#10 Unexpectedly

Tuesday afternoon. Seventh of February.

The weather was fine when I went to downtown The weather that time was humid and hot. After visiting the main office of Mindanao Travel Channel, the sky turned orange as the clouds as it reflected the golden rays of the setting sun. The moon was also beautiful as it rose from the eastern horizon. The sky was truly stunning.

At around 9PM, rain started to pour down. The wind got stronger and the clap of thunder was truly deafening (and intimidating). It rained for almost two hours. Little by little, my Facebook news feed and Twitter timeline got filled with reports of flooding within downtown Davao. Rivers started to rise at an alarming rate. People got stranded along the way and cars broke down in the middle of the storm. The flood didn't reach our house, fortunately, except for our front and back yard.

These freak storms are freaking me out. This is just one of the effects of being negligent to our environment. I do hope that the local government would fix this predicament. 

#9 Reach For the Sky

Whenever I dream about accomplishing something, I always try to reach for the sky, but not to the point that I would end up disappointed. I just know my capacity and limitations.

We just have to put this in our mind always that when we dream, it has to be big. Dreaming is free, so why limit our ambition if we can dream bigger, right?

To dream the impossible dream.

#8 Life Is Short

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

- Mitch Albom

#7 The Two Of Us

I am not scared of never meeting you.

I am scared of having met you, and let you go.

#6 Just Keep Holding On

If you think you cannot do it, think again.

Look around you. 

Someone out there has predicaments bigger than yours. Still, they try to live life to the fullest. Do not ever think that you are weak and helpless. Everything is possible only if you believe in yourself.

When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.

#5 Open Your Eyes

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eyes.

We always think that material things would make our life complete. There's this unnecessary need of buying new things in order to satisfy our selfish needs. Somehow, we fail to realize that material things just come and go. We may possess them for quite some time, but whether we like it or not, it won't last forever.

Look around you. Your family and true friends are always there for you, through thick and thin. Love, friendship, loyalty and trust are the most important in human emotions and virtues. Through these, we learn to value the real meaning of life.

The prince encounters the fox; and at the close of the chapter, the fox, in saying goodbye to the prince says: 

"'Goodbye,' said the fox. 'And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.' 

'What is essential is invisible to the eye,' the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember. 

'It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.'  

'It is the time I have wasted for my rose--' said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.  

'Men have forgotten this truth,' said the fox. 'But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . .'  

'I am responsible for my rose,' the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.'" 

#4 Live Life to the Fullest

Sometimes, life sucks. 

But despite the predicaments that we experience every day, let us pause for a while and take a look at our surroundings. There's your dad, still busy writing and computing the financial reports of the company he's working for. There's your mom, still busy on ironing the clothes but still has the time to cook for dinner. Then there's your baby sister, ready to face the challenges of life.

In this fast-paced world, we often fail to take time and appreciate little things around us.

Thank your family for giving you a good life. Thank your true friends who were always there for you.

And finally, thank God for giving you an opportunity to experience the most valuable gift, the Gift of Life.