It is not a big deal that my children eat fruits and vegetables, though it used to be. I remember how my eldest daughter was as a toddler. Her nanny would run after her holding out a spoon just to feed her. It was always an ordeal. You will never guess that this same daughter of mine, now 10 years old eats any kind of salad as an appetizer.
When we migrated here last year, the recurring complaint that I would hear from my husband who was forced to be a stay-at-home dad is the difficulty of feeding my 4-year old daughter. She is so picky with her food and is such a purist. "I just cooked spaghetti with meatballs and she refused to eat it! She only ate the pasta with cheese." You don't mess her food with a lot of sauce. She can eat plain rice. My husband has resigned to giving her "wet hotdog" for lunch just to relieve himself of the stress of meal preparation. Truly, it is easier to open a can of vienna sausage knowing that she would eat it without question. Even when dining out, her order is a no-brainer. Macaroni and cheese and she's good to go. That's how picky she was, until lately. I noticed the gradual turn-around. Then I realized that my eldest daughter had the same transformation years ago too.
And I think this is how it happened.
Even though she was always picky and predictable with her food taste, we never gave up on offering her new food to try. At first it was such a struggle. When she sees her plate with food that is not to her conditioned liking, she would immediately say no. And the scenario would be the same. I would get a spoonful and put it near her mouth saying, "Try it first before you say no!" However, if my youngest daughter has made up her mind about the food , she would just clamp her mouth close and shake her head until I grow tired and simply remove the food from her plate and get her what she wants. She will sometimes console me with a remark like, "Don't worry mommy, I ate fruit earlier." Then a couple of months ago, she had modified her response. She was not as firm as before. After the initial no and shake of the head, she'd later open her mouth. Then she'd spit out the food. So I had to change her plate and get her usual staple food. Weeks ago, she was now more amenable and would chew a couple of spoonfuls then later on shake her head. Then just last week, when I was preparing a salad of halved grapes and sliced cucumber crunchers (the smaller variety of cucumber) and busy mixing it with sour cream, whipped cream, salt and pepper, she came near and asked, "What are you doing mommy? Can I help?" I gave her the mixing spoon and allowed her to do some messy mixing. "Can I taste?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows, surprised that she was even interested in eating it. When she tasted it, she asked for some more and some more. So I placed some on her breakfast plate beside her pancake. And she finished it with her pancake. The next thing I know it has become her favorite.
A couple of nights ago, I spooned out mixed vegetables on her plate without asking her. She ate it without a question. Then today, as I placed beef steak on her plate and a couple of onions, she asked for more onions on her serving. Now I can see that she may just have outgrown food pickiness. So was it just a stage then? Did my persistence pay?
According to Dr. Jean Mercer, a developmental pyschologist, there is indeed a stage in a child's life when she is pickier than the other children of different age group. "Toddlers and preschoolers are often 'picky', especially in contrast to their voracious and fairly indiscriminate appetites in their first months." She relates this to the growth spurts that happens in different stages in a child's life. The greater the growth spurt in a developmental stage as in infancy and adolescence, the less picky the children are. During childhood, food adversity may not be permanent as we sometimes believe. So it is good to continue offering a variety of foods to the kids so they do not grow up to be picky eaters. It also turned out that food pickiness of the mother may be handed down to a breast-fed baby because apparently the taste of the food that the mother eats while breastfeeding is passed on to the baby feeding on her breasts. The baby then becomes accustomed only to the food that the mother eats. Offering a healthy food that the mother herself is averse to might become a frustrating struggle between the mother and the child.
Well, at least I know that my children will never be averse to malunggay leaves, squash and green beans because that was my staple food while I was breastfeeding. I never realized that the benefit would extend beyond the breastfeeding years.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Worry-free and Stress-free Living
"Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)
Months ago, I could easily replace Martha's name in the above gospel reading with my own name. But God had been dealing with this issue in my life for quite a while now that I could honestly say I have become like Mary, who has chosen the better part and indeed it will not be taken away from me.
And what was it that Mary had which Martha lacked?
