the scrolls...

Og Mandino composed The Legend Of The Ten Scrolls in his

book The Greatest Salesman in the World.... 

They are:

Scroll I - The Power of Good Habits
Scroll II - Greet Each Day With Love In Your Heart
Scroll III - Persist Until You Succeed
Scroll IV - You Are Natures Greatest Miracle
Scroll V - Live Each Day as if it Were Your Last
Scroll VI - Master Your Emotions
Scroll VII - The Power of Laughter
Scroll VIII - Multiply Your Value Every Day
Scroll IX - All is Worthless Without Action
Scroll X - Pray to God for Guidance

His primary message was to NOT procrastinate. 

In the marking of Scroll IX, "I will act now" is written 18 times. 

Even some of the texts did have Christian undertones 

(by referring to St.Paul as the greatest salesman in the world), 

it was still a message of repetitive actions to build good habits.

The Greatest Salesman in the World was (first) published in 1968 

(and re-issued in 1983 by Bantam). The 128-page book has become a guide 

to a philosophy of salesmanship, and success, telling the story of Hafid--- 

a poor camel boy who achieves a life of  goodness and abundance.

Then there is this sequel to this bestselling book (The End of Story), 

published in 1988 and set back forty years later the first part; 

the main character Hafid  is in a sad state, mourning the loss of his wife, Lisha. 

The story starts years into Hafid’s seclusion, when a dream convinces him 

to see a stranger that turns up on his doorstep and pulls Hafid 

out of retirement to embarke on a new adventure: (a speaking tour) 

to enlighten others about the principles enclosed in The Ten Scrolls.

My dear boyman Wowa loved the books. He dreams of becoming a

great salesman too. Oh well, we can always dream and work for our

dreams right?

ok ka lang mama??? [tb070110]

being a temporarily-miles-away mama, we have to content ourselves with calls and exchange of short messages (sms) using a mobile phone (cp)...in 2 years time, i noticed that as my wowa grew older, his smss have become way shorter as well...

lately,he has to bring the cp to school so he can contact his papa during break and dismissal time (to be fetched or to be assured that he would be fetched - he has become somewhat clingy these days).

here's a run-through of his cute - smss:

06/29/10 558pm   : thank you sa cellphone
06/29/10 830pm   : mama ok ka lang
06/29/10 852pm   : ok ka lang mama?
mama thank you talaga dito ha
06/29/10 903pm   : ma bakit hindi maka text
06/30/10 731am   : mama are you there
06/30/10 732am   : haha miss kita mama
06/30/10 815am   : mama ok ka lang
06/30/10 819am   : mama hug ko si lola
06/30/10 1159am : hello mama
06/30/10 1212pm : san ka banda mama
kay noynoy. panoorin ka namin. makita ka
07/01/10 542am  : ma nabigyan mo na ako load
07/01/10 955am  : ok ka lang jan mama
07/02/10 645am  : ok ka lang mama
07/02/10 738am  : mama ok ka lang jan

you noticed something too? hahaha.
ok nga lang ba ako? (am i really okay?)
as long as he will keep on wanting to know
if i am okay then i will be. :)

good byes are necessary for us to meet again

they are my friends, i talk and listen (read: read) to them almost every night, topics range from believing in myself to journeys of a confused to learning a thing or two about other culture...i depend on them when my mind is tired...when my heart is aching...when my body can not seem to take the pressures my mind and heart are subjecting themselves into. in short, they are my savior- my bedside books.

but there came a time that i used them as an escape, they send me far from where i am, and there i go hoping and wishing that i'd never go back to what i should be doing (reading-scholarly journals, writing-scholarly articles)... they are good friends, they shield me from hurts, they take me as far as i want them to, they hide me from my monsters and make me feel alright for a time. soon, i was seeing more of them than what is needed, i had to re-think and rethinking i did. hurting as it may seem, i tied them (all 25 of them- see list below) using my favorite red ribbon, placed them in  a good bag and had them sent to my old study area 2-hour plane ride away from where i am now.

i had to say goodbye to them...and yes, as the old savior's manual would say--- goodbyes are necessary for friends to meet again. i know i'd see them again. i'd be able to talk to them again. i'd have them beside me again, just ever-near when i need them. but for now, i had to let go of them so they won't be used as an escape- 'coz it's becoming unfair to them to be treated that way. goodbye dear friends.

