Lesson from the Hedgehogs

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold.

The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

Comments

What people are reading...

New Year Resolutions

Another year is over. Before the hands of time struck the final minute of 2012, we all had a clear vision of what we wanted for our 2013 -- the so called "New Year Resolutions". Some made a promise to live healthier e.g. lose weight, stop smoking, etc. Others have more abstract resolutions like, "will be happier", "will smile more", "will be more sensitive", etc. And there are others like me with a very simple resolution, go on a "no rice diet". In the business lingo, this goal makes a lot of sense because it is SMART (S=specific, M=measurable, A=attainable, R=relevant and T=timely). There is no way this cannot succeed as it makes for a perfect goal. However, there was a big flaw in the plan -- as the clock struck twelve, I had my right hand flexing its muscles with a spoonful of rice. Need I say more? To make long story short, I was doomed to fail from the get go. And so I welcomed 2013 with a broken promise.

Notes from a Student of Life

From one student of life to another, I share my notes on what I have learned so far in my journey. I have learned that... Life always begins with a cry so don't expect to get through life without one (or more... okay, fine! many!). Cry your heart out when you need to. But when the tears dry up, you better be ready to roll again cause life will not let up. Just because I am strong enough to handle pain doesn't mean I deserve it. Just because life makes you feel pain even when you don't deserve it doesn't mean life is shit. Life is like a movie and we all are the writers, the directors and the actors of our own movie. The kind of movie you want to be remembered by is really all up to you. Heaven and hell do exist - right here, right now. You are free to choose where you want to be. Missing a lot does not mean you failed to live a full life. We can't experience them all and we can't have them all. A full life is a life fill...

Desiderata

The word "desiderata" is the plural form of the word "desideratum", a Latin word which literally means "something desired". I came accross this beautiful work as a teenager and it has greatly influenced and shaped how I see the world. *** DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann, 1927 Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession...

Saint Valentine's Day

It is the time of the roses and the chocolates once again. It is the "season of love"; that one day in every year, where all lovers and friends go coucou finding gifts for their "Valentine". It is also the time where the flower, chocolate and teddy bear merchants as well as hotels and motels owners and operators are on full grin! It is the time where the prices of commodities associated with "love" go sky-high. What really is this phenomenon that is Valentine's Day? Read on...

What Really Matters in Life?

Mexican Fisherman Meets Harvard MBA A vacationing American businessman standing on the pier of a quaint coastal fishing village in southern Mexico watched as a small boat with just one young Mexican fisherman pulled into the dock. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. Enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon sun, the American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish. "How long did it take you to catch them?" the American casually asked. "Oh, a few hours," the Mexican fisherman replied. "Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" the American businessman then asked. The Mexican warmly replied, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs." The businessman then became serious, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" Responding with a smile, the Mexican fisherman answered, "I sleep late, play with my children, watch ballgames, and take sies...

Doomsday

Over the past years, people seem to have been obsessed with doomsday and the fashion on how it will unfold. The past 5 failed doomsday predictions alone happened in 2012. There was the Ronald Weinland's claim of the return of Jesus Christ to the world in 27 May, 2012. There is the Jose Luis de Jesus prediction of an economic meltdown that would end the world in 30 June, 2012. Then the famous December 21, 2012 prediction of a Mayan apocalypse at the start of the 13th b'ak'tun. A couple of says after that is a prediction by Warren Jeffs, a leader of a prominent church convicted of two counts of felony for child sexual assault, that the end of the world would come on 23 December, 2012. When this date passed, he again predicted the end to come on the 31st of the same month, which by the way also failed. Some have made a lot of predictions and many have failed. Over the course of human history, there have been at least 180 recorded doomsday predic...

Are you too strong for your own good?

I came across a gem of an article on Gulf News Aquarius magazine ( click here to read the article ) and decided to share it here and inject a few of my own thoughts on the subject. I have always been fascinated by strong women, those who have changed the course of history and made the world that is today. There are Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth, Anne Frank, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Mother Theresa to name a few. And of course, to each and every one of us, who would forget the strongest woman of all that we know – our mothers.

#WeArePhilippines

Recently, we have seen a lot of political disorder in the Philippines that has literally divided, and continue to divide, our nation. Majority of the government officials, who the Filipino people have chosen to represent their best interests, have misused the trust and the authority that the people have given them to further their individual (and that of their party’s) political interest. This observation is not only directed at one person or one political party. Parties and individuals have been hell-bent on criticizing anyone who sits on the other side of the fence. Privilege speeches and press conferences, under the guise of “at the interest of the Filipino people” have been used to either discredit another official or to defend a “personal attack” directed at them by a member of the opposition. This has fueled the nation’s divide and has distracted the Filipino people’s sight away from the positive things that currently unfolds right in front of us. O...

How the Poor Live

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?” “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked. “Oh yeah,” said the son. “So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard, and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on, and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have wall...

The Standpoint

Search This Blog