pebbles

ben

David was young, small, and seemed frivolous. Goliath was mature, very tall, and powerful. The people believed at that time that Goliath was invincible because of his natural and acquired skills and abilities. But in the story found in the Bible, Goliath lost in just a second with David's sling with a round pebble.Why was that so?

Goliath belittled David's stature. Goliath thought that David was unskillful. Goliath underestimated David's tactics.

David never doubted (in) his own skills. David was confident of losing his opponent. David armed a tiny yet blatantly functioning weapon to fight his oppressor.

We  in our own ways are David. No matter how many Goliaths we encounter in our lives, we fight and continue our battles. Big and troublesome are on our ways and tremendous are yet to come but don't forget that just a sling and small pebble can strike them out. Never undervalue small yet influential qualities we have. These will help us overcome mountainous challenges in our lives. 

Remember: Goliath died with just a small pebble. 

Now, what pebbles do you have in conquering life's demons?

heaven on hell

(Taken in front of Wat Yai)

HEAVEN ON HELL... As the night continually dropped a hell of water, these young monks helped each other to protect their heaven by barricading the riverbanks with sand bags.

i feel you

I can’t explain how I feel

We don’t have anything

Just me alone, I do have something for you

Why I am so much into you?

It is crazy

It is so out of my ordinary life

I can’t think clearly

I can’t work efficiently

Everywhere I go

I see you

In whatever I do

I feel you

Tell me you don’t love me

Then I will stop from thinking of you

Tell me you don’t need me

Then I will cease from chasing after you.

ben

lesson learned

ben

At school, I listen to my teachers and academic lectures, review them then I have tests usually at the end of every term. As a student, the most tasky is the reviewing part. I have to read again and again and again the lessons I have learned all throughout the lecturing period. Sometimes, I get frustrated when I can't really get serious reviewing my lessons for tests. Of course, I want to get high marks that is why I do it piously as possible. More importantly, I see to it that in every review, I have to get some key points not only for tests but for practical uses as well.

Life is a school. I learn. I review. I take tests. It is all the same. So, don't let a day pass by without a lesson learned.

most challenging

A working mom of 3 kids was asked, "What has been the most challenging task you're having?" She confidently answered, "The most challenging work I have been having as a wife, mom, and a working woman is learning the skill of cooking."

ben

a thousand

I was shopping for a pair of long-sleeved polo for work when I saw these lovely purple and green colored ones. They struck my eyes so I went straight to the shop and tried them on. Happily, they fit, exactly. I picked my wallet at the back of my jeans and handed over in a thousand. The sales lady took the money and packed my dress.

The shop had many customers because it was having its 'buy one take one' sale period. I was with three other customers buying on the ladies' corner. After a few minutes, the sales lady asked me, "Have you given your payment, Sir?" And I answered quickly, "Yeah!"

ben

The sales lady's face turned into mango. She rummaged the cabinets, her bag, and even the shelves where the goods were.Eventually, I learned that the money I gave her was missing. I did not know if it was misplaced or it fell from her pocket. I knew the sales lady was worried because of the money. She would have to pay the missing thousand if she couldn't find it. After a half an hour of waiting, still the money was missing. She'd had teary-eyes and I really felt what she was feeling at that time. I couldn't endure the ladies' burden so what I did was grab another thousand to pay again the stuff I would like to get.

"No, Sir. Soon I will find it." Her voice quivered as she spoke this line. But I insisted to give the money. At the end, she took the money.

After a month, I visited the shop again. I was a little shocked because of the voice at my back. "Sir, I would like to give you something." Surprisingly, I saw this sales lady again whom I had encountered a month ago. "I found the money on the vouchers I was holding at that time. And now that I see you, I am giving it back to you."

I smiled. I was not happy alone because I got the money back but because she had the heart to return back the money to me.

Doing good to people is an act that is not hard to do. No matter how difficult their situations maybe, always try to lend a helping hand to ease their burdens. You just don't know how it would make an impact in their lives. 

college learnings

"What should I do with what I learned in college?"

ben

You might have thought of this idea too. I heard from many people that college is the practice venue for future jobs. But what if you pursue another path of career later on in your life? Can you still apply the things you learned in college?

Whether you go after your field of study or not, still, a lot of principles in college should be applied when you work or later in your life. Diligence might not be taught inside classroom setting but you learn it as you study all through your college days. Tactfulness may neither be printed on sheets given by teachers as a lesson but you learn it by yourself especially in difficult circumstances in your college moments.

