Allow Teacher's teacher to pay tribute to peace through a reflection . . .

For a long time the common notion of peace is "absence of conflict", quiet surrounding. It may still be today but there has to be more to this description. After all, one can be going through a conflict and in the middle of the turmoil realize that the other side of it is peace.

Problems that beset man and society are so complex yet deep into its basic cause is man's selfishness which we prefer to be the more apt explanation why peace never seems to happen easily.

So my dear Students, look deep into your hearts just as we do too. Peace comes when our hearts are ready to minimize our selfishness.

Oprah Network is now the "baby" that wil be the focus of Oprah's time. This will have to be if the plan of Oprah to finally put to an end her Oprah show at CBS will really push through on September 2011.TV commentators are busy giving their forecasts but in the meantime, the show will become more watched than ever as the countdown begins.Oprah will then become richer than ever too.
 
How Teacher's teacher wishes that before Oprah goes to better and bigger things, she will by accident come across Malaybalayan.blogspot.com where two blogs: Blogs at Fifty and Teacher's teacher.blogspot.com are just raring to meet her. We can dream, can't we?

Oprah, Teacher's teacher is from Malaybalay and Malaybalay is the niche of Malaybalayan. We dare you, you have been anywhere or everywhere but unless and until you see Malaybalay, you haven't seen it all. How  about it? May we give you a timetable to grace us with your presence on or before September 2011?

November 16, 2009, Monday, Malaybalay City, the birthplace of Malaybalayan received its visitor from Rome: His Excellency, Most Reverend Edward Joseph Adams, D.D. His visit was in line with the 40th  anniversary of the Local Church of Malaybalay, from April 22, 2009 to April 22, 2010. 

This visit reminds Malaybalayan of her experience of seeing in person a Pope! All catechists received, Malaybalayan included, the Apostolic Blessing. Without undermining the significance of the blessing, the momentous opportunity to be in the presence of the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, is like being in the presence of  the Most Holy One, you feel unworthy yet honored and humbled for being chosen to be there.

This visit of the Nuncio is also, in spirit, the visit of Pope Benedict XVI and this is very comforting to all the catholics all over Malaybalay - all over Bukidnon - all over the Philippines. Viva il Papa!

According to Webster, a hero is a man  of exceptional quality who wins admiration by noble deeds especially deeds of courage. Using this description, can you quietly say you have been a hero sometime in your life? Teacher's teacher says, why not? Since man is made in the image and likeness of God, a person has the inherent quality to do good - to become a hero.

If you are hesitant to claim you are a hero, let us move on and ask: have you met a hero in your life? The first persons who come to mind are our beloved parents. Then, we think of our other loved ones. Then, our teachers and all other people who express concern for our good development.

Teacher's teacher believes there is no end to do what is good to others for it comes back to one's self.  This is the beauty of man's aspirations, that as we do what is good, there is the temptation to do the opposite. The constant struggle of the "yin and the yang", the white and the black, the good and the bad is a person's mission to handle. To overcome evil and do good makes every person a hero. 



Webster's Encyclopedic version teaches us: the term crab is a noun which refers to the 10-legged,short-tailed crustacean, it can also refer to an ill-tempered person. As a participle, crab implies "to scratch or pull to pieces" or to "find fault". Why this has become a common trait given to the filipino is a point the teacher wants  us to give more thought. When Manny Pacquiao said in an interview whether or not the rumor about him and Krista Ranillo is true, he told the Filipino people to leave his private life alone. Pacquiao added he already gave glory to the country so as to his private life, the people do not have business anymore. He further added it is the crab mentality among us that prevents us from progressing.

Here we are; here is teacher's teacher who gave accolade to a boxing champ and prayed for his triumph because he fought not only for money but for the country. It is sad to note that Pacquiao missed the point of what "crab mentality" is.  You see, now that he is our hero, anything he says, everything he does will be scrutinized. If in fact he has no illicit relationship with Ranillo then he will just answer, yes  if there is and no if there isn't. All other consequences will be part of his decision-making. Like all of us, Pacquiao will have to decide what is right and should there be repercussions for his mistakes, like us, he too will spend more time with his God and ask forgiveness if there is need.

So where is "crab mentality in all these? It is placed on the part of those who just want to pull down anybody because of ill-will. There are people who do this, not only Filipinos. Any person can develop this mentality. We attribute it to Filipinos because we analyze our actuations as a people and sad to say, there are many of us who scratch people who seem to have many while we barely have any or find fault at someone who has it all while you can barely be acknowledged by people you work with.