Peace and contentment. Whereas Martha was filled with worries, Mary was at peace. Whereas Martha was feeling rushed, Mary was sitting contentedly. Martha's day was busy with a lot of things to do and her mind was getting muddled. She was getting overwhelmed with her tasks that she was starting to pick on other people, too, especially her sister who was not giving her a hand. Resentment, frustration, anger are evident in her complaint, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?" And the Lord chided her. "You worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed." What was it? "Mary has chosen the better part". Mary was listening to the Lord. Mary was not immersed in the noise of the environment. Mary was at the Lord's feet. The Lord was not talking about the physical activities that these two people were doing at that time when He said Mary chose the better part. The Lord was talking about their inner dispositions. Who had the quiet spirit? Who could hear the Lord more? Even if the two characters had to exchange roles, Martha sitting by the Lord's feet and Mary doing the serving, with Mary's disposition, the Lord will still commend her. Mary will be silently serving the guests while listening to Jesus from a distance. How do you think Martha will be in this new scenario? I can almost hear her saying, "Lord, don't you care that my sister is out there serving the other guests and not entertaining you. She should be here." No doubt, the Lord would still chide Martha's comment aside.
Constantly reflecting on this Gospel scene help me in various ways to quiet my mind and heart. No longer feeling rushed, I am able to do my work serenely. Without worries visiting my mind, I am able to rest in Him even as I perform my obligations. Interruptions are not as irritating as before because I am able to focus on God's small voice within.
A good complement to this Gospel reading is a verse from Matthew 6:31-33. "So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes? Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things."
Again, this reading stresses on the attitude of worry. Instead of worrying, Jesus implores that we trust God to provide all these things as long as we do what he requires of us. So in every moment of everyday, I ask Him, "Lord, what do you require of me at this very moment?".
And this was the same prayer I was just asking today while writing this reflection. Interrupting my prayer and reflective thoughts, my daughter came to me saying, "Mommy, I want pancake for breakfast please." Normally, the interruption would irritate me but hearing God's small voice in the voice of my little girl, I knew that He just answered my question. I stood up, left everything I was doing, and followed God's voice in the kitchen and cooked breakfast for my family.
Since I usually finish ahead of the girls in eating my food, I was able to continue writing and reflecting, while I feed the small one. Because of the blessed interruption, I was able to add on my reflection and prayer a detail about this particular lesson and instruction. I would have missed it had I insisted on finishing my prayer and reflective writing and ignored the clamor of responsibility and obligation in the voice of my child, in the voice of God. And I realized I just did Martha's work with Mary's disposition.
Months ago, I could easily replace Martha's name in the above gospel reading with my own name. But God had been dealing with this issue in my life for quite a while now that I could honestly say I have become like Mary, who has chosen the better part and indeed it will not be taken away from me.
And what was it that Mary had which Martha lacked?
Peace and contentment. Whereas Martha was filled with worries, Mary was at peace. Whereas Martha was feeling rushed, Mary was sitting contentedly. Martha's day was busy with a lot of things to do and her mind was getting muddled. She was getting overwhelmed with her tasks that she was starting to pick on other people, too, especially her sister who was not giving her a hand. Resentment, frustration, anger are evident in her complaint, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?" And the Lord chided her. "You worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed." What was it? "Mary has chosen the better part". Mary was listening to the Lord. Mary was not immersed in the noise of the environment. Mary was at the Lord's feet. The Lord was not talking about the physical activities that these two people were doing at that time when He said Mary chose the better part. The Lord was talking about their inner dispositions. Who had the quiet spirit? Who could hear the Lord more? Even if the two characters had to exchange roles, Martha sitting by the Lord's feet and Mary doing the serving, with Mary's disposition, the Lord will still commend her. Mary will be silently serving the guests while listening to Jesus from a distance. How do you think Martha will be in this new scenario? I can almost hear her saying, "Lord, don't you care that my sister is out there serving the other guests and not entertaining you. She should be here." No doubt, the Lord would still chide Martha's comment aside.
Constantly reflecting on this Gospel scene help me in various ways to quiet my mind and heart. No longer feeling rushed, I am able to do my work serenely. Without worries visiting my mind, I am able to rest in Him even as I perform my obligations. Interruptions are not as irritating as before because I am able to focus on God's small voice within.
A good complement to this Gospel reading is a verse from Matthew 6:31-33. "So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes? Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things."
Again, this reading stresses on the attitude of worry. Instead of worrying, Jesus implores that we trust God to provide all these things as long as we do what he requires of us. So in every moment of everyday, I ask Him, "Lord, what do you require of me at this very moment?".