jonathan livingston seagull - running from safety - illusions, the adventures of the reluctant messiah - a gift of wings - biplane - nothing by chance - one - bridge across forever - hypnotizing maria - the prophet - punchlines - loving each other - humor for a women's heart - the 12th angel - sula - eat pray love - stainless longganisa - silas marner - mr. blue - songs of solomon - oliver twist -  trivia of the silver screen - to kill a mockingbird - memoirs  of a geisha - best of a lady - robinson crusoe (audio)

dancing for peace with my bestfriend of the 80s [tb092010]

manila began the celebration (in asia) for earthdance 2010- a global peace festival celebrated in over 500 locations in 80 countries. sept.18th, sun-down to sun-up, Earthdance Manila broadcasted to the world (live via EarthdanceTV) the hours of non-stop dance, music and live art. there were wellness and dance workshops, an eco-bazaar, showcase of indigenous rituals and healing ceremonies too. the event culminated with the Global Synchronized Prayer for Peace at 7am Manila   (4pm California - 8pm Sao Paulo - 12 midnight London - 9am Sydney)...[the whole world (of every race, and religion) prayed at the same time, that's good!]. bantayog ng mga bayani memorial center was the chosen venue (somehow to rekindle the fire of a nation united in its desire for peace, justice and democracy). themed “Embracing All Traditions,” artists of various genres from world music to techno, electronica, jazz, and hiphop fused their styles in jamming...

that night, i was reunited too with my bestfriend in elementary school- marlyn (she went there with her 15-year old son)...the three of us enjoyed the company and the beat as we ate our all-time favorite 'chippy' and as we danced along with the fire dancers, the participants from all over, the pangalay artists circle, and other traditional and ethnic dancers. it's a delightful collision of cultures, faiths, art forms, music and dance! kadangayan, nyko maca with DJ robby sanchez of peace pilipinas, and joey ayala head the stellar line up of performers (including tapati) and sponsor representatives like epi quizon for the dolphy aid. the event has become a convergence of advocacies too... SEARICE promoted their No2GMO with a free feast of eggplant dishes from all over the country; hare krishna demonstrated labor of love in its truest as they (pray and) chant while cooking vegetarian dishes to fire up the artists’ energy for the whole event, and, bagong lumad foundation, partners up for the ISAling Lahi Project- books and audio books of the various tribes and indigenous communities documenting their culture rooted in a deep connection with the environment through songs, stories, and values.  these, and many others were also made more fun-filled with free informal workshops in pangalay, poi dancing, belly dancing, and tribal drumming.

we went home just before midnight (cinderellas-in-the-making), bringing with us memories of the once-in-a-blue-moon event: the friendship reunion in a dance-for-peace drama. whew!

throwback: lessons from zombieland

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOVIES 

I WOULD WANT TO WATCH

WITH MY BOYMAN AND MANBOY 

FEW MONTHS AGO...

BUT SINCE I AM MILES AWAY THEN... 

THEY DECIDED TO WATCH THE MOVIE 

ugh--WITHOUT ME.

WHEN I CAME HOME FOR THE SEMBREAK, 

I SAW THE VCD(ZOMBIELAND movie) 

BEING RENTED...SO I DID (RENT) IT.

WE WATCHED THE MOVIE TOGETHER

-- FINALLY!

THE BOYMAN WAS A SPOILER AND 

I SO LOVE HIM FOR BEING

JUST THAT... HE KNEW EXACTLY 

WHAT SCENE WILL THE

RULES COME OUT...

(AND SOMEHOW MEMORIZED THEM)-

--HERE THEY ARE!

1. cardio 

(you have to be fit to be able to run away...)

2. double-tap 

(you have to be sure that its really dead...)

3. beware of bathrooms 

(they attack when/where you are most vulnerable...)

4. fasten seatbelt 

(oh well, you know those sudden brakes...)

7. travel light 

(coz you have to run and hide and run...)

16. limber-up 

(didnt work for the main character though...)

17. (don't) be a hero 

(depends on the circumstance...)

22. when in doubt, know your way out 

(almost always needed...)

