Love Comes Softly

"Sometimes, love isn't just fireworks. Sometimes, love just come softly."---Janette Oke

Teachers' Day 2011 Compilation of Messages

• Happy teacher's day ma'am Au-au. I hope that there can be more teachers like you. Continue to share your wisdom and talent especially to those who needed it the most.God bless the teachers!! - chal

• Thank you very much. Happy teachers' day too. Praise and thank God for the privilege to be part of your life's journey. The exercise of our freedom is always to do the Will of God knowing that His grace is sufficient to see us through life. I'm very happy of what you have become now. Keep up the good work and the struggle for there is always an end waiting for those who persevere doing what is good and right. With all the best in your teaching career...hope to visit Thailand someday...Godbless and take care. - M' Templora

• HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY TARICTIC HORNBILL!HAHA - ronald

• Happy teachers' day AU.. - ale

• Happy teacher's day! You are not only a teacher but you also serve as a mother to these kids. You are really an inspiration, Good job mam au!c: - tal2x!

• Au! Happy teacher's day! Hope you find a perfect timing on your lesson plan to tell your students how happy our friendship was! (our group to be specific) tnx au! God bless you! Continue lifting up souls. Au!!! heheheeh, tnx you! You are one of the best things I have.... keep me strong and humble because I need it, (di mu lang halata) hehehehe ginabasa basa ku gid liwat ya english mu para maabsorb ku gid sa kaluoy ka Ginuo naabsorb kugid. whahahahah. Continue what you are doing, you lift up my soul. tnx.... - leomsie

• Happy teacher's day mam au.. - jie2x

• Happy teachers day to all the amazing teachers in the world! To my teachers,Rachel Espinosa Pama, Materesa Martinez Devicais, Nescel Panes, Grace Dajay Estante, Catherine Paciente, Jesusa Amador, Nenita Lagañosa, Desiree Palomo Lobiogo thank you for sharing to us your knowledge! You are all a part of who we are right now and you are much appreciated and we are grateful for that. And to our Aura Carmela P. Ferrariz and Ferlie Joy Manejo, continue to strive to be better mentors just like our wonderful teachers who taught us not only about subjects in school but also the lessons of life!...xoxo - bessy

• Aura Carmela P. Ferrariz happy teachers day!!!!!! - jan2x

• Happy Teachers DAy Auau ... ♥ - ne aiza

• Happy teachers day good luck and god bless. - nanay

John Leomel Macero, Don't You Dare Forget These!

Note: Prepare to be hit by a storm of corns. Consider yourself to be forewarned! 

As I was warning you, don't you ever dare forget these things, not ever!

• You are an artist. So you can always create something beautiful and leave everything a little bit beautiful than they are.

• Just your mere presence is a stress reliever. And your absence can really be felt.

• You are a principled person that sometimes, these principles can get you into trouble. But what the heck? The world does not need silent bypassers. It needs people who are principled enough to fight the "good fight".

• People would either hate you or love you. When it comes to you, there is no in between.

• Behind your funny anecdotes and comical laughter is a person who takes responsibility.

• If you think that you are too beaten already, all you need is to flash a warning sign and we'll come in gushing whether you like it or not.

• You have a very supportive and amazing set of friends, not to mention, crazy, crazy set of friends. But you have no choice. You're stuck with us. Okay?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEOMSIE!! :)

In20years.com

It's funny how technology can project how the future baby of a couple would possibly look like and how somebody would look like, say, twenty years from now.

Despite the fact that it is definitely not reliable, it is still fun though a little bit scary to imagine how would you look like in a distant future.

A lot of songs and poems and literary pieces including works of arts are celebrating and hailing youthfulness and seldom can we encounter those that deal with old age, with the twilight of one's life, with senility, and with the point of "getting there".

I don't know what it is about age (and ageing, so to speak) that makes us cringe inwardly and sending a shiver in our spine. Perhaps one of the reason is that it makes us face the mere fact of our mortality---that we cannot live forever despite the fact that we live as if we have all the time in the world.

So, when I encountered this application that could project your image 20 years from now, including the wrinkles, the extra bags of muscles around the jaw area, the creases in strategic points in the face, I am human  and I'll honestly say that I also experienced cringing at the thought. But I said to myself, "What the heck? What happened to your sense of fun?".

