Do it now!

In a class I taught for adults, I gave the class special homework recently! The assignment was to "got to someone you love within the next week and tell them you love them. It has to be someone you have never said those words to before or at least haven't shared those words with for a long time." At the beginning of our next class, I asked if someone wanted to share what happened when they told someone they loved them. I fully expected one of the women to volunteer, as was usually the case, but at last one of the men raised his hand. He appeared quite moved and a bit shaken. He said, "Dennis, I was quite angry with you last week when you gave us this assignment. I didn't feel that I had anyone to say those words to, and besides, who were you to tell me to do something that personal? But as I began driving home my conscience started talking to me. It was telling me that I knew exactly who I needed to say 'I love you' to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a vicious disagreement and really never resolved it since that time. We avoided seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings. But even then, we hardly spoke to each other. So, last Tuesday by the time I got home I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him. It's weird, but just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load off my chest. When I got home, I rushed into the house to tell my wife what I was going to do. She was already in bed, but I woke her up anyway. When I told her, she didn't just get out of bed, she catapulted out and hugged me, and for the first time in our married life she saw me cry. We stayed up half the night drinking coffee and talking. It was great! In my office at 9:00 a.m. I called my dad, 'Dad can I come over after work tonight? I have something to tell you.' My dad responded with a grumpy,'Now what?' I assured him it wouldn't take long, so he finally agreed. At 5:30 p.m., I was at my parents' house ringing the doorbell, praying that Dad would answer the door. I was afraid if Mom answered that I wouldn't have it, Dad did answer the door. I didn't waste any time--I took one step in the door and said, 'Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.' "It was as if a transformation came over my dad. Before my eyes his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, 'I love you,too,son, but I've never been able to say it. It was such a precious moment I didn't want to move. Mom walked by with tears in her eyes. I just waved and blew her a kiss. Dad and I hugged for a moment longer and then I left. I hadn't felt that great in a long time. But that's not even my point. Two days after that visit, my dad, who had heart problems but didn't tell me, had an attack and ended up in the hospital, unconscious. I don't know if he'll make it." So my message to all of you in this is: Don't wait to do the things you know need to be done. What if I had waited to tell my dad--maybe I will never get the chance again! Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!"

Bagong Taon!

Bago sumapit ang bagong taon, maraming paghahanda ang ginagawa ng mga pamilyang pilipino sa Pilipinas tulad ng shopping-shopping, luto-luto at kung anu-ano pa. Halos hindi na nga magkandaugaga sa paggawa eh. Pinipilit nila na maging kumpleto at masagana sa mga pagkain ang kanilang ihahain sa hapag-kaninan sa medya noche. Sa ating paniniwala kasi, bawal ang walang handa o hindi maghanda dahil baka hindi maging maganda ang iyong pagsalubong sa bagong taon. Kahit konti bastat meron or kung maghahanda ka na lang rin eh di garbohan mo na ng todong todo para todong todo din ang swerte na papasok sa iyo. Kahit yung mga walang pera pinipilit nilang maghanda pero yung mga walang panghanda tulad ng mga mahihirap na pinoy, aba...eh nagtitiis na lang sa gutom at dinadaan na lang sa tulog. Ano ba ang mas magandang gawin talaga? Alam ko na, likas naman tayong matulungin na mga pinoy di ba, eh di bakit hindi tayo tumulong sa kapwa nating nangangailangan o walang makain sa pagsapit ng bagong taon. Di ba mas masaya yuon. Bakit hindi tayo magluto para sa mga taong walang makain sa araw ng bagong taon? Di ba mas nakakabusog yuon. Maliit man daw o malaki ang tulong na iyong maibabahagi sa iyong kapwa, pero sa mata ng "Dios" ito'y walang katumbas. Tulad ng pagmamahal nya sa ating lahat.
Ang mahalaga ay nagmumula sa ating puso ang bawat ibabahagi natin sa iba. Bagong taon, bagong buhay, bagong pagmamahal at bagong magmamahal sa iyo!

Family

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh, excuse me please," was my reply. He said, "Please excuse me too; I jusn't wasn't watching for you." We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way, and we said good-bye. But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me,, very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Moved out of the way," I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken.I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse. Go and look on the kitchen floor; you'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise; you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."By this time, I felt very small, and now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said. " Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found them, out by the tree. I picked them beacause they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue." I said, "Son, I'm sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said, "Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway.' I said, " Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue." Are you aware that if we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days or weeks, but the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think? So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means? FAMILY=(F) ather (A)nd (M)= other (I) (L)ove (Y)ou