Boredom

Boredom is a bad enemy. Whenever you are bored, you are not inspired to accomplish things. You may not be inspired to inspire other people. You are not inspired to work.

You must keep yourself busy whenever you feel bored... or else all the downsides of your life will keep on flashing back. All your desperations, failures and pains will keep on coming back. It will turn you down more and would lead to depression.

The worst case of boredom is being being fed up by things that you "must do". In that case, you have no way to escape not unless you make a turning point decision in your life. Leaving a job is an example. If you are bored with your job but you must do it for a leaving, efficiency is affected, and so is your credibility and reputation and might not help you find another job which you think you will not be bored of.

If you keep yourself busy, you are helping yourself to avoid things that will hurt you more. Listen to the music. Sing with it. Surf the net. Play computer or mobile phone games. Watch a movie.

However, the best cure for boredom is a good mindset. You must set your expectations to low levels. You must choose to enjoy and just appreciate the perks of your situation. Don't forget to reflect and you will always see a good side of it! If you are bored now, you will enjoy later. That is how life goes! Challenges make life worth living for only in challenges that you can make big accomplishments!

-maron-

31october2008

20:38hrs

Overjudgment

At first, I thought that I should go by myself, learn by myself, work by myself, and let not other people interfere and affect me. I thought I could bear it. I thought I could be stubborn enough. I thought I could play with it but they were

only what I thought!

You will never meet perfect people. However, some people knew themselves as very perfect ones that they tend to question your capabilities. The worst thing is, they do it behind you and these are the people whom I am scared much about... because you wouldn't know when they will betray you. They tend to use you and befriend you whenever they need you, but turn you down in return when you are of no use to them.

At first I thought, I will not be affected but judging your capabilities is a different story. But still, I must keep silent and go with the flow, for it won't do any good if I fight for my rights. I will just let them enjoy what they are doing and in due time, I will get my prize! For I am sure that those who are meek are blessed that those who pretend to be perfect!

-maron-

20october2008

22:28 hrs

Optic Nerve

It was more than 2 years ago when my youngest daughter, Keziah, had undergone an eye surgery. At the age of 3, she needed to have a eye surgery due to 'exotropia' or uncontrolled eye muscle movement which tends to have her iris directed outwards. Her pediatric opthalmologist needed to re-attach the nerve behind her eyeballs at the right place to correct the direction of her iris. As a therapy, she needed to wear eyeglasses afterwards.

I can still remember the fear I had when my 3-year-old needed to undergo an eye surgery in Makati Medical Center. This could be a major operation and besides, it involves a very vital organ---the eyes. I needed to choose between the pain from the eye surgery and the exotropia but I chose the general anaesthesia to save the health of my daughter.

At 3 years old, she was very innocent then but she already can feel the pain of all the injections she had. She actually had a phobia. She kept on hugging me and didn't want to let go until I fetched her to the operating room. It was only after the effect of the anaesthesia that I was able to leave her freely. However, as I saw her as she suddenly fell to sleep a few second after injecting the anaesthesia into her dextrose, I felt that my heart was dying! I never wanted to leave her but the doctor told me to do so. I went out of the operating room and sat in the waiting area outside. I was crying then. I know this was just an 'eye surgery' but the picture of my child as she suddenly fell down to sleep kept on flashing into my mind. I never saw her that way for knowing her, Keziah is a very hyperactive kid and she only stops when she sleeps. I never left the operating room until the Dr. Mary Rose Teodoro came out of the operating room after 2 hours. She talked to me and told me that everything was ok and that Keziah is in the recovery room.

I immediately went inside the recovery room and was so afraid to see my kid with all the tubes and apparatuses connected to her body. She had an oxygen apparatus on her nose. She had a heart-beat monitor on her finger and lots of tubes on her chest. She had her both eyes covered and she was sleeping soundly. I waited for her to wake up. Suddenly, she cried, louder and louder and was telling me, "Yung eyes ko mommy, wala kong makita!" I tried to calm her down and told her not to rub her eyes but it took some time to comfort her.

