I take a few moments to honor my tito with a few stories. Memories of my Tito Roy and what I learned from him.

Tito Roy was a presence in my family life at the early memories of my childhood. Memories of family gatherings are filled with images of Tito Roy’s laughter.

Among the very first lessons I learned from Tito Roy was a love for music. Tito Roy was a very good pianist, and the first pianist I met who played “wido” – playing by ear, self-taught. We had a 60-yearold piano at our ancestral home in Lingayen Pangasinan. With Tito Roy’s tender and joyful caress of the piano keys, beautiful music would chime out from this piano. And I, as a little boy of 6 years old, would watch Tito Roy, mesmerized with where all this beautiful music was coming from.

I remember how Tito Roy taught me and my kuya Eric how to play Chopsticks. Gently, patiently, he taught me the rhythm and melody of Chopsticks that all first-time pianists would play. Once I had learned the first sequence, I would play my melody while he played the accompaniment that completed a lovely duet.

He later on taught me how to play one of his original compositions, “Roy’s Blues”. In contrast to the song’s title, it is actually a very joyful, playful tune, a real pleasure to play. I even taught the song to my elementary friends, some of whom brought the tune to a high school play. That was your song, Tito Roy!

Until this day, I still play tunes I learned from Tito Roy. I play Chopsticks, sometimes with my mom, sometimes with another younger pianist. It is my turn to teach a younger musician the beauty and joy of music. I’ve progressed now to playing the piano wido-style – just like Tito Roy did – listening to music or even just recalling a tune and starting to play the tune with the piano.

For this gift of music, I thank and honor you Tito Roy.

For joy, laughter and family

In our family gatherings in Lingayen, Baguio or Las Piñas, there would be three of us families – My father’s and his two sisters’ families: Sorianos, Buñags and Usshers, three sets of parents and a brood of 9 cousins (and today, a brood of 9 apos). In these gatherings, we’d always play games and sing songs, sometimes a little children’s program or a magic show. Tito Roy was always one to start up the games. Tito Roy brought in the laughter and cheer to our family gatherings with games and songs like “Lu lula lu, lula lula lula lu!” and that siopao song. Fun times!

For the fun times in our family gatherings, I thank and honor you Tito Roy!

A loving presence

In circa 2006, I was going through a lot of challenges in my life. Tito Roy and Tita Helen had a dinner date one evening, just the three of us. That evening, I shared with them the journey I had been treading for the past many years. They were there to listen to me and understand with their hearts and minds what I was going through. Both Tito and Tita were deeply affected by what I was sharing. They were with me in my sorrow and pain. And through our entire 3-hour conversation, I felt their love and reassurance.

They were with me in the hope and the joy of what was yet to come in my life. They were with me in the full trust in our Lord that all these are all in God’s plan. They were with me in prayer that everything was going to be okay.

For your empathy, reassuring words and loving presence in my life, I thank and honor you Tito Roy and Tita Helen!

For your gift of love

When I heard of Tito Roy’s health condition more than a month ago, I was deeply disturbed. At the same time, I was somehow very trusting as well of God’s plans for Tito Roy. Tito Roy had a very strong faith in the Lord. He has always a worker in God’s vineyard ever since I could remember. And I somehow knew that Tito Roy had the best health and life insurance anyone can get. This was already provided by the vineyard owner, our one God, whom Tito Roy had served with his life. I had the opportunity to spend time with Tito Roy when he was undergoing some physical healing at the hospital. The very first night I visited him, I walked down the hospital corridor looking for Tito Roy’s room. From 15 meters away, I saw a group of more than 20 people and I knew this group was there for Tito Roy.

When I saw Tito Roy he couldn’t speak because of the medical equipment strapped to him, including a respirator. It wasn’t easy seeing Tito like this, but I managed a joyful smile. This was, afterall, a sweet reunion with Tito Roy. I gave him a warm embrace and started talking to him, sharing some of my sunshine and joy. He looked at me deeply. At first, I wasn’t sure if he recognized me. Then he responded by scribbling on a small white board: “I am very happy to see you!” I am very happy to see you too, Tito Roy.

