MOMENTS and MEMORIES

     Life is a collection of moments as time turns it into memories.

     It's hard for us to remember the exact dates of our life events... because it's the moment that we truly remember.  Moments are compiled by the heart while the brain filters it and then archive it as memories. 

Shared moments with a loved one... will always be remembered by the heart even the mind begins to forget as it gets old with time. On this sense, moments taught me to treasure them as I enjoy their company... while imprinted memories in my head made me value it even more. It made me realize to never be ashamed or be afraid of showing how I love my family and friends while they're still here with me. Happy and unexpected moments are the ones that can wow us in the future when we suddenly think about it while leaving a slight glowing smile on our faces.

     Create priceless moments because they are the ones that give everlasting memories :)

Photo by: Sukito San

FATHER and SON

    You'll know that you're a good father... if your son looks up to you as his first and original hero.

     One of my unforgettable moment with my father is when we both lend a helping hand in making a coffee table out of old and scrap wood. We don't really get along with each other that much before but a bonding that took place over this coffee table bridge the gap somehow as we enjoy each others company in one activity. It's like we finally meet at one point without any walls that divides us. 
      Any son can be a father soon... and any father were once a son. So, he will surely understand what his young man feels and have been going through. Likewise, the son will soon realize his father's actions because he too, will fill up that shoes one day when the time is right.    

     By the way, the coffee table on the picture is what my father and I have completely done... and I'm proud of it!

Photo by: Sukito San

RAIN and RESURRECTION

     Rain taught me HOPE in every DOWNFALL. It's like heaven's tears that falls on the ground, then the Earth absorbs it... and gives life to all the living things above it.   

     I love bathing under the pouring rain... most especially when I was a kid. In fact, I still kinda do it sometimes until now that I'm no longer in my childhood years. I think, rain gives us different feelings and emotions depending on the mood, experiences and memories that we've had with it. It might be a shallow topic to talk about. But, it brings back a lot of memories in me. Some are bad... yet most of them are good. Actually, one's childhood is never complete without the experience of playing under the rain. It just makes me feel carefree for a while and unload life's burden. It's like you are being resurrected from dry spell's sweat and dust. 
     Rain cleanse my mind and adds up a pinch of sensuality and freedom as it drops on my skin. As for me, it's God's love and gratitude towards mankind... simple yet the best :)

   

Photo by: Jonelyn Santiago

DESTINY and DECISION

     We are the maker of our own path... and it's that one big decision of a lifetime which can change our lives forever.

     We normally ask for a sign when we are facing a moment of making big decisions. Some relies their future with what the stars hold for them. But actually, we are the ones who has the final say of what we wanted to do with our lives. We decide on something because we want change and we want to make our dreams happen. We decide because we want things to go on our way... which simply means that we are the one who has the power to shape of what our destiny holds for us. It's what we do today that will dictate of what lies ahead for tomorrow. It's never wrong to ask for Divine providence to provide us wisdom in any decision we make because it encourages us more to pursue for we have something to believe and to hold on to.

     Actually, deep within... we know what we want. We're just busy making alibis because we doubt and not fully trusting ourselves...

Photo by: Sukito San

RISKING and TRYING

     You'll never know unless you try...

     Life is a learning process and sometimes you have to take a risk for you to have the answers on what you've been looking for. Others are playing safe because of lack of courage to find out on what lies beyond. But who knows!... unless you give it a shot. It maybe a wrong choice when you get there but at least you've learned. You may succeed as well and reap the fruit of your brave act of risking and trying. After all, trying is never ending if we are eager to accomplish something. It's fine to be contented and be happy for what's enough for us. But greener pastures are not for free. Yet, it needs a little encouragement from ourselves to fuel our inner drive in life. "Victory comes to those who patiently wait", as they say, but it will be sweeter if you work hard for it.

     I remember what my mother always tell me that there's NO HARM IN TRYING. We just have to keep on going :)

Photo by: Sukito San

REST and REJUVENATE

     A good rest that keeps you rejuvenated is priceless.

     It's good to be busy and productive all the time. But, a good sleep and rest  at the end of the day is the best gift you can give yourself. If stress is already getting in your nerves and you start to lose your focus and concentration in anything you do, it only signifies one thing... just stop, keep calm and rest for a while. Your mind and body is your own engine, and if overused... might cause malfunction and will get something in return which isn't good when you reach your old age.

     So, aside from a healthy lifestyle... reward yourself with rest and be recharged for the next day:)

Photo by: Sukito San

BLOOD and FAMILY

     A true family always look out on each other and willing to give a hand to the one with a broken arm...

   Our personality, beliefs and upbringing is shaped first at home and with the family we are living with. I feel thankful and lucky that I grew up with a complete family... not so rich but happy and always ready to back you up in tough situations... in good times and in down times. We were taught by our parents to lift up each other and lend a helping hand to anyone in the family who need it the most in desperate times. A fight or quarrel sometimes is normal in a relationship but true blood always prevails in difficult moments. Others find their families in another home, in friends, in people who's always there beside them during their darkest hours... and I can't blame them. Maybe, family isn't really all about blood relations after all. I believe that family is about deep relationship between people who never pull each other down but with genuine intention of affection and care. Someone who will provide comfort when there is distress. Someone who will celebrate with you on your triumph and even on your simple accomplishments.