And this was the same prayer I was just asking today while writing this reflection. Interrupting my prayer and reflective thoughts, my daughter came to me saying, "Mommy, I want pancake for breakfast please." Normally, the interruption would irritate me but hearing God's small voice in the voice of my little girl, I knew that He just answered my question. I stood up, left everything I was doing, and followed God's voice in the kitchen and cooked breakfast for my family.
Since I usually finish ahead of the girls in eating my food, I was able to continue writing and reflecting, while I feed the small one. Because of the blessed interruption, I was able to add on my reflection and prayer a detail about this particular lesson and instruction. I would have missed it had I insisted on finishing my prayer and reflective writing and ignored the clamor of responsibility and obligation in the voice of my child, in the voice of God. And I realized I just did Martha's work with Mary's disposition.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Faces of Poverty
I thought I have seen real poverty in the years that I have been in the Philippine health care industry. I've seen parents manually ambubagging their babies because there were no ventilators available. From sheer exhaustion, a parent would fall asleep and inadvertently cause her baby to stop breathing, then be awakened angrily by the nurse for falling asleep on her baby. As student nurses, we were luxurious helps to these parents when we volunteer to take their places so they could take a nap or two. I've seen several patients hooked to a single oxygen tank in an octopus-like fashion, sharing precious air because there were not enough tanks to provide each patient with. I've seen two mothers swim in a bed wet with each others' amniotic fluid, sharing a most precious space in order to bring out their babies into the world and five babies share one bassinet sucking each others' extremities. And I thought I have seen poverty.
Then I was confronted by an old man, lying in his own automated bed, with nurses asking him, "can I get you anything else?", looking at me with eyes filled with emptiness, hopelessness and despair. "I have no one with me. I want to die," he said. He lives alone and the last time he saw his son was five years ago. Then I see a different kind of poverty, far from the material poverty that I was accustomed to. It's a poverty that is more difficult to address, or so I thought. For how can you give faith to someone who has lost it? Hope to someone who does not believe? Love to someone who has no one to hold? Nurses who listen with their hearts are luxuries to these patients. Immersed in the business of charting and carrying out doctors' orders, the thirty minutes spent at bedside are hard to go by but may just be the kind of fresh air that this patient needs in his lonely world of existence. And I have that kind of luxury, having only two pieces of papers to chart on and three to four hours of bedside monitoring.
"Tell me what does God have to say to me, if there was a God?" he asked, in a plea of despair. I see a beggar pleading for the smallest grace that he can hold. And I find myself totally unprepared, the greater beggar that I am. Then I realized that I cannot be one of those girls caught by the bridegroom without oil in their lamps. In the health care industry that I am now in, the patients are hungry for the word of God. And although this man was receptive and wanted to believe, I could see the great struggle in him. The second time that he challenged me to let God speak to him, I was more prepared. I asked him to repeat after me. "Jesus, I accept you as my healer right now because I have no one else to turn to. I feel so crappy and sick. Please help me. In your name I pray." He obeyed like a small child, it almost made me cry. I realized that it takes as much generosity in my part to address this kind of poverty as the kind of poverty I see in my country. Time and presence are luxuries in this kind of world. The greater luxury is to share my faith to someone who is running empty because I needed to empty myself in order to allow the Spirit to move. In this kind of situation, I cannot depend on human wisdom and reasoning alone. It will take years for faith to grow that way. This is the kind of situation which needed divine intervention pronto because this man is nearing the end of the road. He needed the kind of opportunity given to the robber beside the Crucified Christ who stole heaven in a split second. And I think that moment of confession may just have been his moment. And even if I left him that day still hearing some harsh words coming out of his mouth, the apology that came after the act was enough for me to realize that the seed was planted. And in the kingdom of heaven, even a faith as small as a mustard seed will bear much fruit in the end. For it is the Divine Gardener who will make sure that the seed that was sown is not sown in vain.
Then I was confronted by an old man, lying in his own automated bed, with nurses asking him, "can I get you anything else?", looking at me with eyes filled with emptiness, hopelessness and despair. "I have no one with me. I want to die," he said. He lives alone and the last time he saw his son was five years ago. Then I see a different kind of poverty, far from the material poverty that I was accustomed to. It's a poverty that is more difficult to address, or so I thought. For how can you give faith to someone who has lost it? Hope to someone who does not believe? Love to someone who has no one to hold? Nurses who listen with their hearts are luxuries to these patients. Immersed in the business of charting and carrying out doctors' orders, the thirty minutes spent at bedside are hard to go by but may just be the kind of fresh air that this patient needs in his lonely world of existence. And I have that kind of luxury, having only two pieces of papers to chart on and three to four hours of bedside monitoring.
