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| Monday, June 9, 2008 |
| The Things You Cant Get When You Run For The Green |
Here is the lowdown on what is happening in the world today: Gas prices are skyrocketing (imagine a Php 60/L prediction in a month or so), rice shortage and price increase, increase in fare (from Php 8 to Php 10), and the groceries' price increase as well. That is a might lot for a small country like the Philippines. How much the whole world?
And so the whole world is in crisis. Now, everybody is running for the big green - right? Everybody is trying to earn even on the side of what he or she can manage - even if it kills them. For people who have families, like me, we have to push hard and push harder just to even buy a can of milk. But in the process, we ought to think: "What are we losing that the moolah cannot get you?"
- Happiness - I think a lot will agree if I say "Money cannot buy happiness." However, it would make somebody happy if you get that person something, but that would only be temporary. If it gets your family out of trouble, then that would be happiness. But too much striving for money just because money buys material things is not any way of making a person happy. Material possessions can never take the place of a happy and loving home. And if you, yourself, strive too hard. Be careful as it just might deprive you of the true happiness of the soul.
- Time - "Time is money," or so they say. Therefore, if you sell out your time for money, then obviously, you lose time. Sometimes we give too much time worrying, spending, budgeting, and thinking about money that we lose the time to check out other things that do not involve money. Money takes away the time you are supposed to be spending with your kids, your husband, your loved ones, and even with yourself. Sometimes, I, too, become guilty over this. And to take care of this is to budget time wisely.
- Health - As I write this, I believe I can safely testify striving for money can be bad for your health. And even if - by God's grace - I do earn enough, I still will not be able to have any insurance that the life I live will be long. Money can never bring back your life, your youth, or your health.
- Self-esteem - No matter how rich you get, it does not matter to self-esteem. It is not like you can buy self-esteem by the bundle. It has to be grown from deep within you, and something that you have to invest into - and by this, I do not mean money. If you have not yet resolved any issues within yourself, then no amount of money can help you take care of this except your very self. When the richest of men decide to take their lives because of depression, no amount of money spent on drugs, or anything that their money can buy can cure that person.
- Respect - If you humiliate a person and then pay that person off with Php 1,000, do you think you will get respect. Oh, I am sure that person would be willing to say yes - crisis after all. But you will never get that person's respect. The truth is, no amount of money can buy respect. You have to gain it, not demand it or buy it.
There are a lot of things that money cannot buy. These are but the basics that sometimes we need to remember when we are so caught up in the race to provide. Although it is not all together harmful or bad for you. We just need to realize that the world may need money to improve and develop, but money should not be our world.
 Labels: happiness, improvement, money, personal matters, Sunday Goodness |
| posted by Ann @ 7:13 PM
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| Monday, May 19, 2008 |
| Rediscovering Happiness by Being a Kid |
Isn't it amazing to learn something from someone you least expect to? They say that one learns much through the eyes of a child. That somebody was not kidding at all.
Yesterday taught me a lot from my kids. Something irreplaceable and true, that somehow I had forgotten for a long time. It is relatively easy to forget the simple pleasures of life once you reach a certain age. You get jaded and too stressed to even think of smiling. Yet you wonder and envy how small tykes can smile and laugh despite their obstacles and occasionally falling down.
I was amazed looking at my baby boy and little girl, yesterday, as they played with my younger cousins outside at the lawn. You could see the wonder in baby boy's eyes as he examined the grass, the leaves, and the small plants. One could see the laughter in their eyes as they watched how the others ran around, jumping, attempting to cartwheel across the grass. Pretty soon, little girl was bowing on the grass trying to flip over, too! Baby boy wanted to do so, too, but he later stuck to his conquests around the garden.
By and by, I joined the games as well. I attempted to cartwheel, too! To my dismay, I just couldn't quite get it right. After a series of tries, my babies were squealing with delight as they saw me tumble on the ground. Both ran to me laughing and giggling, it just made me smile more.
I've thought about it, and I wondered. When was the last time you had genuine fun? No, not shopping, not playing online games, just old fashioned playing. Kids these days do not exactly play hopscotch, jungle bars, and stuff. Perhaps we should do these things too..
Here are some things I could think of that perhaps you would give a try. Let's see how you feel after picking something from the pack:
- Cartwheels. Do you know how to do cartwheels? If you don't, don't you think you missed something in life by not being able to do it? If you do know how to do cartwheels, do you think you still have it in you?
- Rollerblades. How long has it been since you've put on a pair of rollerblades? Wasn't it fun to rollerblade or rollerskate? I bet you fancied yourself to be Evel Knievel to jump places and race on by.
- Skateboards. I love skateboarding. Turns out, I still can manage to stay on board the skateboard, but I'm having problems doing a 360 deg these days.
- Hopscotch. We all have our different styles of playing hopscotch. But when was the last time you played it? I can remember the last time I played this was back in elementary. Too long ago.. I'm thinking of playing this next Sunday.
- Jump Rope. Perhaps you use this as a training device, or for fitness. But do you remember how it felt to jump rope just because? Or played Double Dutch just because it was fun. I'm willing to be there are some of you who can hardly make it to 20 counts before you trip your feet.
- Dodge-ball. There would be some who would have nightmares because of this game, but there are some who love it, too! I can still remember the laughter and shrieks of joy when my playmates and I did this. Last night, the kids had fun trying to hit me with their toy balls. Pretty fun though.
There are so many games and things we used to do as kids without the determination or seriousness of an adult. It would be very nice if once in a while we relaxed a bit and remembered how it was when we were younger. I guarantee you'd be grinning like the Cheshire cat after a couple of tries. Just like old times.
Have fun!!
Labels: family, fun, games, happiness, homegrown, improvement, kids |
| posted by Ann @ 5:15 PM
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| About Me |
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Name: Ann
Home: Philippines
About Me: even when she has fairy wings on, this girl is anything BUT dainty. perhaps the size, the weight, and the personality alone are just too much for her to be considered delicate, prim, proper, and refined. this girl with the mud smudged cheeks has been down on the ground one to many times. these times forced her to be tougher, smarter, and more savvy than she has ever been. perhaps she will always be, never dainty.
email me: neverdainty [at] gmail [dot] com
See my complete profile
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