WORTH LIVING AMIDST OF ADVERSITY

Life is full of adversity but that does not mean it is ever completely out of your control. It is natural
to avoid conflict. Whenever you disagree with someone, you may get an uneasy feeling. If someone
fusses at you about something you did, you may find it hard to stand up for yourself. Adversity can
present itself to us in several ways. We can find it in work, in relationships, and in moments of failure,
adversity may never seem more overwhelming. When we think about what makes us feel down, we
must also look at what helps keep us going.

Falling is just one way to show you can improve yourself and to know that this experience will
be used in a positive light because it is within your control. Life is not a race and you do not need to
be at any stage that you are not ready for, but sometimes you might feel like you are falling behind.
Examining the importance of how one chooses to look at failure, it is essential to explore the role that
it has in resilience and how you can strengthen your own level of resilience.

In my life experiences such as in my career decision, I was given a chance to choose between
TESDA and DepED. I already committed to voluntarily teach young learners of DepED but Tesda make
her way to offer something once in a life time opportunity. It was a battle of what must I risk and what
I need to reconsider. At the end of the day I came to the determination to climb TESDA DVTS. It is a
whether you succeed or not when standing up for yourself. Even some people got irritated and
disappointed, still it gave me a rush of “I feel good” just for staying in the fight instead of running away.

Once you discover that going through your rough period was not so bad, you gain the courage
to do it again. You realize that “I can do this” and you may be thankful for the opportunity to show
what it was you could do. You have changed the “I can’t” to “I can!”.

There is a time in my life where I thought to stop pursuing my Bachelor’s degree because of
financial constraint which gave emptiness feeling of contentment. My mother was diagnosed by
unknown diseased and we don’t have money to pay doctor’s fee, we can only afford a folk healer
instead. She wanted to give up and even spoke her will in case she suddenly leave this world. I thought
we are hopeless, doomed by fate and ill-starred.
My page with my siblings was a struggle especially in the part of my older brother who is an
alcoholic. He was insolent and rude every time alcohol got into his head. He started to mock us,
throwing solid things like cups and glasses. One time he really hit me hard, it was painful I even saw my
on blood running but I just cried. He don’t want us to rest, we never felt to be child who freely played
on the field, we only tend to work at the rice fields, took sands on the river for someone who will build
their house, climbed coconuts for copra production and a nanny of our carabaos. My sisters worked
as helpers downtown( because we are living in the navel of mountain) and others got married, have
their own life.

It was a war between patience to find chance of possibilities of going to the end and laziness
to seek support. A different paths which gave me sleepless night. But I tried to remember that sense of
accomplishment I felt when I successfully went through a struggle. I stayed on that line of thought,
slowly, those negative thoughts dissipated.
 I got a scholarship in the university where I studied and with the help of my sister I passed the
bridge of college, wearing old uniform and shoes with candies as my snacks, dried fish and noodles as
my lunch and dinner and 150 pesos a week allowance. My mother got well because of her faith in
God, she begun to serve church, pray every day for guidance and thank goodness we received.

Living those days is worthy. If I was unwilling to face those challenges then I will never
be able to create my own greatness. I will never know what I would be able to accomplish if
I was willing to be vulnerable to failure.

Challenging circumstances serve the purpose of teaching us how to enjoy the moment. Life is
a series of highs and lows, but we can’t allow our lows to snatch our joy and dictate our feelings. Learn
to enjoy every moment of every day despite what life presents. The more we practice, the better we
will be at enjoying the moment. Focusing on solutions keeps our thoughts in the moment, and what we
can accomplish.