Through the few days and nights I spent with Tito Roy, Tita Helen, my cousins and their many friends at the hospital, I taught them a few tricks on how Tito Roy can continue to communicate more easily despite the physical challenges. Gradually, they learned to understand each other more deeply through hand gestures and by asking intelligent yes-no questions – some lessons I learned from charades and pinoy henyo. :-)

I’m also glad that many of Tito Roy’s friends had a chance to take home some of the maaaannnyyy loving messages that Tito Roy wrote for his many visitors. Funny that in his most physically limiting situation, Tito Roy was at his most “talkative” state. All out of love.

In the last days of his life, Tito Roy had found even more ways to express his love, through his scribbled notes, his belabored voice, through his loving embrace, through the warm squeeze of his hands and through his loving and expressive eyes.

In the last evening that I saw Tito Roy, he spoke to me and asked me to massage his feet. His legs had swelled from the fluid that had been building up in his body. I began pressing my fingers on one foot, steadily watching Tito’s eyes and face to see if he was feeling some relief. With my tender touch at the soles of his feet, I knew he was feeling better. This was one foot massage that I put so much love into.

Tito Roy,
these strong fingers that massage your feet now
were, once upon a time,
small and fragile fingers
that you held in your gentle hands
when you taught me how to play the piano
when I was six years old.

As I put in my love into this massage for my Tito, we both gazed into each others eyes. And, without words, we shared a moment of deep expression of love.

For all the love that you showered to your family, to our family, us pamangkins and apos,
For all the love that you showered to your Focolare family,
For all the love that you shared to all the people that you touched with your life and faith,
For your life that was truly a gift to our God,
I thank you, love you and honor you, Tito Roy!

I was part of a one week stay-in training in Baguio called the PSI Heroic Leadership Class of XXIX. It’s a seminar which helped me understand myself even more, making me aware about my deepest darkest fears, and making me more aware of my deepest brightest dreams.

One of the seminar activities was an act of Agape for the kids at an orphanage called “Bethesda Children’s Home”.

I have many stories about my Bethesda experience. Stories like…  

• being entertained by the kids with a Cordilleran dance
• walking from the church to the school which meant hiking 10 minutes down one hill and hiking a second hill to the school. Whew!
• playing fun kindergarten games with the kids
• singing nursery rhymes and songs
• hauling and mixing cement for the floor of 2 classrooms – this was our class’s contribution to Bethesda
• sharing a meal with the kids
• giving a massage and being massaged in a massage line

A Helping Hand for Bethesda

Bethesda Kids in a Cordilleran Dance

All these were remarkable experiences I had at Bethesda.

Amidst the many experiences I had that day with my team and the kids of Bethesda, I’d like to share just two specific stories that capture the essence of my first visit to Bethesda.

A helping heart strengthened in childhood

I start with the story of how PSI “discovered” Bethesda as told to us by our seminar facilitator Kokoy Reonisto. And the story goes …

When PSI “discovered” Bethesda, the school building looked like just two slabs of cement nestled on cement posts. It had no walls, no ceiling, no nothing except the vision of what it could become. PSI decided to help Bethesda through the Heroic class and built the first classroom.

What was interesting was the story of how the Bethesda community all helped in building the school. There were the experienced adults doing the brunt of the heavy work and the skilled work of mixing the cement and laying the hollow blocks that formed the walls of the first classroom. In the meantime, the Bethesda kids helped out by hauling their share of sand from one hill near the church, down the hill and back up the other hill to the school.

Most remarkable was the story of how kids as young as three or four had made their contribution to building the school as well. These kids would have small cup of sand nestled gently in both their hands. I could imagine how these kids would be highly focused in their balancing act, making sure that each precious grain of sand is brought intact to the school.

I could imagine the utter joy of accomplishing their contribution and flashing a smile of contentment. I could imagine the kids saying “Isa pa” and rushing back to the other hill to get another cup of sand to bring to the school.

As I reflected upon that story, I realized that the contribution of the kids to help in the building of the school was more than just an act of physical contribution. It was a spiritual act of Agape – unconditional love. Afterall, kids at this age will not hesitate to help out in any way they can. When the Bethesda kids see people rallying together to build a classroom, they want to help out. They are just that way, without any questions or explanations.

I have a strong sense that there is so much value and character to be learned when a little kid, from the pureness of his helping heart, is *allowed* to help out. I also realized that it was a powerful lesson in being part of something big through one’s personal contribution, no matter how big or small.

