May 18, 2020

It is supposedly the last 2 weeks of our community quarantine. We have now transitioned from Enhanced Community Quarantine to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine. To make things simple, in "modified" version some businesses can already operate but public transportation is still not available and going out of our homes is still discouraged unless we are buying essentials or going to work for the businesses that are already allowed to operate.

At this time of the year, we should have been enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Families should be gathering and planning their own annual swimming - this is usually a Filipino thing. Well not for all but for most.

I miss going out.

I miss planning for my vacation.

I miss the beach.

I miss my friends and officemates.

I miss my other half.

I miss planning for my birthday.

I miss all the simplest things we tend to neglect before the lockdown.

We miss our daily routine. We miss our normal lives before this pandemic. But as they say, this would now be our new normal. And I hope this is for the betterment of all living being.

Amidst all that's happening to the world right now, we need to remember to be "Resilient" in this trying times. We should come out of this pandemic stronger and better. I know we would survive this pandemic. It might seem hopeless for us now. But sooner or later this too shall pass... and Filipinos will come out of this with a smiling face, as always!

Here is my "Second Bloom" to brighten up your day a bit. Let's all stay strong, we can fight this war together!

1. Nothing is permanent.
2. Smile if you want a smile from another face.
3. Love and compassion are the pillars of world peace.
4. Judge your success by what you have to give up in order to achieve it.
5. Once a year go someplace you've never been before.
6. You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.
7. Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.
8. Kindness is the key to peace and harmony in family life.
9. Spend some time alone every day.
10. The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
11. Don't let a little dispute injure a friendship.
12. First one must change. I first watch myself, check myself, then expect changes from others.
13. Our purpose in life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment.
14. Follow the three R's. Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.
15. Happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors.
16. Human potential is the same for all. If you have will power, then you can change anything.
17. I believe that we are fundamentally the same and have the same basic potential.
18. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not capable of developing compassion for others.
19. If you must be selfish, then be wise and not narrow-minded in your selfishness.
20. Love and compassion are necessities. Not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
21. Through money or power you cannot solve all problems. The problem in the human heart must be solved first.
22. When you practice contentment you can say to yourself. "Oh yes I already have everything that I really need."
23. If you think you are too small to make a difference. Try sleeping with a mosquito.
24. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
25. In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
26. It is necessary to combine knowledge born from study with sincere practice in our daily lives. These two must go together.
27. Life must be characterized by a sense of universal responsibility... nation to nation... human to human... human to other forms of life.
28. Peace does not come through prayer, we human beings must create peace.
29. See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.
30. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
31. The more you nurture a feeling of loving kindness, the happier and calmer you will be.
32. The ultimate source of happiness in our mental attitude.
33. True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason.
34. We must all live harmoniously with our neighbors. Your happiness depends on it.
35. We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
36. We have to make a sustained effort, again and again, to cultivate the positive aspects within us.
37. What unites all beings is their desire for happiness.
38. With realization of one's own potential & self confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.