Teacher's teacher

Have you asked this very simple question: What does death teach us while we are alive?

It teaches us that life is good only until death takes over so death teaches us to treasure life because death comes "life a theft in the night" - you are the last one to know death has visited you or me.

It teaches us that death finds meaning only in the realm of faith. If you are not a believer then your philosophy is:  "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you will die" but if you are a believer then your philosophy is: " Like Christ one has to die but like Christ you will rise again in God's own time."

It teaches us what truly matters in life:  to do more, give more in order to be more as the great philosophers would say in our behalf but in death: to be in the mercy of God, the Judge.

On the occasion of November 1, All Saints' Day and November 2, All Souls' Day - we are answering the question that death is as important as life, the two days are symbolic of the respect we accord to our beloved dead who are in faith, alive in God's Kingdom.

If there is one things this blogger would like to have it is a television set with a capability to record what is worthy to be viewed again and again. Take the situation in New York. What is the implication  of "occupied Wall Street". Then take the most recent shocking news - death of Gaddafi. What are the repercussions of such death - of a leader who had everything in terms of power and fame - yet was killed by the very people he "served"? 

By the way, have you accepted the fact that right in our living room is the source of much information - the tv set? While you are cleaning your home, preparing meals or just sitting down while taking your snacks, you switch on the tv - make sure it is cable - you have before you the world. You become witness to how it is coping with any thing and every thing every other person is going through here, there and everywhere! Can you imagine if you can record all these and see it again, very slowly, ponder upon its nuances and contribute your own share in whatever capacity. Oprah used to give this kind of tv set many times so this Christmas, this blogger has some tv canvassing to do as to what tv set has this feature unless someone out there has read this log and would like to tell me how to get one???

As a teacher, events - like "occupied Wall Street" and "death of a dictator, Gaddafi" - confirm once again what greed can do to many who are struggling to live with bare minimum and how power can destroy anybody who uses it as an end not a means.

Then we come back to where we are and ask: Have I contributed to the misery of my family and community? Have I done enough to control my anger or tendency to manipulate others thereby promote peace among family members and colleagues?

Let us begin small and let us begin where we are . . . Shalom!

Leaders are our role models. So when they die, all the followers are sad. What is lost is not just one life but a life that is difficult to emulate. In the case of Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan prime minister, he must have been a role model one time being a leader. In the course of time, he must have lost this side of him for he wanted absolute power just for himself which is the tendency when power becomes absolute.

What lesson do we get from a person's death? like Gadhafi's death. One is the confirmation that whatever power we possess it is not self-serving but a temporary trust given to you with a consequent accounting of what you have done with it. Another is the fact that life is a one-way traffic such that when our time is up - what follows is no longer ours to decide so we are under the mercy of God's justice. Still another message is the legacy we leave behind. Others rejoice when you die because a tyrant is gone or they are saddened because your presence is always "sunshine after the rain", rainbow after the pain.

Let us always go back to our own lives and reflect on what we have done and are doing with this one life we are given.

To this day, after teaching for more than 30 years, we still meet so-called evaluators who have reserved their comments to be guided only by negative tones. Since we are aware that this person is not even super as a teacher and the over-all "aura" is negative, we can only surmise that it is but inevitable everything that emanates from this person is the opposite of positive. Have you met this evaluator yourself or your workplace has a counterpart? do share . . .

Every person nowadays has to be treasured. Students who are our main clients are our crosses for we as teachers try to give our all but sad to say, their exams are below par. We just hold on to the positive thought that they will "bloom" someday according to their own paces.

My daughter uses Apple computer so she can say with authority how unique the product is. We will not dwell on the superior quality of Apple computer but on the life of Apple's CEO for a long time: Steve Jobs. He dies at the age of 56, not so young but not so old.

For those who have not finished college life, Steve Jobs is an inspiration. He founded Apple. This proves once again that "some people are schooled but not educated". While going to school is always important, it is really what we get from all the class discussions that matter. As a teacher, my heart goes out to those who really go to school with love and care. Some of my students share how happy they are for being able to go to college amidst poverty.

Steve Jobs has many counterparts among filipinos. Perhaps you have already met one. We can also say, Steve Jobs has counterparts among persons of different cultures and races. After all we are made by one God so it is no wonder. Rest in peace Steve Jobs. Your life may have ended but your legacy which is topped by humbleness amidst triumph is a legacy that will last forever.

The information is that September 5 began the celebration of World Teachers' Day and a month later, October 5 ends the month-long celebration. In the Philippines, the Department of Education calls it Teachers' Month Campaign for the spirit is in tune with what World Teachers' month-long celebration.

As a teacher all my life, it is heartwarming to note that the teacher is given this recognition which is always a worthy move. Teacherallherlife.blogspot.com is very grateful for the greetings from friends and students. The texts are both funny and thought-provoking. A message from a friend, colleague and fellow girl scout goes: Pasalamat ka ikaw ay teacher (You should be grateful you are a teacher.)And lawyer pagnagkamali, priso kliyente. (The lawyer once he is wrong, the client goes to jail.) And pari pagnagkamali, sa impiyerno uwi. (The priest once he commits mistakes goes to hell.)Pero and teacher pagnagkamali ERASE THE BOARD lang. (But the teacher once she commits mistakes, all she does is ERASE THE BOARD.)  Happy World Teachers' Day!  The a foregoing is ONLY A JOKE so please smile or laugh and it already serves its purpose.