Heart Inspires

Dear Computer Scientists,

I still remember those smiles. Yes, those innocent smiles...

When you looked into your friend's masterpiece, and those funny looks you have made, laughing and joking at those drawings, and you thought your drawing was already the worst...

When you saw that drawing of "teletubbies" and you thought that the retreat master's idea of passing around your masterpieces was a joke. "What kind of activity is this?" you asked yourself. When you saw that drawing of a working girl, with a laptop on her hand, and you exclaimed, "Kanino kaya ito?" Deep inside, you said, "Is this all what my classmate got? This is all his/her best? This is the best version of him/herself?"

When your drawing reached you finally, you looked intently into it and find yourself wondering, "Do they like my drawing? Or were they laughing at me?"

Then the lights turned off and you heard the prayer the retreat master was humming. Lead Me Lord, lead me all my life...

I still remember those tears. Yes, those sad tears...

When I crushed your masterpiece right infront of you. When I have torn those papers into pieces and was laughing infront of you and saying, "Ito lang kaya mo? Ang pangit oh?" 

When you cried because you cannot do anything anymore, your drawing is just on a piece of crumpled paper. "Ate Heart, why?!?"

I still remember laughing inside, that devilish laugh I made because YOU THOUGHT YOUR DRAWING WAS THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF. Geez, I said. "Is that all you've got?"

And here is what I really wanted to say to all of you that night...

THAT IS NOT YET THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF.

The GOOD version of yourself is when you reach that stage tomorrow and get that diploma! And on that diploma is your name, and YOUR DEGREE already, not your course.

The BETTER version of yourself is when you hand over your resume to your future boss and when they say, "Welcome to my company." And on that resume, you will receive your paycheck, your benefits and your schedule.

The BEST version of yourself is when you achieved that DREAM of yours, whether to have a house and a car, to have a family or to travel the world. And include in it a mission. An inspiration. A vocation. A calling.

Guys and Gals, being a computer scientist is not just a course or a degree. Be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs! Be the next BEST version of whoever you are. DO NOT stay like that. DO NOT CRY of those torn masterpieces you have shown me. DO NOT STAY CRYING. Instead, tell me, "Ate Heart, I will draw a colorful best version of myself and when I see you, you will not crush it into pieces because it is so beautiful, you will frame it."

Tomorrow, you will commence to another world, to the world where you will prove yourself if you learned enough or not. And I want to see you year after year and show me what you've got. I do not want to see the ordinary. I want to see something... WONDERFUL.

Congratulations, my friends! See you in the corporate world!

Love,

I dedicate this day to all those who are broken-hearted:

the street children who have broken hearts because they cannot go to school and they are less fortunate to even eat three basic meals a day;

the women who are taken for granted because they are not appreciated;

the mothers who are taken advantaged of by their husbands because they are no longer "sexy" nor "beautiful";

to men of the third sex because they have been discriminated;

to those whose hearts today are diseased and are undergoing surgery;

and above all, to kids with congenital heart diseases.

This day for me, is not for lovers. It is for those whose hearts are restless and needs to be loved.

Dear Kisset,

  Before you climb a mountain, check if it's the right mountain to climb.

  Bless you, God

I watched The Phantom of the Opera at Cultural Center of the Philippines and in this photo is Christine Daae, the lead character in PoTO the movie. I was having some sort of reflection since I watched it and now, I guess I am happy to announce that I know and truly believe that everything happens for a reason.

One of my good friends abroad asked last night what happened to me, that I was out of the limelight these past few days? I stopped and thought about it. The limelight sure was not like those in the movies, but this limelight happens to be where my life was, my mission was and my talents were. So as I lay me down to sleep I decided that I was having a "curtains down" moment, where the act I made through the years is finished...for a while. 

When I woke up, I opened Facebook and noticed a comment from my very good friend, Fr. Ariel who had said in my picture: "1,2,3 Lights,Camera, Action!" and it made me laughing! The events seem to be connected now and then I decided to do a curtain call, I was having a "costume change" moment. Then suddenly, I made it all at once, bring myself back to my mission, talked to a few people, make a change, plan for the future! 

Curtains-down and costume change can sometimes help our lives re-organize itself. We can appreciate the beauty of being able to rest out in the limelight and be yourself, but there is also the best time to go back into the stage again and do your thing. I am glad to be back in my stage, my life.