Dealing with adversity is frightening. It can make us vulnerable, expose our weaknesses and
set us up for failure. But even more frightening is what happens when we choose to avoid adversity.
Without adversity we cannot learn, we cannot grow and we cannot find out what our true limitations
are. Then when we look back on our lives, we will always wonder “what if?”
Choosing to rise to the challenge of adversity is not easy, but it can be done. If you break up
the huge challenge that you are taking on into small, manageable chunks, you will find the process
less overwhelming. You will gain confidence with each step you take towards your goal. Then,
eventually, you may just make your own masterpiece.
SEEING BEYOND
Life is what lies between birth and death. What makes this journey so difficult is that from the
very outset, life moves relentlessly towards death like an unstoppable train racing towards a crushing
end. In my perception seeing beyond is seeing death. Death is unique. Death involves willingness to
let go and detach one's self from events and things which one used to value. Acceptance having a
positive acceptance includes the recognition of the spiritual connection. It's the knowledge that we
are going to die that creates the focus that one brings to being alive. The urgency of
accomplishment. The need to express love. Now. Not later

No one has ever died and returned to give a clear account about what death is really like
making death remain unknown. Man's nature makes him fear what he does not understand and
cannot control. It is difficult to state that near-death experience come close to what a death
experience is because it remains a blank for people.

Most ideas of death are negative and disturbing. Images of death produce feelings of fear
and anxiety. Many people are afraid dying more than death itself. We cannot even begin to
understand the meaning of life, until we stare at death unflinchingly.

Seeing my father’s death was painful. A questionable event that may never answer. I saw
horizon of responsibilities, desolation and guilt. The whole family is in grief. No one can tell what will be
the next pace of our life. We prayed for my father’s soul everyday as the bond of our family got
stronger. I saw also the unity and faith that again slowly growing inside us.

The sadness and sense of loss experienced is intensified beyond measure when one is
unprepared when death does arrive. It was high noon when everyone is busy preparing for their
lunch, one of my co teachers was rushed to the hospital cause by heart attacked and declared
death on arrival. The incident made me realized that anytime you can go to the light and get an
everlasting rest with God. But it saddened people that have left behind, they will suffer and live they
never used to be.

Death urge everyone to appreciate life, take risks, grab opportunities and see God’s creations
and deeds that feed our souls. What is in beyond cannot be seen just by imaginative mind but by
death. What lies ahead, what other side’s secrets, no one can tell. It only made people feel.

Everyone have to live on purpose in the light of death. This is because dying is influenced by
the living. The human mind is not capable of comprehending the full enormity and the horror of
biting the dust after a lifelong struggle to make life enjoyable. Nothing in life can really prepare us for
the inevitable and singular event of personal death.

Death is like an unfathomable black hole, capable of destroying all our dreams,
achievements, and happiness. But at the same time, the idea of death can save many lives by
challenging us to fill the huge void by living a life of significance. The fact is that death is all around
us, above us, below us and inside us. Death is you and death is me.

The greatest measure of human value is found in the truth of our ultimate potential, which is to
enter into a higher plane of existence—to in fact leave the human kingdom and enter into the divine
realm. To become members of the kingdom of God.
DIRT IN THE WORLD

Life is being truly human. This means being rightly related to the environment, to others and to
ourselves. When we spoke “dirt” it doesn’t mean the polluted air, water , destroyed mountains,
climate change, political rivalry or other filthy stuff you can see in your country but who did it?. Who
create that phenomenal outcomes that made the world suffer to the distinct.
Human is the dirt of the world. A human being, and as a person you have certain
responsibilities to uphold. We humans are so called higher intellect animals. One essential thing that
distinguishes us humans from other animals is our discriminating capacity. So this trait stands out when
it comes to the importance of our life.

We’ve certainly had a bigger impact on the face of the world than any other species. But
which impact did we have? Over-exploitation. We have used and abused water and soil so that
there is a lot less of each, and trampled thousands of species that probably are not coming back.
We have polluted water bodies, soil, atmosphere, we have cleared forests and drained wetlands.

Human plant war that creates weapons to fight one another. Killings of own kind everywhere.
Human formulated illegal drugs that made us commit rape, murder and be psychologically
disturbed. Money is their God. Getting their hands dirty with blood just to get a comfortable life.

Politics organizes life, saving countries time, effort, accidents, injustices and conflicts. But
greedy humans see it as opportunities to gain more power, fame and earn more from what they
must have. They rule excessive force which inevitably builds up tension leading to even more chaos,
division and violence. Even among family members or friends, politics can eat away at the bond,
time, and simple pleasures they share.

