Ang BUHAY ay parang isang TSINELAS

Ilan sa mga magagandang karakteristik ng tsinelas ay ang katangiang pwedeng ibagay sa lahat, pwedeng dalhin kahit saan at kahit sino pwedeng gumamit nito, bata o matanda, mahirap o mayaman, tambay o propesyonal atbp.

The newest pair of HAVS I had, I am a BROWN lover.

"Havaianas, Ipanema, Spartan, Beach Walk, Islander, Fila, Adidas, Puma, Reva, "Havananas", "Havan", at marami pang iba." Maraming brand ang tsinelas. May mga mamahalin, meron yung kayang-kaya ng bulsa at meron yung tamang-tama lang ang presyo. Ganyan din tayong mga tao. May ibat-ibang pananaw at ibat-ibang katayuan sa buhay. May mga taong ang biyaya'y umaapaw, meron yung ayos lang at meron yung ipinagkaitan ng kaswertihan sa buhay. May pamilyang mayayaman, merong pangkatamtaman lang at merong dukha na talaga. IKAW? Anung brand ng tsinelas ka?


"Dilaw, Puti, Asul. Berde, Tsokolate, Itim, Pula, Dalandanan, Multi-colored at marami pang iba." Maraming mga kulay na pwedeng pagpilian. Meron din yung sobrang makulay talaga. Meron yung matitingkad ang kulay, meron din yung mainam sa mata at meron din yung walang kabagay-bagay ang kulay kapag sinuot na.Ganyan din tayong mga tao--- ibat-ibang kulay ang ipinapakita natin sa kapwa. Ibat-ibang katangian na nababanaag sa ating mga sarili. Minsan tayo'y mabait, minsan nama'y parang walang pakialam sa mundo. Minsan masumpungin at minsan ay sira ulo. Tulad ng makukulay na tsinelas, ang budhi natin ay may ibat-ibat kulay. IKAW? Anung kulay ng tsinelas ka?

"Pwede sa daan, pwede sa school, sa beach, sa opisinam pwede din sa mall, sa kalye, pwede sa bundok at pwede kahit saan." Yan ang pinagusto ko sa tsinelas--- pwedeng gamitin kahit saan. Pwede sa maayos na daan, pwede rin sa putikan. Pwede sa bahay, pwede ring ilabas ng bahay. Ganyan din tayong mga tao--- nababagay kahit saan. Pwedeng makisalamuha kahit kanino. Pwedeng ipakita kung ano tayo, mapapamilya, kaibigan, katrabaho, kainuman, kaparty-party, kachat, katextmate, kaFB o kaTweeter at kanino pa man. Pwedeng ipakita kung sino ang totoong tayo, kahit saan kahit kailan. IKAW? Tsinelas kang pwede saan?

"May hugis isda, hugis alimango, hugis puso, merong malaki, maliit, meron din yung natural na hugis at laki lang." Tama! Marami na tayong nakikita ngayon na ibat-ibang istilo ng tsinelas sa mall at bahay-pamilihan. Meron yung mabigat, meron ding magaan. Sa panlabas na anyo ng tao, meron ding ibat-ibang hugis. Meron yung malobo, lumba-lumba, merong coca-cola body, meron yung katawa'y parang posporo lang din ang payat. Pero kapag ihahalintulad o ikukumpara sa panloob na anyo. Ganyan din tayong mga tao--- Meron ang mga pangarap eh mas mataas pa sa Eiffel Tower, merong ang pag-iisip ay parang nakaabot na sa ibang planeta (matindi), merong mag-isip na akala mo'y nabuhay na nung mga unang dekada, may mga taong ang utak eh sinlaki ng angkin ng Pandaca Pigmea. Tayo'y may ibat-ibang hugis at hulma ng pananaw at pag-iisip. May mga makurba at meron ding plain lang. IKAW? Anung hugis kang tsinelas ka?

"Ang tsinelas ay pwedeng labhan para kunyari bago ulit." TUMPAK! Minsan kailangan din nating ibalik sa dating anyo at kulay ang ating tsinelas. Mainam na labhan upang maging matingkad ulit ang kulay. Ganyan din tayong mga tao--- minsan kailangan narin nating magbago kung nailihis man tayo sa maling landas. Kung ang budhi mo'y sing-itim pa ng uling, eh pasabunan mo na. Kung minsa'y nawawalan tayo ng pag-asa, tumingala lang at manalangin. At kung minsa'y iniisip nating pinagtakpan na tayo ng langit, ngumiti at lumabang muli. IKAW? Tsinelas ka bang handang masabunan upang tumigkad muli?

