Lofty Place Blog

Inspiration plays a very important role in one’s life.  It allows a person to always experience a brighter day; a day full of varied options.  There is never a dull moment for someone who is inspired greatly.  When a person is inspired, he or she has always the motivation to be dynamic. 

There are a thousand and one ways to derive inspiration from but all these sources come from God, the never-ending fountain of encouragement and affirmation.  Inspiration may come as an idea, uplifting remarks, good food, and a work of art.  The Great Creator has endowed the earth so much with overflowing resources, both living and non-living, that could create positive outlook in man.

A person who has lost the motivation to be productive sees each day as a struggle.  He or she wakes up with the nagging feeling that the new day will be gloomy.  The thought of reporting for work gives a churn in the stomach and makes an uninspired person to feel sick.

The monotony of work routine and household chores, the non-changing cycle of daily or weekly routine, multiply these by several years and it would be enough for one to lose eagerness and be burned out.  The lack of emotional growth and professional advancement in one’s career could lead someone to losing the luster to perform and achieve well in profession.

If you see yourself in this kind of condition, then it’s about time that you do something to perk up your life.  Here are two steps that may make things lighter for you: 

You have a life to live.  Whatever circumstances that you may be into right now, too bleak it may seemed to be, you are alive and breathing…you have a life to live.  Who has not experienced failures, trials, and conflicts in life?  All of us have experienced going through precarious situations, even at the time of our birth through the growing up years, we all are treading the rough and dangerous route.  So will you give up living because things are not going as you expected?

Consider that life’s experiences are teaching you the many values that you need in order to survive and be triumphant.  Do not be hopeless but instead learn through these trials how to persevere more, work harder, and have that fortitude to be always positive in whatever situation that may come your way.

You have to soar.  After regaining your strength and finding inspiration to live, you have to soar and achieve new heights in your life with renewed vigor.  You might want to go back to your former launching pad that paved way for you to achieve greatly in life.  Your glory days are not over; you have not achieved your fullest potential yet.

Do not just hover and remain as a spectator.  Gather your strength and soar like a seasoned living creature, mature and sturdy, so that those who come behind you, your kids, family and friends will derive inspiration from you.

As long as we live in this world, challenges will come and go.  Despite the odds, continue to live an honorable life and soar with perseverance, and most of all, always find inspiration to live.

There are people who think that to be in a position of leadership; one has to have good education, preferably a doctorate, academic honors in college, no record of immorality, and a good following. As far as standard qualifications are concerned, these could really place one in a leadership position but to possess an attractive leadership you must have the gift of wisdom.
 
Wisdom guides the leader to know what is right, true, and just

What a great irony to know that after studying at prestigious universities of the world, gaining expertise in one’s chosen career, acquiring much knowledge, a leader flip-flops on discerning what is a very simple case of right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust.   

A leader who has wisdom is able to discern what is right, true, and just.  He has that hindsight to evaluate the words and stories that come his way are either credible or mere gossips. 

Wisdom directs the leader into correct discernment

Wisdom allows the leader to differentiate who among his subordinates are sincere and committed; who are glib talkers who wish to build up themselves through talking bad about other people.  When dishonesty and injustice pervades  in an organization, the real good and talented people lose zest in perpetuating whatever ideals or vision the organization has.

Without wisdom, a leader leads on mere trial and error bases and he tries to learning from both good and bad decisions that he makes.  A leader will certainly bring about lackluster leadership if he cannot come up with wise decisions.  What is sad, for every wrong decision the leader makes, there are people under him who suffer and the organization downgrades.

Wisdom cultivates motivation and inspiration

The leader who has no wisdom is easily persuaded to believe anything that first come to his ears.  He is inclined to appreciate fleeting traits because his eyes are veiled from discerning what is wise and right.  Basically, a leader who lacks wisdom would attract people who also lack wisdom, most of them have pleasing personalities but they do not have real goodness in their character. 