Just to make a point, I'm not scared of getting old. I don't want the idea of living forever. That would be too monotonous and exhausting, right? This makes me pity Edward and all his vampire friends. What I'm scared of are the extra baggages that come along with old age.

Enough about it. So, meet "me" twenty years later, now.

Again, I don't dread getting old. I'm even thinking that it's fun because every single day that adds to my age gives me the opportunity to come closer to the woman that I ought to be. Yes, there will be those crow's feet, and wrinkles, and creases, and the double chins, and the extra muscles around the face, and not to mention the white hairs-----but I would like to think that if I live each day with the right motivations and purpose and with the right kind of people that can help me grow, then, it would not be frightening after all.

And I'm making a pact to myself. I will not just grow old. I'll grow old, gracefully. =)

Updi Ko Bala Sulay sa Ulan!

Kun gusto mo mabal-an
kun ano nga klase nga pagtipig
ang gina-buhat ko sa sining
balatyagon ko sa imo,

lakat ka bala upod sa akon
kun mag-ulan sang mabaskog,

indi ko ya magsinggit kag
magdasig-dasig lakat para mangita
sang malapit nga pasilungan

indi ta man ka pagbaya-an
kag mag-una ako lakat
para indi guid ako ma-umog sing basa

indi ta guid ka pag-guyuron
para magdalagan sing madasig
asta maka-abot kita sa aton kaladtuan

indi

pamati-an ko lang ang tiyempo sang
imo pagtikang kag sundon ko lang
ang ritmo sini

huo

malakat lang ako sing mahipos
upod sa imo,

pabay-an ko lang nga mag-alagay
ang ulan sa bilog ko nga lawas

ang importante, ara lang ko galakat
sa kilid mo

kag  ang maayo sini kay
bal-an ko nga daw malawig-lawig
ini nga laktanay...

teh, gusto mo guid mabal-an?

lakat ta 'to bala kag magpa-ulan.

It's 51 things by the way. Mine is just 34, though.

I found this article in yahoo. The first time I saw this, I ignored it thinking that it's again one of those self-help articles about  gaining a strong college foundation for better opportunities once you are about to set foot into the real world.  But I was surprised to find out that it includes some tips about how to make the most of one's college life without the "study hard 'till you drop" and "choose the course which is definitely in demand" parts.

This article is actually fun, bringing back old memories when I was in college myself. So, for the sake of traipsing down the memory road again, I've highlighted some points which were definitely helpful way back. Okay, waaaaaaaaaaaaay back then.

50 things all college students must know

Studying hard for college certainly is important, but there is more to college than just grades. That is why this list was created, as a guide to college life. Have fun reading and feel free to add to the list!

1. A lot of things will be changing and different, your friends and yourself. Let them.
Okay. So I wasn't exactly the Miss Congeniality in college especially during my freshman year when I couldn't accept it that high school was actually over. But several events and experiences taught me to loosen up and to accept the fact that everything's changing. Lesson learned: There are moments when it's better to let the dam break and to let the current come in gushing than to forcefully hold it up.

2. Chances are you will be bunking at the dorms. Remember to call your love ones back home a few times a week, even if just for a few minutes.

It was the other way around though. My mother was the one who daily checked on me during the first few weeks that was later reduced to every other day then to once a week. Oh, I'm not any different from the others. I can be the dutiful college student who calls home when : 1. I'm sick and 2. I need financial back-up (I need additional allowance!).

3. There’s something amazing about songs, for they bring back memories of your favorite moments. One way or another you will be listening to music on the radio or at parties, so why not make albums of these songs. Years down the road, they serve as records of your best time in life.

4. Rest when you need to, for it recharges your mind and body for your next journey.
And I was the queen of sleep. Still is. No further arguments.

5. Wondering when you are most productive? Are you diurnal or nocturnal? If you are nocturnal and function best at night, embrace and enjoy that. It may be the only time in your life when you can.
Definitely nocturnal. That was why it led me to write an article in college which says that probably, I was a bat or a witch in my past life. This was helpful most especially when we had to stay in the printing press with no sleep (not to mention the other "no's") 'till the following day when we had to rush a newsletter or magazine or folio. It was an experience taking so much responsibility over the college pub and acting like pro's considering that we were amateurs.