Ilan lang yan sa mga katangiang taglay ng tsinelas. Anung brand o hugis mang tsinelas ka ang importante eh marunong makibagay sa iyong kapwa. Matingkad man o maitim ang kulay mo, ang importante'y handa kang magbago para sa ikabubuti mo. At kahit na anung mangyari--- handa ka paring magpagamit sa iba, lalu na sa DIYOS.

Oh ikaw? Anung klaseng TSINELAS ka?

Ang Manlalakbay,
THOR

CONUNDRUMS

Life is not life if without any stressors, rushing periods, interruptions, worries, sense of anxiety and discomfort, resentment, melancholy, dark moods, lack of patience, scarcity in your everyday needs and so much more. Life cannot be called life without PROBLEMS.

I know that everyone of us are experiencing intricate or difficult problems today. We are bounded by challenges. And we are all prisoners in the so called "cage of dilemma." Sometimes we wanted to give up and say--- ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

Scene 1: AT HOME

"Nak, why can't you be more like your Ate and Kuya?" We are always compared to our Ates and Kuyas who they thought are much better than us, and who they thought are role models. It makes us feel conscious of our actuation when we're with our family. It's always hard to be aware of what we're acting in front of them. And we can't be ourselves. It feels like you can't go out of your cocoon and you cant spread your wings like a Skyline Pigeon. Its really hard.

"Nak, pasensya kana, away mag-asawa lang ito." Living with a worried mother or a depressed father can somehow affect us, their children. When we are always witnessing repeated scenes of conflict and arguments of our parents, it hurts and kills us much.

"You should be here before 6PM or 6PM sharp." It's not that our parents are anti-social.It's just that they don't want us to party till dawn or to stroll in a "where-should-we-go place." Or maybe they are used to it or they've experienced it before from our grandparents. That why they say, "Kung ano ang puno, siya rin ang bunga," The bad thing about this cliche is that what people see in your parents, they should always see it within you. If you're parents aren't good at them, for sure they will think that you're also like your parents. Pretty words are not always true, and true words are not always pretty.

Scene 2: AT SCHOOL

"Im giving you 3 days to comply all your requirements. I will not sign your clearance if you can't pass it on time." I know all of us experienced this scenario in our respective institutions. We are given a short span of time to comply all our uncountable requirements. Akala kasi ni Ser o ni Mem eh isa lang subject natin. We Filipinos are great procrastinator. We are always cramming up to the last minute.

" No clearance, no exam permit, no exam." How many promissory notes have you written before? I bet a hundred times. I've tried this one during my high school years. I mean I've tried this how many times. We're not a privileged family, we're just in a so-so classification. So for me not be late in taking exams, I am always rushing to the Registrar's Office to again ask for their permission to let me take the exam. Funny thing, I can even enumerate how may tables and chairs are there in the office and where can I see the portrait of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Thank God, I finished High School with flying colors. I had an epiphany that if you really strive hard, let not poverty hinder your way to success and if you aim high, you'll surely reach and hit the mark up to its zenith.

"I need you manuscripts tomorrow morning, you can leave it in my office." Feels like I wanna vomit when I hear those words from my thesis adviser. It's like she's inflicting corporal punishment in me. We can't really escape from it. Or else I'll not receive my degree diploma without the most expensive yet thinnest book I ever had. Why did I say expensive? --- because I've revised it for the nth time before I was able to produced a good output.

Scene 3: AT WORK


"Did you reached the Quota?" This has been the novena of every boss who wants his subordinates to be productive in all undertakings. We are always motivated by our boss to work under pressure and to strive with nerves. Well, sometimes our best wasn't good enough. One thing, they wanted to squeeze us to be more pragmatic and to be more resourceful.


"What happened with my schedule? Does it mean I need to work 12 hours a day? OHMAYGADD!" We are again discombobulated with factors like change of schedule, change of time-in or change in OT schedules which leads to confusion. Another factor is, you're not in good terms with your supervisor or with one of your teammate. Truly, there are changes in your daily work routine because of the changes made by the company your connected to.

[At call centers]
"Honey I can't hear you. Can you talk a lil bit louder?" This is my problem every shift. Customers who are deaf and who can't understand us. It makes me irate and it touches my ego. I hate repeating information over and over again. I am already talking up to the edge of my lungs and yet they can't hear us. Back-Off! Call Back!

Scene 4: AT CHURCH

"Kringgg.Kringgg. Kringgg." (Mobile ringing). It is prevalent and will always be an issue inside the church. Are we going to church because we are told to do so or we are obligated by our parents? Some are texting or most of the people especially teens are playing with their phones when they're bored or even in the homily. Isn't it, its a time for us to celebrate the Goodness and Greatness of God on those holy hours? Why can't we reprimand ourselves?