31. check the backseat 

(to not to have the shock of all shocks...)

and--- 

32. ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS 

(awww, this one i heart...)

rhetoric is a poor substitute for action (throwback 2009)

flashback: my classic plants versus duh zombies

saturday night i visited my friend fritzie, spent the night with her...but her night is up to eleven piyem only so i had to face the pc by then til the end of my night at 2 eyem. good thing she introduced me to this craze - PLANTS VS ZOMBIES... the believed-to-be-addicting-pc game (that i have somewhat proven).

in this game, the basic goal is to prevent the zombies from breaching your defences (my plants) and destroying your base (my home). several defensive units are given and used. and there is a bit of economics (my forte) involved. i like the idea that i don't have an active attacking role. instead, i rely on my plants and my four 'i-know-will-work' plans...here's it:

(1) plan what i get/use. zombies do not appear for about 15 seconds, so i have time needed to plant a sunflower or two before the attack. i believe my sunflowers are the good friends and the good values that i have, they give me powers and i have to catch them (the powers they give) before they go to waste.

(2) place an attacking unit/support. though i don't attack, some of my plants will. they really have to or else my garden (my life's values) will be destroyed and my house (the fullness of me, my soul) will be attacked (who wants to read YOUR BRAINS ARE EATEN BY ZOMBIES message?)!

(3) keep clicking. i have to keep busy. an idle mind is the devil's playground. i need to work, study, learn from the school of life (that's the clicking) to protect myself from the sin of sloth and from being caught offguard once my attackers increase in numbers and ferocity.

(4) take only the units that i can use. there are cheaper units (my friends and the things that i learn for free) and somehow i needed them to repel my first attackers when i'm still stocking up on my sunpoints (these are the strengths that i gain from the values that i keep). there are also advanced units (they are the lessons i get only when i pay/sacrifice something to get them) which are more expensive, but are needed to destroy the tougher (or more numerous)zombies later.

so far, that's the level i have reached and the game plan i have made. soon, i'd be able to share my bigger plans as i go to higher levels  (greater goals usually entails steeper climb, harder challenges). i know as i progress deeper into adventure mode, other conditions will occur that will make me change tactics. but those four strategies i'd keep for a while.

here's a quick-look at the units and zombies i have/met so far:

sunflower. the more i plant, the more sun points will be available. as i wrote in the beginning, i think they are my good friends and the good values that i keep in my lifetime. 

pea shooter. this is the most basic attack unit/plant. firing rate is just so-so (just like my actions when i'm irritated- i'm overly kind to zombies) but it is also cheap (meaning it doesn't cause much heartache/headache). this means i can build them early even when values/strengths are failing- they try protect me the only way they know how.

wall nut. it's a defensive wall that can be destroyed, jumped, tunnelled, scaled, or flown over. (they are my poor tactics in dealing with my life's zombies, the devils all around). they are very useful however in some instances, like delaying the zombies from eating my patience whole.

cherry bomb. it's a one-use unit. when i place it in a cell, it destroys all the enemies in the eight cells around the unit. it's very handy but expensive and slow to build. [it's my almost on one-time 'flare-up' or 'breakdown' or whatever-it-is-you-call-it-moments that have become sort of a time-bomb that once i let it burst, the devils (zombies of my life) either die or lay low].

those four and the sun-shroom (inactive in day stages, a budget resource unit), fume-shroom  (a short range, high damage attack unit that can penetrate the screen door the zombie's defence used essentially as the flamethrower), and the grave buster (a special purpose one-use unit that destroys head stones and if placed near a zombie, it can be destroyed before it completes its task - i so wish i could have one of these in real life) are my dependable resources so far in my adventure.

and oh, not to forget the 'zombies'... a basic zombie usually comes in mass attacks. they are my stresses in life and i know that once the head is shorn off, the zombie is dead or dying. hence, i have to take pleasure in destroying them before they slowly destroy me.

the flag bearer is a zombie that signals a large horde. hmmm, it's completely unnecessary as the game already warns you of incoming zombie hordes but i guess, people like them exists- they tell you who backstabs you when all the while he/she is a part of the team...the game (my instincts) tells me ahead that he/she shouldn't be trusted and must be destroyed along with the others the soonest.

