Savored coffee

I was agog at the arrival of summer and expectantly enjoy the heat while at outdoor happenings. To my dismay, the supposedly dry and sunny summer turns strange. In most days a heavy rain pours at any moment with the usual frightening thunder which gives me the feeling of being like home.

Remembering the rainy season, when heavy rain or typhoon hits our place and all works or school cancelled, all I have to do is pretty sleep all hours long. Neither makes a hot drink and sits with feet held high as I watched the endless raindrop.

In the village where my grandparents used to stay, wet or dry season, humid or chilly, you are mostly ended up taking (brewed, no instant) coffee. No ice cold drinks or beverages. My stayed there during visits long years ago give me a thought which now I know it’s merely wrong. I was miss lead by the conclusion; maybe they drink coffee every now and then because it is the very least thing to do. That brings smile to the kiddy reasoning I was before without knowing how efficient and helpful to them coffee was.

While embracing the early chill of winter or may it be an after shock of that recently horrible winter and as we’re being amazed by the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening performance with lot sips of tea, I am being captivated with the message of this eye-opener short story of savory coffee.

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A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a coffee in hand, the professor said: “Notice that all of the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, which is the source of your problems that causes stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and then you began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee, your job, money, and positions in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life.

The type of cup one has does not define, nor change the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

God makes the coffee, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
(Taliba)

GANAP KA NGA BANG MALAYA?

Mahigit isang siglo na ang lumipas

Mula kay Lapu-lapu, Dr. Jose Rizal, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Andres Bonifacio at iba pa ang nagbuhos ng ubod lakas at buhay

Upang matamo mo ang kalayaan mula sa mapanupil na mga dayuhan

At ika’y naging isang bansang soberanya.

Ngayon sa pagsapit ng iyong ika-110 taong KALAYAAN,

Ikaw nga ba’y ganap na MALAYA?

Patindi ang KAHIRAPAN, SAKIT AT GUTOM ang nararanasan ng mga nakakarami

At ito’y dulot ng KATIWALIAN.

Mga mamamayan naging marunong mandaya kasi ang politiko at serbisyo sa gobyerno ay nangunguna sa kalokohan, lagayan at kamangmangan sa katungkulan.

Na para bang ika’y umiiral lang sa ”KUNG WALANG KATIWALIAN ay WALANG PAMAHALAAN”.

Lumalabas na ang bagong manunupil at matindi mong kalaban ay ang iyong mamamayan.

Mula sa isa, sa kapwa Filipino, ang militar, mga politiko sa gobyerno, mga bulaang relihiyoso at mga sakim sa negosyo.

Pero mula sa malulupit na kamay ng mga Kastila at sa madugong pakikipaglaban sa mga Kano at Hapones sa huli nakamit mo ang tagumpay.

Sa mga nagtangkang ika’y angkinin o gawing alipin ipinakita mo ang iyong katatagan na ika’y hindi mabubuwang.

Ngayon samahan mo ulit kaming tahakin ang PAGBABAGO sa SARILI at ISIPAN upang sumagana at magkaroon ng tunay na KAPAYAPAAN at asenso.

Imulat mo sa amin na ika’y hindi naging makasarili at mapanupil sa kapwa.

Na ika’y naging Malaya mula sa pakikibaka dahil sa pagtutulungan, pagmamalasakit at pagmamahalan sa isa’t isa.

Na ikaw ay karapat dapat maging MALAYA

-sa paghahayag, pananampalataya, pangangailangan at kalayaan mula sa takot.

Maligayang ika-110 taong pagdiriwang ng KALAYAAN mo Bayang mahal!

Mabuhay ka Pilipinas!