Imagine a little Bethesda child 20 or 30 years later all grown up. This Bethesda kid would show his own children that building and tell proudly: “I helped build this school in Bethesda!”

Trekking Down the Hill

Rising Up to the School of Excellence

A helping heart rediscovered through Bethesda

This brings me to my second story about the day we were at Bethesda. I was in a group of 36 leaders from different parts of the Philippines. We trooped to Bethesda for a day with the kids.

We were given a choice of different roles to take. The Engineering group helped mix and lay the cement for the classroom. Another group played kindergarten games and sang songs with the kids. And yet another group helped out in the kitchen where we prepared food for the Bethesda community. The food was prepared near the church and would be served at the school – yes, at the other hill which meant we would have to trek 10 minutes down one hill and another 10 minutes up the other hill.

After cooking, it was time to transport the food to the school. One of our teammates, Nats, led in the distribution of work, like a dispatcher. The adults were given the heavy stuff like large pots of ulam or rice, containers of water, big bags of utensils.

The were all around us and wanted to have their share in the work of bringing the food down the hill and back up the other hill.

My friend Nats, not wanting to put any burden in the kids’ hands, said: “Ang mga maliliit na bata, hwag nang mag-bubuhat. Kami nalang mga grown-ups ang magbubuhat.”(Kids, don’t bother carrying the food, the grown-ups will take care of it).

The kids were silently wondering about Nats’ instruction.

I understood why the kids were wondering about Nats’ instructions. They simply just wanted to help, just the way they are used to helping. It’s a community where it is all so natural to give a helping hand.

I wanted to tell Nats to allow the kids to help. I kept silent knowing that I could communicate this message in a unique way that I have discovered through our seminar.

When my eyes met Nats’ eyes, we both understood each other at a deeper level. In a split second and without saying a word, Nats understood me. Nats understood and agreed that indeed, the kids just wanted to help.

Nats quickly shifted and allowed the kids to help in their share of the work.

Let the kids help. It’s natural for them to help themselves, it’s natural for them to help each other, it’s natural for them to help others.

I came away from Bethesda feeling that I had benefited more from the kids than the kids benefited from me. And I was okay with that. There was so much to learn from being with the Bethesda kids. Being in the presence of pure hearts is like an elixir for the tired man. It is like rediscovering that when we were kids, we were as pure as they are – pure-hearted we are.

Rediscovering a Helping Heart at Bethesda

How would you like to have the opportunity to help build a community of pure-hearted kids? How would you like to support a community that knows, without question or explanation, that helping is all so natural and that it is all within us?