Sometimes we are contented of going to church without even knowing its real essence. Are we going to church because our friends are with us? We should know the reason why we go to church and what is the real Church.

Whatever your problem is, don't forget to pray without ceasing. Problems are never ending aspects in person's life cycle. These are agents why we are still surviving and reasons why we keep on fighting. Conundrum is a never process. Face it and do your best.

Enjoy the rest of the day. God bless readers (kung meron man. lols)

Heartily posted by,
THOR

PARAMOUR

--- this poem is heartily dedicated to Ms. May Tejeda. Get love and be hurt.

For how many months I've been an illicit lover of yours
I'm waking up early just to see if you're on the other door
They tagged me a lazy frog for skipping chores
Well, all I wanted is to walk with you up to the shore

I've been concealing with this unlawful love I felt
When I see you passing by my way I feel like I was about to melt
I'm praying that you're an angel God sent
My time to you I will forever spent

Sometimes I've been smiling with no reasons at all
I'm filled with apprehensions that to you I will surely fall
I'm attracted, I don't wanna dwindle, I shouldn't pall
I wanna scream what I'm feeling now, I wanna squall

Your eyes are hazelnuts assembled in your handsome face
You handled every situation with finesse and grace
I'm just happy when you're around cause we're in the same place
My mind is yelling and, neurons are playing in a maze

I've been hiding this feeling for how many months until this very day
I'm always glancing and peeping on you when I pass by the center way
To be with you in a single day, that's what I pray
"I've got a crush on you"--- above all the words I wanna say

You're not that good-looking but there's in you that I love
Everyday and every night I feel like I'm soaring like a dove
I'm not careless, I'm not rough but I really like to shove
My illegitimate love for you, that's what I take care of

If you happen to read this letter of affection
Don't hesitate to approach me, I'm ready for any communication
Well, I'm just a rep taking orders for Collections
Oh BOY! Just look at me on the other side of intersection


With love,
THOR

Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead

In the Philippines, its been tagged as Araw ng mga Patay or Day of the Dead, Undas or Todos Los Santos.


No candle to light on. No flowers to offer. No food to celebrate God's goodness to our relatives who were with our father's arms. No hugs and kisses from my family and friends. No Halloween parties to attend to. Its just me. Only me.

Credits to BakitWhy.com

It's been 2 consecutive years that I didn't celebrate this annual celebration with my family. I'm all alone. I'm in solitude. My mother forced me to go home and be with them but the sad thing is, its not my off and I don't wanna file a leave since I already have 3 days unpaid leaves. I was again jealous with my cousins, they're all present in my Tita's place. They even called me to let me envy them. Sigh* Well that's life, sometimes we need to face the reality. Reality that not all the time we are given the chance to celebrate it with them. Living a life independently entails a lot of effort and sacrifices. Effort to live life the way you want it to be. And sacrifices of being alone in combating battles and prejudices of life.

That's really LIFE. We need to face it and we should not turn our backs on it. We need to embrace it.

The annual celebration has been the tradition of every Filipino folk. They are going to cemeteries to visit their dead loved ones who were already enjoying the real paradise. People are very busy in the street going to the cemetery. Some are bringing foods and even liquors. Some are even partying. Does it mean that the celebration is no longer solemn? I believe cause its almost a festival for them and and more of a family reunion genre. Most of the tombs of the dead loved ones are decorated with flowers and candles by their families. In contrary, some would question why Filipinos are celebrating it in a joyous way, its because we people are happy people. It doesn't mean that we are happy because they passed. We are happy, its because we are pretty sure that our dead loved ones are already enjoying the real happiness in heaven.

In some places, they're celebrating it with a twist. I heard from a friend that in General Santos City, they're celebrating this memorable occasion by putting up disco boxes and party lights. In some areas in Davao City, they're also grooving to the beat of the sound. Well, does it mean that we need to enjoy the moment? Maybe partly yes.

Whatever you do, or how you celebrate it, the important thing is they're not forgotten. Offer prayers for them and always make them special by doing the things that will make them happy.

Some were given two days off to go home and celebrate it with their families. Some are glued in their respective work places. Good thing, they're compensated with a special rate of wage.

This special day for our departed loved ones is a day to commemorate and reflect that even if they already passed away, their memories will always linger in our hearts for a lifetime. 

Happy First Of November. Happy All Saints Day. Happy All Souls Day. Happy Halloween.

Always,

THOR