What are your resolutions?

Dear friend,
Happy new year to the other half of the world! And a patient wait to all of us here holding on for it to come. So for the coming year 2013, have you already settled and written down your resolutions? I haven't yet. And I'm not even quite sure if, first off, I have fully accomplished those of this year. But one thing about the next year which is real close is to not expect anything from ourselves. Because expectations will always fail us, and trust me it will now or then. My only wish for 2013 is for it to be an adventure. 

You know a whole year is like a roller-coaster. It has its ups and downs, and it also has twists and loops. It can look very scary from the outside, but once you're on it you can't back out. You gotta need a lot of courage and you know, just live in the moment. In my humble opinion, it's good and wise to set a few challenges and changes in your life for this coming year, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just let things fall into place. Plan your thang and let God do the accomplishment. There are gonna be a lot of surprises. Things you haven't expected. Things that weren't included in your "list". 

At times you may be disappointed and you be like things aren't going the way I thought it would have been. Oh boy, I can tell you there are gonna be downs. But it's not a reason for you to give up just yet. As a matter of fact, just like in a ride, throw your hands up through the highs and lows and bring yourself together. Just enjoy the 365 days, 8760 hours, 525'600 minutes and 31'536'000 seconds of this year 2013 with a whole lotta courage and faith. Leave everything in the palm of His hand, and thank him for each and every day that will come by. 

My resolution for this year is to have enough strength and faith to enjoy this year's adventure. And to let God do the makeover in whatever aspect of my life. Happy new year friend!

Yours truly,
J. Powers

Au Jour Le Jour.

Dear reader,
It's been a long time since I haven't written, so here I am once again. 'Tis the season to be jolly ain't it? Christmas, New Year, and everything.. But is it really a merry season? I hear a whole lotta people bragging about how christmas is so stressful, being under pressure buying gifts, party organisation, going through loads of people shopping gifts in the mall, talking about being broke as hell just right after the festivities, and so on and so forth. For students like me, we just had our midterm exams, which means a lot of preparation, revision, procrastination, many (all of 'em) nights without no sleep, early bird at school, you name it. Cherry on top. 

Sometimes I just ask myself, why don't we just cut all the fuss out, sit back and relax? We are constantly running after something. After this, after that. Stressing about the time left yet still got a lot to do. I know some people just want this season to end because they can't bear that kinda fuss. And I'm one of those.
But now, come to think of it, let's take a break. Let's sink into our own inner world and find peace. Forget about what's happening around, what people say, what people think, what people expect. Just go meet the soul that is contained in that body of yours.

People have been talking lately about this "end of the world" trending topic. You gotta be dumb to believe such a thing. Of course we all know it won't occur, wait let me correct, it hasn't occurred. But imagine if it really would have happened? Let's say that you have but 21 days to live. How would you use those 504 hours left? Would you spend them running around stressing, having to tick those things you wrote on your to-do-list? You know just sit back and enjoy every minute of the day God has given you, because that moment won't ever happen again. Life doesn't come with a play/pause/rewind/fast forward built-in. It goes on and you won't be able to come back. So just live life to the fullest, without ever having to race with time, et vis au jour le jour. Carpe Diem. 

Just do me a favor, cut the stress out, and just put a smile on that face, seek your soul and find peace in the midst of that storm, and remember the real essence of the season, that Christ is born for you to be free from all those chains.

Yours truly,
J. Powers

The Pursuit Of A Dream

Dear Reader,

Today is the 19th of October, the 10th month of 2012. This week was a heck of a heavy one. Like school and exams and everything. You know that feeling when you just had 9 hours straight of college, boring and incomprehensible classes. And just when you get home you have ahead of you hours of revision, procrastination and such. Like yes teachers, we do not have a life aside from school and studies. [insert sarcasm laugh here]

Sometimes I get a feeling like I just want an escapade. I want to get rid of this mundane, redundant, repetitive routine. Yes, that was a pleonasm. But don't you get that feeling too? Like you want to travel and forget everything, and start anew. See new things, discover and learn from a different point of view. When I think of it, there's far more better in life to be done. But these are all just dreams and we are still here, stuck into reality.

When will we one day have the freedom to actually not just dream but realize those dreams. Dreams.. Something that can be a sweet thought to the mind, but can seem so unreachable. A dream or an ambition can seem so distant, like the moon. Let's have that for instance, the moon. Something that we've seen from planet earth since billions of years. Who would've thought that someday we would reach it. I can imagine the feeling Armstrong had when he first stepped on the moon. Somehow, that's the feeling you have when you finally achieve that dream. It took them years and years before finally stepping on the moon. But they believed. 

