Ten of Hearts

I often ask myself, was right a privilege? Sure, people will tell me that if our society doesn't establish "rights", definitely the defenseless will be exploited, anarchy rules. If that' the case, we will have a lawless society. Rules are made for everybody's benefit. It concerns us all. Therefore it is wrong to violate someone's rights. May I ask you another question. Let's say a person who owns a property, particularly land, have his property used by some people who doesn't own it, would you consider it as a violation made by the latter? Now these people, after being given a notice to evacuate, still didn't mind continuing occupying the said space, can they raise they're right of settling in that area? I don't think so. I am not an elitist, people who knows me that I was living in a depressed area, only that my grandparents and my parents worked so hard just to provide us with a quality way of living. I do have connection with those people since we both shared the same street, the same dilemmas and the same fun living and growing under the same situations. But would it be right to occupy somebody else's property? What if the owner acquire the said lot through his hardwork, isn't squatting the same as stealing? As far as I know, people from the squatters area originally live in provinces. Provinces which lands should be cultivated and are also the original source of our country's wealth. Those people think that it is really easier to live and be rich in Manila so they migrated and hoping to look a job right away. And when they were wrong with their decision and nowhere else to go, they will either live on the street or occupy somebody else's property. As an indirect effect, we now import agricultural products from other countries. It is their right to dream and live prosperously, but not at the expense of somebody's rights are being violated. I can't blame the owners to evict this people, they need their land and it is the reason why they acquire it. I believe that a person doesn't have to leave his place just to be successful, the same as a Filipino can be rich in his own country. They will use rally, hunger strikes, and sometimes it results to a bloody encounter just because they feel that they are being oppressed. I know, their right of having a decent abode as already given up from the moment that they leave and migrate away from their own original house. They cannot blame the owner or even the government. They have their rights so they should decide wisely.

The same goes with a writer or a public personality. We know the pen is mightier than the sword but if they unethically use their right to write, or what we call freedom of the press, they will definitely expect that those people whom they wrongly accused, will retaliate. Nobody wants to be stepped on. But there is always somebody that doesn't care if he or she has stepped on somebody's right.

The quote 'WITH EVERY RIGHT THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY" applies not only to those people occupying a high position but most especially to each and everyone of us. Our so-called rights is our protection, our privilege, our power. But using these so called "power" should always comes with responsibility. We can enjoy those rights while others enjoy them as well. And for us to do that, we should ask ourselves, do we respect ourselves? If not, maybe that's why we didn't respect others.

Nine of Hearts

My girlfriend works as a marketing officer in a large real estate firm. Being a marketeer, some of her duties are promotion and events. You know what, I used to help her develop her event concepts and her programme. She always tells me that she is not that creative and that causes her to always seek my assistance. Actually, I don't mind and to be honest, I really do love helping her out in her responsibilities. In her company, there is always a need to have this weekly event and at times, there are also other special events added in a week. That is true, it will squeeze every bit of idea that your mind can produce. I always told her that everybody is creative, it is just that some people limit themselves, hinders their imagination work for them. Maybe because they are discourage with what others may think of their idea or they really don't trust themselves that much. You know what, my girlfriend felt that she was becoming too dependent to me regarding events conceptualization. I just realize that she is not seeking my help with that matter. She just give her guts towards presentation and viola! She has produced a very good concept, a very good programme and a very good script. All she needed to do is just do her job. "What the heck, they hired me for this." Her supervisor was surprised when their boss applaud her wild idea. See, she has it, everybody has it, the only thing to do is to present it. We are all creation of God's imagination. We became real because God make us real. It is always our initiative. The mind is a terrible thing to waste, so use it. Bottomline is "CREATIVITY IS SIMPLY YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE A STEP BEYOND."

Eight of Hearts

There are three things that are important for you to be successful. Let's make baseball as an example. We do know that after the batter hits the ball, the catcher should go to the right place where the ball will fall and catch it exactly at the right moment. Then he pitches it back to whomever should catch it. "BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME IS IMPORTANT BUT YOU MUST KNOW WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU ARE THERE."

The reminder is very applicable for the graduating students. First, they go to college after some years in primary and secondary school. They will chose what course that will defines their future jobs. Some took their time, some tried to graduate in the fastest possible time, while others overstayed. Now, when the graduation time has come, they will finally receive their diplomas and degrees , after that, they will seek employment. The question is, how many of these graduates knows what to do once they were hired? They're sure that there is a training for them, but afterwards, will they know what to do once something went wrong? Like having no training at all? Like landing into a job different from the course they have taken in college? Or worst, how about being unemployed?

