REMINISCENCE

An ideal life in general, accordingly, has three parts. The first part is the period of dreaming and this belongs to the stage of childhood and adolescence. The second part is the stage of achieving and living our dreams and this belongs to adulthood. The third and last part of a man’s life is the stage of reminiscence and this belongs to old age or the twilight years. While watching at their own horizon to fade forever, this is the least best well-spent time for retirees, that is, reminiscing the good memories during younger years. And, that’s what life is in this world per se, nothing else.
In some way or another, I agree to this insight that such is the best shot a man could have. Ironically, we could see Lolos and Lolas in their sixtys or seventies still very much preoccupied taking care of their young. Consequently, these are their own grandchildren left to them by the incompetent parents. Personally, I am hoping that someday, this would not be our case together with my wife in our age of senility. To reminisce is to peacefully look back and joyfully identify (if he/she could still manage to) the little traces of footprints as a parcel of proof that he/she existed and actively participated awhile ago in the game called life. This is man’s last taste of happiness when all he/she could make out of himself/herself is a mere spectator, watching the world passing by. By then it is good to remember the little traces of his/her own existence before they will be erased eventually forever by the never-ending constant changes of time.
If God may give me the grace of reaching old age, by that time because of natural mental corrosion I may not have a very sharp recollection of the past events in my life as I could ably still today.
For this reason, I would like to begin partially jotting down some of the significant events in my life so much so I could eventually precisely recall the details by reading on these pages someday.

These are among the numerous graces I ought to thank the good Lord God for smiling at me and on my family particularly beginning the month of October 2008:

1. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for granting me a stable job inherently pertinent and suitable to my personality and capabilities…
On October 27, 2008, I was appointed by the Department of Education as Guidance Counselor
of JPENHS, the most populous and renowned public High School in the Capital town of our
province. I am particularly and eternally grateful to Sir PD Richard de la Rosa and to her wife
Ma’am Melyn Yu de la Rosa for being instrumental in the realization of my appointment.

2. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for the brand new flat screen computer installed in the JPENHS Guidance Office last February 12, 2009 donated by Globe Telecommunications.
Due to lack of funds, the Guidance Office of JPENHS had an outmoded and defective computer when I reported for work beginning the month of November 2008. For this reason, I tried sending a computer solicitation letter dated November 18, 2008 to the main office of Globe Telecom in Metro Manila. Fortunately, after almost four months, the Globe Telecom Company via its Community Relations office responded accordingly on February 12, 2009.
As told by the Globe personnel who personally came to deliver the computer, the unit they have donated to the Guidance Office is identical quality-wise to the computer units utilized by the Globe employees themselves in the main office of Globe Telecommunications.

3. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for the success of the Spiritual Enhancement Activity or Recollection I have conducted from January 26 to February 3, 2009 for around 500 JPENHS Graduating students

4. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for giving me the chance to attend on March 10 to 12, 2009 a seminar/training on Psycho Social Intervention (PSI)/ Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). There were around 150 participants coming from the various DEPeD Divisions within the CARAGA Region attending the said 3-day training which was held at the Balanghai Hotel Convention Center, Butuan City. The training was indeed very applicable and useful as it equipped the selected participants with working knowledge in promoting mental health in the schools and the community. The training offered an unconventional but effective strategy in dealing with students or teachers undergoing stressful moments.

5. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for the successful JPENHS Faculty-Evaluation held last March 16-31, 2009, in each sections of every year level, i.e., from 1st year to 4th year. Through the mandate of the JPENHS Principal Madam Imelda Falcon, I conducted an evaluation of the students on the performance of their teachers for school Year 2008-2009. The evaluation sheet was distributed to each students through a surprise classroom visit in each section of every year level. Approximately, there were a total of no less than 3,000 students who participated in the evaluation. The students were given the opportunity to rate their teachers according to the latter’s competence and character. They were also being given the chance to vote for a teacher that they like most. And, at the bottom of the evaluation sheet, the students were instructed to feel free writing some school concerns needed to be addressed by the principal’s office.

The Principal and the Assistant principal themselves took part or conducted personally the surprise classroom evaluations for a number of sections in the 2nd year level and 4th year level respectively. In addition, I was designated to consolidate the results of the said evaluation.

The purpose of the evaluation, according to the principal herself, was to upgrade the performance of the teachers, i.e., chances are the outcome of the evaluation would imply or insinuate that there should be a need to improve the performance of some teachers.

6. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for making me instrumental in touching the hearts of numerous students by imparting on them right values and healthy outlook in life.
One of these numerous spiritual activities I was invited to conduct and personally facilitate was on March 28, 2009 for the section Graham Bell fourth year students, Special Science Curriculum, LRC-Students. I was supposed to have another important schedule during that day but I cannot say no to the invitation of these students. These graduating students had arranged a one night bonding moment for their batch a few days before their graduation. Instead of spending their bonding moment on other secular sort of happenings, e.g., bar hopping, disco, etc., they choose to have a spiritual activity under my direction. I was indeed touched by their initiative to apparently quench and satisfy their thirst and longing for spiritual truths. From 7:30 PM to almost 3:00AM, the experience was indeed very memorable and I personally felt God’s presence and guidance.

7. My praise and thanksgiving goes to You Lord God for giving me the grace to attend and participate in the Murillo-clan reunion held last April 18-19, 2009 in our hometown Bayabas, Surigao del Sur.

For now, I cannot but acknowledge my own insignificance and unworthiness compared to God's might and Goodness. May He be with me and in my family always for without Him I am nothing but with Him nothing is impossible...