Showing posts with label contentment. Show all posts

Dasal ng Mga Kuntentong   Tao

Ni   Apolinario   Villalobos

Lord, salamat sa lahat na ibinigay mong biyaya.

Ok na sa amin kung araw-araw,  ulam namin ay  tuyo

Naawa nga kami sa  ibang walang laman ang kaldero.

Ok na sa amin  kahit ang sinasaing ay NFA rice

Naawa nga kami  sa ibang araw-araw,  pagkai’y “memo-rice”.

Ok na sa amin ang sardinas, ginisa sa maraming miswa’t sibuyas

Naawa nga kami sa ibang araw-araw, gutom ang dinaranas.

Ok na sa amin, dinurog na kaning tutong na pinalambot

Naawa nga kami sa iba, sa sobrang gutom, noo’y napapakunot.

Ok na sa amin, pamatid -uhaw na tubig kahit walang yelo

Naawa nga kami sa ibang walang mainom,   nakatingin sa inudoro.

Ok na sa amin,  manipis na banig sa malamig na semento

Naawa nga kami sa  ibang animo’y  basang  sisiw sa ulan at bagyo.

Ok na sa amin,  celfon na luma kaya’t memory card ay wala

Naawa nga kami sa iba, maski lumang PLDT fone, di pa nakakita.

Ok na sa amin,  sapatos walang sintas, napulot sa tambakan

Naawa nga kami sa ibang walang saplot sa paa, kaya epot, naaapakan.

 Ok na sa amin damit na pinaglumaan, kahit ba galing pa sa ukayan

Naawa nga kami sa iba, suot na t-shirt ay gulanit, animo galing sa digmaan.

Ok na sa amin maglakad paminsan-minsan, sa dyip walang pamasahe

Naawa nga kami sa iba, araw-araw na lang,  nagha-hiking sa kalye.

Ok na sa amin maski walang tv,  radio na lang, basta makarinig ng balita

Naawa nga kami sa iba,  sa kawalan nakangiti, dahil walang silbi ang mga tenga.

 Ok na sa  aming makinood ng nakadispley na tv sa mall at mga tindahan  nito

Naawa nga kami sa iba, pakapa-kapa kung kumilos, walang maaninag sa mundo.

Ok na sa amin,  kulang ang bakod sa  bunganga, maraming nalagas na ngipin

Naawa nga kami sa iba, may kanser sa lalamunan, hindi makakain.

Ok na sa amin asawang bungangera, animo machine gun, boses sa umaga

Naawa  nga kami sa iba,  asawa’y walang alam iluto, nilagang itlog,sunog  pa.

Ok na sa amin,  asawang lasenggo ay sugarol pa, kung minsan may chicks  pa

Naawa nga kami sa iba, inuuwian lamang upang deposituhan ng semelya.

Lord, salamat uli sa  mga biyayang bigay  Mo

At sa  paminsan-minsang  pitik upang kami ay magising

Sa katotohanang, para sa Iyo kami ay pantay-pantay

Kaya walang dahilan para mag-astang aso’t pusang nag-aaway!

Yong ibang blessings, okey lang na sa iba Mo ibigay, Lord…

Amen!

Ang Pagkaroon ng Kasiyahan at Matiwasay na Buhay

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Simula pa lamang nang iluwal ang tao bilang sanggol sa mundo, may hirap nang kasama – hirap ng ina na halos mapugto ang hininga sa pag-ere, at kung na-caesarian man, may sakit pa ring nadama pagkalipas ng epekto ng pampamanhid na itinurok sa kanya. Kakambal ng tao ang pahirap na lalong umiigting habang lumalaki siya at tumatahak sa iba’t ibang landas ng buhay.

Karamihan sa mga mayayaman ay panlabas lamang ang pinapakitang ginhawa at pagkakuntento sa buhay dahil hindi rin sila ligtas mula sa mga problema at takot, lalo na sa agam-agam na baka mawala ang kanilang yaman. Ang takot na ito ay isang pagsubok na malalampasan lamang kung isaisip ng isang mayaman na handa siyang mawalan ng yaman at humarap sa panibagong buhay. Ang panibagong buhay ay kabaligtaran ng nadanasang balot ng karangyaan, subalit dahil bago sa kanya, ito ay magdudulot ng kasiyahan.

Ang  mahihirap naman ay nagsisikap upang makamit ang ginhawang dulot ng karangyaan. Ang mga pagsubok na dinadanas nila ay mga paghahanda upang hindi sila mabigla pagdating ng panahong nakamit na nila ang inaasam. Para sa mga bigyang yumaman, may kasabihang “halos dapaan nila ang salapi” at hindi nila alam ang gagawin, kaya kadalasan, nawawaldas ito nang wala sa panahon. Natanim naman sa isip ng mga naghirap ang halaga ng bawat sentimong kanilang pinaghirapan at ang panahon na kanilang ginugol upang makamit nila ang ginhawa, kaya ang pera ay kanilang nirerespeto, hindi sinasamba.

May mga taong nagsasabi na malas sila dahil kahit anong gawin nila ay hindi sila yumayaman. Diyan naman sila nagkamali dahil hindi lamang pera ang maituturing na “yaman”, kundi pati na rin mga leksiyon ng buhay na natutuhan at lalo na ang naipundar na pamilya at tahanan. Ang batayan ng matiwasay na buhay ay hindi lamang dami ng salapi, kundi halakhak ng mga malulusog na anak at init ng pagmamahal sa isa’t isa. Sa mga walang pamilya, ang kasiyahan ay natatamo kapag nakatulong sa iba sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang paraan, hindi lang pera.

