To be cunning yet innocent At first thought, being cunning connotes using one’s mind for evil and being innocent for being good. But is it bad to be cunning? It is important for the player to know the game and its loopholes, not necessarily for nefarious ends but for self-protection. The calling is not be […]
To be organized is to be peaceful Peace is something that is very easy to take for granted. It is not a spectacle; yet, it is a prerequisite for a person or a group to dream and manifest these dreams. Peace, when we do not pay attention to it, is something that can be conflated […]
How do we find ourselves when we feel lost? Our challenge is that “feeling lost” is somewhat relative or hard to pinpoint. To ease this feeling, we have to learn to talk with ourselves (sounds crazy!) as well as dialogue with others (not easy!). It is an iterative and not straightforward. In a sense, when […]
Witnessing “meraki” – soul in one’s work It is grading period this week, and this is the time when my colleagues and I rant about heartbreak stories of students not passing requirements on time or in a way that satisfies quality standards. But there are also times when students transcend being students – they become […]
How does faith save us? Aside from the supernatural, how does faith save us? I can only speak from personal context. And in a way, faith allows me to be “sane”; for without it, everything can feel meaningless and pointless. Some may define faith as believing without evidence, but for me, faith has actually encouraged […]
Towards “enmissioning” It is relatively easy to imagine, to envision a desired future or state of ourselves, our organization, or even society. We have an idea of “what could be”. However, it is harder to “enmission”, to put to life and action how our strengths and talents can serve others. To dedicate ourselves to “what […]
To fast is to slow down and be self-aware Such a nice play of words: to fast means to slow down. Pay attention. Be more self-aware. Are the sensations we feel really hunger, or is it just thirst? Is the craving a need or a want? Is it nourishment or indulgence? Maybe fasting reminds us […]
Towards a more reasonable kind of mercy Practically, the problem with letting mercy be the default is that non-repentant wrongdoers may abuse the kindness of the merciful. However, we can draw inspiration from how mercy is always presented with justice; as if they are two sides of the same coin. The rational mind is to […]
How do we forgive ourselves? Oftentimes, our worst critic is ourselves. And in our bid to be better, we sometimes notice all the little wrongs and sins that we commit regardless of how others perceive us. I’d like to relate my reflection to the topic of self-realization, which was discussed in the critical realism online […]
Foundations need not be perfect, but predisposed to excellence The mortal enemy of the overthinker and a perfectionist is not starting at all. In a way, the choice of Jesus to build His Church with St. Peter as the rock can provide insights on how we should view excellence and perfection. Overthinking perfection can paralyze […]