6. Some like to stay ahead of time while others work best under pressure. If you are the latter, chances are you will procrastinate till the last minute. Experiment with them, and see which works best for you.
Who says I'm procastinating? Well, ocassionally, that is. What happened to: "To each, his own"? My ultimate motivator is : the deadlines, of course.


7. As much as it is important to be a responsible adult, at least a few times during college, do something fun and irresponsible.
I've had my share of "kabulastugan" in college but others might rate it as "boring". I don't care. Basta, I've had my share of those and to those who think that I'm miss-too-goody-shoes, sorry to dissappoint you seeing me arguing on that point, but you're  right. What we had was clean, good, fun. Just like one of my friends said, what's wrong with being good all your life? Is it too over-rated? Sham the idea that it's boring. And by the way, if it's possible to die being a saint, why the heck not?

8. Make friends with your favorite professors. There is so much more to learn from each other than books. Who knows, you may meet Professor Dumbledore.
Well, I actually met Professor Dumbledore but he transfigured in the form of a woman.

9. Spend some time alone every single day. Sleeping doesn't count.
You should also be your own best company. Being alone doesn't mean being lonely. Sometimes, it can even be more fun than being amidst a throng of people. I spent mine walking around the campus alone, eating what I'm craving for in that particular moment in the benches in front of Quezon Hall, and strolling in the busy streets downtown.


10. Go out and have fun, go on dates. Don't feel like every date has to turn into a relationship.
Group dates with friends is included in my list. No further arguments, okay?

11. Don't date your roommate’s ex, it’ll be awkward.

12. When your friends' family visits, join them if possible. You will get to know your friends better and you'll get free food, etc.

13. Remember to send a hand-written letter to someone who made college possible for you and describe your adventures thus far. It will mean a lot to him/her now, and it will mean a lot to you in ten years when he/she shows it to you.


14. Embrace the differences between you and your classmates. Always ask yourself, "what can I learn from this person?" There are things more important than just books and grades.
One of the opportunities to learn in college is embracing each one's individuality. It's one form of finally, growing up.

15. All-nighters are entirely overrated. Start early and rest plenty.

16. Those in college while maintaining a long-distance relationship with someone from high school: you two have to decide how things will work out. Understand that you two will be in different environments, but do not let your relationship interfere with your college experience. If you don't want to date anyone else, that's totally fine! What's not fine, however, is missing out on a lot of defining experiences because you're on the phone with your boyfriend/girlfriend for three hours every day.

17. Working out differences is best done in person, not over Facebook, email, IM or anything else. Body language tells you more than just words.


18. Take risks.
This one requires a long list. 

19. Don't be afraid of (or excited by) the co-ed bathrooms. You have the same stuff, period.

20. Come Wednesday night, your week is more than half over. Thursday and Friday will only get better.

21. Accept failures and pick yourself up. It's how we grow. What matters is not that you failed, but that you refuse to stay down.

22. Take classes that have nothing to do with your major(s), purely for the fun of it. And you'll get to make more friends.
If there is one word that I can refer to my college life, it wouldn't be about a thing that is related to my course or my major. It would be an entirely  different thing. SILAK.

23. Think about the future, but enjoy the present. College is more than just a stepping stone.

24. When you're living on a college campus with hundreds of things going on every second of every day, watching TV is pretty much a waste of your time and money.
I've stopped being a tv addict in college. It wasn't a conscious effort at first, by the way. It was the result of having no choice because our land lady didn't provide us with one. So, thank you Tita Vilma.

25. Don't be afraid of Cupid’s arrow and never take it for granted. Celebrate it, but don't let it define your college experience.
I don't want to expound on this. As what have been said, it did not define my college experience.

26. Much of the time you once had for pleasure is now gone. Keep a list of these things, so that you can start working on them when you graduate.

27. Setbacks may seem like the end of the world, but take a deep breath, and reflect on what you have learned. 

28. Every once in awhile, there will come an especially powerful moment when you can actually feel that an experience has changed who you are. Embrace these, even if they are painful.