After more than an hour of monitoring in the recovery room, it was now time for her to rest privately in our room. She slept again with her eyes covered. At dawn, she asked for food and I was happy to see her eating crackers and trying to feel the Chocolait with her eyes covered, as I try to feed her. At least, she is improving and she didn't cry anymore. The next morning, we visited her pediatric opthalmologist. She checked her eyes, removed the cover and told us that everything was doing good. We were released from the hospital on the same day. The next check-up followed after 1 week and she had her eyeglasses on at the grade of +1.50 and +1.75 on each eye.

After more than 2 years of wearing eyeglasses and constant check-up with Dr. Teodoro, the grade of her eyeglasses now lowered to +1.00 and +1.50. There was a big improvement and her exotropia now only becomes intermittent and is acceptably improving.

Meanwhile, I noticed that Kaira, my 7-year old, incorrectly copies her assignments. She also complains that she cannot clearly see the blackboard. As we recently had Keziah's eye check-up in the Asian Hospital with the same pediatric opthalmologist, I also had Kaira's eyes checked-up. As expected, Kaira has astigmatism and need eyeglasses at -1.75 and -2.25. Good to know, it could be corrected and 1-month wearing of eyeglasses could help.

Well, who would not expect these kids' eye problems. I started wearing eyeglasses at the age of 9 and tried using contact lenses at the age of 16. Probably it's genetic but lifestyle has a great effect as well. But at least, there are certain technologies and professionals who could implement good eye technologies then.

I just hope everything will be fine with my kids and that their eyesight will be improved further after the therapy.

-maron-

19october2008

22:25 hrs

Changes through Experiences

I just had a short chat with my friend based in China. She was updating me about her stint in Shanghai. To respect her privacy, I will not mention any details about.

We were reminiscing about the things she wanted in life before, that she doesn't like to happen now. However, It is now me who likes those things she wanted before that she doesn't like currently. In short, we seemed to exchange plans and goals.

What could be the reason why we suddenly changed our minds and goals in life? It is mainly because of EXPERIENCES.

I can say that I had the same experience with this friend of mine, at least for the career matters. We were actually together when we were assigned in Indonesia, away from our families and loved ones. We have much different goals then. She wanted to leave while I wanted to stay.

This time, it was totally different. She wanted to stay, I wanted to leave! hehe! These are because of all the experiences we had in the past few years. It's not just probably the career experience but the totality of the experiences we faced in life. This includes family experiences, experiences with friends, experiences outside the country, meeting other people, knowing other culture, and even experiences in love life! Of course, influence could also be have a big impact but these influences could also be considered as experiences... experiences from meeting very influencial people, probably! :)

Thus, experience really plays an important role in the decision making of a person. It affects your goals and dreams. It affects your aspirations and your plans for the future.

This is the main reason why people change---because they learn from their experiences, thus they need to change for something better, or at least try out another way to check if it would do better.

With our discussion, we ended up with 2 statements:

1. It really is important to experience many things in life because it is only when you will be able to determine if you will like it or not.
2. Experiences mold you and makes you realize what you really wanted in life.
   

The best line would be "Experience is the best teacher, so we must learn from our experiences!" Hmmm... something to think about...

-maron-

16october2008

22:47 hrs

FH

The title is not a typographical error for "FHM". It really is 'FH' which means 'Food for the Hungry,' a non -profit, non-government institution which aims to equip, link and mobilize churches, leaders and families in overcoming all forms of human poverty by living in healthy relationships with God and His creation. Activities include feeding programs, scholarship grants / education sponsorship, some medical and housing supports, etc.

My close friend, Chill, works in FH and they plan to release a calendar next year, free for sponsors while for sale for others, to raise more funds for the institution. However, they need to feature FH beneficiaries in the calendars. My husband had the pleasure to took "photo-journalism" shots of the kids for the calendar publication.