"Tell me what does God have to say to me, if there was a God?" he asked, in a plea of despair. I see a beggar pleading for the smallest grace that he can hold. And I find myself totally unprepared, the greater beggar that I am. Then I realized that I cannot be one of those girls caught by the bridegroom without oil in their lamps. In the health care industry that I am now in, the patients are hungry for the word of God. And although this man was receptive and wanted to believe, I could see the great struggle in him. The second time that he challenged me to let God speak to him, I was more prepared. I asked him to repeat after me. "Jesus, I accept you as my healer right now because I have no one else to turn to. I feel so crappy and sick. Please help me. In your name I pray." He obeyed like a small child, it almost made me cry. I realized that it takes as much generosity in my part to address this kind of poverty as the kind of poverty I see in my country. Time and presence are luxuries in this kind of world. The greater luxury is to share my faith to someone who is running empty because I needed to empty myself in order to allow the Spirit to move. In this kind of situation, I cannot depend on human wisdom and reasoning alone. It will take years for faith to grow that way. This is the kind of situation which needed divine intervention pronto because this man is nearing the end of the road. He needed the kind of opportunity given to the robber beside the Crucified Christ who stole heaven in a split second. And I think that moment of confession may just have been his moment. And even if I left him that day still hearing some harsh words coming out of his mouth, the apology that came after the act was enough for me to realize that the seed was planted. And in the kingdom of heaven, even a faith as small as a mustard seed will bear much fruit in the end. For it is the Divine Gardener who will make sure that the seed that was sown is not sown in vain.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Loving Summer
Summer is here. Groceries are teeming with fruits and vegetables in very affordable prices. Grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, pineapples, avocadoes, dewberries, melons, plums, peaches, pears, apricots, etc. It is so easy to incorporate all these fruits to our meal so the kids could enjoy it. I incorporate blueberries to their pancakes which burst as the pancake cooks. They put on whipped cream and fresh strawberries on top of the pancake and they're good with it. The key to keeping the freshness of the fruits is washing them only before they are served and eaten. Otherwise, the berries and grapes will easily rot. When the fruits get to that stage where it is no longer fresh, I just make a smoothie from it. Iced tea goes well with sliced strawberries too.
Last week I also discovered vegetables that I can use to substitute for veggies that are not available here. I cooked monggo with spinach instead of ampalaya leaves. I got to make kale salad which has the consistency of talbos ng kamote. The kids loved the salad with sesame oil, garlic salt, pepper, sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice with slices of fresh tomatoes and chopped onion leeks. It's good that I was able to grow herbs on pots. My deck is teeming with basil, rosemary, dillweed, parsley and tomatoes which are now in bloom. The onion leeks which I put on a glass of water is still growing leaves for more than a month now. If there's one thing I love about summer, it's the gastronomic experience that goes with it. Grilled foods are in. Since we could not have a grill on our deck because of state laws, I bought a George Foreman grill as a birthday gift for my husband. He loves it. Now we have a summer that sizzles.
Last week I also discovered vegetables that I can use to substitute for veggies that are not available here. I cooked monggo with spinach instead of ampalaya leaves. I got to make kale salad which has the consistency of talbos ng kamote. The kids loved the salad with sesame oil, garlic salt, pepper, sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice with slices of fresh tomatoes and chopped onion leeks. It's good that I was able to grow herbs on pots. My deck is teeming with basil, rosemary, dillweed, parsley and tomatoes which are now in bloom. The onion leeks which I put on a glass of water is still growing leaves for more than a month now. If there's one thing I love about summer, it's the gastronomic experience that goes with it. Grilled foods are in. Since we could not have a grill on our deck because of state laws, I bought a George Foreman grill as a birthday gift for my husband. He loves it. Now we have a summer that sizzles.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Amazing Technology
Once more, I am amazed at how technology has made things very easy here in the US. I recently visited my new primary care doctor. She belongs to Group Health Associates. She holds clinic which is very near our place. When I registered I was given the option to fill out the myChart feature of their health care. It enables me to have a web account with them so I can view my appointments, make new appointments or even email my doctors regarding questions. I can also ask for prescription refills through this account.