29. Stay open-minded, regardless of your political or religious beliefs. You can't learn if you're closed off.

30. If you need a job, find something that you enjoy. Just because it is work doesn't mean it has to suck.

31. Take breaks from leading; it's good to follow sometimes.
As what nang Maia said, "Never spread yourself too thin."


32. Use your camera and make records of life in college. They become priceless in time to come.
I have tons of this!

33. Stay healthy and safe. You can’t do anything otherwise.

34. Drop your ego and ask for help. It won’t kill you.

35. Just because you are in the bottom half of class now, doesn’t mean you suck. Things can only improve when at your worst. Don’t let your grades affect you, get used to it.

36. In ten years time, very few of you will look as good as you do right now. Revel in how hot you are before it's too late.

37. In the long run, which college you attended doesn't matter as much as what you do with the opportunities you're given there. The college name on your resume doesn’t mean anything if that's the only thing on your resume. In college, you will have access to a variety of opportunities, grab them.

38. On the flip side, don't try to do everything at once.


39. Stay objective. If your emotions are getting in the way, ask for help.

40. With the high national obesity figures, it is important to eat right. But treat yourself sometimes, emotional health is just as important as physical health.


41. It’s ok to be a complete ass at least once. Cake in the face sounds good.
Oh, I'm a master of this. I may appear serious and efficient to others but those who know me best clearly knows what I'm capable of  when the "crazy" bug attacks.

42. Wash your sheets at least once a month. You do not want to be buffet for bed bugs.
Since I'm the ultimate hater of washing, my mother has to go to our boarding house once every 2 weeks to collect my bed sheets and provide me with clean ones.

43. If you are in a relationship, bring your significant other to meet your friends. They may pick up things you don’t.


44. Experiment with food. Those strange looking dishes you friend is making may be taste pretty good. Expand your horizons.
Again for this, thank you SILAK.


45. Explore the campus, and find your own hideout like the ‘Room of Requirement’.
I'm one of those lucky students who found my own Room of Requirement. Thank you SILAK! Your blue walls, the old pc, the humming air condition that always needs to be repaired, the messy tables, the lined up wooden chairs at the back of that same messy table which serves as my bed during free times----who can blame those "GODS" when they said to us, "Do not make SILAK as the extension of your home." LOL! But it was our home. I would like to think that it still is.

46. If you are no longer excited about your field of study, switch even if it complicates things. Life is too short for regrets.

47. Tattoos are permanent and costly. Be very certain.

48. Don't make fun of pre-frosh. You were there just a minute ago.


49. Enjoy every second of your college years. These seconds will fly by.
The first part of my college life was spent agonizing over the fact that I couldn't be a high school student again. Then one day, I realized: "What the heck?". And once you learn to enjoy and make the most of your college life, you will one day wake up and realize that you will be donning your black toga. Time flies, true!


50. A time where learning is your key responsibility. Try to remember how lucky you are every day.

Enough talking, now go live the best years of your lives. Be yourself. Grab every moment, for there’s no DeLorean DMC-12 to turn back time.

Learn. Grow. Love. This summarizes it all! :)

This is One of Those Days

Days like this should be celebrated,

....days when a stranger smiles  kindly at you

....days when you receive "thank you's" even for just about the simplest things

....days when you receive flowers though it's not Valentine's day

....days when you get to have a gift even though it's not Christmas nor your birthday

....days when you get letters, the real kind, from a long lost friend or from a long forgotten comrade

....and this is an affirmation that those days can definitely come!

Hi Ms. Aura,


 I read your AURAcles and I am really moved by your blogs! Sayang, you had to leave ISA, Jay really misses you and reading your blogs now made me understand (even if it's only a glimpse) why he always chose you as his favorite teacher. 

I simply loved this part---I don't have to starve for hours just to finish a decoration which will be needed in a few minute's time under the glaring heat of the sun coupled with a drizzle but it also means that I have to occasionally eat my meals alone and in silence.---which really made me shed a tear.

I also appreciate your other blog about being a kid yourself in order to teach the little ones by playing while learning with them. Keep it up, even if you're not with ISA, I am happy for you, and blessed are the kids in Thailand as you continue to touch their lives through your teaching.

God bless!

*Note:This is from a mother of a learner that I had from ISA. I was surprised to open my inbox and find this message coming from her. What deeply moved me was the idea that she took an effort to let me know her appreciation despite her busy schedule as a lawyer. And she remembered. Yes, the simple idea of remembering is a moving thought for me.

To Atty. E.L.T., thank you. In times when I can feel that my profession demands so much from me, I will surely remember this letter.