Not all hard copies you learned in college are essential in the future but the experience of learning through yourself is a great asset when you work or in your life per se.

the printer

Two years ago, I bought a computer printer which I could use for work or for personal purposes. Almost every week I printed some documents or any other stuff. A year had passed and my printer had gone impotent. I busily did my tasks in my office so I wasn't able to use it regularly. It came to a point that I never used it for almost a year.

ben

A week ago, it was on a beautiful Sunday afternoon that my colleague asked me to give a photocopy of my passport and work permit and also to furnish him an important document to be used the following day. I hurriedly went home so I could scan my personal valuables and print some important documents. At home, I turned on my computer alongside my printer. When I clicked on the print button, an error message box appeared on the screen. I tried several times but still I gotthe same error. My head turned heavy because I was rushing. My ears went so hot and red. It also came to a point where I dropped a knuckle on the computer table.

The beautiful day was ruined because of the printer. I was not able to print out anything. Later, I found out that the printer's ink turned solid because it was stuck for several months-- unused. 

Any thing that is left unused becomes infertile. So as a skill, talent, or any ability no longer of being utilized becomes nothing.

i am fat

ben

"I am fat! No one will ever like me!"

The modern age defines beauty as lean, tall, fair-skinned, and good face structure. But for Melissa, she did not have all of these. She must be the soft opposite of the features enumerated previously that's why she uttered the statement, "I am fat! No one will ever like me!"

As she turned 26, she was surprised when someone approached her to be a part of a commercial on TV. She was chosen to do the role because she had the exact qualities the advertising agency was looking for. Melissa took the stint and it went more , and more, and more. 

Now, Melissa, is dating a guy whom she met in the industry she works for. She is planning to settle down with this guy a few years later. Who can imagine that with the figure she had and still has has brought her into stardom? Moreover, it was also one of the bridges why this guy found her. 

"I am fat but I am happy!"

***Celebrate life with the way we really are!

the broken promise

"Son, I promise to buy you a guitar when all my tasks are done. Just stay put."

This was 25 years ago when a father made a promise to his son up a hill near their house. Everything was well with the family at that time. But eventually events were not in favor to the family. Their business had  turned into bankruptcy. The father went through  difficult times that made him lose his sanity. The guitar flew away and was never a reality, but the son grew up with that promise his father told him at that day.

ben

Now, the son is a grown up man. He has his family of his own. One day, he goes up to that hill again with his young son. "I am giving you this guitar because I know that your heart is into music," declares the father to his son handing the guitar in his son's hands. He adds, "Always remember son that even when your father is gone, better not promise to anyone than saying one without doing it."

The son's smile cannot be painted. After a while, he hugs his father and says, "Ok, I won't father."

i bit my tongue

ben

One afternoon while having my late lunch in a cafeteria near my apartment, my tongue bled and sored a little. It was really painful that led me to pause from speaking for a day. I remembered a belief in my hometown that when I bite my tongue someone thinks of me.

The day went fast as the pain flew away little by little.As I prepared to get some rest at that night, my sister called me asking how was my day. After that, a friend near my place visited to give me some food because it was our common friend's birthday. I was not able to attend because of the ailment. Another, my mom sent me a message telling me to pray because the weather was not so good at that day. Lastly, my boss called me to wait for her call if tomorrow's presentation was going to be pursued or not since that night was a little stormy.

After all these, I smiled. Though I bit my tongue accidentally and it was really aching, I knew in heart that there are people behind me: thinking and caring for me.

the umbrella

ben

She couldn't hold her tears falling from her eyes while looking at her umbrella as she started to walk along the bridge. The rain poured harder as she stepped her feet, one over the other. All of a sudden, she stopped and remembered a scene that flashbacked in front of her:

"This umbrella will comfort you even when I am gone. Always remember that eventhough things have fallen apart for us, this umbrella will always be there in strong sunshine or hard rain." These were the last words of Antonio, her first ever boyfriend, to her.

