Speech Two

Good morning everyone! This may be brief but my warm greetings come from deep within and with utmost sincerity!

We welcome you all, as we celebrate the closing of this school year. To our parents who made both ends meet just to send us to school - we LOVE you! To our school director and principal, as well as teachers who made sure we improve by leaps and bounds - we are PROUD of you! To my schoolmates and friends who are there always - let us TAP our shoulders simply because we MADE it! To our guests who are here - THANK you for believing that we can do this! To our Almighty Father - we are FOREVER INDEBTED and GRATEFUL to you!

May we all continue to be a blessing for others! God bless us all!

Written for My Former Student

On behalf of everybody present today, I want to start this speech with a message to someone special;

Dear God,

Thank you for letting the sun rise, the birds sing, the students move as the clock ticks. Thank you for  sending our parents , teachers, guests in our way. Thank you for  hearing our prayers and responding to them all the time. and thank you for everything not mentioned here.

I am grateful to be given this chance  - to deliver a message - to be chosen as the valedictorian, is not the case but to stand here as a student  to my teachers, a son  to my parents, a buddy to my peers, and a believer of God.

To my fellow students, we have reached another milestone in our life and we are all glad to celebrate at the finish line, but trust me! This is not the end of the road. We are set to sail again and learn something more. For to finish high school does not mean we go on our own way and get married nor find ourselves doing household chores and live a carefree life. We are challenged to start  sailing and dock at College Graduation's harbor safely and loaded. We will do better if we study harder, be more patient, strengthen our faith in God and understand life's hard lessons.

To our parents, we love you forever, and life may be hard on us, yet we will stand side by side. We may not become doctors, but we will try our best not to cause you heartaches. We may not become lawyers but we will do our best to become law-abiding citizens. We may not become business executives but we will be disciplined enough to become responsible individuals. You may not hear us say 'SALAMAT at MAHAL NAMIN KAYO' but we will make sure you know and feel it. We may have limitations but these do not mean we do not have expectations to achieve.

To our school director, principal, and teachers you let us feel that we are part of this big ministry. Your encouragement, advices, concern, hardwork, considerations, and patience made us who we are right now. Someday we will pass on these gifts for the next generation.

To the rest who are here today, there is nothing sweeter than be accepted and welcomed. Your presence is overwhelming and by this we are overjoyed. You extend your hands to connect with us, you step another step to reach us and you help us more empowered.

Thank you and may we continue our journey on the the same boat. God bless!

A Day in School

I LIKE...
it when I get a free time to be alone.
it when all teachers are in good terms.
it when my things are in order.
those who eat lunch with me.
those who care enough to filter the words they say.
those who are sincere.
the childrens' books on the shelves.
the wooden toy train at the corner.
the colorful crayons in the basket.

To My Dearest Teacher

Salam Walaikum akhuya!

I know you waited for me to show up online and attend our Arabic class. I received your offline message shortly after Magreb. I am terribly sorry for skipping our session today akhuya. I know it is my fault I did not come online because I watched a movie with my brothers. I promise to study my lessons well and it is okey with me if you will give a difficult test next weekend.

Ana akter li annik sa'ida!

Your student.

A Moment To Remember

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually affects the ability to carry out simple activities of daily living. It is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. This disease can also affect younger people.

What will you do if you found out that you have an Alzheimer's Disease?

What will you hold on and keep and what will you give up and let go?

A riveting Korean movie called "A Moment To Remember" will capture your heart as the events unfold. It is a love story between Cheol-Su ( Woo-sung Jung ) and Su-jin ( Ye-jin Son ) a 27 - year old diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's. It all began when Su-jin forgot her purse and soda at a convenience store. She met the poor carpenter at the store entrance holding a can of soda. Thinking that he stole her bought soda, she grabbed and drank it. Only to find out that she left hers at the counter.

As the film progresses, it took my heart and left me in a swirling gamut of emotions. A must-watch for all those who love and loved good, old, sad, love stories. So goes the phrase "I don't have to remember you, because you are already a part of me." 

A love that transcends beyond the boundaries of the unknown. Enjoy watching!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

It was 2 in the morning when i finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. My heart sunk upon learning that Mariam had to be executed in the end. I couldn't help but shed a tear or two. It may be a fictional book but somewhere in this world a similar thing could have happen to someone. Is it her fault to be born a 'harami'? Is it her fault to defend Laila at the expense of killing Rasheed? Is Jalil worth her forgiveness? Does she have to suffer from the start until the end?
Sad stories make good books...but do sad stories make good life too?

Attitude Problems

Last Thursday, my student's mom called up because her daughter was absent for her summer class session. It happened 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when she explained about her daughter's ballet class sched over the phone and asked to pick-up the worksheets so her little girl could work her lessons at home. The school policy does not allow to send the worksheets out. I told her that her daughter can work out her lessons the next day and that we would cover up another 1 hour. The mother demanded EXPLANATIONS why the school does not allow such and put down while I was still explaining.

I didn't expect somebody could actually do such- not from an educated person...but GEEZ! she has an attitude!

She still had the face to show up to me and asked considerations for her daughter.