My Dear Good Old Sharky

I remembered the day I realized how tough my big aquarium hammer head had turned out to be.  The fish, as far as I can remember, is almost four years or so ... excluding the time he was still in the pet shop. He spanned 11 inches, with sturdy built. I think, he was a "he" fish .. all sharks looks like one, that's why I called him SHARKY.

Sharky got scars all over his gray-colored body. He got no scales, just shiny gray skin. He got his first set of scars when we moved house two years and seven months now. Then another set, just recently while I was cleaning the aquarium for the first time ever since we moved house.

I know Sharky suffered a lot. He swam for two days and two nights, in that almost empty aquarium with the sand almost touching his skin ... excluding the days that he was inside the aquarium swimming for quite some time in that stagnant water. He was there alone since I transferred his small playmates in the smaller aquarium, leaving him behind ... knowing that he will survive even with that condition. He even experienced how the bathroom tiles felt when he jumped from the net and out of the water as I tried to transfer him lately in the red medium basin.

It would not have been stressful for good old Sharky had I finished the task at once. It took me three days to finish cleaning, remounting the fixtures and replacing the old pump, not because I don't have time or money to buy a new pump, or because the aquarium is too big, but because I just don't feel like finishing the task that night.

Looking at my newly fixed aquarium, I can now feel how Sharky suffered as he swam silently with his bloody chapped tail while rolling his two black eyes as if nothing happened. It must have been so painful then.

I then realized that I have been cruel ... that I have become so irresponsible.

Bu then, looking at my dear good old Sharky, I can't help but smile. All those scars and scratches made him look so tough ,,, so invulnerable ... so strong ... a great survivor.

The I reflected and saw man in Sharky's image.

Maybe our sufferings are meant to make us tough and strong, I mused. Maybe God willed these problems to come our way to test the survivor-in-us. Maybe God won't allow sufferings if He knows that we can't handle the ... when it's just too much for us. Maybe we need a little dose of pain to appreciate the best things He has in store for us. Maybe.

Now, my dear good old Sharky is back again, swimming in his newly cleaned and decorated aquarium with his old golden playmates and three new ones. Sharky, being the biggest of them all, reigned the place. I can see the happy grin in his wide mouth ... and innocent sharky smile ... as if nothing happened.

That's my good old Sharky. So tough ... so Sharky.

Come to think of it ... what would Sharky feel when I bring home two small sharkies tomorrow?

Well, I can's hardly wait!

(05.04.2005)

Note:

Sharky died May 29, 2005. To date, his two new sharky friends are big and tough ... they're now 7 years old, almost 1 foot long. Looking at them swimming happily and contentedly, I can't help but miss my good old Sharky and regretted the days I seemed to neglect him. He would have been so big today had I not became so irresponsible. But what can I do? I will just learn my lesson and take good care of Sharky's playmates for his sake. 

Of Heroes and Villains

(The Eccentricity of Life)

Life is really amazing! It is made of lovely, incredible, exciting, funny and even silly things which happen to be exact opposites.

In the beginning, God created man and wife ... night and day ... small things and big ones ... tall and short ... weak and strong. Truly exact opposites ... but absolutely perfect.

Then God gave us the chance to choose between good and evil. And so sadness and happiness begun.

Now, eccentricity seemed to cave in life's awesome existence as time passes by so swiftly.

A long time ago, there has been untold stories of the feuds between fairies and evil queens ... of knights and monsters ... of elves and giants ... of heroes and villains.

Life's eccentricity was even enforced not that people seemed to love mundane things. Good souls become greedy junks of flesh with just the sparkle of green bucks. Gentle eyes turn green with envy at the sight of a friend's fortune. Innocent minds became poisonous by just a box of electronic junks. Golden hearts turn to lead because of an itchy tongue. Friendship turns sour because of a vengeful heart. Reputation becomes rotten for want of fame. Principles are forgotten because of greed. Nature was ruined for want of more space.

Why is this life's eccentricity seemed endless and overwhelming? Can we not put a stop to it? Can we not mind our own business and stop criticizing others? Can we just forget the dirt in somebody else's eyes by first plucking out the peg in our own eyes? Can we not stop from trying to toss ourselves up by pulling somebody down? Wouldn't it be nice to smile at everybody you happen to cross your path with everyday, and receive the same as well? Is it so hard to give an enemy the genuine tap on his shoulder because you want friendship? Would it kill you to be kind to somebody even once in your life? Would you feel bad because you made somebody happy?

The answers depend on where you belong. Are you a hero, or villain? Are you wise, or stupid? Are you intelligent, or just plain ignorant?

Can you not pretend to be genius just for once and be unique? Why not start competing with yourself rather than trying to compete with others?

Remember, it only takes one to make a difference. One good turn deserves another, anyway.

(03.03.2005)

Genuine Mirth

Today is one of the manic Mondays when all I was hoping is to stay at home ... wishing it is still Sunday.

I was conducting my examination in Internet Programming at Room 302. As expected, you can only hear the soft hum of the air conditioner, the faint sound of the traffic outside, and the shuffling of the papers as my students turn and flip the pages of their questionnaire.  Everybody is engrossed and focused at the questions at hand, when all of the sudden, the door gave a loud bang as one late examinee barged in through the door (without even knocking) ... uttering words of glee ... informing us that she was very happy she got the School Administrator's permission to take the exam even with her unpaid school dues.