The leader who is full of wisdom is a good motivator.  He inspires people around him through his sound judgment, amiable personality, and encouraging word.  Most of all, the wisdom-filled leader has the uncanny ability to create a vision of the future; rally many people to work on the realization of that vision.  He exudes a very attractive leadership, so viral that one can’t help but be motivated and inspired to participate.

Wisdom is a gift from God.  It cannot be bought nor can you pretend to have it.  Maybe you can feign knowledge, act as if you possess good character, but you cannot make yourself believe that you possess wisdom.  The only way to have wisdom is to have a genuine relationship to the only wise God. 

The leader who has wisdom freely enjoys his skillful application of Godly knowledge.  He exacts sincere loyalty and he is not insecure with his leadership even if he goes on a long Mediterranean vacation or spends some weeks away in some Ontario cottages.  He continues to inspire and motivate the people under him through his abundant use of common sense; making his leadership very attractive, shining, sterling and lasting.

In everything that happens in your life there is a purpose. There is great reason you are where you are right now, a reason for the events in your life, a reason why you are trying to make a living.

Indeed, life is hard, especially nowadays, when everyone is affected by the global economic crisis.  In whatever walk of life you are from, you will always have your taste of hardships and triumphs in life.  Is it not that the meaning of life is best appreciated through the hardships that you went through and you hurdled every obstacles successfully and unscathed?

With God as your guide, you will always see how life unfolds its great reasons, both in the present and future.  What is oftentimes revealing is how the past would tie up to your present and future state.  Are these not causes to make life zestful?

In everything that happens in your life, good or bad, always put in mind that it is an opportunity for you to realize that you are living under the merciful loving care of the Almighty Loving God.  Make every moment an opportunity to serve Him; an opportunity to show grace and give thanks in all circumstances.  You can make it as one rare chance to pay humble service to life itself.

Well, you maybe someone who have achieved well in life, amassing great success, great love, joy, and perhaps, fame, and recognition.  Towards achieving this, you took a different route and you find yourself different from your friends and work mates. You wanted to be more powerful, admired, and wealthier, owning various villa rentals and vast real estates.  Despite the outstanding gap that you have achieved from everyone else, there is one equalizer that would place you on the same level with all people--death.

The line of one Tracy Chapman song says, “All that you have is your soul”.  Indeed, when you leave this mortal world, you cannot take with you all the riches and comforts in life that you have acquired.   You can not bring the material things you have acquired to life beyond because all that you will have to bring is only your soul.

Never forget to share what you have.  Just because you have invested so much of your life to achieve wealth, it does not mean that you have to be stingy and you do not even think about caring for your neighbors.  Remember that the secret of happiness is found in serving others. 

 Always do what is true, right and just.  Let God be your center for service, for it is from Him whom you gain the greatest strength and recognition.  Life will always be kind to you, blessings will come to you, and challenges will be instruments for a better version of you when you persevere.  

 Go on with life, pursue your career with vigor, nurture your passion, enjoy the beauty of things around you, love and treasure your family and friends, and let God guide all your ways.  Keep smiling as you revel in the blessings of God’s mighty purposes.

I waited for my flight at the coffee shop.  I was traveling alone.  I still have 30 minutes before boarding time so I decided to taste the brew of the day, hazelnut gourmet coffee. 

The airport’s pre-departure area was already full of passengers.  Every now and then a voice rang out through the public speakers announcing updates on incoming and outgoing flights.  The wide-screen TV sets placed at the waiting area kept the people entertained as they waited for their boarding time. 

Laughter and excitement were so evident on those who were traveling in groups.  It seemed that they never ran out of stories and laughter.

I contented myself in finding the coziest nook at the coffee shop and observed the people around.  I thought of finding an acquaintance as I scanned my periphery but then deep inside, I felt relieved to be alone, at least for the time being and in the next one hour of my trip.