It is good to love. Equally, it is good to be loved. Yet, it is better to have felt love than never have experienced it at all.

bargaining

As I walk along the corners of a wet market, I saw various people of different classes. On one side, I see a man dressed in white with a tie. On the the other side, I see a family buying some bread to a baker. There is this old woman selling some sweet potato tops who catches much of my attention. She seems to be so old sitting on a dirty pass way in the market with her sweet potato tops near her feet. Then someone a woman of a good class in the society asks for the price of the sweet potato tops and the old woman answers with a slow and coarse voice, "Five..."  As I get near, I hear vividly how the woman of a good class responds to the old woman, "Can it be 3 or 4?"

ben

Bargaining to the old woman is much of a pity for the woman of a good class. To think that 5 is so cheap, she even bargains for a discount. Doesn't she even think how the old woman struggles to carry those bundles of sweet potato tops with her hunchback from one place to another? 

We must learn how to treat others fairly.

sheer happiness

ben

When was the last time you felt sheer happiness?

All her life she's been looking for happiness. She's visited different sites and places around the world.  She's got the looks and money. She's had the best men all she ever wanted. But why she always feel empty inside?

Many people don't really know why they seem to feel a vacuous life. At times, they feel so void that nothing can satisfy them most. 

Sheer happiness is a matter of the heart. 

eat at home

Liezel, a 6-year old child asks her dad, "Why do we have to eat out dad?"

ben

Her father answers, "Because I want to eat something new."

Liezel exclaimed again, "Why don't we just eat here at home and be together as a family?"

Her family replies, "But we will go together, you mom, me, and your brother."

Liezel ends up, "I think when we eat at home, we are happier. We don't need to choose. We don't need to look at others. We don't need any distractions. Just us, as a family without someone bothering us."

Her father smiles and tells. Soon after, her father asks the other two rather to stay home than to go out.

pack your bags

ben

Pack your bags. Ready yourself. Travel to the places you have not seen.

When you are stressed out from work or relationship, this is one of the best ways to do. It is opted by many people who suffer from stagnancy or boredom. Why?

Most often, traveling can make you think of clearer perspectives in life. It is through walking and making adventure where you can ponder on better things to do in life. Shelving yourself in a box doesn't make you grow. Get out of it and you will soon see different experiences and essences that will lead you to what you really want.

Traveling always brings comfort and pleasure to the mind. It can be a near site or a far flung area where you  have never imagined going to in your life. Go ahead. Set a trip out now!

delete

ben

Permanently deleting files in a computer means they are no longer retrievable. When you click a bar asking to delete them permanently, they will never appear again. In life, what files would you like to delete permanently?

Isn't it true that sometimes when you encounter a very excruciating experience, you want to delete it permanently? When you were hurt in the past, you try to delete this memory as if you want to impose amnesia to yourself selectively. 

No matter how hard you try deleting them in your memories, these will never get be gotten rid from your life off. Your mind is not the same as a computer. When you click on delete, files are deleted. Your mind is not as obedient as a computer. When you try to delete specific memories, one day, you will again remember these memories.

never imperative

ben

"Maybe you don't want to talk to me anymore? Have you grown tired of me?" A message from Ina to her boyfriend through a social application.

"What made you say that? It doesn't mean that when I reply late or don't reply at all, I don't want to talk to you anymore!" A reply message from Bojie.

Sometimes, we think beyond what is really happening. We suppose with baseless thoughts from a result of  'overthinking' which could lead into arguments or misunderstanding. 

We can't dictate what others should do or should not. It is never imperative for others to do the same what  we have to do for them. 

Stop being possessive. One day, you may not notice that the tighter the grip you hold onto someone's hand, the more pain you cause to that hand of someone, eventually sicking it-- worst, losing it.

a fantasy

ben

Yes, I was elated for she was with me. That was for a day only and I wished it was longer. But only that I realized we were just having a fantasy.

Today, I kiss her passionately. I hold her tightly. I look at her face while she sleeps deeply. But tomorrow I will know that she'd be gone. No more. But what is more hurting is that it happens fast-- cold turkey. It is like a single blink of  the eyes.

Did it ever occur to you that when you thought she was the one given for you, then all of a sudden, at the end of the day you would finally find out that she was just like a fallen withered leaf following the current of a raging river then stuck at the ripple of water. And when the current was strong again, it would automatically leave  from the ripple and continued to head far nowhere.

How far can you chase and follow? 

age and beauty

Why is it that when  we get older the more we look  beautiful?

True enough that beauty lies not only on the superficial side of a face but also on the age of that face. As we age, we think better. As days go by, we develop sound minds that will keep us from being beautiful. As years pass after years, we see and experience the deeper and real definition of beauty.

See it for yourself how beauty generates in your whole being as every day passes by.

ben