Teacher's teacher

As a mother, it is painful to hear from your child that there are relatives who blemish the name of the clan by being a gossip, a rumor mongerer and pinhead (you can add to the list). Trusting that in time the "truth will always come out" and that the "truth always sets us free", you hear your child relate that this time this relative who is a gossip, rumor mongerer, pinhead personified is no longer connected with the office mainly because her presence was more a liability than an asset. There were occasions when the protector in me wanted to wage that "war" in behalf of my child. Then, the teacher and fifty plus in me were enough to stop the "evil plan". To let the scenario, expand, you hear your child share that there are employees, either from the province or the city, who do not spend their time paid by tax payers' money accordingly; for the gossip, rumor mongerer and pinheads among them use office time just to gossip, rumor monger or act as pinhead. To make matters worse, these people include your child among their victims and once again, we, the parents would like to attack these bad elements and give them their own dosage of harm and destruction. Once again, the educated side of us gets the better of our hot temper and offer it as part of life's trial."Vengeace is not ours for the law of karma prevails."

For the sake of discussion and reflection, ask yourself: Are you the gossip, the rumor mongerer or the pinhead we are referring to? If you are, ask again: Why are you one? We tell you now, this 5th of January 2010, you might no longer be lucky next time. If I were you, change your ways and even in silence, ask forgiveness from God,maybe not yet to the person you have hurt and in time, the wounds you have inflicted may just heal.

2009 is a long gone, let 2010 be a new beginning: "Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence . . . Keep peace with your soul. With all the sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy."

For quite a number of years now, Teacher's teacher is able to receive a calendar from Land Bank through Rica Joy Guillermo Aguilar. The bank's calendar is always displayed in prominent places because its design is really well thought of. It is no wonder then that the calendar of 2010 is another piece of art. Have you seen it?

For us in the academe especially those who teach Peace Education, Agriculture and its related fields, Social Studies, perhaps Literature,can find in this year's calendar a good instructional material. On its cover it states: " . . . Landbank's 2010 calendar takes us to the heart of some of the country's forests to give us a closer view of six species of trees commonly grown - in our hopes to encourage one and all to plant and propagate trees of every kind. . . Landbank urges us to listen closely to the murmurs echoing in the country's forests and heed their call for preservation; for if we only do as much as listen to the wind, we would hear them beckoning us to do our share."

Teacher's teacher has a son who is a photographer (Remember the blog in Malaybalayan where www.BonAserios.com photographs Malaybalayan?) so we will solicit his feedback about the healthy seedling which stands small at the moment and gradually grows tall, taller and tallest either as Narra, Agoho,Mahogany, Mangium, Bagras or Falcata trees.

The quotations cited by Landbank are worth noting: "There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. - Minnie Aumonier". "He who plants a tree, plants a hope - Lucy Larcom"

To Landbank Management: Congratulations for a super calendar which gives not only months and numbers but also deep ideas and ideals urgently needed by every Filipino.

Have you seen Landbank's calendar of 2010?