Last Thursday, I had a severe low back pain which did not respond to NSAID intake. When I went to the GHA clinic to have my blood drawn, I asked the secretary if I could make a stat appointment with my primary care doctor because I just wanted a prescription for muscle relaxant. I was informed that she was only there in the morning so the secretary typed a message for her instead. After 10 minutes, I was told that she had muscle relaxants prescribed for me and that I could pick up the medicine at Walmart pharmacy (where I usually buy my medicines). I was impressed with the network that they have even with pharmacies. When I went to Walmart, my medicines were ready for pick-up and I just paid $4.00 for co-pay.
Then this morning, I went to my rehab/physical medicine doctor for a consult. He prescribed for an MRI and the nurse made an appointment for me for this procedure at Bethesda North. Then he prescribed a steroid and asked me where I wanted the drug picked up. My husband and I decided to get it from Bigg's because it is on the way to our house. When we went to Bigg's we saw that there was actually a drive-thru where you could pick up medicines but the pharmacist informed us that it will take 15 minutes for her to process the transaction because I was a new patient for that pharmacy. So the next time that I need to pick-up a drug from them, I can use the drive-thru already. Amazing.
This reminded me of the drive-thru at the bank which was very convenient especially during winter and when you have kids with you. You simply go through the drive-thru and they have canisters which you put your deposit/withdrawal slips. The canister is sucked by a vacuum which delivers it to the bank teller who communicates with you via an intercom.
In the hospitals too, a lot of technological improvements are put into place. One hospital that I go to, no longer uses paper charting. Everything is done through the computer software Epic Hyperspace. The main advantage is that doctors see all orders at a glance, even those given by other doctors. You also see all medications that are prescribed to the patient. It makes it easier for pharmacists to see redundant medications or drug interactions. It is also easier for nurses to see what medications are due at a particular hour. The doctors are also able to access the patient's chart even when they are outside the hospital. Hopefully, all these technological advancements will result in better patient care.
Last Thursday, I had a severe low back pain which did not respond to NSAID intake. When I went to the GHA clinic to have my blood drawn, I asked the secretary if I could make a stat appointment with my primary care doctor because I just wanted a prescription for muscle relaxant. I was informed that she was only there in the morning so the secretary typed a message for her instead. After 10 minutes, I was told that she had muscle relaxants prescribed for me and that I could pick up the medicine at Walmart pharmacy (where I usually buy my medicines). I was impressed with the network that they have even with pharmacies. When I went to Walmart, my medicines were ready for pick-up and I just paid $4.00 for co-pay.
Then this morning, I went to my rehab/physical medicine doctor for a consult. He prescribed for an MRI and the nurse made an appointment for me for this procedure at Bethesda North. Then he prescribed a steroid and asked me where I wanted the drug picked up. My husband and I decided to get it from Bigg's because it is on the way to our house. When we went to Bigg's we saw that there was actually a drive-thru where you could pick up medicines but the pharmacist informed us that it will take 15 minutes for her to process the transaction because I was a new patient for that pharmacy. So the next time that I need to pick-up a drug from them, I can use the drive-thru already. Amazing.
This reminded me of the drive-thru at the bank which was very convenient especially during winter and when you have kids with you. You simply go through the drive-thru and they have canisters which you put your deposit/withdrawal slips. The canister is sucked by a vacuum which delivers it to the bank teller who communicates with you via an intercom.
In the hospitals too, a lot of technological improvements are put into place. One hospital that I go to, no longer uses paper charting. Everything is done through the computer software Epic Hyperspace. The main advantage is that doctors see all orders at a glance, even those given by other doctors. You also see all medications that are prescribed to the patient. It makes it easier for pharmacists to see redundant medications or drug interactions. It is also easier for nurses to see what medications are due at a particular hour. The doctors are also able to access the patient's chart even when they are outside the hospital. Hopefully, all these technological advancements will result in better patient care.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Give the Philippines a Chance
I have a new favorite CD. For a year, I have been listening to Sabrina's "I Love Acoustic" CD and it became so familiar that I actually associated it with driving from work and in between hospitals. My job requires quite an amount of travel. When I drive to the hospital, I usually pray the rosary first. When I have completed it, I turn on the CD and listen to Sabrina. One year has gone by now.