As I sat alone drinking a cup of coffee, I felt that the isolation is giving me a feeling of peace.  I felt detached from my work and I felt so relaxed.  While I can’t help thinking of my family, the fact that I am on a trip and everyone knows where I am going, I realized that I am not obligated to contact anybody within the hours of my traveling time.  Definitely, I am alone with my time.

The advantage of being solo is you can decide where to go, anytime, and you do not look over your shoulder to check whether you left somebody or a backpack or luggage because you are only looking out for yourself.

Perhaps the most unforgettable moment in traveling alone is getting lost.  Maybe, this is the main reason most wanted to travel with a companion or a group.  You could recall too, that it was when you got lost that you learned a lot and you develop confidence.  If you lost your way, don’t be a loser by sulking and feeling desperate.  Try to find your way by asking directions from the locals or the people you meet. 

The best lessons in humility (or self-humiliation) could be learned in traveling alone.  In this microchip and digital age, common public devices such as faucets, dispensers, doors, and switches could become a technological mystery to a neophyte traveler.   What could be funny is for someone to pretend to know because he or she feels embarrassed to be asking questions. 

Before making a mess out of your ignorance and end up humiliating yourself, better be humble enough to accept your inadequacy and ask assistance from personnel who for sure know how to operate the gadget.

Always remember that even if you are on a trip alone, God created you as a social being.  Now is your chance to make new friends.  When you are touring with your group or family, you will be limited to just staying within your circle of friends.  Be amiable and have that happy disposition by wearing a smile and most of all, be polite with everyone.

Finally, the call to board came and as I lined up the passenger tube to enter the plane, I was wondering who my seatmates will be.  Well, it was just a matter of bowing slightly my head, saying a greeting and giving my friendliest smile before I learned that my seatmates were headed to a summer lodgeaway.  They are escaping the sweltering summer heat so they are going to spend a week in a mountain resort, with fully furnished cottages, swimming pool, and golf course. 

As I left the plane, I wished my seatmates the best of times.  I got their email addresses.  I told them that I will be inviting them to the lofty place so that they can find motivation and inspiration while cooling off in their cottage.

Are you better-off living a happy life?  This is one question that probably might surprise anyone especially when you are not anticipating it.

I was updating a close friend about what was going on with my life.  I was not even half-way through my talk when he interjected, “Are you happy?”  I was taken aback and my human brain processed quickly to assess whether or not I am happy with my life.

Well, yes, I am living a happy life.  It’s just that I wasn’t prepared to be confronted with that question because it is my view and notion that all we do in life is directed towards happiness.  There could be many and more reasons but I would like to share six reasons to live a happy life.

1.    Always look at the brighter side

The popular Dr. Norman Vincent Peale labeled this as “positive thinking”.  While there is the negative side of things, we are not supposed to give first and primary importance to it if we wanted to be happy.  There is great advantage when you view things primarily on the positive side of things rather than the opposite.  Of course in many life situations, you cannot avoid seeing and experiencing the adverse and the negative but diverting and focusing on the brighter side of life would allow you to see alternatives.  Soon you will find yourself awash in joy and happiness because the brighter side has always the solution to your problem.

2.    Take time to make others happy

“And the way to be happy is to make others happy and to have a little heaven down here” so goes the lyrics of our favorite fellowship chorus, “A Time to be Happy”.  There is no substitute to feelings of joy and contentment when you have caused someone to be happy.  Acts of kindness may be given through a song, poem, Bible verse, words of encouragement, pat of sympathy, piece of advice, prayers, food treat, and maybe your mere presence.

3.    Find joy in simple things

Have you experienced being troubled then you decided to go strolling along the beach barefooted and enjoying whatever things you may find along the way?  I can’t explain it but I always find tranquility listening to the surf and watching the sea.

I still can remember how I enjoyed throwing pebbles on a still pond and see it skipped on the water surface as many as your strength would allow it.  Perhaps, you might want to go back a bit and find happiness in rediscovering the child in you. 

