Being an Example to Others

          Examples in life- that is exactly what we need at times so that we can have proper guidance on how to manage our lives. And when we grow up, that now is the challenge that befalls us- how to become, in our own way, examples to others especially to the younger generation before us.  As I reflected on this reality, I then realised that for us to be able to come up as one, we need to be more committed to life. 

         We all know that it is not always easy to be  a good example to others,  to always show to those around us that we care for them especially if our own personal needs come into the picture. Apart from this one, there are other considerations so that we could serve as noteworthy examples for others: fulfilment, conversation, honesty, commitment, admiration and other forms of support.

         Fulfilment comes to us when we are able to act and say those proper things for our children and for others. Others most notably the kids always look up on those adults around them for models.

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This is very critical in a sense that if they will see bad things in us, they would still follow them without thinking about their consequences. 

          Conversation also means being able to show charity with regard to one's time for our kids.  Can we count by our fingers those times where we set aside personal activities so as to play and to be present to them? Can we sacrifice our time allotted to our peers and other friends in order to spend moments with the kids? If our answer is not, then there is still time for us to re- align our priorities in life.  

          Finally, to serve as "mirrors" of positive things for our children means learning faithfully to sacrifice our time and our self-centred activities  and rather focus our significant time to them. If this is done, they would also tell this one day to themselves and to others that "Thanks Dad/Mom for setting yourself as a concrete example of what it is to be a good individual. " 

                                      

Spending Precious Time with Your Loved Ones

          We all have our considered richness in life- health, family, wealth, achievements etc.. And I do believe that one among the stand out among them is the family. Yes we all value each of our families and in fact, that's the very main reason why majority, if not all of us, are working hard and exerting much of our time for the sake of our families. 

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         Indeed, we are unaware that at times, we gain strength and importance from all the significant persons inside our families. How about you, do you spend quality time with your family- with all your loved ones? Moreover we can learn bountiful things from our day to day interactions with our loved ones. All those which we have learned from school about love, understanding, openness, welcoming etc, we can concretised them all first and foremost through the members of our families. 

          How then can we teach LOVE to others if we are not loving all members of our families? How can we speak truthfully about welcoming others when in fact, we disregard one member of our home? To become a worthy example of good deeds to others, we should start first with all the members of our families- spouses and children. And we constantly bear in mind that no amount of material wealth could ever replace the CONCRETE LOVE that we convey to our family members. 

                                           

Alongside Power Comes Great Responsibility

          Are you a person whose holding power in your hands?  Are you one of those who administer control over others especially people in your own capacity? What is power then? Too many defintions can correlate with this one yet allow me to just pick up 2 definitions for my input here.These 2 are:

1. "the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way"

2. the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events" 1

          With these two, I would like to relate it with the famous catchphrase from the movie,  Spider-Man that when somebody has power on his hands, there goes alongside of it a great responsibility. At times, the situation becomes difficult, if not complicated, when the person holding the power over others doesn't know how to handle it. What makes the situation worse is when he abuse it thus becoming detrimental to the growth, welfare and dignity of others especially those directly under him.

          What should be keep in mind is that power begets respect, honor and dignity. As we grow older, we seem to bit unknown and unfamiliar even to our own negative actuations  but somehow, if we indulge in retrospection, we will feel remorse (if we will also allow ourselves to dwell on it) on how we become so unfair and unjust to others.

imagecredit:http://pixabay.com/en/winter-yellowstone-national-park-200894/

          Some years back, I was in charge of the Human Resources of a certain company made up of more or less 200 people. All throughout my service in that position, I religiously told myself never to think that I am superior nor more essential to the Company than them. What I reflected upon as weakness of others in higher positions is their insecurity and hunger for power. Consequently, they tend to use it to control people. Thus, subordinates tend to follow their commands/requests/programs etc. usually not because of respect but out of fear. This results to a very unhealthy workplace environment since workers are not treated fairly and they are hindered to facilitate their creativity and share their talents/resources. 

          What I usually did with fellow workers in that previous company was to consistently focus on their individual contributions to the total output of the company. And those opportunities that I engaged with them allowed them to just be themselves and be free. Though I was also very cautious that people will not exploit my type of leadership and at the end of the day, I always asked myself, " Did I perform as an effective leader this day? Did I instil positive things on the minds of my companions at work or not? How did I treat my subordinates this day? Did I become an assertive leader but not an abusive one today? etc."

          Thus, when we hold a certain amount of "power" in our hands, may it be over subordinates, friends  or children, let us incessantly think of and consider the interest of others more than our own.  

                                      





Note:
1- https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=7VVEVLrMHMON8Qf_goC4Dw&gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=what+is+power%3F

Are You Ready for This New Month?