the metal bucket is a zombie with a bucket on its head. these are those who are with your usual zombies but way too thick-skinned to be affected by your defenses (read: sobrang kapalmuks). magnet-shroom, i heard (haven't seen one yet) will easily kill this bastard!

the pole vaulting zombie is like those enemies-in-disguise-of-a-caring-neighbor-or-pretending-to-be-friend. since it has it's way, it avoids the first plant it encounters in a lane by jumping over it, then proceeds as a basic zombie. only the tall nut will counter this unit's ability (that means, i have to look for ways to not be distracted or lure myself into believing this devil errr zombie).

see? the rules are simple…
in order to grow plants (in order to grow spiritually and become a good person), you have to protect your lawn from the zombies (people and events that are stressors and lead you to wrong path and soon will cause your downfall as a child of god), you need light (in promoting good values). there are several ways to get light: sunflowers (good friends), certain types of mushrooms (lessons from life), and, of course, the sun (god, whatever you conceive him to be).

PS. at the beginning of the game, i was introduced to crazy dave, my experienced-zombie-slaying-neighbour (well, he/she may be someone you thought of as crazy at first but later on you'd realize he/she is there to guide you as you go through your journey). he teaches you some strategy and sells you interesting tools to help protect your lawn (hmmm...we all need spiritual advisers or just anyone at all that will guide us in our decisions or strategies to better protect us from you-know-whats).

will i play this game again? perhaps.
will i go on fighting and living and protecting my humanity? YES!

die zombies! die!  (insert devil laugh here).

KG on teaching

"Speak to us of Teaching."

And he said:

No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep

in the dawning of our knowledge.

The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple,

among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather
of his faith and his lovingness.

If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of wisdom,

but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.

The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space,

but he cannot give you his understanding.

The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space,

but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm
nor the voice that echoes it.

And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell
of the regions of weight and measure,

but he cannot conduct you thither.

For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.

And even as each one of you stands alone
in God's knowledge,

so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and

in his understanding of the earth

taken from [Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet : On Teaching]
in celebration of life and teaching...and of TEACHERS DAY

adopted renewed vows?

i really didn't think of my husband to be a sweet or sentimental guy. he would even remind me of that when sometimes i remark about not getting flowers and other romantic stuff on special dates (he would gladly prepare my meal and even peel the skin off from fruits for me though).

i looked back and realized how lucky i am to have him in my life. as i wrote before, he isn't perfect but IMHO, he is way better than others in being a husband and father  as well. here's his once in a blue moon semi-sweet attack (dated september 29, 2008) obviously from something he must have seen or read somewhere...i gladly kept this in my inbox 'til now and wonder when will i get another one LOL

i acknowledge my shortcomings and failures. i give up my pretenses and excuses. i renew my marital commitment to love my wife  til the last of my breath- to serve and not to abuse, to cherish and not to forsake, to be faithful and not to betray, to forgive and not to accuse, to protect and not to hurt. 

need i ask for more???

in memory of freddie mercury

...who left us with music and some thought-provoking words

some 19 years ago...i share my favorite lines (all from him)...

"I'm very emotional; 

I think I may go mad in several years' time."

"I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, 

                                         so it is hard for people to get in and to know the real me "

 

"Modern paintings are like women: 

You'll never enjoy them, if you try to understand them."

"I always knew I was a star, 

and now the rest of the world seems to agree with me."

"I dress to kill, but tastefully."

"The bigger the better; in everything."

"I won't be a rock star. I will be a legend."

"What will I be doing in twenty years' time? 

I'll be dead, darling! Are you crazy?"

"When I'm dead, I want to be remembered as 

a musician of some worth and substance."

"Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don't want to go to heaven.

Hell is much better. Think of all the interesting people 

you're going to meet down there!"

mine is jovit :) have you met yours?

i think i may have... the manboy, hub :)
but i think that mate isn't just one but one at a time,
depending on my need and state...as with a friend,
a soulmate would be of help if you try to be your own's friend/mate too...

richard bach spoke of soulmate very well when he was asked
about it (and his courtship with leslie) -

"A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys,
and keys to fit our locks.
When we feel safe enough to open the locks,
our truest selves step out and we can be completely
and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are
and not for who we’re pretending to be.
Each unveils the best part of the other.
No matter what else goes wrong around us,
with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise.
Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings,
our sense of direction.
When we’re two balloons,
and together our direction is up,
chances are we’ve found the right person.
Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.”