And I guess for the time being, that's what we should do. Believe. Dreams aren't unreachable after all, it just takes time and perseverance and willingness to achieve that dream. Someday we'll get it, someday our ambition, our dream is going to be our reality. Just don't lose hope. Trust and persevere.

Yours truly,
J. Powers

Unforgettable, that's what it is.

Dear Reader,

I hope you had a great week and a wonderful friday. Today I've seen the finale episode of the series I've been watching for almost three months. It's a show presented by GMA called One True Love.

A beautiful story that tells us that, throughout every trial and against all odds, love has no bound. It is limitless. But that is only if it's genuine love. It also shows us that if you truly love a person, you would do anything at all cost to keep that love you have.

But what would you do if the person you love the most is dying? What if that person has only a few months left to live? As we always hear "time is gold". Yes, time is precious and every moment spent with the person your heart has chosen to love should be cherished. Life can be taken away at any time, we never know what the future has in store. So do not take for granted someone that is real close to your heart.

Sometimes in life, we tend to forget the real worth of people so we neglect them carelessly. But we only know the real value of someone when they're absent. That's because you will miss the things they usually do, their voice, their laugh, and even their flaws and imperfectness. When they're gone you will want every single thing of those back and therefore you realize their real value.

That is why you should do everything to make the person you love happy. And always remind her how much you love her and what is her value, because one day these could all be memories you will just look back and remember.

Life is like a huge photo album. You will live each moment only once, and then it never happens again. But then it stays on your mind and freezes like a picture. As the time goes by, you gradually collect these pictures in your head and you look at it. Pictures are meant to remind you of the beautiful memories you've had. So collect as many as you can, and do not leave things undone.

As long as there's still time, use it wisefully to give love as much as you can, don't let a single smile slip away, and make every heartbeat worth it for the person you love and for yourself. Do not live with full of regrets, because it's unhealthy. Make every moment count and live the genuine, one true love with the person you have chosen to love. Unforgettable, that's what it is.

Yours truly,
J. Powers

She Was My Bestfriend

Dear Reader,

Today is the 1st of October. Happy October! The blog for this day is not going to be about any philosophical discussion or anything. It's just about me, and putting into words what I feel. I guess, I can say that I'm one guy that really doesn't play with love. Yes, love is a serious matter and you should not play around with it. 

Sometimes we think that love instantly comes when you see a person. You, then, like the person by the looks and the "appeal". It sounds so stereotypical, you see it on TV, movies, you read it on magazines, you hear it on the music you listen. But I don't think it happens likewise. You don't fall in love with a person, by the appearance, it's so much more than that. For me, it didn't happen like that. 

I fell in love with my bestfriend.

 

And it was the best of things that happened to me. I knew her since we were kids but she became my bestfriend around our early teenage years. She was one person who stood out among anybody else. She was the bestfriend. We would hang out together, talk through the phone for hours (litterally), do crazy stuff together. When I was with her, it's almost as if my problems flew away. I knew nothing but me, her and the quality time we spent together. We even told each other our secrets, big or little it may be we would tell it to each other. But there was this one thing I couldn't tell her. My feelings for her.

I fell in love with her, everything about her. I loved the way she was. Her smile, her inner and outer beauty, and even her flaws. The way she would hug me as well and make me feel good when I was down. Every little thing. I couldn't and didn't want to tell this to her fearing that I might be rejected. I just wanted to keep it for myself and just feel the bright and warm colors of our sweet friendship. Somehow, I thought that I knew that there was a possibility between both of us. But I guess that was where I was wrong. I should've not hidden it and I should've not expected too much.

Then the day came, when she knew about it. She was devastated and I was too. Because I knew that everything would come to an end. And it did come to an end. She didn't want to see me anymore, or even talk to me. It was like a restraining order. She was the first girl to whom I shed tears. I don't want to tell you the whole story, but to sum it up and to make it very short, that is how it looked like if you had to make a sneak peak about it.