          June 2014- welcome to this new month and the last month for the first half of the year. Have you realised how quick those first five months go? What were the memorable events that have come into your life since we started this year? Have you done one extra ordinary thing to a neighbour or a friend or maybe even to a stranger? Or have you made one person's life miserable for those past months? 

imagecredit:hyena reality, published on 11 February 2014
Stock Image - image ID: 100235636

          Looking back and trying to re- assess our past activities is somehow one positive thing to practice since it gives us a right perspective on what particular way we should be trekking in life. At times, due to our hectic schedules, we tend to neglect in minding our daily actions and even our dealings with our loved ones. Quality time is one of those things which is very instrumental in promoting our relationship with them and with others. 

          Thus, as we begin this new month, can we ask ourselves, "Are we ready to engage in activities that are worth remembering and life promoting?" As often as we are, we consistently make priorities everyday. Aside from these priorities, we also constantly involve ourselves in a decision making activity. With all of these matters being noticed, we can expect a more favourable interactions with other people, both known and unknown to us. Apart from that, it is also wonderful if we learn to express gratefulness for each day's blessings.  

                                              

Where Do We Go From Here?

          One could not hold back tears and emotions while watching the current news on the recent catastrophe that struck the Philippines. Amidst the chaos brought along by Typhoon Haiyan, one could simply ask himself/herself, " Where will I go from here?". Perhaps this may even end up as a very vague question for much uncertainty is what lies ahead as an aftermath of Haiyan.

          However, you could also find the resiliency and firmness in the hearts of the Filipino people that in the midst of this disaster which claimed thousands of lives and left a large score of homeless people, many still chose to continue with their journey in spite of this seemingly dark chapter of their life.

imagecredit: By tungphoto, published on 08 February 2011

          The Philippine government through its president, Pres. Benigno Aquino Jr. is trying its very best to restore order and hope on the situation. On the other hand, local governments are extending various ways to provide assistance. One among the many local governments that responded to the situation is Taguig City which initiated the movement " Bayanihan Ro-ro Mission" that aims in bringing immediate relief supplies. As reported on Philippine Inquirer News, the Taguig local government hired ro-ro vessels to deliver goods to the much affected areas in Leyte such as Guian, Mercedes, Quinapondan and others.

          On the other hand, you could also laud the huge amount of efforts put up by the international community to rush aid to the victims. Countries like US, UK, Australia, China, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and many more have contributed huge amounts of money, food, shelter kits, medicine to augment the worsening conditions of the victims. 

          With a disaster of such an unprecedented scale hitting badly most especially the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, you could see the distress call for help everywhere. Dead bodies are still left unattended in some areas while scores of children, women and old people are seen moving around aimlessly. You could just feel the sense of helplessness around  the hardest hit areas. 

          What has been giving a consolation to all the victims is the kindness and love extended and shared by people coming from all walks of life, races, denominations, status, lifestyle etc. and it just manifests that in one's heart, there is that innate kindness as well as love that resides deep within.

                                       

                                   

THE VALUE OF SELF GIVING

          Just recently, I did watch a movie entitled " SEVEN POUNDS" with Will Smith on the lead role. Just to give you a gist of the story, it all revolves on Tim Thomas (Will Smith). As a flashback, two years earlier, he was involved in a fatal car accident in which seven people were dead including his fiancee and six strangers. 

          Being at fault, he was so remorseful of this tragedy. He was texting while driving his car thus resulting to his failure to control the steering wheel and eventually hits an approaching van. To make atonement for such mistake, he decided that he will select seven people to save their lives.

from:www.kozzi.com

         Hence he planned to donate his body parts to the following: lung lobe to his brother, a part of his liver to a child services worker named Holly, his kidney to George, a Junior hockey coach, his bone marrow to a young boy named Nicholas,  his beach house to Connie, who lives with an abusive boyfriend, his eyes to Ezra Turner, a blind meat salesman who plays the piano and lastly his heart to Emily Posa, who is suffering with a heart disease and has a rare blood type.

          There is a complication with the last one, Emily, since he falls in love with her. After spending some solitary moments with her, he goes back to his motel and fills the bathtub with ice to preserve his vital organs. He then releases his boxed jelly fish and commits suicide. (Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814314/synopsis)

          With this as background, can we identify events in our life that we became like a "TIM THOMAS" to our neighbors? Have we asked ourselves such question, "How many times in our past life that we became self giving to others?" Or are we just solely focus on our own welfare and we tend to neglect our duty of care for others. Personally, this moral of the story is very relevant to my life. In fact, it is always an invitation for me and for others to share the very precious gift of life. 

     

from: www.kozzi.com

         Nevertheless, accepting this challenge doesn't necessarily be in such a huge thing and manner. Being self giving can be expressed in so many ways like giving full attention and care to others most especially to those who belong to our household. Being busy with multiple things most notably with those trivial ones is never an excuse to deprive others of our attention and care.

          Basically as human beings, those two are stand out among our primary needs. If we value receiving them from others then we might as well be generous in extending them. Becoming deprived in any stage of life is such a lonely fate hence may we all become agents of joy for our neighbors, near and far, so as to avoid this tragedy.