The reminder is also applicable to those who tried so hard to fall in line and "invest" some money just to win the lottery. Like in my previous blogs, I have stated that most Lotto Winners end up in the same situation, if not worst, as they were before winning the prize money. They usually spend it and mismanage the usage. Some allocate it to a business that is not actually profitable or a business that they really don't know how to operate. Some just put it in a bank thinking that it will grow there eventually. But the interest gained from the time deposit usually not that much for a person who spends a lot. Really, some ended up broke.

A person being granted a loan to open a business will end up in debt and unable to pay his obligation if he didn't have the proper study and even an extent training into what he wanted to do with the money.

Success depends if you are in the right place at the right time, and most of all if you are ready to take the opportunity that has presented to you. Being sure that you are qualified before the opportunity came is a must to determine the survival and the triumph of any of your endeavor. Opportunities are like lightning, they will struck without a warning and they will just leave a trace either mark of triumph or a sign of defeat. So while you are waiting for "your defining moment", be sure that you checked everything, strengthen your right to have it, qualify yourself by either studying more or gaining more credentials, and know what to do once you have it.

The Thirty Second Card

Do you think there is a similarity between a person with no dream and a person with so many things that wanted to be done. Actually it depends. If the person with so much things wanted to be accomplish wants those goals to be done all at once or he he didn't even know what to accomplish first, so definitely he is the same with the person with no goal at all. There is no problem wanting to be someone or wanted to accomplish something. But if a person doesn't know which one to start and accomplish first or he even started something leaving something unfinished, then he will definitely have things undone or half-baked. Let's take things one at a time.

I wanted to have a very dynamic business. Meaning a business that has different industries under it. So I am currently starting Juan Pinoy, an events organizing business that is capable to be his own supplier for any kind of giveaways. Since it is human resource based business, meaning it doesn't rely on any raw materials but the manpower itself, my business can also handle real estates brokerage. It seems that it has too many things that needs to be done but I see to it that I take each steps one at a time. For example, since that it is not everyday that I have an event to work on, I used this time to finish some orders in the corporate giveaways side of my business. If there is a time that I accomplish ahead of my deadlines and just do my marketing, I see to it that I learn something about real estates. So later on, as time passes by I know that my knowledge regarding real estate will grow as my business do, I will be later qualified to be a licensed broker and can also be able to do real estate brokerage. One at a time. But always keep myself occupied. I also try to learn many other things but I see to it that nothing will hinder me from achieving my goals in their own proper time. If you have many things to do, plot your destination, plan ahead and be sure to make it realistic and achievable in each time frame. Provide some allowances in time management because anything that cannot be foreseen or the so called fortuitous events may happen so that you will still have time to solve it and still proceed to your next step. Always remember what the seven of hearts states: "WHEN YOU HAVE NO GOAL OT TOO MANY GOALS, YOU GO NOWHERE."

The Six of Hearts

Why does suicide considered one of the mortal sin against God? There are a lot of stories about suicide. Judas Iscariot, for one, would've been one of the greatest saints if he didn't commit suicide. Maybe some people will think that it is the best thing that he had done since he had betrayed our Lord Jesus. See, he is not only the one who had betrayed our Lord, Simon Peter have renounce his affiliation with Jesus three times, majority of the apostles gone to hiding knowing that their Master is being persecuted, and on the later part even St. Paul persecuted and lead the early Christian to their death. But why and how did they become the great saints that they are now? Peter, the "Rock", into whom the Lord has built His church as His foundation, left the keys to heaven, do reject the Lord but later conquer his fear, stood up, and continue his Master's tasked of spreading the Good News and building God's Kingdom. The same happened to the others aside from Judas. Saul was Paul's former name. The Lord change it because Paul has realized his mistakes, faced the consequences and challenges, and become the one of Christianity's protector and teacher. They all became great men, aside again from Judas Iscariot. See, upon committing suicide, a person does not only take away his life but also taking away what God has just lend us. Judas would've been one of the greatest apostle because if he didn't betrayed our Lord, the Salvation process will be incomplete. Since he killed himself, definitely, he wouldn't have taken the glorious task that was supposed to be performed by him later on. So definitely, our lives is not ours alone. The Lord is our co-owner. He gave us that. It is a living part of Him that was being violated upon committing such hideous act. A person that has done that has also killed the Lord. Those people will never achieve greatness. For the Lord is great, and so are His people.

Another story is about the struggle of the crowd favorite franchise in the Philippine Basketball in the 80's and 90's, the Ginebra San Miguel. they are known to be crowd favorite because they have a local basketball icon with them, Sonny Jowerski. Yup, that team do sucked for a while but after years of dedication and commitment, the rise into greatness, they became contenders, and later, champions. They are a group of benchwarmers from other teams, an unknown or not celebrated rookies or players, but with their passion and love for the game, these underdogs has become a powerful conquerors. Again they too never quit. What they were known for, a team with a "No Guts, No Glory" virtue and a "Never Say Die Attitude".