The recent 2013 super typhoon Yolanda, the strongest in the history of the world struck the
region VI. Capiz was one of the places that Yolanda generously fall her anger. During the storm we
didn’t anticipate its power to destroy everything. It was around 11 in the morning when she first
whipped her anger by its strong wind. Our roof flew, we heard her whistling like she was mixing
everything where she landed. She was very mad that even trees creaking, she made it bow to her.
When she stopped, we thought she had enough. We started to fix things when suddenly she came
back, she just stare to us that’s why she stopped. She made us scared on her strongest wind I ever
experienced in my life, as she poured heavy rains that made the field disappeared on fuzzy impact
of waters.

It was a life changing. No electricity for one month. We heard and watched news of other
places in Visayas destroyed and killing more than 6000 of people. The typhoon is made by human.
Because of overused of environment and natural resources, the balance of the earth is now uneven.

Politician got the way to benefit from the tragedy. Help from other countries were not
completely distributed. Even after 5 years financial aid is not yet received full, and we are still waiting
until now.
Humans made world ugly. The world is an asynchronous machine and the person most
important to overseeing its critical tasks changes. The most important in the world is the one who can,
by their direct and indirect actions, avert the crisis of the moment and save property, nature and
lives.

The fact that we're humans is the main reason. By valuing human life, we're valuing our own
life and that of our loved ones. We are promoting stability within our community by respecting the
lives of our neighbors. We are the only species that can lay claim to the earth's resources, and
create or destroy habitats. We alone can transform nature's materials into great machines and
complex structures that enhance our own existence, as well as the existences of all other creatures.
THE UGLY LIFE
Let us imagine that the treasure called life – life at its best, life as life was meant to be – is
hidden on a great mountain peak. A path leads to it, and we are gathered at the starting point
below We are going to seek this treasure together. We create the structure of our life, like houses it
depend to you what kind of house you want to build.

Millions are deprived of vitality and life because they get neither the right quality nor quantity
of air. Nature has provided an ample supply of pure ail; but we polluted it. Smoking cigarettes is
dangerous form of air pollution and it delivers twice the risk of death from all causes as a nonsmoker
the same age. The body is a beautiful, finely tuned mechanism. But the smoker dulls its sensitivity to
taste, smell and touch. He diminishes his enjoyment of life. He loses more time from work and is less
efficient in his work.

We do not always eat the right kind or the right amount of food, and we often eat at the
wrong time and in the wrong frame of mind. Most dietary problems in developed societies stem from
eating too much refined and processed foods, fatty foods, stimulating or intoxicating foods, and
food additives. Too many persons eat just one meal a day – all day. Between-meal snacks disturb the
regular digestive process and often contribute to overweight.

What eats us is often far more important than what we eat. Worry, guilt, hostility fear and hate
can turn good food into poison. They may also turn us into compulsive eaters. While some console
themselves with alcohol, others console themselves with food. Lack of self-respect and of a true
sense of self-worth makes us indifferent to our health and reckless in our habits. But it is just as bad to
become obsessed and preoccupied with food. We aren't all stomach, and neither is life.

I was on duty one afternoon when I felt dizziness and my head got heavier. I was luckily went
to our clinic and checked by the school nurse. They found out that I am suffering from high blood
pressure. I was 25 that time, an early age to have that kind of illness. I even prescribed a
maintenance by the doctor.

Slowly, my uric acid went far from normal, I felt heart burn every time I woke up un the
morning. We assumed that I got worst health problem. But thanks to almighty he never let it be. The
main dietary recommendations have been suggested by my doctors. Added salt and salty foods are
restricted. Caffeine beverages and alcoholic beverages in particular are discouraged.

Health is wealth. You won’t able to see its beauty of life if you’re not well to experience it. But a right
mental attitude is also important of all in able to achieved this. When we began our pursuit of life, we
eagerly heard all the good advice on what to eat, how to exercise and how to have a right mental
attitude. And doing these things is beneficial. The best things in life are free, and the best of all is the
freest of all.
IN TIMES OF BETRAYAL

When we think about what it means to be “blessed,” most of the time we think of the good
things that have happened to us. Everything is in perfect places and the time we have many people
in our side.