Yesterday, my husband, my 2 kids (aged 7 and 5), my baby-sitter and I, together with Chill, headed for Bacoor, Cavite to visit the FH site. I brought along my kids for them to experience what life is outside the lesser comfort zone of poverty.

The kids (FH beneficiaries) did a Christmas card-making activity yeterday. They drew and colored Christmas themes on yellow-colored, pre-cut papers, wrote messages in it and submitted them to the area coordinator for sending to their sponsors in Canada. Each child has 1 Canadian sponsor for this area. My husband took picture of the children while they make the artistic cards for their sponsors. Of course, my 2 kids also made their own Christmas for Kaira's Ninang Chill and for Keziah's Ninong Vince, my other close friend. :)

After taking a number of shots in the church where the kids made Christmas cards, we walked further to the residencial areas to take more pictures of the kids in their houses and the the typical day's activity of the moms, as well as other livelihood activities which also serves as their other source of income. After shooting for half day, we took lunch then headed back home.

I just realized that it is really heart-lifting to volunteer in some CSR activities. I had volunteered so many times in our Company's CSR activity, Pasiglahin ang Batang Pinoy, a feeding program, but I got to had more realization when we volunteered for FH. This is mainly because:

• 
  
  This is purely a volunteer act, meaning the effort was very personal and the cost we incurred during the volunteer act came from my personal pocket, and not from the company's funds. We drove our own car, our own cameras and we bought our own food. Unlike with Pasiglahin, car servcice was always arranged for us, budget from the activities we make comes from the Pasiglahin budget andwe were just there to conduct the activities without spending a single centavo.


• 
  
  I had a chance to let my children experience and see with their own eyes the difference outside the community we are living in. At least they got to know not to waste our resources and spend their money wisely.


• 
  
  My husband was happy to share his expertise and talent by taking pictures of the actual activities for the benefit of the institution which eventually benefits the children.

However, this is another eye-opening activity that we are really much more lucky and blessed not to experience such poverty. FH had a very good mission to prioritize education to enable these children to improve the economic status of their families.

If you want to help or be a sponsor, kindly drop me an email @ maron.carey@gmail.com or straight to FH email @ fhiphilippines@fhi.net. You may also visit their website at www.fhi.net/fhiphilippines .

-maron-

05october2008

8:09 hrs

Ring Back II

Finally, I wore the ring again today. I have a complete set of 3 rings around my fingers, my wedding ring, my engagement ring and a friendship ring.

Meanwhile, I have mentioned in my previous blogs that I asked our janitress to check with her co-janitress in the other building if she has seen my ring there. Coincidentally, she asked me just this afternoon if I found my ring, at the same day that I wore it again after being lost for more than a month!

What a concidence! It was really a great surprise for me to have everything interconnected with each other!

-maron-
02october2008
21:40 hrs

Umbilical Cord

She can feel how I feel. This is what I realized when Kaira told me she will buy me a ring when she grows and have an income of her own.

This happened while my family spent a Saturday strolling at SM South Mall. Kaira knew then that I lost my ring. If for my husband’s opinion, the lost ring was of no big deal for me, I am happy to know that Kaira, my 7-year old, knows how I felt that night when I lost my ring.

As we were walking down the alley of the mall, my husband suddenly took a glance at the window of a jewelry store, looking at a ring quite similar to the one I lost. I took a glance as well. We stopped and discussed there for a few seconds until Kaira told me, “Mommy, ibibili kita ng ring pag may work na ako.” I was so touched by my kid’s act. I replied, “Talaga?” And then she answered, “Opo. Kasi nawala yung ring mo di ba? Para happy ka na.” And so I smiled and hugged her and told her to study well so she could buy me the ring.

There is really a big mystery beyond the mother-daughter relationship---much stronger than a husband-wife one. I can really feel that my kids, Kaira and Keziah, can feel how I feel. Sometimes, I am so surprised that they can read between the lines and even speak out words that are related to my personal struggles, which I do not and need not share to them. Probably it is the umbilical cord that connected us while they were in my womb for 9 months. God is
really powerful! He had all the ways and explanations to all our questions, even without asking it at all!

