#SweetEscape: My kind of week

Last week was so stressful. For every student especially us from College of Divine Wisdom, it was the “Hell-Week, Testing-Week or Cram-Week.”It was a  5-day packed with bunch of paper works, memorization of lessons and beating the deadlines. “Research dito, aral doon. Lakad dito, review doon.” 

But despite of stress in school because of exams, projects and home works last week. Still, there are a lot of reasons to be happy. There are a lot of things to be cherished that can relief you stress and lift up your spirit.

• One of those things was when we attended a barrio-fiesta in Palanyag Brgy. San Dionisio, Parañaque City. It was a great experience (not just because of delicious foods), but because we met Mr. Edwin Olivarez, the current Mayor of Parañaque City. We didn’t expect that we will meet him in there. He is a great, kind and approachable man in person. (PS this is not a endorsement, etc.) Also, we have witnessed the “Bayanihan” (a Filipino custom derived from a Filipino word “bayan”, which means nation, town or community. The term bayanihan itself literally means “being in a bayan”, which refers to the spirit of communal unity) in their community. We are all got amazed for the “Bayanihan” culture were still existing and being followed in that kind of urbanized zone.

• Another great experience that happened last week was when we attended the 32nd El Shaddai Anniversary. It was a annual overnight celebration filled with faith, love and unity to all the prayer partners out there. I was with my college mates on that day. Each one of us were blessed on that day. It was also the very first time when a film will be premiered in Amvel City. The film were directed by Dir. Carlo J. Caparas and entitled, “Miracles are Forever.” It was a film that talks about the true to life stories of El Shaddai prayer partners on how mysterious the God’s miracles ways is. Even though on that day were so cold because of heavy rainfall, we still pushed ourselves to attend on the event. At that night, we learned a lot of things especially on how to be a good and responsible Christian, how faith works and how to be be a great son of God. That day also drifted away my stress and lifted up our hearts to face again the struggles in our life.

Dreams do come true, ika nga.

Isang istorya ang aking natunghayan na naka-antig ng aking atensyon at nagbigay inspirasyon sa akin patungkol sa pagkamit ng mga pangarap.

Siya si ate Kath o Katherine Ortaliza-Videna. Lumaki sa isang masaya at payak na pamilya sa siyudad ng Makati. Tulad ng tipikal na anak, ate, at babae, siya ay isang matatag at matayog ang pangarap  sa buhay na tao. Sila ay nanirahan lamang sa hindi kalakihang tahanan, ngunit punung-puno ng pag-aaruga, pagmamahalan sa isa’t-isa.

Bawat isa sa ating mga nangangarap ay nagsisimula sa pinaka-ibaba at minsa’y kailangan mong kumayod, umiyak, mapagod, madapa at masugatan bago makarating sa itaas. “Noon, pangarap kong maging Engineer, matulungan sila Mama’t Papa at mag-travel around the Philippines at sa abroad.” pahayag ni ate Kath. Madaming pagsubok ang dadaanan. Maraming kanto ang lilikuan. Maraming bagay ang iyong haharapin upang makarating sa iyong paroroonan. Pero ang lahat ng pighating ito ay wala kumpara sa kasiyahang dulot ng pagka-asam ng iyong mga pangarap, ang iyong mga tagumpay.

“Ngayon, dahil sa pagsisikap, naabot ko na ang aking mga pangarap. Ngayon, isa na akong ganap na Computer Engineer and especially nakakapag-travel na ako sa mga lugar kung saan ko gusto puntahan.” wika niya.

Aniya, “Marami rin akong pinagdaanan bago ako makarating sa kung nasaan man ako ngayon. Halimbawa na lamang ay noong ako nag-aaral ng Engineering sa Rizal Technological University. Dumating sa point na gusto ko nalang tumigil dahil sa mga failures ko, pero hindi ako nagpadala doon. Ginamit ko ang mga failures na iyon at mas pinagbutihan ko pa. Tiwala lang at faith kay Lord!” 

Ilan sa mga popular na lugar na kaniyang napuntahan ay ang: Hundred Islands sa Pangasinan, Pearl Farm Resort sa Davao, Puerto Princesa Underground River, Laoag Sand Dunes, Jeju Island sa South Korea, Seoul sa South Korea.

Lahat ng tao dito sa mundo ay may pangarap. Pangarap na nagbibigay direksiyon sa bawat isa sa atin. Ngunit ito ay hindi madaling makamtan, kailangan mo itong paghirapan. Minsan pa nga’y ito ang susubok sa iyong katatagan upang harapin ang mga balakid sa ating buhay. Pero walang imposible sa taong pursigido at may pananalig sa Diyos upang maabot ang kaniyang mga pangarap. DREAMS DO COME TRUE, ika nga.