Most of us will agree that trust is an essential foundation on which to build a relationship. Trust
means that you rely on someone else to do the right thing. You believe in the person's integrity and
strength, to the extent that you're able to put yourself on the line, at some risk to yourself. Without trust
there's less innovation, collaboration, creative thinking, and productivity, and people spend their time
protecting themselves and their interests.

Everyone knows that seeking for a job is difficult. I tried my luck, the DepEd Division of Capiz
was in need of teachers, so I saw an opportunity to stable my life. I gathered all the requirements
asked. I know I have the edge and ace to get 70 points to step in because of my experiences and
seminars I earned from my previous job.

It is true that you cannot please everyone. I was called by my concern former teacher that I
have an interview with my co applicants at Dao, National High School in that day which I need to
travel 15 minutes by jeepney. Obviously, I came late and was lectured by interviewer for being not
on time. It also hit me that other applicants were there ahead, I was the only one not informed by the
principal.

Performing a teaching demonstration is vital, you are observed and rate as a classroom
teacher. As applicant you need one to impress the superior. I asked one of the applicants on what
kind of format was required to deliver, he said semi-detailed lesson plan. I was confident thou. The
day of demonstration came, but it came up that we need to perform a detailed lesson plan. I was
hopeless, I am sweating cold and my heart pounded so much because I trusted someone’s word
and turned out, his lying. I checked my contenders’ lesson plans, they’re all in same right positions. I
know I don’t have the guts to continue but I ask God to be my side. I still performed.

When the result came, I made it to 70 points but in a waiting list. Not bad after all. That was the
time I decided to teach voluntarily but TESDA knocked on my door. I gripped it so tight, I know it is
really for me.

It hurts when someone betrays your trust. Every trial or difficulty has a lesson within it that can
enhance our life. Some lessons are clearer than others, but they are always there. Nothing changes
the fact that we all experience undesirable circumstances in our lives. However, our success depends
upon what you take from each challenge.

We know how difficult it can be to trust again. But “Life goes on”. Let’s appreciate ourselves
for having the courage to forgive and the past for the contribution to your growth. Be thankful for the
strength of character that have built as a result of hardship. Replacing your negative thoughts with
thoughts of understanding. Love the good and the bad for the good in it all. Let go, love fearlessly.
MY DASH

Who are you? What are you? Every one of us will agree that somewhere in your life you asked
these questions in yourself. At one time or another we have all no doubt asked ourselves, “Why is this
happening to me?” “Why do I keep having the same problems?” “Why am I so frustrated?” These
difficult but important questions nudge us closer to a better understanding of ourselves and others.

It is said ‘’you live only once.’’ well no, you don’t. You live every single day of your life. You live
every minute, every second. Every day is a new opportunity, to discover, to explore, but most
important, to experience. True wisdom is inherited from these experiences. It gives you the ability to
face problems and rough situations in life. it gives you strength.

I may have many experiences, the worst one and the best one, I prefer to keep them both
because that makes me who I am today. But love completes you. Love from family, friends, relatives,
neighbors and specially the one you choose to be with in the rest of your life. I am married. But
before that I experienced hindrances and troubles to pursue the relationship to the altar. Normally,
people will give their comments and disapproval but if you are in that situation you will think that it
really kicks your ego.

She was a college student that time and I am already a public teacher. Obviously, on the
eyes of hypocrites, we are not best for each other. Her family is in middle class while mine is in lower
class. It gives negative factor to our criticizers to make them step in more. We met many storms in our
relationship but like the lyric of the song “I rather have bad times with you than good times with
someone else”

She graduated her college degree and one year later I finished my Master’s Degree. But it
doesn’t stop there. She passed the LET examination where I gave my full support. Now, we are
married for almost a year and both in public service. Nevertheless, we still facing trial and errors that
make us stronger. A family that supports and friends that offer their shoulders.

If I will be given a chance to restart my life, I would surely keep this moment until my breath
give in.

