Transforming lives

Is it bad to be contented with what you currently have? With the job that you still struggle to go to every morning? The job that you hurriedly leave as soon as the clock hits 5pm? The job that only allows you to be with your family during your approved vacation leaves, Christmas holidays, weekends, and long holidays? The job that you think pays you well, but pay the President of the company more? Have you ever thought of your own struggles while the top honcho of your company can afford to be with their family on a cruise? or several trips abroad without having to worry about his own future? Have you ever thought about your kids when they are sick and you cannot even take good care of them because your boss would not allow you to go home since they are more worried about keeping BAU (Business as usual?) than letting your kids deter you from work?

No, it is not bad to be contented! In fact, you are lucky to be that! But let me ask you a question, if you were given a chance to transform yourself and therefore be able to transform the lives of the people around you in the process, would you do it? 

To the love of my life

To my loving husband,

Today I woke up next to you as we have been doing for the past years and it is something I will always cherish and look forward to for the rest of my life. We've had bad days but we also had the best ones!

We've gone through a lot of changes, made a lot of sacrifices and for me they are all worth it because I can see how our love for each other transformed our children and the people around us.

Your being a good son and kuya has made the kind of husband you are to me and the kind of father you are to our kids. Loving yet firm, caring yet principled.

Somehow daddy, you make me want to do more than I can. You've taught me that nothing is impossible as long as I put my heart and mind to it. Thank you for giving me room to grow, for supporting my endeavors. For cheering me up and cheering me on. You are my pillar of strength, my oasis, the love of my life, and half of my soul!

Happy Anniversary to us! May our tremendous love, respect, and happiness outlive us and pour over to the generation that will come from us. There is none other. For me, there is only you!

Birthday Girl

We've had you since 2006. I remember asking a very good friend of mine to help me find someone who can take care of my kids while I am at work. I remember her giving me your details and me calling you up telling you that I will be purchasing your plane ticket for your flight from Iloilo to Manila. I remember how right after my graveyard shift at PLDT, how I had to go to the airport to pick you up. I also remember how coming home from work after your first day with us I found my notepad with scribblings of your thoughts. I wish I kept that piece of paper. It said something to this effect "ang lungkot dito, ang tahimik. parang di ko kakayanin. gusto ko na umuwi" (it's so sad here, it's so quiet, I don't think I can last long in this place. I want to go home) I remember feeling so forlorn knowing that you wanted to go back home after your first day. So we talked about it and I asked you to give it a chance, that my baby needs a patient and loving nanny as he was only 7 months old and I'd have to work nights and sleep in the morning. And so you relented but it was also because I found out that you were able to make a deal with a "tindera" who, at that time, was selling her 3311 Nokia phone at a store near our place. That's how "maabilidad" you were and continue to be up to this time. And now 10 years after...you call our home yours too! 

We are sorry we had to leave you when we had to go to Saudi Arabia 6 years ago. We were at our saddest knowing that we will be apart for so many years. But that journey taught us all to be independent and be able to labor on our own. But most days during our time in that foreign land we would talk about you. Incessantly.

Now we are back and so are you as you choose to. Thank you for coming back into our lives Sheila. We know you have sacrificed a lot for our family most especially for yours. But this is a promise we have always held. We've got your back covered. Whatever happens, we've got your back! We may not be a perfect family... we bicker, we cry... but most times we love, we laugh, we all go out together. Walang iwanan! 

Today is a perfect time to celebrate everything you are to us! So let me take this time to greet you a happiest birthday! We cherish you, we continue to do so, and we will never stop loving you! It is our hope that you continue to be happy with us! It is our prayer that we would be able to help your family someday! We truly love you Sheila!

Afterthought

Why do we work hard?

That's a big question. And the answer may differ from one individual to another. But I bet most of the reasons would be "for the family." 

As fresh graduates we aim to land a job in a multinational company where we'd do our darnedest to establish our place in the corporate world. We work doubly hard because we've been eyeing for a particular position in the company. Of course most of us would like to be promoted. Generally, people are inclined to think that the way to happiness is to study hard, work harder, be promoted, and retire rich. Being employees our regular working hours is around 8 hours. We go to work, have our lunch, work again, have our merienda (snacks), work again till 5pm. or if you're "too lucky" you get to go overtime without extra pay. How boring can that be? On the other hand, some employees aim to be self employed and retire early from the corporate world to be their own boss. What motivates them to do this? Still...family! These people long for time to be with their loved ones. They are not contented with just being able to use their weekends. long weekends, vacation leaves, Christmas and other legal holidays to be with their spouse and kids. And yet, once the former employee becomes a business owner, they are still faced with the same problem ... time. Time to be with the family, time to do what they have always wanted to do. As employees we think that being our own boss would mean having more spare time for ourselves. But boy are we wrong! Having our own business entails us to spend more time on the phone talking to our clients, our suppliers, doing more leg work, making sure our service or the goods we deliver are up to par. Then we realize we are not our own boss, but we've become our own slave. 

If you feel that you are better where you are at or feel that you would not want to move an inch more from where you are standing, then that is happiness for you. But what about your other possibilities? Have you ever thought about it?