Sigh. Sometimes, I ask myself, why did it have to happen like that? Maybe I was the jerk in the story. Maybe it wasn't the right time at the right place. But I guess, in every kind of situation you go through, whether it's good or bad, you learn something out of it. The only thing that breaks my heart is that before having any sort of feelings for her, she was my bestfriend. And now, after Lord knows how many years of friendship, we happen to be total strangers to each other. But I can't do much about it because that's how it's supposed to be I reckon, and we don't choose our destiny. 

Some people tell me to get a grip and move on, but I guess I never will. Trying to forget her is like trying to remember someone you've never known. I won't forget her, but now, I'm setting her free. And all I can hope for is her happiness and inner peace. I also hope that someday she will find the one guy that will make her complete. Something, I guess I couldn't give her. I want you to be free...

Love,

J. Powers

PS: This month's your birthday, advanced happy birthday.

φιλία - friendship

Dear reader,

Today I've talked to a handful of people about life, and philosophical topics. You know that feeling when you want to have a conversation about deep subjects with friends who share the same level of maturity as you. I would like to dedicate this blog to these persons with whom I've had real talk, you guys recognize yourselves. I could mention loads of ideas and thoughts that have been shared this day, but there's this particular topic which caught my attention. It's the concept of friendship. What is friendship? A celebrated greek philosopher by the name of Aristotle once said:

"What is a friend? A single soul, dwelling in two bodies"

 People, especially in our society today, tend to forget that the word friendship is not just a simple concept or idea we live with everyday. It's something profound.  Something that goes through our very soul. I've known people, and I still know some, who think that one is rich in friends when he has a lot in numbers. But I don't think likewise. In my humble opinion, you are rich in friendship not by the total number of friends you have, but by the ones who are firm and stand strong with you. It could be a very poor number of persons, but as I always say, it's not about the quantity, but rather about the quality. You could have loads and tons of so-called "friends" anywhere, but ask yourself : are they really people you will run to in your darkest hours? Will they be the ones to help you in times of need and will they stand by you, at all cost? 

You know I've met a lot of people in my life, and I'm pretty much sure I will still meet more. There are some persons, I've felt like I've known them all my life, and throughout the years, I got to know their ways and attitudes, just like the palm of my hand. But surprisingly, it turns out to be, I didn't even have a clue who they were at all, and shocked me with their real being and identity. It's almost like a slap you get on the face, and you wake up from an illusion you've seen for so long. Sad.  On the other hand, I've met people, not so long ago, maybe a few years ago, and they turn out to be people who aren't scared to show who they really are. They aren't afraid to uncover the mask each and every one of us wears. And they are the ones with whom you can have a real friendship, because there's nothing to hide. Some people say that a friendship is real when it's tested by time. But I object. Time is just a concept. A friendship is real by it's sincerity, honesty, and trust. When you meet someone, you will know by the sincerity, honesty and trust that is gently  being established if the friendship is going to be real or not. Because when you meet someone, it's not just two physical bodies that meet, but two souls that collide and beautifully form one. And as the great and much respected Aristotle said, "a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies". The thesis is as it is. 

Do not take your friends for granted. Cherish every moment you spend with them. Reminisce in the times you've shared, for they are presents you will keep forever. Never forget what they stand for in your life, because they won't forget you back when in need. Everything must flow in a reciprocative manner. What you give is what you get. It's okay not to have a lot, but keep a handful of friends you know you can trust and hold on to. Keep them in the very bottom of your heart, and hold them right in the palm of your hand.

Ah! Friendship is one vast subject we could discuss long term. But for the time being, I will stop here and put a suspension point. With all certitude, this topic is to be continued...

Yours truly,

J. Powers 

BE YOURSELF

Today, class was interesting. We learned that people [we] have been brainwashed and reformatted to a standard. To the point of forgetting ourselves and wanting to be like what they [society] WANT us to be. We’ve also learned that we have been deprived from showing our real emotions so instead put up a fake identity - what we called moeurs in french, or “morals” in english. You have to be this, you have to be that in front of people, and your attitude must depend on the certain social class you face. I guess that’s why we don’t really know the real identity of people, our closest friends, or even ourselves because we are all afraid to show who we really are. We are unconsciously pushed to put up a front to please what the so-called society expects. I also think that’s one of the multiple reasons why there are so many heartaches. Because in the end we show up who we really are and people will judge us for being ourselves, so we discover that therefore, they are not real friends. In my humble opinion, don’t hide your feelings and emotions. Either you’re a guy or a girl, it’s equal. Cry as if you’ve never shed a tear, laugh as if you’ve never laughed before, smile as if you’ve discovered happiness, and open your eyes as if you’ve never seen before. The world will be so much better if we only be ourselves and learn to accept the personalities of each individual, even with flaws. Because in the end, no-one is perfect. And loving the imperfect is what makes it perfect. For instance, we have always been sinners and full of flaws, yet our God loved us so he chose to send his son to die for us so we could live forever. He chose to hate the sin but not the sinner. Beautiful isn’t it? Think about it.