... oh well, chances are,
sometimes we are too busy looking for that soulmate
only to realize he/she is it long after he/she is gone. what a waste!

10 commandments (for wives only)

oh here it is. with just few hours of my dear friends reading the 10 commandments for husbands, they couldn't wait to see the 'for wives' version. i wondered for a while why. and the thought gave me the cute kind of creeps...

[sakura's thought: husband and wife having a cold war, [meaning-no talking, only the usual piercing looks then] suddenly the wife raises her fingers to a specific number, referring to the commandment, and the husband retracts by raising his fingers to a specific number too, in her face... oh well, if this is the case, they might end up still not talking but giving each other 'cozies'. yes, i love happy endings!]


10 COMMANDMENTS FOR WIVES
(i didn't include the one-line ticklers here 'coz the commandment says it all. girlfriends, you don't need further discussions right?)

1. be proud you're a woman (thou shalt honor thy own womanhood that thy days may be long in the house which thy husbands provide for thee).

2. live on your budget (thou shalt not expect thy husband to give thee as many things as thy father hath given thee after many years of hardwork and economies).

3. keep a sense of humor in your marriage (thou shalt not forget the virtue of good humor, for verily, all that a man hath will he give for a woman's smile).

4. don't nag! (thou shalt not nag!)). - yes dears, it came with an exclamation point

5. pamper your husband (thou shalt please thy husband for verily, every man loveth to be fussedover).

6. keep hubby first! (remember that the frank approval of thy husband is worth more to thee than the sidelong glances of many strangers).

7. keep yourself attractive (thou shalt not forget the grace of cleanliness and neat dress). - oh yeah, 'coz we spent much time in making ourselves so attractive to them so many years ago...

8. keep faith with your husband (thou shalt not permit anyone to assure thee that thou art having a hard time of it). - me violating my non-quoting of any-one-line rule: don't allow yourself the indulgence of dwelling on the faults or failures of your mate...

9. make your house a home (thou shalt keep thy home with all diligence, for out of it cometh the joys of old age).

10. trust in the lord (thou shalt commit thy ways unto the lord thy god, and the children shall rise up and call thee blessed).

10 commandments (for husbands only)

yes, i did that on purpose. i intend to just enumerate here the 10 commandments for husbands as given by dr. harold sala (founder &president of guidelines international inc.- an international christian ministry) in his book 'ten commandments for husbands and wives' (omf literature)... it is because i noticed that in most bookstores, guidelines are mostly given to the female group (how to preserve a husband was even printed in a poster form). 

perhaps it's because the female group are also the reading-group hence, authors/printers see better feasibility if such were the target. hmmm...anyways, husbands (and wives- print this for whatever purpose it may serve) ---here they are (with one-liners from each of the brief discussion) :

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR HUSBANDS

1. keep your priorities straight (thou shalt make the building of thy home thy first business) - your responsibility to your family shouldn't be in conflict with the obligation to your employer.
2. meet your wife's needs (thou shalt remember that thy wife hath need of more than food, clothing and shelter) - the need for companionship, the need for communication, the need for a friend.
3. don't take your wife for granted (thou shalt not take thy wife for granted) -[yes, that was repeated in the book that way. for emphasis, i guess.]
4. make your wife a partner (thou shalt not think thy business is none of thy wife's business) - you're in a partnership called marriage.
5. don't squeeze the purse (thou shalt not deal grudgingly with thy wife) - you shall not ask an accounting of every coin unless you make a similar accounting to her.
6. lead the way in discipline (thou shalt cooperate with thy wife in establishing family discipline) - don't you leave the disciplining to your wife, and don't you dare to fail in backing her up...
7. eat it and love it (thou shalt not complain about thy wife's cooking for it will be as discord in thy household harmony) - [oh well, enough said here...go on cooking girl!].
8. leave your gloom at work (thou shalt enter into thy house with cheerfulness) - remember that your wife thought she married a man, not a bear.
9. hang together (thou shalt not let anyone criticize thy wife to thy face and get away with it - neither thy mother, nor thy father nor thy breathren, nor thy sisters nor any others that are relatives) - [ i could just imagine the wive's reaction here...i say, whew!]
10. lead the way spiritually (remember thy home and keep it holy) - assume the spiritual responsibility for their (the family) souls. no one else can do that for you.

