To Bon

    (My cousin's husband, Bonfilio Foronda, recently died of a stroke. Below is a copy of my parting message to him in acrostic.)


                                       Braveheart, though this life on Earth be fleeting,
                                       Old friends long gone soon you will be meeting;
                                       Nevermore will there be need for parting,
                                       For from God's Heav'n there is no departing.
                                       If asked to give a detailed accounting,
                                       Let the record show your life was daunting;
                                       If asked what on Earth great deeds you have done,
                                       Oh, say you did love, and foes you have none.

                                       Fam'ly first--you gave your loving care to,
                                       Oft despite the heartaches flesh is heir to.
                                       Repose in peace, but continue to watch
                                       Over your loved ones;  Let not Norma catch
                                       New trials that she cannot overcome.
                                       Do pray that from His Path we may not roam,
                                       Ask God to bless us ere we too come Home.

Ben Franklin's Adage

     The United States of America, according to history books and confirmed by U.S. TV programs, was founded by freethinkers, agnostics, deists, Masonic grandmasters, probably even complete unbelievers, atheists.Yet, they were able to plant a new nation that from a mere sapling with 13 branches has now grown to a mighty tree that seemingly towers over all other nations on Earth.
     My great-grandfather had a big mango tree near his small bamboo-and-cogon hut at the foot of a hill in Bucayab, a tiny barrio where we fled to hide from the Japanese during World War II. The tree bore plenty of fruit, and we had baskets full of mangoes to share when in season. Unfortunately, the tree grew on that part of the hill that continued to incline further down to a canyon or a crevasse. Although I did not witness the event itself, I was later informed that the mango tree was toppled or uprooted to the ground by one of the several typhoons that passed through the area during the rainy season.
     While the United States looks like a very sturdy tree that has weathered many a storm, how deep and how firm indeed is its foundation? A redwood tree standing in isolation and rooted on shaky, shallow ground may be unable to withstand a hurricane's blasts, whereas a grove of bamboo trees that did bend with the blustery wind remains standing, unscathed. We ought not to lose our grip on the deep and firm foundation on which this nation was founded. While it is untrue that we are obsessed with transitory pleasures, trivialities. or other mad performances or pursuits, this seems to be the impression we have given to those who seek our country's  downfall. But a truly united United States, like the bamboo grove, can sway and bend low so to let the bad weather dissipate or pass away. While our government needs to be flexible to successfully confront unexpected challenges or crises, it ought not to fall into the trap of using borrowed money to expand itself and/or to pursue manifestly unsustainable mirages  One of our Founding Fathers counseled: "Never a borrower nor a lender be." Although he may have directed his remark to individuals, the reason behind his sage advice applies to any nation or entity that desires to be truly free. If you pay your creditor $40 out of every $100 that you earn, you are not free.
     The citizenry without a doubt is concerned, maybe even very worried that Uncle Sam owes trillions and trillions of dollars. Many proposed solutions are being discussed and/or debated by our government leaders, which is  commendable.The conservative position to the effect that government should govern within its means and avoid being a welfare state deserves serious consideration. But ultimately, in my view, the problem cannot be solved solely by legislation or federal government intervention. Individual action and initiative to choose restraint and moderation must be exercised. We, senior citizens, know it is safer to walk on level, firm, sure and stable ground rather than take that precarious downhill shortcut to...bankruptcy. Maintenance of good health and well-being should be an individual's day-to-day responsibility--like brushing one's teeth, a habit. And perhaps those highly paid government officials, especially those who are already personally wealthy or well-to-do, could voluntarily offer to reduce the deficit with part of their pay or donate more of their bounty to their favorite charities (other than themselves.) The amount may be insignificant. It is the gesture, the overt demonstration of concern, that counts. A final reminder: - Too many cooks spoil the broth.  Too many advisers--same result.

Where God Is

     I am fascinated by recent scientific findings/theories pertaining to the subatomic world. We now know that the atom is not indivisible. It is usually depicted like a minute solar system with electrons swinging or rotating around a proton. Imagine a proton to be the size of an egg and its electrons would be revolving around  about 2 or 3 miles away from it. Even the proton itself is not indivisible. It can be smashed into smaller smithereens (gluons, quarks, leptons, etc.) by man-made particle colliders. Thus, scientists agree the material world, everything solid, palpable we see around us is mostly empty space. But I think the situation described above could be the very refutation to Mr. Dawkins' argument that God cannot be Transcendent and Immanent at the same time. The Creator is necessarily apart from His creation, yet He is Omnipresent even in that supposedly mostly empty space of the subatomic world conceded by scientists. Undoubtedly, I am not God, but I can confidently state that God is in me.  And also in you.