Kaya naman, bilang panghuli kong masasabi:

Mas masaya ang pagsasalu-salo

kahit sa malamig na kaning tutong at tuyộ

kung puno ng pagmamahalan ang mga nagsusubộ,

kaysa naman sa nakalatag na marangyang pagkain -

kung may kasabay na bangayan ang mga pagsubộ!

Contentment in Life

By Apolinario Villalobos

Even what is good becomes bad when it is excessive. Food is good but could give us dyspepsia when we have taken much more than what our guts can take. Medicine when taken in overdose can be fatal. Even being overly religious can give us imbalance in sanity, making us believe that we have already become another God, even another Jesus.

Moderation is necessary. To be healthy, we must watch out for the calories of the food that we eat. We must read the direction on every label of medicine that we take, and follow the doctor’s prescription. We should not even oversleep even if this ultimate rest is necessary for the regeneration of some cells in our body. Even too much love to the point of being too passionate can tip the balance of our emotional lucidity and could be fatal.

To be reasonably moderate, it is necessary that we control our desire. To do these, we should let our mind prevail over our excessive emotion that is expressed in embarrassing actions that we fail to notice, putting us in unlikely situations most often. We become hysterical and unreasonable. All we know is that we have to let out what we feel. A typical manifestation of such this kind of uncontrolled emotion can be observed in concerts of bands where fans shout and gesticulate to show their “love” to their performing idols. Also, in confrontations, during which we let our pride prevail over reason.

During break ups of engaged couples or  married ones, some of those who are greatly affected and could not just accept the unfortunate reality either cry their heart out, indulge in food trip binges, drown their sorrow in shots of alcoholic beverage, commit suicide, or kill their partner who brought them such pain.  Blame too much love! The same thing happens when a dear love dies. Some of those who are left behind and who could not accept the departure, lose control of their senses even for years, forgetting that they still have other loved ones to be cared for.

For us to be reasonably moderate, we should accept the reality that every thing in ourselves and in this world has limitations. For the physical limitations, no two persons are exactly of the same make up, not even twins. One could perhaps take 3 cups of coffee and not feel dizzy, but another may be good for just 1 cup. One may comfortably gobble up 5 cups of rice, but another is comfortable with just 2 cups. One may consume one whole cake with a smile, but another one could be running to the toilet after finishing 3 slices of the sweet confection. All limitations are part of God’s design when He created the universe and every thing in it including us. That is why there is harmony.

Every thing has its use for the sake of harmony. Some of the creations that may be harmful to us people, are useful to other creatures. In a coral colony for instance, some of the corals are poisonous to humans but provide protection to small fishes. Animals in the jungle that we find dangerous such as lions and tigers are there to help check the overpopulation of their kind by making use of some of the wild creatures as food. As for the criminals that roam the dark streets, they become such to represent what is bad, to open the minds of others, hence, not emulate their acts. But these criminals have the chance to change their ways, that is why, man put up the correctional institutions.

Among God’s creatures, only man has the discipline because of his intelligence. As God’s design, this discipline is supposed to check his acts, tell him what is good and what is bad as his rational attribute is activated. That is why the head which encases the brains is on top of his body while the emotional heart is way down below but above the guts.

Discipline cannot be had if there is no contentment, the hidden force in ourselves that could spell harmonious life.

There are many things that we should be contented about. One is achievement in life. Some are not happy despite their having earned a degree. They still aspire to earn a master’s degree or a doctorate. But because of financial incapacity, this is impossible. This results to grumblings and self-pity. Some are not happy despite their having a loving wife and healthy children. They want more just like their neighbors who have cars and who go on regular out-of-the country vacations. But this is not possible because their salaries are just enough for the rent, food and education of the children. Some are not happy despite their having successfully guided their children to raise families of their own. At an advanced age, they still grumble.

For the blessings that God gave us, we must be thankful. If these blessings prosper, we should share them with others without expecting any payback. We must feel contented for these blessings, not ask for more because there are many out there who are waiting to be blessed, too. For anything that we do for the good of the community, we must do our best. By doing our best as street sweepers we are doing an important role for the cleanliness of our community. By doing our best as tricycle drivers, hence, careful in bringing our passengers to their desired destinations, we are ensuring safety on the street. By doing our job as cooks in restaurants, we satisfy our customers and make them happy. The execution of our role to the best we can is a manifestation of contentment.

The desire for more than what God gave us transforms us into demonic creatures. Those who desire for more money at all cost commit robbery and in case they work in the government, become corrupt. Those who desire for more power make use of bribery as a means. Those who desire for more honors and adulation, commit plagiarism. Those who desire for more aesthetic appearance than others ruin their body with excessive cosmetic surgeries and drugs.

Each role in life is a blessing from God. We should be contented with what we are, what we have and what we can do best for others. We should free our minds from the “should have been” qualms. What achievements others have but we failed to earn should not make us unhappy. Instead, we should be happy for them. We should learn how to be happy for others. There are reasons for every thing that happens in our life. Instead of asking God “why” every time we stumble on trials, we should be mumbling “ thank you, Lord!”. God will not let us face trials that we cannot overcome. He knows our limitations. We must remove the “self” from our mind and change it with His light so that we are assured of clarity in our decisions and actions as we live day by day. We should never let envy and pride hold us back. We should let the force of contentment push us on!