The Scroll Marked VII

I will laugh at the world. No living creature can laugh except humans.  Trees may bleed when they are wounded, and beasts in the field will cry in pain and hunger, yet only I have the gift of laughter and it is mine to use whenever I choose.  Henceforth I will cultivate the habit of laughter.


I will smile and my digestion will improve; 
I will chuckle and my burdens will be lightened; 
I will laugh and my life will be lengthened 
for this is the great secret of long life 
and now it is mine.


I will laugh at the world. And most of all, I will laugh at myself for humans are most comical when we take ourselves too seriously.  Never will I fall into this trap of the mind.  For though I be nature's greatest miracle am I not still a mere grain tossed about by the winds of time?  Do I truly know whence I came or whither I am bound?  Will my concern for this day not seem foolish ten years hence?  Why should I permit the petty happenings of today to disturb me?  What can take place before this sun sets which will not seem insignificant in the river of centuries?


I will laugh at the world. And how can I laugh when confronted with person or deed which offends me so as to bring forth my tears or my curses?  Four words I will train myself to say until they become a habit so strong that immediately they will appear in my mind whenever good humor threatens to depart from me.  These words, passed down from the ancients, will carry me through every adversity and maintain my life in balance.  These four words are:  This too shall pass.


I will laugh at the world. For all worldly things shall indeed pass. When I am heavy with heartache I shall console myself that this too shall pass; when I am puffed with success I shall warn myself that this too shall pass.  When I am strangled in poverty I shall tell myself that this too shall pass; when I am burdened with wealth I shall tell myself that this too shall pass.  Yea, verily, where is he who built the pyramid?  Is he not buried within its stone?  And will the pyramid, one day, not also be buried under sand?  If all things shall pass why should I be of concern for today?

I will laugh at the world.
                                               I will paint this day with laughter; 

I will frame this night in song.  

Never will I labor to be happy; 

rather I will remain too busy to be sad.  

I will enjoy today's happiness today.  

It is not grain to be stored in a box.  

It is not wine to be saved in a jar.  

It cannot be saved for the morrow.  

It must be sown and reaped on the same day 

and this will I do, henceforth.

I will laugh at the world. And with my laughter all things will be reduced to their proper size.  I will laugh at my failures and they will vanish in clouds of new dreams.  I will laugh at my successes and they will shrink to their true value.  I will laugh at evil and it will die untasted; I will laugh at goodness and it will thrive and abound.  Each day will be triumphant only when my smiles bring forth smiles from others and this I do in selfishness, for those on whom I frown are those who purchase not my goods.
I will laugh at the world.

Henceforth will I shed only tears of sweat, for those of sadness or remorse or frustration are of no value in the marketplace whilst each smile can be exchanged for gold and each kind word, spoken from my heart, can build a castle.


Never will I allow myself to become so important, 
so wise, so dignified, so powerful, 
that I forget how to laugh at myself and my world.  
In this matter I will always remain as a child, 
for only as a child am I given the ability 
to look up to others; and so long as I look up to another 
I will never grow too long for my cot.


I will laugh at the world. And so long as I can laugh never will I be poor.  This then, is one of nature's greatest gifts, and I will waste it no more.  Only with laughter and happiness can I truly become a success.  Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor.  Were it not so, far better would it be to fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal.  To enjoy success I must have happiness, and laughter will be the maiden who serves me.


I will be happy.
I will be successful.
I will be the greatest salesman the world has ever known.

from The Greatest Salesman in the World

by Og Mandino

the little prince...my little prince

this morning i started the day with "alice in wonderland" in mind...the words from the book never cease to amuse me...until plurkfriend tatcee asked about global citizenship. with that, i suddenly thought of "the little prince". fancy that, just like 'unsing it' when you keep having the 'last song syndrome'...anyways, here are my favorite quotes from the book written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

Grown-ups love figures. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essentail matters. They never say to you, “What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?” Instead, they demand: “How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?” Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.

