Oblivion

I never entered PMA. But for
three years I have earned friends from the Academy - friends I never searched
for but stayed with me and whom I have learned to trust and confide in. I was
never a student in this military academy but since the 9th NDC, I have become
more attached to the persons inside this institution. I see them as ones who
have great influence in my life and can help me become a better person in the
process.

Discipline. Both external and internal. They are trained to religiously obey
rules and regulations for them to become worthy as officials someday. As days
go on, they inculcate in them this kind of discipline that even without being
told, they act with proper restraint and modesty. In the world outside, we do
need enough amount of discipline to conquer many temptations in this liberal
earth.

Less talk, more work. Cadets are quite reserved verbally. However, they
endlessly perform their duties, official and unofficial. Be it for their
seniors or mistahs, they act with sense of responsibility. Needless to say,
many of them are also responsible sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.

Attentive to the needs of
others. Every time my friends and I visit PMA, cadets are always on our guard.
They are willing to give us a grand tour and ensure our comfort and security
during our stay. They do not only tell us where we could find the place or the
thing that we are looking for but they are courteous enough to accompany us
where we wish to go. Most of the time, they do not leave the visitors
unattended, making sure that someone would be escorting us by the time that one
would be away for duty.

Organized. What could be more
pleasing than the view of the snappy barracks? Everything is properly in place, neatly
arranged and always ready and presentable for inspection. In any workplace,
tasks are done easily, smoothly and efficiently when there is organization.

Value for time. Time is very
important for them. One has to be wary of every minute that passes because
punctuality is always observed. They strictly follow schedules, they have
allotted time for every activity so they could efficiently accomplish
everything that has to be done. “One day at a time,” that is what I often hear
from them. It is an accomplishment for a cadet to end the day being able to
finish the tasks that he must finish on that day. “One day at a time” to ensure
that every day, compliance is attained.

There are a lot more things that
transpire inside the academy that contribute to the well-rounded training and
development of cadets. At least by being outside looking in, I get a glimpse of what there is inside and appreciate many of their noble works. I 
now understand
what they answer when I tell them that it is sad to be away from their
families, “There are many reasons to be happy inside the academy, there are a
lot of things that we can do, and that is what we call quality education.”

Filed by erald17 at 7:35 pm under Reflection
7 Comments

…even though I am faced with new set of responsibilities right now. This is not a joke yet I do not have to change with it. Because first and foremost, people have loved me for what I have always been. Nothing has changed about me. This is just a matter of who is being trusted. To be trusted is a big thing. This is where the blending of trust’s definitions begins.
It is earned and it is a risk. I am here because I have earned the trust by who and what I have been and I have done, yes. And I am here because they have chosen to put me there (shall I say) for a test? Inasmuch as I want to believe but it is not that way. Never will be that way. Because as I have always said, the success of a leader is not dependent solely on him or her. It also bears the will and cooperation of the people adjoining him or her.
Like us, it is not just the president who is responsible. Each one of us is. Because we are all trusted and are all supported. Plus the participation of the student body. It is not a matter of who has the higher position, but how the person on top can actually make the others feel that they are his or her equal.
As what I am going to tell to my fellow officers, we are there to work and not to politicize. If we are really sincere and we want change, we would unite to manifest how honest we are in making a difference. Hear hear! =)

P.S. Thank you G.T. for the compilation of my blogs, you really love me huh?

Filed by erald17 at 12:42 am under Reflection
No Comments

will be on March 15.

Filed by erald17 at 12:23 am under Womanhood
No Comments

It’s such a surprise to know that every person actually has a 50% tendency to commit suicide. One cannot say that he truly knows who he is and has a full control over his actions. What if this propensity attacks more often than the usual? What if it makes the person suffer to death, to the point that he does not know his worth anymore and always puts his life in danger, that he practically does not care about his self any longer? Sad right? But that person could be you, I or someone very dear to anyone of us.
Every person has tendency to commit suicide. It could be you, or someone dear to you. We might not have paid much attention but if we would try to have a very personal talk with some people close to us, we would hear their own share of suicide stories. If not, we could also ask our own selves, "didn’t I have any suicide story of my own? " Though we would try to, we cannot deny the fact that some time in our lives, we forget our worth as a person. We feel useless and stupid. We practically feel like shit scattered all around causing a very foul odor. We feel that nobody needs us anymore. That even if we die right now, nothing will be lost. People would continue on having good times without us.
I was and am anti-social. I am not the type who would throw myself into the crowd and scream, "Hey! I am here, pay attention to me." But later on, I have learned one thing: every person actually says that line at the back of his mind. Every person actually needs attention, care, concern, and in a more profound manner, time.
Many people had put an end to their lives because they felt that nobody cared for them anymore, because everybody is so busy with their own businesses that they do not mind his existence anymore, thinking that nothing is wrong with the person, that everything is oh-so-fine. How true?
In our day-to-day lives, we meet these people who are at the edge of committing suicide. They may not say it but they are actually down to their last breath. How come we do not feel responsible for these people whoever they are?
Lately I have been unbecoming anti-social. Because I want to save lives the way I want to save mine. I hate those people who hate KSP’s (kulang sa pansin). These KSP’s are actually the ones who give me a ring. It makes me wonder what is going on behind the playful and unstable behavior. They make me feel responsible for other people’s lives, so because I really am. Everyone is. They give me opportunity to reach out to others with the hope of helping them find meaning in their lives.
Right, so easy for me to say, when I, myself, my very existence is questionable…

The tip: Pay real attention to people around you. Give them a portion of your time. Maybe a minute or two is enough to save a lifetime.

Filed by erald17 at 10:03 am under Reflection
1 Comment

He has prepared many gifts for me on this hearts’ day. The Starfish mag, the silver bracelet, his photo with a hundred red roses, the compilation of my blogs (178 entries) and the 36 love letters… all of which made me very happy…
This is how Gilbert makes me feel special. Enough of the many expectations and very very high standards. Sometimes, all that matters is how someone makes you feel, together with how he slowly washes the doubts away with every effort that he exerts.
It is not for me to know where his ideas are coming from, but many of his ways are unique, making me happier than I expect myself to be.
Taking note of the letters… I just thought it’s the one tenth of what Noah Calhoun made for Allie Nelson, something I thought happening only in novels. Maybe it’s just brought about by the fact that my lover is an artist, or it is just a testament that love indeed is creative.
Reading his letters one by one brings a different kind of gladness, something I never knew existed. From time to time, I ask myself the question that we have talked over one time, bagay nga ba kami? Let me burst into laughter. He says yes; I thought so (or wasn’t I just kidding?) Yeah he surely thinks that we fit together, and I - I think so. Not because we share a lot of things in common but because we complement each other. Is that so?
Most of all, I can’t forget the seven reasons he said why he is thanking me. He has a way with words, telling what it is like in real life. =)

Filed by erald17 at 6:52 am under Journal
No Comments