J. Powers

NEVER GIVE UP

We should never give up on the person we love, and we are fighting for. Never forget that miracles happen everyday, and one day that miracle could be for you. So never give up and always keep on fighting.

What If ?

What if. What if you already know the person whom you will share your whole lifetime with? What if she/he's the person sitting right next to you? And what if that person is actually your girl/boy bestfriend. Or perhaps, you've seen that person walking on the street before, and you gently passed by. We never tell ourselves if that person we walk by could be someone very important for us in the near or distant future. We never ask ourselves if that complete stranger could one day be the one who completes us. It's quite funny and bizzare to think that at this very moment there's a person with whom you will cherish life together. But you don't know him/her yet, and that's exactly what's queer. Maybe the girl I will love is reading this blog, or maybe she has no idea I even exist at all. But then one day we will meet, and while we never thought that we would be together, from here are we going to make our "forever". But who is that person? Sincerely, the question arises from the depths of my heart. Do I already know her? I want to know. Because I don't want to have a lot before the right one, there's no need for that kind of waste of effort. I just want to know if I know her, or else, I might have to search fonder and deeper. But I will quest for her heart, anywhere it might be on the face of the earth. And once I captivate her, I won't let go no more. But then, another question arises : What if she has already captivated mine and I just still don't know?

J. Powers

Everyday is better than the day before.

They always say, "Everyday is better than the day before". 

 If that's the case, then why do we always complain about having a boring, monotone life. Almost as if we were saying that life is a waste of time. I have to admit I sometimes think like that either. But we all, me included, should change our state of mind. No wonder why there are so many suicides in our generation as teenagers. People that can't find their purpose in life, people that don't know they actually have a purpose in life. God didn't put us here on earth just for the heck of it, to be born and to die after a number of years. It's so much more than that you know. In between birth and death, there's this thing we call "life". And by that, I don't mean the mundane sense of it. I even think it's anything but mundane. It's life that you should do something about. It's life that you should make the most of it. Everyday we wake up, it's an opportunity, a blessing for us to open our eyes and to breathe. A lot of people die before they wake up and thus, not having the chance to accomplish what they wanted in life. And here we are, not knowing what to do with it. In my humble opinion, we shouldn't just "go with the flow" of society. Because society itself is broken and ugly. We should go against the stream and be who we want to be, and most especially who God wants us to be. We all should leave our footprints in the sand of time. Pass the baton to the next generation. Steve Green sang in his famous song:

"Oh may all who come behind find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey."

We should not forgot that there is a generation looking up to us. Taking example on us. Wanting to be like us. In Drake's song "The Motto", we always sing/rap the tagline "YOLO: You Only Live Once." But YOLO is not about smoking weed, drinking alcohol, getting wasted and making an ass out of yourself. It's rather about doing something that, when you get old, will make you worth saying "I had a good life." Something that won't make you regret what you've done. Everyday is better than the day before. Let me correct this: Everyday should be better than the day before. The hour you are living right now on this very day will only happen once. So don't hesitate to do something good today. Something good to yourself and something good to someone. Nevertheless, I'm not saying that, sometimes, you won't have a bad day because somehow, that's inevitable. But don't make your bad day feel like you have a bad life. We are only teenagers, we have time, we have energy. So do not hesitate to have goals, ambitions, dreams, and make them come true. Metaphorically, I guess that's why there are millions of stars in the sky. Because each star belongs to one person on this earth, and we can reach that star of ours. And if you are reading this and you're not a teenager anymore, it's never too late. As long as you can breathe and you can see that star every night, it's never too late to reach it.

In parting words, live life to the fullest. Don't hesitate to do what you want to do. Rather have "Oh wells" than "What Ifs?". Love people, love yourself, love God. And reach for your dreams, reach for the skies. Leave your footprints on the sand of time to inspire the next generation. You are a gift sent from heaven here on earth. You are you, and there's no-one else likewise. Make everyday better than the day before, because you only live once.

J. Powers

Other Half ?