4.    Focus on your mission

Oftentimes, lots of obstacles would easily waylay us and we tend to give up when the going gets rough.  Focusing on your mission in life, following the roadmap that you charted to achieve it would keep you organized and confident as you pursue and realize the vocation that you were called to do. What would seem as pockets of failures would eventually end up as ladders of success when you work at achieving your mission.

5.    Be a genuine person

There is real happiness in being a real person.  You can never find happiness when you are not true to yourself and you are just pretending.  There are people who are good at wearing a mask for they fear that their true selves will be rejected.  People who are lost in their pretensions would someday find themselves alone, friendless, and rejected.  I believe that those who are most honest about themselves are the happiest people on earth.  They have all the freedom to be who they are and they don’t live to please other people.

6.    Give your dream a chance

The sweltering summer noon day heat is causing me to dream that I am travelling across the ocean and spending time somewhere in a Caribbean villa either in the Bahamas or Cayman Island.  Just by sharing this with you, I am giving this dream a chance.  Who knows, by chance, a resort owner might  read this blog and give me a free round trip ticket to stay in one of his best villas in the Caribbean Islands? 

Most of us never give our dream a chance because we always think that they are so lofty and unattainable.  We are afraid that it would bring frustration to us and would make us sad.

Well, why don’t you take joy in dreaming something and giving it a chance by just expressing it, praying for it, and perhaps working hard for it?  Nurturing a dream and seeing how things and events are unfolding before you and all these are leading towards the realization of your dream, are all enjoying and exciting.

Don’t be life's greatest loser and be weak and sad.  Instead, find reasons to live a happy life.  Start with the six reasons listed here and I assure you that you will be better-off.

Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

It is hard to comprehend and to some this is not acceptable but you really can attract gifts through giving.  This is not to run against another virtue that says, “Give and expect nothing in return” because the gifts would still come anyway even if with all candor and purity you are not expecting something in return.  You see, this is law of attraction at work, especially in the areas of gifts and giving.

First and foremost, the prevailing spirit here is generosity and not greed.  Generosity is the honest expression of giving favors in the form of talents, availability and financial assistance to others without looking forward to anything in return.  It is giving at its best because it is spontaneous and not coerced; freely and heartily given.

In this period of global financial crisis the most common phrase that we hear from many people, leaders of corporations, religious and humanitarian organizations, is “We don’t have money”.  May I ask is this phrase borne out of honest evaluation of the real financial status?  Or is it being used as a safety measure, a phrase that will dissuade spending despite the availability of money?  If this is the case, is this not dishonesty?  If we are not honest with our real financial situation how can we expect generosity to thrive in our areas of influence?  Where generosity is stunted, gifts are scarce, and it is likely that greed will breed and soon take over.

Sowing the seeds of generosity begins with your genuine concern for your fellow person.  When you do something to actualize your concern through giving, then this act and substance of your giving becomes the gift to the person of your concern.  Your deed of kindness, which has become a habit will attract gifts to come your way.

There are academic institutions who have cultivated excellently the culture of generosity.  They nurture generosity among their students by giving scholarships and grant-in-aids. Believing in the principle that giving attracts gifts, there are school leaders who commit sincerely to provide the best facilities, equipment, and services for their students.  Beyond graduation, there are schools that continue to really be their students’ alma mater (nurturing mother) because they have built that true “mother-son” caring relationship.  These characteristics spawn motivation and inspiration among students to give back to their alma mater as soon as they are able.

Would you believe that there are churches and charitable institutions who take pride in harboring large amount of money in the bank?  They would declare that they are progressing because their “savings” have grown through the years.  Are churches and charitable institutions not suppose to expend their so-called riches for the poor as Jesus Christ commanded?  Don't they realize that for every hundreds or thousands of money units deposited in the bank it could imply one or two less souls reached out?

Quite the contrary, the most progressive and fast growing churches are those that are all out in harnessing and using their resources for their worthy mission.  Their members are giving cheerfully because they can see life and vitality in their total church existence and they won’t hesitate to give sacrificially to support a very worthwhile ministry endeavor.