We are not our possessions, but we are the accumulation of everything we’ve seen, the things
we’ve done, and the places we’ve been. We are the sum total of our experiences. These
experiences are gained by being curious and the willingness to make mistakes and learn from them.
Everything that goes wrong in life is not to be cursed, rather being calm it must be considered as an
experience. These little experiences stack up in making you the best version of yours and deliver the
best wherever you go and wherever you be.

Sharing experiences with other human beings is the part of life that has the biggest
impact on us and brings us the most joy. We want to share our lives with others and we want to have
someone witness our lives. Don't judge people at a first glance – give them a chance to surprise and
inspire you

Life is a continuous chain of experiences. These experiences are both good and bad but both
help us live a more educated and productive life. Experiences become a part of our identity.
ADDICTIVE AMBITION
Ambition? Well, I’m stuck with it. Strongly in favor of its aftermath; bad or good. We have learnt
from experiences at all.

That is to say that I am strongly in favor of genuine ambition, which as far as I can tell comes
down to a powerful and continuing desire to accomplish great things—or even, perhaps, to become
a great thing, a genuinely great engr., a great doctor, or a great whatever.

As for me, I have come to think that the matter of our moment comes down to our responding
with adequate energy to a God-given desire to become what each one of us is called to become.

I was raised in a poor community and environment where I have learnt to stand own my own.
Where I need to strive more than usual to finish and gave a bit of support to my mother, who also
work very hard for us. There it started. I want to become a seafarer but because of its expensive
worth, it was hard for my family to dig in more for my dream.

One of the cheapest degree to enroll with was the Bachelor of Secondary Education and I
chose major in Physics which I know that it involves some mathematics, and I found it even. I applied
for scholarship and I lucky passed. They provided me my allowances and tuition fees which really
gave me eagerness to finish my study.

When I passed my LET where I didn’t went to any review centers, which was so sad for me, I need
to work back then. It started to give me opportunities to teach and work in private school located in
my town. I received enough salary that made me bought stuffs that I like and help my mother in our
house expenses. But it doesn’t end there. I applied in public school, when I heard that government
employees are given big salary rate and benefits.

As time goes by, I know I can do more, I can earn more not just by money but also respect. I
pushed hard my Master’s Degree and get its diploma. It gave me ladder to promote myself and see
unlimited opportunities.

Now, I am fighting the temptations and laziness that hindrance me to make this chapter end and
step up to another page. But I know I can close this book and have another one to fill in my shelves
to have my own success stories that can inspire others.

Ambition is only bad if it is an ambition for small things. Ambition for great things is itself a great
thing, an honorable thing, and worthy of those who are shaped in the image of God, those called to
acquire His likeness. I would have to say that this sort of ambition is, itself, something of a gift.

Positive addiction, I believe, the key way for us to build the strength we need to face the challenges
of our lives and our world.

To fail to recognize the choices we are making that lead to our happiness or our depression is to
give up our power. And that’s never a good idea. Either we are called to greatness, or we are not
called at all. This is what I would call an exceedingly healthy ambition.
THE SWEET GOODBYES
They say that growing up means learning to say goodbye. Not goodbye for now, see you
soon, or maybe later. It’s a goodbye without return, without turning back. It’s a loud goodbye, with
an accent and a period. The period is what is so hard for us; ellipses are so much easier.

We prefer to leave things in standby, just in case. Goodbye is a grown up phrase. Finding
ourselves in a place of no return is painful; it forces us to come face to face with choices and
possibilities and leave them behind.

Growing up means saying goodbye to the person who broke your heart, who tore up your
soul. But instead you say “See you later,” because the coldness in your chest scares you, leaves you
feeling vulnerable, broken on the floor. It doesn’t occur to you to say goodbye because you
think you can only feel a variation of two states: fire or cold. You don’t know any different because
you’ve never learned how to feel something different. Because you haven’t dared to say goodbye.

You think your heart will freeze and you’ll never feel it on fire again. And you might be
right. But the best thing that could happen is that you never again feel that all-consuming fire. There’s
another option, one that’s neither so cold nor so suffocating.