Instead of getting angry at the unexpected and unwelcomed distraction, her classmates laughed and joined her enthusiasm.

Though a little bit annoyed at the unmannerly act, I can't help but smile upon seeing the twinkle in her eyes as she sheepishly asked sorry for the disturbance she created. Her eyes showed what happiness really is ... so shallow but real ... happiness so genuine that it touched my heart.

Then I found myself closing the booklet I was reading and cave in to the urge of writing as I recalled something. "The situation sounds familiar", I mused.

Her facial expression reminded me of the people I met once in my past ... people whom society sometimes disowned ... people who are most of the time discriminated because of their lack of education and information on the advancements of todays times ... people whom society neglected because they cannot afford to wear the latest fashion, nor can they afford to buy hamburgers and pizzas (food considered as "in" because of their foreign influence) ... the same people who know how to appreciate even a visit, a pat on their shoulders and a simple HI and HELLO from strangers ... the same people who would be very grateful when offered even a glass of cheap beverages ... the same people whose smiles reaches their ears because of their great appreciation on simple things.

Come to think of it.

Haven't you noticed lots of big beautiful houses with nobody inside but the house-helps? The owners can never be seen staying at home for a long time because they need to be away and race against time to earn all the money to fill and maintain the grand structure.

Haven't you noticed the so-called corporate executives dressed in tailored-to-fit suits, with state-of-the-art cars exchanging cold handshakes and crocodile smiles to their so-called friends?

Haven't you noticed yourself doing unreasonable things and even hurting people (whether noticed or unnoticed) just to survive in this world of pure vanity?

What for? To make us happy? To experience life to the fullest?

Though it is quiet true that we can never buy even the cheapest candy bar with our smiles ... and that happiness can never buy groceries, but we can also bear in mind that our genuine smiles can buy hearts ... hearts that are more precious than golden candy bars ... hearts more precious than the priceless jewels in the world.

We don't need to own the world or even the universe to be happy.  All it takes is appreciate every little simple things life brings and treasure the people around us with great pride and honor.

We don't need to be entertained by the funniest clowns just to wear that precious grin and show the deepest dimples in our faces. What we need is one happy and thankful heart to tickle the genuine mirth hidden beneath the innocent and happy child in us.

(10.18.2004 3pm)

Are You A Winner

Below are inspirational videos worth sharing with. Have fun watching!

Freedom from Slavery

You are a slave. Your body, your time, your very breath belongs to the person you called Master. Six long days a week, and even seven, you tend his fields and make him rich. You have never tasted freedom. You never expect to, anyway.

And yet ... you soul lights up when you hear whispers of attempted escape. Freedom means a hard, dangerous trek. Do you try it?

Yes you did. You are brave. You got that self-confidence. You got faith. You have your God by your side. You are confident that you can brave all life's battles with Him.

And you made it! It took a lot of courage, luck, help and incredible stamina. Now you can finally breath free. No wonder thousands have already run away to be free.

You still face challenges; finding a home, making a living, adjusting to a new place. But you face them in freedom.

Now you realized that it really feels good to be free from slavery.

But now comes the real world of the modern times. You still believe that you're free. You still think that you're breathing freedom. But freedom from what? From slavery? From your master's tight hold upon your neck?

Yes, of course! You are thinking by now that you got what you wanted ... what you deserves ... but unfortunately, not the total freedom that you craved for because you were not aware that another master, another slave-hunter is on the loose.

Come to think of it.

Aren't you making a slave out of yourself everytime you wear that necktie every morning? It's just a modern day noose around your neck, isn't it? And you call yourself free?

Do you consider yourself free when you toil night and day to pay the bills to keep your machines going? To maintain that palatial mansion you built to shelter you from storm, without thinking that you're attracting hurricane of robbers and house bandits? Do you consider it freedom when you can't even find time to appreciate what God has in store for you, because you are living in a rat race?

Wouldn't life be nicer and freer when you can stop for a while to appreciate a tiny butterfly hovering from flower to flower? Or, hearing a faint buzz of a bumble bee? Pausing for a while to appreciate the warmth of the gentle sun upon your skin in a sunny morning? Or feel the drop of water as it slide on your skin and dampens your hair in a drizzly afternoon without hurrying?

Wouldn't life be nicer to be like bears who can find time to hibernate during winters? Or trying to look for reasons why ants kissed each and everyone they meet when they are supposed-to-be busy stocking food for the rainy days?

Life would be freer that way.  Cares and worries would be a passing nightmare then.

You got washing machines and dryers, toasters and dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and computers, and a whole lot more of that electronic slaves to lighten your work ... to somehow free you from your most dreaded slavery. If you are truly free, why didn't your machines made a lot of free times for you to enjoy?

Is it because you are busy earning money to pay the bills to keep that modern slaves working?

And you still call yourself free from slavery when your supposed-to-be slaves are slaving you in return? Is that what you call freedom?

Better find time and think about it :D

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EttenylSTAR
03.03.2005