ka edong
rediscovered

Snapshots of Ka Edong

• 1975,  January 11
  Baby born after the Christmas 0f ’74. Must have been an expectant Christmas.
• 1975-78
  Dad says we lived a comfortable life. Inalagaan naman daw ako ng parents ko at mga kapatid ko, lalo daw ni atchi.
• 1979
  Earliest memory was playing in the owner type jeep of the Silvestres. I fall and burst my lower lip.
• 1980
  Watching our new home in Happy Homes being built. The Soriano kids throw coins into the wet cement of the house’s columns and stairs, for prosperity and blessings.
  When we moved homes, I was riding at the back of a pick-up truck with the wind in my face, pretending I was driving a motorcycle. Bliss.
  Got bitten in the face by our neighbor’s dog (a rotweiler, was it?) .
  Went to school in Marishan (Maryknoll). Spent one of my first days there crying ‘coz I wasn’t dressed in uniform. Hahaha!
• 1981-1987 – SPED
  Met a fascinating man, Manong Johnny, who endlessly inspired and entertained us kids with his street-smart science tricks.
  Boy Scout camping in John Hay
  Tae Kwon Do
  Breakdance
  Christmas programs, UN Day, Araw ng Kagitingan
• 1987-1991 – Pisay
  A whole new world! Garnet, Camia, Rubidium, Muon.
  LBM the best! 91 the best!
  Sindi Katok
  Trip to Baguio, Planetarium, Coconut Palace, Senate
• 1991-92 – UPLB
  A whole new world ulit!
  Tibak days.
  Yellow jackets of our barkada. Pusoy Dos, Trumps and losers washing dishes.
  Skinny dipping at Baker Hall. Thursday evening parties. Rumbles.
  Rally at Senate against bases.
• 1992-93 – UP Baguio
  Discipline and self-reflection in Baguio. Starting anew.
• 1993-97 – UP Diliman
  Whoa, what?! I’m in EE? Thanks Jor! :-)
  UPSCA, FDA
  UP EE, Yia hall,
  Eraserheads, Payatas, Papuri
  BarrioWork!!!!! Tiaong. Meeting Isay, our friend in the mountains (Dec ’95)
  Solar Thesis. Board Exam.
• 1998-99 – Cuyo, Palawan
  My brown suede shoes are brown. My black suede shoes are brown.
  Pump boat rides on friday afternoons and Sunday afternoons.
  Losing my voice in class. Losing my mind outside of class.
  Tango Alpha and his radio, making phone-patched calls to Manila/Baguio
  Beautiful moon, stars, wind, waves, nature!
• 1999-2001 – PIA, PMA
• 2001-2004 – FIT-ED/Digital Philippines
  Solo Sagada
  Trips to Visayas, giving trainings, writing technical papers and books. First taste of personal financial abundance.
• 2004-2005 – AIM
  Wow, list of dean! hehehe.
  Good friends from Vietnam, Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, Myanmar, Ilocos
  SOUTH AFRICA! Whoooey, South Africa and Swaziland 
• 2005-2008 – Intel
  7am meetings, lunch out, tagaytay
  Shanghai, Pearl Tower, Chub Choc
  San Francisco, Arizona
  Canada, Niagra, snow
  Family is family even across the oceans
  Florida with family and friends! Thanks John!
  PSI! Forgiveness.
  Starshooters. Singapore Marathon! 6 hours 29 minutes, whew yeah!
  Sagada, swimming
  Palawan, underground river
• 2008-2009 – Smart
  Cory passes away, I walk with her
  Heroic, One-ness, Cebu
  Ondoy, Pepeng
• 2010 and beyond
  HK, Macau
  Angkor Wat
  Sydney Oi!
  Family finally
  Batanes
  UK, Europe
  Books
  Blogs
  Houses and businesses
  Proud Pinoys, nation-building

I thank You Lord for blessing me with my parents Tony and Babes, my siblings Kelmer, Atchi, Keric, KRC, Andrei, Cali, Eleonor. Our awesome funny family the Sorianos, Usshers, Bunags, Sabolboros!

I thank You for all the friends and teachers who have blessed my life, and those I have blessed as well; I thank you for reason, season and lifetime. There is sooo much to learn from all the people we encounter. Fellow pilgrims are we in this journey. 

I thank You Lord for making me Edwin “Ka Edong” Sabolboro Soriano. I thank You for being born Filipino.   

I thank You for the person I have become. I lift up to You the person I will become!   

Edwin “Ka Edong
Help More, Thus Be More

I remember that I’ve had a couple powerful dreams in the past 25 years or so. But unfortunately, I did not take the opportunity to document or write about it. Until today, I remember vividly one single powerful dream I had when I was in 4th year High School. Now having a blog, I take this opportunity to write about this dream I had this morning, so that I can refer back to it in the future.

Let me first share with you an experience with a very powerful dream I had in highschool. And then I’ll share the dream I had this morning and a few thoughts I have of it.

Adolescent Dreams and a healing of the heart

When I was in 3rd year high school, I had a relationship with a young girl whom I’ll call Chess. Chess was a freshman at the time. We had grown into a sort of MU, puppy love thingy (funny how I describe it now :D ). And then summer came and we lost touch for two months. We came back to school, I was in my senior year and she a sophomore. My relationship with Chess had gone cold. I had what I referred to as a “summer syndrome” — in simple adolescent terms, “I fell out of love” .

I was fine with that, I went through my days as if things were normal. In the meantime, Chess watched from afar as the distance between us grew wider and wider. She didn’t have a chance to understand what happened to me. I didn’t bother to explain.

Things went back to normal with more than a quarter into the year. And then the dream. I won’t go through the details in this essay. But at the end of the dream, I find Chess standing in front of the girls’ dorm, her back facing me. I tap her on the shoulder. She turns to face me and I see her crying. End of dream.

