Controlled playfulness

Are you married? Tired of having the same homemade toast for breakfast? It should not be the case, right? Maybe there are mornings when you are in a rush that you end up skipping the most important meal of the day. However, have we not been told to eat breakfast like a king? If you have to get your fill somewhere else, you better be sure that it does not make you tepid about homegrown stuff. Granting that you are also being treated in a regal manner, but should not there be only one true queen for a king? As for liquid meal replacements, they could be downed in a jiffy. While their pitch is convenience, the bloating and gas could leave a trace of the past. Now, where is your beloved toast? I hear you saying that you are not tired of it. Good! A bit of cereal here and there in order to break the monotony, but you are married.

Pardon me for the play of words. Sometimes I like talking semantics, especially when they are meant to justify a wrongful act. I know I should not. If I have been pretty successful toeing the line for millions of seconds, why lose my footing now? I must admit, I have played with emotions and hurt the owners in the process, but time has changed. I am no longer a jock and should not be playing ball. However, a recent event called me out of my retirement. I thought it felt exhilarating to be warming up my previously inactive muscles. Fortunately, my sense of balance is in place. It is good to be thinking these days. Neither do I want to see my wife nor someone else's family wounded.

Play time is ending soon. I just have to continue exercising controlled playfulness.

To Realize

To Realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years
Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year
Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute
Ask a person who has missed the train, bus, or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second
Ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize
The value of a friend or family member
LOSE ONE.

*The origin of this letter is unknown.
**A forwarded email from Dad 3, I thought I should share it with you.

Over salmon

Just had dinner with my wife: salmon, salad, rice, and dessert (chocolate, a household favorite). It left me satisfied but not full, just the way it should be. Yes, appetizing too for it was not one of my Shiela's cookings. Kidding aside, in our household, whatever is on the table will get into our stomachs. I will always give my wife an A+ for her efforts; they will always count. As for results, she is getting there. (Good thing we are not talking business here; otherwise, she will have to pack her bags.)

Shiela and I had a good conversation, diverse yet related. We talked about global warming, the flood that hit our country, life after the calamity, my propensity to use my charm to woo the unsuspecting, and so forth.

The flood was like no other. It was unfathomable. In fact, some parts of the country are still under water. Indeed, the misfortune could strike us again. However, I was quick to point out to my wife that the rainbow is our living reminder that we will not be totally wiped out. What about global warming? Probably, it should be called global warning: The earth will be getting hotter by the day. No more floods, only this time a burning furnace.

With regard to my wooing the unsuspecting(s), my faith has just been tested again (again and again). Fortunately, I have been rekindling my relationship with God; hence, my thoughts and actions are more cautious. Like a baseball player, I would prepare (be tempted) to bat but not go for the full swing. I do not expect a home run anymore. Why step into the diamond in the first place? Anyway, the thought of the burning furnace is helping me win by default.

FB and I

Late last year, my stepsister talked me into setting up a Facebook (FB) account. I gave in but it was short-lived; I did not really see the value of FB then. Recently, I was forced to reactivate my FB account because of a good friend who moved abroad. Now, I find it more worthwhile as pals from long ago started touching base with me. If not for FB, I would not know that I have quite a number of friends.

Great job, Mark Zuckerberg!