Give Thanks

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death ... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful ... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder ... you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Isn't this a wonderful day to give thanks?

Halloid Corporation

In the 1940s, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 - after seven long years of rejections! - he finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid company, to purchase the rights to his invention - an electrostatic paper-copying process.
Haloid became Xerox Corporation we know today.

The Telephone

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, "That's an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"

Go drive a truck...

In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, Fired a singer after one performance. He told him, "You ain't goin' nowhere....son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."
He went on to become the most popular singer in America named Elvis Presley.

Turned Down.

In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca recording Company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out."
The group was called The Beatles.

Wilma Rudolf

Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contacted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
- Sir Winston Churchill

I am a regular blood donor. I call the laboratory three months after my last extraction to ask if they need my blood. Not just because I am an AB+ (few people are if my type so if someone needs it, it’s quite hard to find) but I know very few people have the courage to being punctured and have blood drawn from them. Not to mention that still very few people are qualified to make a donation for health reasons. Besides it is medically good for the health.

I am glad I am still fit to give blood and I am more than happy to being sure that my blood will really save life, well, at least literally.

As I have reflected on the line from Sir Winston Churchill, I realize that we can give not only blood or other material thing. We can also give encouragement to people whom we don’t know are suffering inside. A smile maybe, a text message saying hello, or just a simple “Hi!” will surely make a difference.

Train up a Child when He is Young

I have a friend who grew up from a poor family in the rural environment. He worked at a very young age helping his parents tendering their farm. Although there is plenty of homegrown food to eat, money is scarce. Simple life pleasures are limited to home made toys. No TV, no video games, quality of living is not as good as it was in the city in their time.
He is doing well now as a family man of his own, earning quite much as an employee, living above average in the city. Life’s pleasure is not simple, movies, dinner, electronic gadgets and toys for their only child.
As we were talking one time over a cup of coffee, he said he was happy with the way they are living now. He said, he will give his child everything he feels he was deprived off when he himself was still a child.
I can see how his son got everything he asked for, remote controlled toys, PSP’s, DVD player, and everything. That bothers me, I realized why his child at five years of age been acting as if he’s at the level of his parents. He got used to the thought that his parents would buy everything he asked.
Giving what their child wants is not a problem, but they seem to miss giving him the parental guidance and the moral values to control his attitude.
I remember going through the same as with my friend during my childhood days. I woke up as early as four o’clock, assist my grandparents in the rice field, looking at other kids playing with their toys, eating simple foods and fruits I gather at the forest. Life was simple but fun. I missed it.
I don’t have any resentment for what I have been through. My experience has taught me how to value work and spend my time efficiently, to love and respect my parents more and more each day as I understand how hard they have been going through by experiencing their work myself. I’m sure my friend been the same.
The bible says “Train up a child when he is young, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). It is not wrong to give our kids everything they ask for but let us not forget to show them the real values they should learn out of it.
It’s not bad to make them work a little so they would understand how hard it is to make money. Besides, it’s a good exercise.
What we are making them today will determine what they will be tomorrow. Let us and our experience be their lesson.

Did I Mary the Right Person?

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, “How do I know if I married the right person?"

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, “It Depends. Is that your husband?"

In all seriousness, she answered “How do you know?"

Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, “I was swept off my feet." Think about the Imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happens TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the Natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls Become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, “Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.

This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their Unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You Could.

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find” LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression “the labor of love."

Because it takes time, effort, and energy, and most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific Things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity),

There are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise Program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your Relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... You can “make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a “decision"... Not just a feeling…

(this is an excerpt from an email. Author unknown)

How To Dance In The Rain

How To Dance In The Rain

(author unknown)

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

With all the jokes and fun that is in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought I could share with you.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

We all want to receive this kind of love, but somehow, I think the better part is to be able to give this kind of love. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8) The beautiful thing about Christ’s act on the Cross is that He has prepared a way for us to love like that through Him.

I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
but how to dance in the rain.'

…still learning how to give and receive this kind of love.

Gary and Michelle

Source: Tentmaker Online
http://www.tentmaker.org/newinspiration/index.html

How Brats are Created

Who says only valuable jewelries can become heirlooms?

My daughter showed me a copy of a letter written by her friend's Dad > on her 13th birthday. A few months after he wrote it, he died of a heart attack. Today, this letter is regarded as a family heirloom, shared not just with the immediate members of the family, but shown  proudly to relatives and friends alike.

 I felt the message in this beautiful letter should be shared with as many people as possible. So I asked my daughter if her friend -- the letter's addressee -- would allow me to reprint it in BusinessWorld.  She said there shouldn't be a problem, except that a note should probably precede the letter asking the readers to share this with  their young married children. Hah!, a not-so-subtle inference that  BusinessWorld readers are not exactly "young parents" anymore.

So, dear readers, do share this letter with your young married children. They will certainly find this letter -- as I did -- a very insightful treatise on how brats are created.

 

"Daughter Dearest

"Happy 13th Birthday!