     Other people will come and go in our lives... but, our FAMILY will always be there by our side... no matter what.

Photo by: Sukito San

HOBBY and THERAPY

     Do what you love doing most and it will lead you to the right path!

     There were times when I'm down and tired from work and school and just wanted to divert myself and my mind away from the busy world. Doing my hobby which reminds me how to be focus on one thing while being productive and creative at the same time is my own dose of therapy against stress. In my case, I'll always end up with my first love... and that's drawing. Currently, I don't only sketch or draw on paper. But on a much bigger canvas and that's our "wall". Anyway, whatever you're hobby and passion is... just go for it. You'll never go wrong for it will always be worth of spending time with.

     By the way, the picture on this post with the bamboo wall mural is a sample of my humble masterpiece :)

Photo by: Sukito San

ON FINDING LOVE written by: Sukito

"Love will find its way even to the loneliest person on the planet, all you have to do is to open up your heart where love can perform its magic."
Every time I pass in front of this house just around the neighborhood, I always see this two old couple, around 80 years old or above, sitting beside each other on their house balcony while talking as they were looking from beyond. Well, it seems to me, though I can't hear what they're talking about, that they're still building their dreams together with their sweet touches on each others hand. Reminds me of this one song, "Growing Old With You", from the movie, "The Wedding Singer".
Actually, I'm not going to talk about love story and romantic moments here. I just have figured out how lucky are those who found their lifetime partners whose going to be with them for the rest of their lives here on Earth. Questions started to bother my mind then. How about those who have remained single despite their old age. Eventhough I believe that being single is a matter of choice, I still ponder if it doesn't bother them that no one's gonna take care of them when they got old. What if someone or anyone who reads this right now will never find his or her soulmate? It's just a sad thought for me that anyone can die in bed alone with no one else on his or her side.
Love will always be in the air especially every Valentines day. And this day will remind the heart broken and the lonesome that they need someone beside them. Or maybe they'll try to convince themselves that it's alright to be single. But still, it's quite an undeniable fact that there's something missing that needs to be filled up by someone or by love itself.
Anyway, everything we do in life is our own choice and what we decide is what we become. If we wanted to be with someone else or somebody... it is with our free will and eager effort to make it happen. Finding love sometimes is hard, but acceptance and patience will make it light.
This are just my thoughts and reflections about the complicated world of love, searching for it, having it and letting go of it, with the pain and sweetness it brings. This is real life and we are not living in fairy tales. But who knows?

A SCRIPTED LIFE? written by: Sukito

"Wherever LIFE will take you, LEARN from it!"
A pregnant woman gave birth to a child after nine months. A child grows. Baptismal, first birthday, second birthday, third birthday, and so on... as time passed by. The child goes to school, nursery, primary, up to secondary years. Making friends along the way. Attraction grows and first crush gets in the way. Falling in love. Then relationship follows... breaking up, ending it, moving on, and making a new one that you can call your special someone, or fighting for that person who made you feel how first love blooms. Going to college. Pursuing to finish your studies while getting a degree. Some gets another degree if they're wealthy enough or just love learning over and over again because it adds up to your title, your additional credential in your biodata. Others find a job after graduating to college. One course is enough especially if you have to work for your family. To give your parents a comfortable life. You can also regard it as paying it back forward to your mother and father for bringing you up the way you were right now. Others find a good and stable job that can provide even for building a new family. Others don't and just keeps on being a contractual, renewing contracts, and finding a new job for the nth time. While some... unemployed and jobless.
Unfortunately, some got lost along the way. Where road is tough and life is bitter. There are many who walks on this world and just taking their last breath who doesn't even know how it feels like to go into school, to even write a name or just read a simple letter... yet learns how to count even the simplest addition and subtraction. Some falls into vices, drug addiction, alcoholism, sex addiction, severe depression, big amount of debts, alone... with nothing on the pocket and with no one to lean on. Those who can't cope up of losing a loved one, who can't let go of fading memories, of torturing traumas that's digging up beneath their brain. Many who fails in life just quit and accepts the failure while others unfortunately loses their sanity and builds a fantasy of their own. Far from all life's troubles and problems... far from reality. But there were those who don't walk away from the game of life where everything for them is a challenge... where hardships strengthens them and burns the fire in their heart. Giving them the adrenaline rush that drives them to continue moving forward. To fight brave and square... and succeeding in the end where life is sweet and unpredictable.
Wedding bells ring and settling down is an option. A lifetime status of being "single" for the others, keeps on searching desperately. Looking for that someone who holds the other half of their heart. Others manages of being alone. They say they were happy and it's their choice. Isn't it? Those who got a divine calling and follow their vocation of being a priest, a nun, or a monk maybe.
For me, life is still a mystery yet a scripted one. Only that we are the one who chooses our own scripts and roles to act. We do not know what it holds for us. Maybe life is just one percent destiny and the rest is what we make it... of what we wanted to be. Life is like a cycle... we live in routines of doing everything within sunrise and sunset, of growing up and growing old, from a single cell into a dust of the Earth. I think, we should seize the day! Make the best out of ourselves in everything we do. Learning a lesson in life's bitterness and rejoicing with gratitude in life's sweetness. One's life victory is not measured by how one successfully lives but by how one rose up in every fall. Sounds cliche but true.
After wedding bells and honeymoons, one will become a mother and will give birth. A new child will be born. And the cycle goes on and on...