-maron-

01october2008

19:31pm

Ring Back

It was in August 21 that I lost a very precious item of mine. I very seldom lose things for I always take care of them. I never left and lost an umbrella somewhere, for example. Before I leave a place, I make sure that I have checked everything I own. But this time, I lost an 'engagement ring' my husband had given me on December 18, 2003 at the roofdeck of Vivere Suites in Alabang.

I always wore that ring from then on, together with our wedding ring and a ring from my Indonesian friend that I used to lock my wedding ring with. After more than five years, I lost it somewhere!

I can still clearly remember that day when I needed to go with 2 Thai visitors as they take a tour at Third Party Plant inside the Office compound. My boss asked me a favor to join them, and so I did. As we entered the Savoury plant, we needed to be in complete gear---head caps, lab gowns, shoe cover and all jewelries off! I put my earrings, watch and rings inside my jeans pocket. One of the visitors, whom I already considered as my second mom for we were together in Shanghai last year, also asked a favor to put her jewelries in my pocket for her pants do not have one. And so I granted the favor. I was actually very cautious for I was afraid to lose her elusive jewelries. And so we had the plant tour for an hour.

I was a good time-keeper then. I kept on reminding them about the time for they still need to transfer to the other plant, around 1 ½ hrs from Manila before they go to the airport and go back home to Thailand.

After the plant tour I cautiously took everything from my pocket. I wore mine and gave back the set of jewelries to the visitor. And so the day continued as I fetched them to the car going to the other plant then continued my typical office day’s work.

When I reached home, I used to take off all my jewelries as I change to more comfy clothes. I suddenly realized that I just took 2 rings off! My diamond ring was gone! I was so sad then. I ran to my husband, who was sleeping then, and told him that my ring was lost. He had no reaction and immediately went back to sleep, butfor sure he was mad at me for losing a precious item he gave to me. I was so sad that I sent SMS to my friend and told him about my situation. He can very much feel my misery in my text messages.

I tried hard to recall where I left and lost it. I sent SMS to the production people and ask them to try to find the ring in the ‘used gown’ bin. They replied and told me that they did not find one.
The next day, I asked one of our janitress to ask the one assigned in the building near the plant to check if she can find a ring somewhere. I was really desperate to bring it back but at the same time, I had to accept that it has already vanished. Days after that, I noticed that my husband doesn’t talk to me at all.

Four days after the ring was lost, I needed to leave for a 3-day office activity in Baguio City. My husband and I did not have a chance to talk until my 2nd day when he sent me an SMS. It said he did not fell well about the disappearance of the ring, that it seems that there was no importance for me, etc. In short, we had an argument through SMS. I didn’t pay much attention to it for I didn’t want to issue to become bigger. I just took everything lightly. However, acceptance is always the answer and everything turned out fine after that.

Today is a non-working holiday, in respect to our Muslim brothers and sisters on their end of Ramadan. It was supposed to be a rest day for me but it was also the only chance for me to clean the house. And so I spent the day cleaning, without taking breakfast at all! However, I took a heavy 'brunch'.

I was so busy cleaning when my daughter suddenly approached me saying, “Mommy, I have a surprise for you!” It was really a great surprise for she showed me the ring I lost! I smiled, hugged and thanked her as I asked her where she found it. She told me she found it under the stairs weeks ago but she just kept it first for it might be lost. Probably she forgot about it and just remembered to give it back to me today. My husband was happy to see the ring but was uncertain if it was really the ring, when Kaira showed him the ring. At least, it was a good news for him.

Meanwhile, I really cannot imagine how it was found under the stairs of our home. As far as I can recall, it was lost in the production area. Well anyway, what is important is, I had my ring back. It is really nice to have a something ‘treasured and lost’ back. I hope I could do the same for all the treasured people and things I lost. I hope to have them back, if it would be possible to do so…

-maron-

01october2008

19:20 hrs