Well, it is not yet too late to start giving generously.  And when you see how your act of benevolence has lifted somebody’s spirit, giving a brighter day to him or her, you have just attracted the priceless gift of love.

If there is one place where I want to be, I want to be in the Lofty Place. Friends, it is about time that we talk about the “Lofty Place”. Since we started this blog and after several articles, we have not written about it yet. Perhaps some of you might be asking, “What is the Lofty Place?” “If it does exist, where can I find it?”

What is the Lofty Place?

If you google “lofty place” the search engine will give you 3.82 million results, which means that the phrase is not firstly and uniquely used in this blog. What is gratifying to know is that this blog, the “Lofty Place Blog Motivational and Inspirational Teaching” appears four times in the first page and once in the second page of the Google search result.

If “lofty place” has been used in 3.82 million instances and in varied context, then what is its meaning in this blog?

When you want to escape the searing heat and glare of summer the best place to go is somewhere up the mountains where the view is calm and the breeze is cool. One can't help but think about the “loft” of the house, which refers to the floor directly under the roof. Some call it attic. Loft reminds me of the place where Clark Kent, the main character in the TV series Smallville, stays. He stays in what used to be the hayloft of the barn.

Lofty place as used in this blog points to a higher ground where one could find solace and safety. It is a hideaway, a place of solitude, love, peace and harmony. It is a place of friendship, where people are faithful and true. The lofty place is where ambitions and ideals are realized. It is a place of consistency, where justice rules and hope abounds.

If the Lofty Place exists, where can one find it?

Yes, the “Lofty Place” exists and you can find it in God. You can find it by entering the small gate and taking the narrow road, the path that is hard and long, where only a few finds it but it surely leads to life. (See Matthew 7:13-14).

Try to look around and you can see that there is so much pain, hunger, poverty, and hatred among the peoples of the world. Wars quell wars and it is being fought  on both the military and economic fronts. There is so much decadence of values and it looks like those who make a stand are ridiculed and isolated. The reign of hypocrisy and triumph of dishonesty even in the church and religious institutions are so perplexing and demotivating.

Is it not comforting to know that amidst all these situations there is one and only one place where you can go and be free from the world's confinements—the Lofty Place?

Obviously now, the Lofty Place is the dwelling place of God, where you can live in peace infinitely. It is where you can do your best and achieve your fullest potential, not for the praise of men but for the glory of God. Most of all, it is a place where true friends can be found.

Come, let us go to the Lofty Place and find motivation and inspiration to live life to its fullest. The Spirit of God shall take us there.

So you have received your summer bonus now and you have every right to spend it the way you intend it to be.  Did it ever occur to you that knowing how to spend it or any income that may come your way is something that one has to really learn?  Like acquiring skills in writing, typing, computer and internet operations, one needs to sit down and take time to learn how to become a skillful or wise spender.

For sure many of us have never taken time to study and learn how to use wisely your money.  Probably, we only followed what our parents have imparted us or we just took on their spending ways.  Perhaps, you learned through experience, which might have cost you a lot but it did make you wise.

If you are just an employee and you are receiving a monthly salary with the perk of receiving the annual summer bonus, teaching yourself how to spend carefully and judiciously your meager resources is the wisest option that you must take. 

You can spend your summer bonus and make the best of it through the following tips:
T – Take time to appreciate your earning
H – Have a personal budget
A – Arrange your spending priorities
N – Never spend more than you earn
K – Keep track of your expenses
S – Select a simple lifestyle

Take time to appreciate your earning.  You might perceive this as insignificant but taking time to appreciate your earning gives you the chance to reflect on the the effort and sweat that you exerted in order to gain it.  After getting your money, hold it firmly, thank the Divine Providence who made it possible for you to earn your keep.  Realizing the hardship that you went through to earn your wage, you will soon find the value of making every cent matter.

