Calling all Angels.

  Please note that this is a scary story of my pilgrimage to Garabandal.One has to be social when on a pilgrimage. I saw a woman sitting in the garden from the bedroom window where I was staying for the … Continue reading →

Way of Praying

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Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore unsuitable. I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the old black oak tree. I have … Continue reading →

Church service in the future

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PASTOR:   “The Lord be with you!” CONGREGATION :  “And with your spirit” PASTOR:   “Will everyone please turn on their tablet, PC, iPad, smart phone, and Kindle Bibles to 1 Corinthians, 13:13.  And please switch on your Bluetooth to … Continue reading →

Sharing the joy

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Notice how much joy the nuns and the man having so much fun? I wonder what they were talking about? Aren’t the nuns too hot with their outfit? Or the rest of the people under dressed? I just love this … Continue reading →

The Door Is Open

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At the end of a long corridor, there was a door. It was open, a sign of invitation. Welcome and come in. No one was around but me. I hesitated to go further that maybe I was trespassing but I … Continue reading →

Proud to be

The highlight of my mornings going to school in the Philippines is singing the national anthem.  Then we all can start our day of studying.

We all go out in the courtyard, dress up in our uniforms, with our right hand on our left chest, eyes fixed on the flag, a conductor moving her hand the three-quarters beat,  and we sing with feelings and gusto. In doing so, this is how we learn patriotism to the country and flag of the Philippines.

Even the lyrics alone makes me feel the freedom and pride how my ancestors fought hard to gain our independence.

Land of the morning
Child of the sun returning
With fervor burning
Thee do our souls adore.

Land dear and holy,
Cradle of noble heroes,
Ne’er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shores.

Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o’er thy hills and seas;
Do we behold thy radiance, feel the throb
Of glorious liberty.

Thy banner dear to all hearts
Its sun and stars alight,
Oh, never shall its shining fields
Be dimmed by tyrant’s might.

I must say, I love the Philippine National Anthem. It was first written in Spanish, then translated in Filipino, and finally in English, a total of three versions versions you can listen here.

Symbols on the Flag of the Republic of the Philippines:

•  Blue – peace, truth, and justice.
•  Red – patriotism and valor.
•  White triangle – equality and brotherhood.
•  Three stars on the corners of the triangle – the three main geographical regions of the country namely Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
•  Sun at the center of the triangle – eight rays representing the eight Philippine provinces that started the revolt against Spain that symbolize unity, freedom, people’s democracy and sovereignty.

Very brief background:

•  Spain ruled the Philippine for 300 years. Magellan discovered the Philippines. Catholicism is the main religion due to the Spanish Rule.
•  America came to the Philippines.  An outbreak of war ensued between Spain and America.
•  Spain surrendered the Philippines to the America.
•  Philippines revolted against America.
•  America proclaimed that Philippines’  independence is the 4th of July.

Just a minute now, Philippines does not want the America’s national day of holiday. They wanted their own date to fall on June 12.  Finally, America approved it  on August 4, 1964 that the Philippines’ National Independence is June 12.

I am a Canadian now but deep in my heart, I am still a proud Filipino.

Possibility of amusing juxtaposition

Charles Dickens uses the technique of juxtaposition in the opening line of his novel “A Tales of Two Cities”:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,
we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

Unlike Charles, I will be using mostly humans to compare them with something and this brain will see the far side of life.

The Egyptians had grandiose idea of building spectacular pyramids.  I envisioned that they are gigantic in order to create such monumental edifice.

Have bag will travel the Camino Way.  This lady definitely will fit into this bag.

There was the bear necessities exposition in France below the Eiffel Tower.  These are Canadian Bears.  Can you tell which the live one is?

Blue Moon and the Rising Sun.  Partial eclipse.

Dying, dying, dead trees at the Dead Sea.  I get it, nothing grows here.

Just for fun, I am throwing in the jester position.