Haven't you ever felt like there is a missing part in you? As if you were only half a person, that feeling of being incomplete.

"In ancient times people weren't simply male or female, but one of three types: male/male, male/female or female/female. In other words each person was made out of the components of two people. Everyone was happy with this arrangement and never really gave it much thought. But then God took a knife and cut everyone in half, right down the middle. So after that the world was divided just into male and female, the upshot being that people spend their time running around trying to locate their missing other half."

- Kafka On The Shore, Haruki Murakami

Loneliness is one of the many feelings each and every person does not want to feel. It's like we were made to have someone next to us. The thought of a family member, friend or lover being here for us makes us secure. But come to think of it, how come sometimes, even though we have a lot of people around us, we still manage to feel alone? It's almost as if you were the only person left on the face of this earth. You sit there, around a blurred and uncertain kind of crowd, made of some people that pretend to be your friends, some that could seem to be your friends, or some that don't give a damn at all. You see lips and facial expressions trying to communicate with each other and you, yet all you could hear is "blablabla". You catch the sight of sudden movements produced by these people around you. Yet all is very blurred and uncertain. And you also feel like half of you is absent, but you know deep inside, you have to find it. An other half that shares the exact same heartbeat. An other half that will make your soul complete. It's the only thing that you will see crystal clear.  Is this what they notoriously call the "soulmate" or "significant other" ? I guess so. No, I'm even sure. Ever wondered why we have a symmetrical body, two eyes to see, two ears to hear, two hands to touch, two feet to walk, but only one heart ? It's because somewhere on this planet, there's this one person carrying the other part of it. And when you meet that person, two halves of a heart will unite, and two souls will become one.

Dear other half,
I know I haven't met you yet. But regardless of space and time, I know and I have faith that I will find you someday. I can't wait to make your life, heart and soul complete as you will complete mine. And I vow and promise that I will take care of you because you are mine. But for the time being, let's wait for our fate to cross our paths. It might be tomorrow, in a few weeks or maybe in ten years, nevertheless God knows it will happen. Therefore, 'til we finally meet.

Sincerely, J. Powers

Pagmamahal? [excerpt of BUS STOP]

Bakit ganon. Parang nahahati ang sarili ko tuwing kasama ko siya. Tila isang parte ng kaluluwa ko nawawala sa akin. Tila isang parte ng puso ko humihiwalay, at napupunta sa kanya. At parang nararamdaman ko din ang nararamdaman niya. Para akong sinasakop ng makapangyarihan nyang pagmamahal sa akin bilang isang kaibigan. Pagmamahal ? Yun na ba yun ? Hindi ko talaga matalakay ang ganitong feeling pero tuwing magkatabi kami, nakukumpleto namin ang isa't isa. At ito ang nararamdaman ko ngayon, na katabi ko siya. Hindi ko mapaliwanag ng mabuti pero ito talaga yun. Sa lalim ng pagiisip namin, nagparinig ng malakas ang humaharing tahimik sa paligid. Pagmamahal. Umiikot sa isipan ko ang salitang « pagmamahal ». Subalit kahit kailan ni hindi ko pa naramdaman ang ganitong bagay. Hindi ko talaga alam at hindi ko masasabi kung ano ito. Kadalasan tinatanong natin sa sarili, « What is Love ? ». Ano nga ba ito. Isang malalim na tanong na nangangailangan ng kasagutan. May pinagkaiba ba ang pagmamahal bilang magkaibigan at ang totoong pagmamahal ? Pwede ba itong pagsamahin ? Iisa lang ba 'to ? Iba iba ang pananaw ng bawat tao sa salitang « pagmamahal ». Iba ang paraan ng pagmamahalan nila Romeo at Juliet kaila Dingdong Dantes at Marian Rivera. Iba ang nangyaring pagmamahalan na napakasarap ng aking mga magulang, nung buhay pa ang aking ina, sa pagmamahalan ng mga magulang ni Rizza na hindi naman rin tumagal. Iba rin ang pagmamahal natin sa Poong Maykapal sa pagmamahal sa kapwa natin. At hindi rin pareho ang pagmamahal natin sa ibang tao at ang pagmamahal natin sa sarili. Ano nga ba ang tama at ano ang mali ? Tama ba ang nararamdaman ko para kay Rizza, o wala ito sa lugar ? Ito ba talaga ang pagmamahal ?

- Excerpt of Bus Stop