"When you came to this world 13 years ago, you brought your Mom and I a lot of joy! We've always wanted a daughter and God in His wisdom gifted us with you.

 

"This is not to cast any aspersions at your four older brothers; they are also a great blessing and we love them very much, but boys are boys, and I look forward to the day when I am old and gray to have you by my side. I can't see this happening with your brothers; you know what I mean, as we have talked about this at the dining-room table many a time.

 

"You have also heard me say that we are gifted with a lot of material wealth. That's something we should be very grateful to the Lord about, but we should be aware that this has been loaned to us, as you too are loaned to us by God and that we will be asked to give a full accounting when our day of reckoning comes.

 

"The reason for this letter is to warn you about one big, big danger you and your brothers may face in the next few years. I have seen it happen in other families. I don't want to see it happen here.

 

"I am referring to having you guys grow up as brats!" 'Brat-manship' is the process one has to go through to become a brat! "Unfortunately, it is an ailment imposed by parents! They are the  creators of the brats! "In their desire to try to save their children from the difficulties they have been through, they do whatever possible to shield them from this. Little do they realize, that it is precisely these difficulties that have made them successful. Their love for their children may make  them overprotective. They may even prevent them from taking public transportation. They come up with all sorts of rationalizations, going by public transportation is not safe, the buses are too crowded, the fumes on the road are bad for ones health, and so on!

 

"They mean well, but in the process, they deprive their children of what it really means to live in a city like Manila which is comprised of two strata of society -- the 'haves' and the 'have-nots!' And sad to say some of 'the haves' live in their little world. Unaware of that sampaguita vendor, drenched in the rain, so that her siblings may get a least one meal that day.

 

"The other day, I was with an elderly wise gentleman, we are at the Polo Club waiting for his car. There was a girl, about your age. She, too, was waiting for her car. When her vehicle got there, she jumped into the front seat, and as she did, tossed her beautiful pair of riding boots into the back seat. She then asked the driver if her Mom was home. 'Wala po! Nagma-mah jong (She's not home. She's playing mah-jong),' came the reply! The car drove off.

 

"My friend turned to me and said, 'There is an example of the underprivileged rich.' Then he followed with, 'They have everything and they have nothing.'

 

"This incident, short as it was, left me with a deep impression. I guess this is why I am writing this letter.

 

"Your Mom and I have tried to raise you kids to realize that our country is made up of the very rich and those who may not even have enough to have one decent meal a day.

 

I hope you never lose sight of this. This is why we have taken it upon ourselves to adopt a squatter family during Christmas and share with them some of some things to make their Christmas more meaningful. In the process, we hope that you and your brothers will appreciate the  conditions we live in. In the process, I hope that you always have compassion for these lesser fortunate. So that next time you see that sampaguita vendor knocking at our car window drenched in rain you do not get annoyed, but instead pull out your wallet and share with her in a small way your allowance.

 

"You will notice your brothers take public transportation to go to UP. It's not that we can't afford another car; we can't afford for them to grow up thinking that its part of their 'birth right' to be in the ruling class.

 

"This is why we insisted that you do your bed in the morning, and to pick up your own toys and cloths, rather than have a yaya trailing you.

 

"And I could go on and on. As you are apt to say, 'You catch my drift!'

 

"When you feel you are not getting enough money in your allowance, or get new shoes like your friends always had or the latest fad of Guess jeans, take this letter out and reread what I have written.

 

"We love you far too much to create a brat!

 

"Your Loving Father"

The Paessenger

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

 It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis, she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her. "How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth-her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer, and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?

Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me." Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.

For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase. Each morning, they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit. Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?" The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?" The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely, and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks, for although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was blessed, so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.

God watches over us in just the same way. We may not know He is present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there nonetheless!

A Mysterious Thing Called Love

If you find yourself in love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn't choose to rest in the other person's heart.

If you find someone else in love with you and you don't love him/her, feel honored that love came and called at your door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage, do not
cause pain.

How you deal with love is how you deal with you, and all our hearts feel the same pains and joys, even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with another, and he/she falls in love with you, and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it or to assess blame, let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning.
You will know in time.

Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you. All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing, then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it
poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in anyway you can. There is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their
hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and they begin to look at love
as something that flows to them rather than from them.

The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone
who seeks love. They forget that the secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to
grow only by giving it away.

Remember this, and keep it to your heart. Love has its own time, its own seasons, and its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into staying. You can only
embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you. But if it chooses to leave
from your heart or from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do.

Love always has been and always will be a mystery. Be glad that it came to live for a moment in your life.

Watch your thought

Watch your thought, they become word

Watch your word, they become actions

Watch your actions, they become habits

Watch your habits, they become character

Watch your character, they become destiny

A High School Story

This was one of those emails that I was about to shrug off from my inbox. Luckily I didn't. Here I am, sharing this to you.

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.

His name was Kyle.

It looked like he was carrying all of his
books.

I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?

He must really be a nerd.."

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.

They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.

His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.

As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. "

They really should get lives.

" He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"

There was a big smile on his face.