Ritorna Vincitor

     I sometimes wonder why the Devil even took the trouble to tempt Jesus with all the kingdoms and countless treasures of the material world. Probably, since Christ was in human form, Satan did not know he was trying to tempt the very Being who created him....
     We are also tempted at every turn and almost at every waking moment of our lives by that Master Enticer whose singular obsession is apparently to recruit rebellious souls to his side. Oftentimes, we rush to follow his crooked path, then we stumble and slide and soon realize we are on a precipice to oblivion.
     There is only one way to escape falling into that abyss.  Who promised to be with us for the rest of our lives? The Saviour... And He is not light years away from us.He is at the very portals of our inmost selves, waiting for us to call Him into our hearts and souls We are all sinners.  Let us not forget that escape-clause: -  RETURN TO CHRIST!

Another Eden

    There appears to be indisputable proof that Earth's magnetic polarity had shifted, possibly even more than once or twice in the past.  Asteroidal impacts, tectonic plate movements, widespread volcanic eruptions have been hypothesized as possible causes for these polarity shifts. Climatic changes then resulted globally, so that tropical or temperate zones suddenly became arid deserts or arctic wastelands.
     There is no doubt in my mind that the Earth is like any living organism with the power to renew and/or heal itself. I suspect the devastating tornadoes, typhoons, and tsunamis that the world is experiencing are mere harbingers of another polarity shift soon to occur. So to those nations fighting over mere narrow strips of real estate, perhaps the time is now for them to be reminded of God's command-- not to covet thy neighbor's property. The Chosen People whose forefathers trekked a barren land for forty years and the Arabian people who still feel unjustly dispossessed from their ancestral lands can demonstrate their faith in  the One Omniscient and Munificent God they both worhip by working out a peaceful or non-violent solution to their dispute. Neighbors should show respect, generosity, and compassion to one another. This is now the age of nuclear bombs, guided missiles, drones and laboratory-created plague-carrying microbes. It is at least safer for mankind to be kind to one another. The establishnent of real Peace in the Middle East may yet be rewarded by God with "land of milk and honey"--perhaps a vast Sahara that is returned to its original garden-like state and transformed into another Eden. ( Incidentally, I understand that the Sahara is as large as the continental United States.  Land speculators, take note...)

Hanggang Hukay

The melody of this Tagalog song is taken from the aria E Luce Van Le Stelle from the opera Tosca by Puccini. another favorite of the Three Tenors. My Tagalog version starts with the phrase- " O dulci baccia languide carezze..."

     (This is no translation of the Italian aria; I just happened to like the melody and
           made my own Tagalog lyrics to fit the air...)     

     O kay sarap sana ang mabuhay sa piling
     Ng kasintahang ang pagsuyong alay sa iyo ay tunay;
     Hindi taksil, salawahan;  Ang diway'y
     Busilak, parang talang uma-alalay,
     Marunong makiramay at magpatawad
     Kung ako'y sumablay..
     Ganyan sana ang ka-akbay,  hanggang hukay.....


                      (Tagalog lyrics by Skep/vdeperalta)

View from a Hilltop

     There's a hilly elevation near the beach where I sometimes climb to strengthen my knees and to fill my lungs with fresh air. The location was probably used by the military during the war as there are still vestiges of walls, broken walk-ways or floors of what used to be their look-out post at the top of the hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The former occupants were probably  assigned to be on the look out for submarines trying to sneak in arms and enemy soldiers at our Pacifica coast.
     I reached the top of the hill one sunny, windy morning, gasping as usual for breath. and nearly stepped on a small yellow flower (probably a daffodil) fluttering with the breeze. That wild flower joyfully waving its fragile petals many months ago continues to inspire me with hope and awe today.  Unlike its companions that I saw scattered on real soil all over the hilltop and waving with every gust, this particular little beauty had the guts to sprout from a mere crack on a cement block or pavement that probably used to be part of the floor of the ruined outpost. It persisted, despite the unfertile spot where its tiny seed was blown, and it surely succeeded in brightening my spirits that morning with its delicate bloom...That untended daffodil bravely flowering from a shallow and narrow crease on a cement flooring did put me and my gouty joints to shame.
     I got your message, Little Beauty. Life on earth may be hard and transient and we have to make do with whatever humble spot or small crevice that Fate has given us, but we can still persist and seize the day before we are trampled down or blown away. Your golden blossom has rewarded a weary wanderer with a bit of beauty, a bon mot to perhaps inspire him to look for higher heights to clamber and more glorious horizons to explore...and to thank Him who gave us that rejuvenating, fresh sea breeze and  one more fine summer day to enjoy.
     I confess that day my pockets were empty and my gas tank was also almost empty. Walking back downhill I became dizzy, lightheaded. I slipped a bit and grazed my right wrist when I fell to the ground. I believe my guardian angel was still with me as I did not break a bone nor roll all the way down the slope. Suddenly all my money worries simply vanished. Listening to a Pavarotti CD in fortissimo, I drove away from the beach refreshed, fully oxygenated, very much alive and well. I'm one lucky guy!