If you were to say to the grown-ups: “I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,” they would not be able to get an idea of that house at all. You have have to say to them: “I saw a house that cost $20,000.” Then they would exclaim: “Oh, what a pretty house that is!”

“One day,” you said to me, “I saw the sunset forty-four times!” And a little later you added: “You know--one loves the sunset, when one is so sad…” “Were you so sad, then?” I asked, “on the day of the forty-four sunsets?”But the little prince made no reply.

“Well, I must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies. It seems that they are very beautiful.”

“Why are you drinking?” demanded the little prince. “So that I may forget,” replied the tippler. “Forget what?” inquired the little prince, who already felt sorry for him. “Forget that I am ashamed,” the tippler confessed, hanging his head. “Ashamed of what?” insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him. “Ashamed of drinking!”

“When he lights his street lamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That is a beautiful occupation. And since it is beautiful, it is truly useful.”

“Men?” she echoed. “I think there are six or seven of them in existence. I saw them, several years ago. But one never knows where to find them. The wind blows them away. They have no roots, and that makes their lives very difficult.”

“I thought that I was rich, with a flower that was unique in all the world; and all I had was a common rose. A common rose, and three volcanoes that come up to my knees--and one of them perhaps extinct forever… That doesn’t make me a very great prince…” And he lay down in the grass and cried.

“To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…If you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life...You have hair like the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat…”

“You are beautiful, but you are empty,” he went on. “One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me.”

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

“What makes the desert beautiful,” said the little prince, “is that somewhere it hides a well…”

"All men have the stars," he answered, "but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travellers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For my businessman they were wealth. But all the stars are silent. You--you alone--will have the stars as no one else has them--"


and as for my personal request---this quote does more like it:

Wait for a time, exactly under the star. Then, if a little man appears who laughs, who has golden hair and who refuses to answer questions, you will know who he is. If this should happen, please comfort me. Send me word that he has come back.

need i write more? ah yes! watch the movie version. it's beautifully done too!

i don't remember growing older...when did he?

I will act now.

“I will act now. 

I will act now. 
I will act now. 

Henceforth, I will repeat these words 

each hour, each day, everyday, 

until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, 

and the action which follows becomes as instinctive 

as the blinking of my eyelids. 

With these words I can condition my mind 

to perform every action necessary for my success. 

I will act now. 

I will repeat these words again and again and again. 

I will walk where failures fear to walk. 

I will work when failures seek rest. 

I will act now for now is all I have. 

Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. 

I am not lazy. 

Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. 

I am not a failure. 

I will act now. 

Success will not wait. 

If I delay, success will become wed to another 

and lost to me forever. 

This is the time. This is the place. 

I am the person. ” 

― Og Mandino

my daily dose - enough for two weeks eh? --- [thanks Richard Bach]...

Bad things are not the worst things 
that can happen to us. 
Nothing is the worst thing that can happen to us! 

Can miles truly separate you from friends... 

If you want to be with someone you love, 

aren't you already there? 

Don't believe what your eyes are telling you. 

All they show is limitation. 

Look with your understanding, 

find out what you already know, 

and you'll see the way to fly. 

Every person, all the events of your life 
are there because you have drawn them there. 
What you choose to do with them is up to you. 

Here is a test to find 

whether your mission on Earth is finished: 

If you're alive, it isn't. 

I gave my life 

to become the person I am right now. 

Was it worth it? 

If your happiness depends 
on what somebody else does, 
I guess you do have a problem. 

Rarely do members of the same family 

grow up under the same roof. 

The best way to pay for a lovely moment 

is to enjoy it. 

The mark of your ignorance is 
the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. 
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, 
the Master calls the butterfly. 

The simplest questions are the most profound. 

Where were you born? 

Where is your home? 

Where are you going? 

What are you doing? 

Think about these once in a while and 

watch your answers change. 

There are no mistakes. 

The events we bring upon ourselves, 

no matter how unpleasant, 

are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary 

to reach the places we've chosen to go. 

You are always free to change your mind 
and choose a different future, or a different past. 

You don't want a million answers 

as much as you want a few forever questions. 

The questions are diamonds you hold in the light. 

Study a lifetime and you see different colors 

from the same jewel. 

You teach best 

what you most need to learn.