Have a personal budget.  Contrary to somebody's opinion that you only make a budget when you are receiving a big amount, having a personal budget is very crucial when you are receiving small amount.  A personal budget would surely safeguard your spending because you have determined the priority expenses.  You must include the allocation of amount for savings. 

Arrange your spending schedule.   Rank your list of expenses according to priority.  Always have payment in mind when making credit purchases.  You will soon see that you are eliminating all your debts one by one.  Update your spending schedule as soon as there are changes in your expenditures.

Never spend more than you earn.  There is no other phrase to describe this than stating it this way, “spend less than you earn” or “live below your means”.  If you are satisfied with just “spending within your means”, you can never get out of the debt trap.  You need to gain extra leverage to stay on top of your spending. 

This would entail you to spend for your basic food only and postpone buying for your clothing and shelter.  While trying to increase your income differential, you may opt to prepare your own food and avoid eating outside at fast foods and restaurants.  You can reduce your bills by cutting off your monthly cable TV subscription and budget for entertainment; implement strictly your water and energy saving practices. 

Keep track of your expenses.  Go through the intricacy of listing your expenses so that you will know when you are already on the red.  Before spending  your money, always check whether the item is in your priority list.  Limit your going to the mall and grocery to just buying your needed household needs and if possible, always hunt for bargain or goods on sale.

Select a simple lifestyle.  Living a simple lifestyle is a choice that will allow you to achieve a debt-free and financially independent life.  Do not “keep up with the Joneses” as the expression goes, so that financial tragedy will not befall you. Instead of going on a buying spree, always live by the principle of “saving for the rainy day” so that you will have funds to spend when the “storm” comes.

In this period of financial crisis and scarcity of resources, the person who takes time to learn how to spend his or her income will definitely have an edge.  Spending your summer bonus and any other resources with T.H.A.N.K.S. is one big step that you may take towards a better financial position.

Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. (Haggai 1:5-6)

There was an air of eagerness. The atmosphere was joyful as employees lined up at the only ATM in the campus. The administration had released finally the annual summer bonus for the staff, which is equivalent to two months of salary. It was released a day ahead of the published schedule.

The moment it was confirmed that the amount was credited to the individual accounts and already available for withdrawal, the staff members flocked at the ATM to withdraw their respective pay. There are approximately 400 staff members who are employed in the university.

Queuing at the ATM, the staff members were jovial and you could hear them talking about what they intended to do with the money that they will get. Some talked about going on a vacation trip with their families. A group agreed to see each other later in the evening for dinner and entertainment. There were a few who expressed joyfully that at last they could buy the thing that they had been wanting to acquire. This could be an appliance, laptop, latest cellular phone model, or improvement of their houses.

Sad to note that it seems many of the staff members lining up to receive their summer benefit have outstanding debts to pay. Perhaps, a few of them have family members who have gotten ill and they have accounts payable either directly to the hospital, loan agencies, or to their friends or relatives. There are staff members who have embarked on many projects, and thus, they have spent in advance and committed their monetary benefit as payment.

There are a number of staff members who do not have the privilege to line up and withdraw from the ATM. The loan sharks have “captured” their ATM cards including the PIN (Personal Identity Number). To ensure payment of debts, the loan sharks are the ones withdrawing their salary; deducting the amount due them. Whatever is left of the salary is given back to the employee.

Of the total number of employees, how many are in stable financial status? How many staff members go to the bank to deposit some amount for savings? What percentage of them see the summer bonus as added opportunity for business investments?

Thus, it could not be denied that underneath the happy faces of those who got their summer bonus is the grim reality of drowning in debts and the continuing concern on how to get by with daily living. This is not only unique to this university. The financial situation of employees in the government offices is much worst. Considering that the financial crisis is also a global phenomenon, one could not help but wonder when will this cycle of poverty ever end? Who will rescue these employees from the mire of poverty, which deprive them of dignified living?