I was in elementary where I went to school without money to buy something, There was one of
my classmates who asked my opinion of where was more great drawing between the two arts that
they’ve done. I chose one that really caught my attention. This one girl mocked me because I can’t
appreciate her work where she used expensive crayons. She said because I am poor I can afford to
buy decent school materials. It was continue until in high school. After many years we met again, she
already have her own family and career. But she’s not the person I used to know. There’s maturity on
her voice and gestures.

Growing up means saying goodbye to the person who broke your heart, who tore up your
soul. But instead you say “See you later,” because the coldness in your chest scares us, leaves us
feeling vulnerable, broken on the floor.

A middle way that’s gentle, comforting. That’s not abrasive or frigid. That can fill your chest
and fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes.
And you get there by saying goodbye to someone who hugs us so hard that our heart
breaks. Maybe not next week or next year, but the time will come when we learn how to say a real
goodbye, with all its consequences. Then our soul will be free to welcome the person that we truly
deserve.

Little by little we’ll learn to say goodbye to those who’ve taken advantage of us, of our
friendship and our trust. To the ones who sold us out. Goodbye to the people who are here today
and gone tomorrow. The ones who search for the shadow in others because they’re incapable
of radiating light themselves.
These selfish, egotistical, sad people are the ones who deserve a goodbye with an accent
and a period. Surround ourselves with people who’ve also learned to say goodbye, because with
them we can be sure of our friendship. They’ve suffered, they’ve cried, and they’ve let it go. They
know who they are and the best thing is, they want you by their side, despite your idiosyncrasies and
your flaws. When you learn to say goodbye you’ll build real, enriching relationships. Your circle will
shrink, but you wouldn’t trade a single person within your new, smaller circle for all the gold in the
world.
FINDING GOD IN THE DARK
God is a mechanism that makes all the activities of our life compatible among themselves.
Clinging to God in the hard times comes naturally to most of us. Even though we may question His
ways and doubt His goodness, we realize we need Him, that we cannot navigate our trials alone.

Unfortunately, our sinful nature tends to forget about God when the bank account is full, our
kids are healthy, and our future looks bright. In those times, we often loosen our grip on God. We feel
like we’ve got things under control. We can handle life. We become independent from God and
dependent on our stuff.

We were created to have fellowship with God; but, because of our stubborn self-will, we
chose to go our own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will,
characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible
calls sin.

I remember when I stopped going of church because of some work or some activities that I
enjoyed, problem were coming which I ask God why. But when I went to church every week I feel
much better and peaceful.
I have learned that don’t limit your perception of God at work to just certain types of
situations in our lives, such as when you’re in church. Make an effort to notice Him in every situation
you encounter, tuning in so we can hear Him speak at work; through your relationships with family,
friends and other people; in your leisure time; when you’re studying; as you’re doing chores; when
you’re enjoying nature

When I was younger my mom was diagnosed with unknown disease, the only thing we can do
was to pray to our almighty day and night. We don’t have money to make her admitted in a good
hospital. All of our family work on rice field. During that time, staring at the stars in the night cannot
make us smile nor dream something huge but instead it add gloomy feeling that we thought we
were the unluckiest family on earth. We have no one to run in for help. We speak, but through our
minds, we didn’t want that kind of life. God has always plans. Through faith and courage, my mother
got well and until now still kicking.

God is a happy Father who eternally has loved his Son in the unceasing fellowship of the Spirit. This
means that in his very nature, God loves. This doesn’t mean that God is never angry. He is angry,
because of our sin and unrighteousness that rebelliously scoff at his love. God’s wrath is a response to
something external to himself. Everybody has a go-to thought when they think of God. And we want
that picture to be true,that is, formed by what God says about himself, not the dictates of our
experience.

Remember God’s promises to always be present with you. Rest assured that He is there, even when
you’re not aware of His presence. Trust Him to be faithful to His promises. Understand that God’s
silence doesn’t mean He has abandoned you or is punishing you. Be confident that God’s
fundamental position toward you is to love and reach out to you.