and maybe, just maybe, if I were a perfectionist, I would have perfected my appearance first.  The case is, I never bother about how I look.  

Yes, I am fat, a little overweight.  If I want to be perfect, then I would have gone on a strict diet.  Exercised til my body can't take it anymore just for others to see me as a perfect guy... with the muscles and everything.  The case is, I'm not.  I know all people have imperfections.  I have my own.  A person who likes correcting others?  How can that be?  I can't even correct myself.  I can never teach others what I have never done.  This has been my stand ever since I taught college before.  Even up to this time.  I only teach people what I myself have gone through.

I guess I've always been misunderstood.  I just hope that people would tend to see me and get to know me first before passing judgment on me.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

One Greatest Lesson

One of the greatest lessons I will never forget is what the movie spiderman has taught and always said: "With great power comes great responsibility."  I remember when I first started out in the Call Center industry way back in 2004.  I always had that dream in me to be one of the future Team Leaders.  I thought that it was so simple and easy being a Team Leader.  I never knew what lies beyond that said position.

When I came upon my second call center, I met Jefferson Ferdinand Pablo, who was my Team Manager / Team Leader.  Under the supervision of our then was Shift Manager Neriza Parial, he has opened me up to the different tasks and responsibilities of becoming a Team Leader someday.  He has already given me tasks that he knows I can do well, however there was one thing I sort of questioned when it was up for recommendations and promotions.

I started to let go of that aspiration of being a Team Leader one day.  I just lived my life happy as a Call Center agent, moved into MLM and started aiming for earnings outside of the call center.  I simply told myself "I can earn more than what Team Leaders earn" and well, proved that somehow, I was correct.  It only took much effort and hard work but then again, I felt fulfillment in the end.  However, there was one thing I missed out in the lessons of leadership when I was in MLM.  I wondered why my downlines simply left me without taking into consideration the trials and struggles that we've gone through.  I thought being a leader of a group would simply be gratifying your subordinates with food when you were all together.  For this reason, I always did treat my team out for dinner whenever we get together as a group.  The question I asked myself was still the same question I had lingering in my mind.  What is wrong?  Where am I doing it wrong?

I went back and shifted my focus back on work.  This time VXI had some fulfilling promises I looked forward to.  This is where I started to learn the things I should have learned prior.  But no regrets.  I know that learning is always and will always would be a continuous process for as long as I am breathing.  

Social Skills, and people management... positive scripting... sincerity in your intention to help out your agents.  Well, no offense but I guess doing things out of pure love is something that one won't achieve if there was a monetary compensation behind it.  I am thankful right now as now I see what moulded me to be a very sincere Team Leader.  Of course, I could not forget the people behind all these.

Moving forward, I am expecting more good things to come... more blessings!  More improvements on my end as I know that we cannot settle for mediocre performance but we always want to give out our utmost performance.

[sweet-and-simplepat]

Thank you...

Many times we tend to forget to say "thank you!"  What we don't know is that it actually goes a very long way.  Many times people just tend to forget what others have done for them, tend to forget the good things one does for them, and simply just demand and demand and demand.

It's a new month and today is just the second day.  I would like to say THANK YOU for the many people who has touched me and influenced me.  THANK YOU for the people who has continuously strengthened me when I was feeling down.  THANK YOU to God who has never ceased in loving me and showing me that everything is possible.

Most of all, THANK YOU to you!  Yes, You!  I know it's just been a short time since we met, yet YOU never failed to make me smile, amidst all things.  YOU never failed to remind me who I am, my personality.  YOU never failed to remind me of the traits, characteristics that I should have.  THANK YOU!

[sweet-and-simplepat]

“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” --John Maxwell

Comfort Zone... a lot of us would like to be in our comfort zone.  Why?  Well, in our comfort zone, we know we are safe, no one can harm us, we just do what we do (routine), and the last of the reasons we would have for staying in our comfort zone is that we would not need to be flexible and change things.

Being in the comfort zone hinders our growth.  And for this, I agree with John Maxwell that our gauge and measure of growing up or being mature is when we step out of that comfort zone.  

I remembered this when I was active with Network Marketing.  I never liked going out, talking to strangers, getting to introduce myself and being able to recruit people or even just to ask them to give me 5 minutes of their time to show them the wonderful opportunity for them to earn extra.  I would always tell myself, "this is not me."  But my upline would always tell me, "you won't earn, unless you step out of your comfort zone."  So I challenged myself and did all the things I never did before.  Found myself enjoying and having fun with it.  Later on, the money and earnings came in.

There is one specific story that I remember when it comes to comfort zone.  The story that touched me as well... Who Moved the Cheese?  I would highly suggest you to try read this.  It's a wonderful story that speaks of how the other simply stayed on his comfort zone which did not allow him to reach the room filled with different kinds of cheese.