The Lord Almighty in Haggai 1:5-6 confronts us with His statement, “Give careful thoughts to your ways...” Reflecting deeply on this phrase, we could see that the answer to when and who would end poverty is nobody else but our own selves. Most of all ending poverty begins with our thoughts—giving careful thoughts to our ways.

“Giving careful thoughts” means thinking meticulously and not haphazardly, calculating and not approximating, attracting and not distracting, developing and not enveloping, reflecting and not deflecting.

Basically, to be able to escape from this vicious cycle of poverty, one must decide once and for all, to put the wages that one earns into “a purse without holes in it”. Avoid living the lifestyle that punches holes on your purse, such as buying the things that you do not need, spending the money that you have not earned yet, and spending uncontrollably. The first step out of poverty is to refrain from culturing it.

Give careful thoughts before spending again your hard earned money so that when the next summer time comes, you will take hold wholly and firmly your bonuses and really enjoy the fruits of your labor.

“Fortitude is that strength or firmness of mind which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage or to bear pain or adversity without murmuring, depression, or despondency…”

Summer season means vacation, fun and frolic at the beach, youth camps, and retreats during our youth days.  Usually, it begins on the third or last week of March when school classes at all levels are out and the long vacation months are in.  Summer season culminates on the first week of June when the rainy days are coming.

We live in the coastal town of Concepcion, Iloilo, a two-hour ride from Iloilo City, Philippines.  Concepcion town is abundantly endowed with marine resources because it has 16 islands dotting its territorial water.  As every summer season comes, the thought of going island hopping together with the young people in our church and spending a night or two on an island of our choice, really excite us.

Part of our island hopping adventure was to take our outrigger motor boat into the middle of the sea, shut off the engine.  Then one by one, we jumped off the boat and swam into the deep cool waters of Concepcion.  As twilight came, we scoured the ankle-deep water and harvest what the tide brought―shells, shrimps, crabs and fishes.   Villagers who are experts in this routine could easily find some Abalone shells off the coast of Tambaliza islands, where the mollusk abounds naturally.

Of course, our activities were not just mere fun and frolic at the beaches of Concepcion's islands.  We also enjoyed performing in front of island residents.  Our program was a repertoire of a 30-minute drama and rendition of selected songs.

We saw ourselves as summer season missionaries because we taught new songs to the young people living in the island and we shared the word of God through drama.   Thus, it was not only us who were excited when summer season comes.  The island inhabitants, children, young people and adult alike, anticipated our coming.

One island trek in Concepcion that is so memorable was when we spent a night at Bolobadiangan Island.  This island is famous for its white sand beach and a long sand bar that extends approximately 500 meters towards the sea.  We had just finished the evening's program, and the villagers had gone home.  Some of our companions were preparing to sleep.  Five of us decided to hang out at the tip of the sand bar.

We had only a flashlight to light our way through the pitch black darkness as we walked through the length of the sand bar.  Sitting there, a companion put off the flashlight.  We just remained there enjoying the darkness around us, gazing at the star-spangled sky, and listening to the rushing waves.  The cool summer breeze enhanced the peaceful night ambiance.

Then one of us expressed his admiration of the simplicity of life in the island.  He said that despite hard times, only the lazy would go hungry in an island which shores are teeming with food.  Without anybody giving the cue, we found ourselves sharing about our future plans.  Along the way, we also shared the hardships that we were going through in our studies.  Towards the end of our conversation, we encouraged one another to strive for success and never give up.

These summer season events happened in 1986 to 1988.

Surely, throughout these years, each one of us have gone through life's challenges, gaining some and losing some.  Every now and then we would bump into each other.  Our “How are you?” greetings were answered promptly with “Fine, thank you!” but a closer talk would reveal that the challenges in life seem to never end.  

A pat on a shoulder would remind us of the commitment we made two decades ago.  We know that as long as we live, our life story is not yet over and amidst all the trials that come our way, life is like a sea of endless possibilities.  With fortitude, let us pursue life!