I wake up and the dream remains vivid. I am bothered by the dream the whole morning. Finally in the afternoon, I approach Chess for the first time in many months. I tell her about the dream and ask her what she thinks of it. I specifically ask her if it means anything to her, because if it doesn’t, I woud dismiss the dream from my thoughts. Chess tells me that my dream means a lot. And she continues to explain all her feelings for me and all that she had gone through the past months while the distance between us drew further. I said my apologies, made things up, and we both started to heal from our first experience with a broken heart.

Whew! That was when I was 16 years old!

My message now: Vivid and emotional dreams mean something. I have discovered this fact when I was 16 and I come back to it today after waking from another vivid and emotional dream.

Like running in water

This morning I had a dream. It felt like I was in an international conference in a “far far away place” like the carribean, or hawaii or havana (thanks to the James Bond movies for the imagery).

I was in a breezy, laid back hotel in my walking shorts and a floral shirt. I was walking with my best friend Jorey, and we were about to go off to downtown for an afternoon of gallavanting. We come across another conference participant who tells us that there’s going to be an event in a few hours. I decide to put on a pair of pants. So I make my way to my hotel room which is just 2 floors above where we were, and I could see my hotel room from where I was along the corridor.

I’m used to walking fast. I walk from my home to work everyday. I walk fast when I’m rushing to get things done quickly. I walk fast when I’m off to my next appointment and running a bit late. So I did the same in my dream as I rushed to my room to put on a pair of pants.

Or so I tried. I knew it was simple enough to go to my room, put on a pair of pants and go back to where Jorey was wating for me. But it took forever for me to reach my room. I got lost amidst the hotel corridors and staircases. I found myself always within view of my room, but apparently was going further and further from my room instead of going closer.

And the most frustrating thing about this supposedly simple walk to my room was — it was extremely effortful! I tried with so much strength to walk quickly towards my room. But it felt like there was something physically preventing me from taking steps forward. It was like walking in neck deep water, you just couldn’t walk fast. It was as if there were cobwebs holding me back, keeping me from moving forward. I could see myself with a fully alert mind, just watching my arms and legs move forward in slow motion. It was exhausting!

I even saw an old lola along the street. Yes, street, a dirt road — by this time, I could see the hotel and my room at a distance and I was at the street, distant as ever from my room. The lola was giving me directions on how to reach my hotel room and I smiled at her because she couldn’t help me firgure out why I was walking in slow motion.

I grew tired. And I woke up. And later I wrote about this dream. And now you’re reading it.

My thoughts

I’m tired. It’s funny because it’s the start of the year and I’m tired. I’m tired from my dream. I’m emotionally tired from my current reality.

I’m afraid to understand. Frankly, I’m afraid to understand my dream. Because I’m afraid of what it may mean. I’m afraid of facing what my dream means to me.

I end here, now. I publish this story without much flare. I’m not writing to impress. I’m just writing because I feel moved to write.

This is me.

Edwin

Dear Friends,

This year, I became aware of One-ness.

One-ness is unity, not solitude. Pagkaka-isa, hindi pag-iisa.
One-ness is *not* the equivalence of opinion or equivalence of principle.
One-ness is finding a common connectedness or purpose.
One-ness is the awareness that we are one.

One-ness is the sharing of experience, energy or intent of many – each becoming one with others, at least for that moment, for that purpose.

Edwin and One-ness with the world

As I experienced One-ness ever so powerfully in October 2009, I began to realize that it is in One-ness that I have experienced many of my greatest joys and fulfillments.

Let me share some of my experiences with one-ness this year:

• One-ness of my work, my hobbies, my passions.
• Reconnecting with old friends, keeping warm the shared experiences and the continuing lessons about life.
• A country mourning the passing of a great leader – Corazon Aquino – and a country united by the remembrance of its greatness.
• The Philippines brought to its knees by a series of storms, and a country rising up to help one another – Agape!
• A group of 50+ people aiming to achieve one singular goal one damp and cold evening in Baguio – such One-ness in energy and intention is pure bliss!
• A country celebrating Filipino greatness, as showcased to the world through Manny Pacquiao, Efren Penaflorida, Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda and many more.
• Misunderstanding the silence of a deaf saleslady, and coming into one understanding through forgiveness.
• The messages of One-ness in “Avatar”, a movie you shouldn’t miss if only for the lessons of our own humanity.
• Reconnecting with friends online e.g. Facebook, creating value through the awareness of what we have in common, how we build things together even though apart.