Let us then find the fault in each of us and use  this awareness to correct it. In the case of Pacquiao, he knows he is now a role model and we have few left the young people can identify with. He has been given by God all the blessings which most of us will not experience so he has to be careful and though difficult to do, live up to the mold.In our little ways, we are also called to become role models therefore live moral lives.

At the end of the day, we all fall short of our calling because all of us need  to be saved.

There are meetings and THERE ARE MEETINGS. The meeting between Barack Obama, the President of the United States and Hu Jintao, the Prime Minister of China is what is referred in the latter type of meeting. It  implies the  meeting of two leaders of the two most powerful countries which is in fact vital for other countries. For Obama, it is his first visit to Beijing, China as president. This meeting is held at a time when there is economic recession so the key global issues that they have to discuss include trade, climate change and nuclear proliferation. The followers are left asking, so?

Indeed, countries which are developed are worried for while they claim that they must do something to protect the world for the sake of humanity, others already know they are doing it to protect their interests. Notwithstanding this observation, we are still happy the two leaders meet and from their initiatives, other countries can also engage in collaborative ventures where a multiplier effect can take place.

For us teachers, meetings are vehicles to bring people together to plan, discuss, decide, celebrate, learn together.  Let us join the two leaders if only in the spirit of oneness with their desire to take care of this one world, mankind is in-charge of - for the present and future generations.

US-China Meeting: November 2009 in Beijing China: A Beginning for better things ahead.

One views CNN and we read about Iran's nuclear power. Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt say they also have plans to build their own nuclear weapons. Ordinary mortals are left tongue-tied and as a teacher, this information must be disseminated to young people for further deliberation.

Some points to share: With all the calamities and crises that beset mankind, is the nuclear program the best course of action? We have only one earth so we only have to put on the tv to see for ourselves how interconnected we are with each other. It is not too long nor too difficult to come to a realization that should the nuclear weapons fall into the wrong hands or a certain power-hungry prime minister or president decide to dominate another country, destruction would be unforgivable.

This leaves the ordinary mortal to what he/.she alone can do from his/her end: Pray, pray and pray for all the world leaders to be enlightened and wake up to the reality that they too are ordinary mortals. To put it
plainly: each of us will be accountable to the Creator who appointed us stewards not destroyers of His creation.

Did you listen attentively to our Philippine National Anthem, Lupang Hinirang, being sung during the Pacquiao-Cotto fight in MGM, Las Vegas? If before it was Martin Nievera's attempt at giving zest and creativity, this time it was lack of both. It was painful that the singers were divas (kuno) in their own right yet their voices did not "click"- jibe-blend at all. We cannot help but ask, did they practise? and if they did, why did they not "do something at all" up to the end of the song? How we wished Lea Salonga, the singer, sang it. After all,she volunteered. Please give this attention. Especially because Manny Pacquiao won so once again our country won. Sorry, ladies, back to the basic: plain, simple correct blend of correct

notes.

So what exactly is the challenge?We say, sing the national anthem the correct way: four-four signature or two-two marching tune. Feel the words and as filipinos, we know what is its impact.

As a teacher, all signs of submission to a higher power, we call God or Yahweh or Allah or Bathala, are marks of a humble person, a deeply religious one.


Then there is this smile of openness. Anything depends on Him. All one can do is do one's best and let Him do the rest.

All of the above were present in Manny's actuations so it was but natural that he would win!

Some word should be said about the surroundings when the fight was going on. Malaybalayan described it like "Good Friday" atmosphere. Indeed, nothing moved. No traffic, no crime.


As a teacher, Secretary Clinton inspires women teachers of today: to express oneself with oozing confidence. Her awareness of big issues makes us understand why she wanted to become President of the United States and when she did not make it, President Barack Obama did not mind appointing her as Secretary of State.


When asked by Pinky Webb,one of the broadcasters of ABS-CBN when USA will have its first woman president; Secretary Clinton smiled and commented she should be the last one to be asked- for she tried. She added that the Philippines has two women presidents so what is the secret?

In the forum, student leaders made us proud too; they asked questions which as teachers we could smile with satisfaction when they tell us clearly they are in-charge.

Light moments: Hillary Clinton had a crush on a singer called Fabian. She was the president of Fabian's fan club. She liked the Beatles too.

When Ces Drilon brought back the discussion to Peace in Mindanao, Secretary Clinton advanced a strategy that should be coupled with socio-economic endeavor.

"Strike while the iron is hot" is one of the sayings the Secretary took note of. Teachers always use this as a reminder of what students should never take for granted:the good opportunity of being educated.

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