it is how you treat the least, the lost and the last..=)

(i submitted this article at www.rdasia.com)

It was a hot, humid day of summer 2009 when I was accompanying my 2nd year college sister on her way to school for her afternoon class. I have no classes that day so i planned to stroll around the city after walking with her on her way to school. We were walking as usual, because our apartment is just near our schools. While walking, we were talking about how to spend the weekend with our family in the province.

As we come nearer , we have to cross the pedestrian lane before reaching the campus. Before stepping in the pedestrian lane, i looked at my side and saw an old, stout woman carrying a bag and a sack. She just got down from a jeepney and approached me, "ading, malayo pa ba ang bayanihan dito?" (is bayanihan still far from this place?). A little troubled about what this woman is asking, i replied, "opo, malayo pa, mag taxi na po kayo madami po yata kayong dala" (yes it is still far, better take the taxi because you have many things to carry with you). My heart broke as I remember my grand mother. I tried to make some directions but she sadly said that she knows the place when she sees Burnham park. That location is 500 meters away from our location at that moment.

Suddenly, i uttered the words that made the woman smile. I said goodbye to my sister and turned to the woman and told her that i will accompany her since i will also go to a bank in that vicinity. I can still remember how her face was delighted with joy. She said thank you with a sweet smile.

We walked as she told me that she just visited a relative here in Baguio, took the jeepney knowing that it lead her to Bayanihan park where the terminal for their place is located. She told me how many children she have and how she was worried while in the jeepney because she does not know where she is going. I just found myself listening quietly to the stories of the woman while carrying her bag. I just kept quiet because i was shy to ask questions to her but with her stories, my queries were answered.

As we went down Mabini St, she recognized Session Rd and pointed to the direction of Burnham park. Her face glowed as she saw the park. She smiled as we made way crossing streets, bumping to the crowd because it was during the rush hours in the afternoon. It was an uphill terrain going to the terminal of small buses where she will take a ride. I perspired while carrying her bag but as i looked at her all, i can still see is her smile.

She uttered words of thanks and said that if i will come to their place, i am very welcomed. Suddenly, i just saw myself being hugged tight by an old woman,a stranger,lost in the city but now smiling as she makes her way home safely.

by: Julea Kristina A. MedranoI am 19 years old,4th year nursing student studying at the University of Baguio.

something to smile about..=)

the typhoon had passed,the rains and strong winds are finally over..--for now.

our province in Pangasinan was badly affected,water came over the fields and covered the roads, killed the farm animals and damaged the infrastructures...

in this flight of disaster, i realized that i am still blessed..

my grandmother who slept uncomfortably sitting, i guess (because water went to her room at the level of her bed..or had she slept during the night?) is still able to call my dad at the office via long distance while in the town of Bayambang, to serve for her senior citizen as a treasurer duty.
although most of the little goats got drowned, there were still like 25 that were left..=) that is still something to smile about..

the tractor was ok, though the machines used to water the fields have to be fixed, the house is still ok..and that is something good to smile about..

Baguio was considered "isolated" for about 2 days, the effect was felt for over a week..there was food shortage and gasoline shortage..yet, "all system go" for tomorrow..there will be classes tom =)

i still have lots of ideas in my mind..i was able to see Cresencia village, (the village that was covered by the landslide) we were riding in a taxi during that night, and i really felt sad..i can't sleep..i pity those little kids that died during that tragic event..

LET US BE THANKFUL THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE...
let us try our very best to move on..
we are alive because we still have to do our task..
we are still alive because God believes that we can do something good..something better..
let us prove that He is correct for saving us in the middle of these disasters...

keep the faith and drop the fear..!!! =)

who are your friends?

is this qoute really true?

"tell me who your friends are and i will tell who you are"...

in my view, this quote does not apply in every circumstance.. We can be seen by others in different way,in different perceptions.. we can be with different people and also be the way we want.

i can be with the older ones, and they can share their learnings to me..

i can be with the ones with the same age as i have, and i can share my jokes and laughter to them...

i can be with the young ones, and can share my advice to them..

you can be with the wild ones..and still stay calm

you can be with the serious ones, and still be the joker..

you can be with the sad ones, and give them a reason to smile..=)

you see..we can stand out in every way, it just takes a little change of perspective..=)

trying new things

as a graduating student, i realized that things around me changes so fast. in less than a year, i have to stand on my own and finish school. at first, im feeling sad but when i think of my family and how can i help them after i will have my own work, it feels good to share my blessings in the near future.

as i was watching a tv program yesterday evening, it points out that we should trust God for everything that may happen to us. I am reminded of the quote : "For whatever happens, God has a reason and his reasons are better than ours.."

that is really true. often, we question him about the things that happen to us but in the end we realize that "it is not a no, it is just later.."

let us keep the faith in these trying times..=)