This Christmas and in the coming new year, may you and your family find the bliss of One-ness … One-ness with self, One-ness with loved ones, One-ness with a country that needs all our help, and One-ness with our good God’s plan and purpose for you!

Maligayang Pasko!

Edwin “Ka Edong” Soriano
www.edwinsoriano.com

It was morning and the saleslady, let’s call her Serena, was arranging her products at the start of store hours. I found this ref magnet made of wood bearing inspirational messages, the one you hold in your hands. I thought this would be a quaint gift for friends – a reminder of the goodness of our Lord and of life.

Love Magnet

I asked Serena what other designs were available. She was busy fixing other items and acted like she didn’t hear me. I asked again in a louder voice. No reaction from Serena. A third time I asked again. And Serena continued fixing her stall as if she didn’t hear me.

Leche, this saleslady ignored me! She snobbed me!

I dropped the magnets back unto the display table. I walked away with a heavy heart, furious and offended! I wouldn’t be treated this way by a saleslady who didn’t know how to entertain customers! I said to myself: “Such nerve! She ignored me and didn’t care that she was losing a customer.” I was sure I’d find the same item in another shop.

Or so I thought. But three hours passed, and I hadn’t found the same item in the entire mall. In the afternoon, I decided to go back to the stall hoping that the Serena wouldn’t be there.

As I selected each of the ref magnets that I wanted buy, I saw Serena from the corner of my eye. I avoided eye contact lest she’d give me a cynical expression of “Ha! I knew he would come back!” And then, still from the corner of my eye, I saw Serena giving hand signals to another saleslady.

And then it dawned on me. When I felt offended that morning, I thought the Serena ignored me. In reality, Serena didn’t hear me at all! Serena is deaf!

It was extremely humbling to realize my mistake, to realize the prejudice I had against Serena, the deaf saleslady.

When I looked up to Serena, she smiled at me. I felt the warmth of her smile. Moments later, with sign-language, we closed the purchase. I bought four times more than I had planned to buy. The gift you are holding now was made more meaningful by this experience with Serena.

I apologized to Serena for my mistake. With hand signals, she said it was okay and she thanked me for buying. I walked away with a happy heart!

Love Signs

I could only imagine the kind of prejudice Serena experiences from people who misunderstand her. She readily forgave me. I thank Serena for the humbling experience.

Dear friend,

How often do we misunderstand other people? How often do we misunderstand our loved ones? We never really understand them completely, do we? Well my friend, forgiveness transcends the lack of understanding. We CAN forgive without the need to understand. We CAN forgive without the need to be understood.

As we celebrate the birth of our Good Lord, let us give the gift of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a gift to others much as it is a gift to ourselves.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Edwin

Take action! Light just one little candle

In the books I’ve read, the audio books I’ve listened to and the trainings I’ve attended, one of the common teachings is to (1) take responsibility for my life and (2) to take action.

Responsibility is the acknowledgement that we can choose our response – we are “response-able”. Sure, we can respond by blaming, by picking out what is wrong, by pointing a finger and saying what “other people should do”.

But what is it that I CAN do about the situation? How will I respond to the situation? By choosing our response, we choose our action and we choose our destiny.

When we take action, we become less of a witness and take a more deliberate role in the situation. We take action and we create the destiny that we want.

I have a few shares to illustrate how action can be extremely empowering.

A small piece of paper to fix fear

Last week, I was in an elevator in our building along with 4 other employees. As the elevator was making its way, we heard a flapping sound, as if a metal panel cover wasn’t securely fastened. A few employees voiced out their fear that the elevator might conk out, but I was sure the reason for the flapping sound did not affect the elevator’s level of safety.  The worst effect of the sound was the people’s perception of that the elevator was un-safe.

I could have ignored things. But the next day, there were two other instances where I heard the concerns of other employees – a perception of the elevator being un-safe.

I reported the situation to a maintenance personnel. He said they’ll look into it. Four hours later, I was in the same elevator, I heard the same sound, and I sensed the same fear among a few other passengers.