Charice embodies the figure of a Filipino dreamer. She dreamt and achieved, but not without hardwork. She is one of those artists whose talent didn't get easily recognized in her own country. It had to take a Korean show in youtube for Ellen D. to discover her remarkable talent. The same thing happened to Arnel, another great talent that was initially ignored by his own country. There is also Lea Salonga who was discovered through Miss Saigon. It was only when she was recognized abroad that her country acknowledged her extraordinary talent.
When President Noynoy said that the people don't have to leave the country anymore to look for opportunities and find a better future, he made a very serious statement. It means providing a right environment for the Filipinos to grow and bear fruit. I have noticed that most Filipinos, when put in the right environment, usually bloom and bear much fruit. Take Subic for example, when it was still under the US jurisdiction, Filipinos followed traffic inside the base to the letter as though they were in a different country. Here in the US, it is easy to follow traffic rules because nobody will honk their horns behind you for stopping at a red light or a stop sign.
It is true that good governance is done by example. Filipinos are looking for a role model, a hero to imitate. I am hopeful that our new president is just what we've been waiting for. And I hope the media will try not to crush this hope in a nation that has grown tired of the rotten system. What we need at the moment is generosity of spirit. What will criticism accomplish that kind words cannot? What will skepticism achieve that faith cannot? The key to change is a change in behavior and attitude.
We have lived in poverty for so long that we see the world as a jungle where only the fittest survive. It's always a struggle to live. It was only when we migrated that I realized I had this kind of attitude, prone to criticism than praise, prone to competition than cooperation, prone to 'what can I get from this' than 'what can I give'. This is a poverty mentality that has long been ingrained in a culture where poverty was romanticized and spiritualized so that power could be kept by the colonizers. It has been so deeply inculcated that we lost our faith in ourselves and we look up to foreign superiority: the Americans, the Europeans and the Japanese.
As a child, I often heard about love for the country. I find it so intangible that until now I still ask "What is it exactly?"
What I know is that when Manny Pacquiao won in several international boxing competitions, my heart swelled with pride for my own color. When the Filipino chef of White House won the Iron Chef American competition, my spirit soared. When I saw how Lea Salonga and Charice Pempengco made it in the international scene, I was cheering with gusto.
When I left the country, I didn't feel guilty at all because I don't consider it abandoning my own country. Why, even Jose Rizal spent most of his heroic life abroad, writing and exposing the events happening in our country. Patriotism knows no physical bounds. It is in the heart of man. I think I love my country because I am now praying for the president rather than criticizing him.
When Jesus came to change the political system that burdened the poor, he didn't do so by power. He made sure attitudes changed that's why he spent most of his public life evangelizing and changing attitudes. It can only be that. Without change in the attitude of the people, there will be no government success in restructuring a system. We should let go of our pharisaical, holier-than-thou attitude. Look into the sincerity of the man. Learn to trust again. There will always be a Judas but he is a minority. Jesus didn't let that minority keep him from entrusting his kingdom to the eleven worthy but struggling apostles. And he didn't go wrong. A kingdom built on trust inspite of the weakness of man has grown into a worldwide belief from a small town in Nazareth. That is the mystery of the kingdom of God. It only takes a small mustard seed, one small action, one simple faith for something small to grow big.
That is what the Filipinos need now in order to see the fulfilment of the vision for change. Just one small faith to give a chance for that small seed to grow. Let's give the president a chance. Let's give ourselves a chance. Let's give our country a chance.
Media should focus its efforts in inculcating values, common road courtesies and saturate the consciousness of everyone until it becomes part of the system. Focus on what one should do more than what one shouldn't do. Post reminders everywhere. We are a country filled with so much billboards and ads. We should use it to generate a positive change in attitude instead of focus in vanity and immorality. For instance, 'drink Coke so you keep your cool amidst traffic and not blow your horn constantly', 'bring your i-pod to keep you entertained so you don't get tempted to cut in line', 'buy the combo meal in Jollibee so you stay on your budget and need not accept bribes from motorists', 'you don't need a wang-wang to make your presence felt. Just use Axe men's spray'.
There are so many ways to influence attitude by using commercial products. It's the best way to saturate the Filipino consciousness. What about putting a prime time news show where only good news are relayed and not the usual rape, murder, scandal news that only serve to deaden our sensitivity. We are a nation filled with so much creativity. I hope we will act as one in building our nation starting with our small efforts to contribute to a bigger whole.
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