It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.

As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.

He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.

I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends

He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came! , and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!

" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

When we were seniors, we began to think
about college.

Kyle decided on Georgetown , and I
was going to Duke.

I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.

I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation.

I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great.

He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.

He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.

He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous!
Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech.

So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.

" Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.

Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends...

I am here to tell all of you that being a
friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.

I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met..

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.

He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.

He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved.

My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.

With one small gesture you can change a person's life.

For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.

Look for God in others.

Ang paborito kong episode ng I-Witness

Pinipilit kong isipin kung ano ang paborito kong episode ng I-witness. PInipilit kong pumili… ah alam ko na… si “Udong”, na nagta-trabaho para me pambayad sa utang. O ang “Little Baguio” kaya kung saan kinakailangan pa nilang magsunog ng tsinelas para me ilaw sila na nagagamit para lang makapag-aral sa gabi….si Udong na nga lang, na sa murang kaisipan ay namulat sa kahirapan, iniiwan ang pamilya, ang kabataan, ang mga pangarap, para kumita, at makabayad sa utang, makatulong ng konti sa mga magulang. Ahhhhh! Mahirap mag-isip… lalo na kung sa bawat episode kakaibang karanasan ang makikita mo… mga totoong karanasan. Karanasan na naglalarawan ng kahirapan ng buhay…ah yun pala ang mga gusto ko sa mga episodes ng I-Witness.
Sa gaya nating nakatira at lumaki sa lungsod, mahirap isipin kung paano ang buhay sa mga taong tulad ni Udong. Minsan naisip ko, “me natitira pa kayang pag-asa sa puso nila?” siguro meron, kaya nga sila nagsisikap eh.
Halimbawa lang sila ng mga milyon-milyong Pilipino na naghihirap at nagsisikap para kumita ng konti. Kung dati “isang-kahig-isang-tuka” ang tawag sa kanila, ngayon “limang-kahig-isang-tuka” na.
Nang mapanuod ko si Udong, lalo kong nakilala ang sarili ko. Lalo akong nagging mapag-pasalamat para sa mga bagay na meron ako at sa pagkakataon na makilala ko ang mga tulad nila. Natanong ko tuloy ang sarili ko, “Ano ba at magkano ang kailangan nila para magkaroon ng kaunting kaginhawaan?” Maliit lang. Kung tatanungin mo sila, di sila hihingi ng pera. Oportunidad ang kailangan nila. Pagkakataon na kumita ng tama at sapat, pagkakaroon ng oportunidad na magkaroon ng edukasyon para magkaroon sila ng pagkakataon na kumita ng sapat pag dating ng araw. Gaya din ng mga pulubi sa daan, na mas matutuwa kung bibigyan mo ng trabaho kesa pera. Mga bagay na di napapagtuunan ng pansin ng mga dapat ay gumagawa noon – ang mga tao sa gobyerno. Kung tutuusin, napakaliit lang nun kumpara sa gastusin ng isang opisina sa ilalim ng Office of the President, o sa gastusin nya sa byahe, o kahit sa representation allowance man lang ng mga Congressmen at Senators.
Sa bawat episodes na naglalarawan na tulad ng buhay ni Udong, nahihirapan ako, sinisisi ko ang gobyerno, sa kakulangan nila ng mga programa para sa mga kababayan nating naghihirap. Gusto ko silang tulungan pero ano ang gagawin ko? Kung ang pamilya ko mismo ay di ko mabigyan ng katamtamang buhay? Ah alam ko na…gusto kong magpahayag na tulad nina Kara, Jay, Sandra, at Howie. Baka sa gagawin ko, mapukaw ko ang atensyon ng mga taong me kakayahang tumulong sa kanila. – sdp

The Power of Holding Hands

I was sitting on a beach one summer day, watching two children, a boy and a girl, playing in the sand.They were hard at work building an elaborate sandcastle by the water's edge with gates and towers and moats and internal passages. Just when they had nearly finished their project, A big wave came along and knocked it down, reducing it to a heap of wet sand.I expected the children to burst into tears, devastated by what had happened to all their hard work. But they surprised me. Instead, they ran up the shore away from the water, laughing and holding hands, and sat down to build another castle. I realized that they had taught me an important lesson. All the things in our lives, all the complicated structures we spend so much time and energy creating, are built on sand.Only our relationships to other people endure. Sooner or later , the wave will come along and knock down what we have worked so hard to build up. When that happens, only the person who has somebody's hand to hold will be able to laugh.

A key to a successful business

The key to a successful business is closeness to the market. As you interact with the customer, you should be able to ask about their latest needs and wants, only then you can start designing your next line of products and services.

Rolando B. Hortaleza

President and CEO

Splash Corporation

Competitiveness

There will always be someone better than you, and there will always be a better product or service than what you are offering, you always have to reinvent. You're just as good as your last product or service.

Anna Marie Periquet

President & Owner

Anna Marie Collections Philippines

Innovation

Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.

Rolando B. Hortaleza

President and CEO

Splash Corporation