What else CAN I do? Here is the action I took. I got an old receipt from my wallet and folded it a few times. I reached up for the metal panel and slipped the piece of paper in the gap. It was just like putting a piece of paper under the foot of a wobbling table.

The noise stopped, the fear stopped. I took action on something that I CAN do. Action is empowering.

No ID, No Entry. No Action, No result.

Last week at Cory’s funeral mass, I was given the task of holding the gates of one entrance. It was a huge task considering the sheer number of *good* people who really just wanted to have a glimpse of Tita Cory and be one in the mass. But not everyone can be accommodated. There were limited seats, limited space and tickets were issued to control the number of people who would come in.

For instance, tickets were issued to Cory’s relatives. I saw how very respectful Cory’s family was. When asked for a ticket, they would patiently retrieve their tickets (one even had to go back to his car), present their tickets and graciously enter without taking issue of being asked for a ticket. They did not barge through the entrance just because they were family. They were respectful. Mapag-kumbaba. Taas kamay ako sa inyo!

On the other hand, some people would approach the entrance and insist on entering without a ticket saying that they know somebody, or that they are part of Mayor Cruz’s group or a hundred other reasons why they deserve to be inside even without a ticket. You know how it goes.

I told a couple of fellow-volunteers from the secretariat that it would be extremely helpful if we had a signage saying: “Pls. present your ticket. No ticket, no entry.” After half an hour, I still did not have a signage. I understood, everybody else was busy helping out.

I asked myself, “What CAN I do”? I walked over to the press room, found myself a piece of white cardboard (cover of a box) to make a sign. I searched for a thick marker to write the message. Not finding one, I settled for a ballpen.

One lady who I stopped at the gate (she didn’t have a ticket) was watching me. As I was writing with a ballpen “Pls present your tickets”, she tapped my shoulder and offered her thick marker. Thank you! In a few minutes, we had the sign up “Pls present your ticket.” Thank you, kaibigan.

I took action, I got results!

Light a little candle - the Philippines shall be greater still

What CAN WE do for our country?

The stories I shared are but small ways that I help improve the situation. And the mindset behind it is one of acknowledging our response-ability. It is a mindset of discerning what I CAN do to improve the situation.

Sure, I can’t command a battalion or arrest a criminal. I can’t create executive orders or pass laws (not yet! :-)  ). But there are things that I CAN do to help our country. Like the hundreds of volunteers at Cory’s wake and funeral. Hundreds of volunteers came to LSGH and to lend a hand in a time when a family and a country was mourning the death of a great leader  and mother. It was overwhelming to be part of such unconditional outpouring of love. Love for Tita Cory, love for our country.

No matter how big or small, when we each help out and do our share, it adds up to something great. And our great country, the Philippines, will even be greater!

Let’s ask ourselves, “What CAN I do for our beloved country?”
And the Philippines shall be greater still!

Can Edong
Yes can do!

Click the image above. I share a few mementos and more reflections about this day.

Today, the Philippines was one nation, grieving the loss of a great leader, President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.

• A leader who inspired.
• A leader who led by example.
• A God-loving leader.
• A leader who was in-corruptible.
• A leader who truly loved us Filipinos.

I stop to reflect on 3 thoughts that I’d like to remember this day by:

1.) Do what we CAN

2.) Forgive

3.) RT @jimparedes: RP Wipe the tears away & rest your weary heart. We have a new angel watching over us. A brand new day awaits #cory

ka edong
Philippines! A brand new day awaits!

Cory Videos on Qik

Not yet a Qik User?

1. See if your phone is supported here.
2. If your phone is supported, install qik on your phone. See “Setting-up qik: A Guide for the Videographers” in this article.
3. Now you’re a Qik user. Follow the instructions below.

Already a Qik user?

1. Login to your Qik account
2. Go to this group within Qik: http://www.qik.com/groups/6108 (short-cut: http://tinyurl.com/CoryVideos)
3. Click on “Join Group” on the left side of the window.
4. Click Edit Profile > Groups
5. Under Group Name select the name of the group
6. Click Automatically share to this Group

From hereon, your Qik Videos will be seen on http://tinyurl.com/CoryVideos (Please limit your Qiking to Cory videos only).

Good reading: See the “Some Suggestions section” of this article.

Let’s keep it clean, mga Kabayan. Respeto natin para kay Tita Cory.

Salamat!

ka edong