Everybody has moments of failures and defeats. But not everybody has the attitude of standing up and learning from it. The great people that we know today are not winners since birth. They chose the path a winner usually take. And it is not an easy way out kind of path. Usually they are people who were defeated but never conquered. They are the people who takes responsibilities towards their failures. They learn. They never stop fighting for what they want and what they need in life. They do became afraid and conquered their fears. They are people who took their self doubt away by reinforcing themselves. They are true inside out. because they know WE ARE NOT FINISHED WHEN WE ARE DEFEATED, WE ARE FINISHED WHEN WE QUIT.

Five of Hearts

"Eto lang ang kaya kong pasuking trabaho, kailangang mabuhay kahit kapit sa patalim. (This is the only work that I can do, I need to live even if my safety is at risk.)" This is the usual answer of any prostitutes, swindlers, hold-upper, and even drug pushers. Most of them blame their situation on their parents' inability to give them education and their poor way of living was blamed, on the other hand, on the government. Ask them if they have done something for them to prevent their current situation. They will tell you that how can they do much with their lives if they only have little means to live. Then they will again blame it to someone else. It is seldom that they take the blame on themselves. So that's why they ended up being who they are and doing what they do.

Actually, this life is very simple. If you have nothing then you will have to find a way to get it, the right way. If your parents can't afford ti send you to a school, you have the obligation to yourself to do so. If you say that your family needs you to earn money for them, there are lots of ways to earn money. We all do have an equal blessing of 24 hours a day, let's say work for eight hours, study for 8 hours, then give 2 hours for any miscellaneous loads like taking a bath or travel time, then six hours for you to sleep. If there is a need for a person to work more tha two jobs, then at least allot even just four hours of studying. I give much emphasis to education because believe me, diplomas are the key towards successful future while knowledge learned from experiences and failures are the force to put the key on the keyhole and twist it to open the door of success. At least, little by little you are gaining your education, reducing your loads and even educating yourself about the outside world. Yup, easier said than done but hey, you are not the only one that have challenges to face. We all do have the same equal challenges, it just differs on the person's capacity to solve it. I believe God will give a challenge to a person because he is the best to solve it. Most of the time, these problems are caused by the person itself. It is always an opportunity to rise. Now, if you really have to earn, you can even work as a messenger, service crew, sales rep, or even a call center agent. Again, we have twenty four hours at our disposal. Like now, I do work as a freelance events organizer and boss to my corporate giveaways business. Then I still do learn things even if they were just making tocino or longanisa. Right now, I am trying to learn to speak nihongo, adobe illustrator, and realty brokerage. Another thing that I have learned, how can you be a rich person if you are not qualify to be one? I make sure that I learn always and have another qualification under my belt. There is always a better way to be better. It is a matter of managing your time and yourself. I am not rich. I just chose to do what is best. And what is best is to do what is right. Instead of being a drug pusher, why not sell kakanin, kanin and ulam, or anything good or useful. Who knows, that lutong ulam delivery may later become a carinderia, and even more? Instead of prostitution, why not be a tutor to a younger student? Why not be a student assistant? Or service crew? There is always a better way to do things. You do not have to damn yourself. The success and failure of a person depends on the person itself. No one to blame except for yourself. The lesson here from the card is always "THINK! THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY."

For businessmen, there is always a better way than closing your firm or just quitting. There is always an option called success, right? Again easier said than done, but still doable. Think, there is always a better way.

The 29th Card

"Are you afraid of the dark?" This is usually the question asked by some teasing adults to the young ones. They use this to refrain the kids from wondering outside the house specially at night. They even used the terms ghosts, monsters, ghouls, and any other creatures or horrible being just to make them stay at home. Those so called grown ups uses fear from the unknown as a tool to make their kids obedient to them. In psychology, they really do reject this kind of action. It is a form of abnormal way of instilling obedience to the youngsters.

But I think this kind question should be asked to the grown ups. People usually decline to a certain task or risk simply because they are afraid of failure and of the consequences. They are actually afraid of the unknown. Yup, curiosity bites the cat. And yup, ignorance is a sin, and a deadly one. Like "ignorance of the law is no excuse." In real life, passing up a risk or an extra task is a sin towards self. Risk and responsibility, two things that people usually stay away from, is another form of opportunity. They are a stepping stone towards the higher level, a fertilizer to our tree of wisdom. Most are afraid of what might happen or what troubles lurked in there. Yup, they do most likely cause failure or trouble, but it is always up to the person to do things best and learn from every experience that it gives. The four of hearts reminds us that "WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TILL WE TRY." Don't pass up on the opportunities. Be the man of your own destiny, and I hope the best one of course. Now, "Are you afraid of the Dark?"