Why Should We Walk?

Why should we walk according to Pura Santillan-Castrence?

There are a thousand reasons why we should walk. It could be for health reasons, financial reasons, or other reason there is. In her essay, Shall We Walk, Pura Santillan-Castrence, a writer, shared some of her thoughts on why we should walk. Here are some of it:

1. Walk and be healthy. Walking keeps our bodies fit and going. Unconsciously and painlessly, our important muscles are put into play while walking. Leg muscles, abdominal muscles and back muscles are in action. Even our arms swing to and fro as we walk. Walk vigorously and enthusiastically for it also improves blood circulation. Better blood circulation is equal to better thinking. Walking also improves someone's eyesight as he/she gazes upon different views allowing his/her eyes to relax. Thus, walking gives us the exercise our bodies badly need.

2. Walking helps us save money. Nowadays, it is really better to be practical. If your office, school, the market, church etc. is just 10-15 minutes walk away, then walk! You have save your money!

3. Walking allows us to see the beauty of the world. We have such a magnificent world, so you might as well consider gazing upon its attractions. Not just the attractions and places but human beings are also fascinating. Walking allows you to see interesting human beings of all types. The happy ones, the frustrated ones, the youth, old grannies, kids, couples, beggars, the wealthy ones, and everyone of all sorts. Isn't it amazing to encounter them? Even the little things in this world can have so much impact on you.

4. Walking can be the perfect form of meditation. Let nature soothe your restless spirits. Let city sights entertain your tired souls. Walking makes your decisions in life more appropriate. It makes your choices better. It makes you think of solutions to problems easier. If you want to be wiser and be of sounder mind, then walk!

5. Walk and know yourself. The best companion in the world is yourself. Have some Me-time! Date yourself, know yourself, create yourself and be acquainted with yourself through walking.

Can Love Be Measured?

No. 

You cannot measure love. Why? Because you just can’t. No one can.

Love is wider than the universe, higher than the skies, vaster than space, hotter than the sun, so on and so forth. It is immeasurable, that’s just the way it is. I can’t even define it with words, how much more if I measure it. Because love is immense, limitless, boundless, countless, endless, and infinite. As one of my favorite quote says, “Not everything needs to be measured to be valued. And many of the best things can’t be.”

How Do You Know That You Are Loved?

Through words.

“I love you.” No one is sweeter than someone who can vocally say that he/she loves you, someone who can shout to the world what you really mean to him/her, someone who is proud to have you and expresses his/her overwhelming feelings verbally. Spoken romantic words of affection are to me, the sweetest to hear. For who could not be moved by those tickling and caressing speeches. Hearing those kind of words makes you feel loved, wanted and cared for. 

Trough actions.

Actions speak louder than words indeed. Your words paired with your actions would make your love very convincing. Because sometimes words aren’t enough. What’s the value of sweet words if your actions speak contrastingly. Remember, actions are very essential to back up every word you say. Actions, gestures and even body language itself make me aware that I am loved and could make me fall head over heels. Words may fool you but actions won’t.

Through the eyes.

Sometimes the eyes can say more than the mouth. A stare can possesses a thousand meanings. When it comes to love, just look at the person straight into the eyes, for the eyes can not lie. When he/she looks straight back at you with tantalizing, sparkling eyes, then that person loves you. And above all, deep eye contact is more intimate than words will ever be.

Through sweet smiles.

Love is when you smile at each other sweetly, not saying a single word, but both of you knew that your feelings crossed each other. There really is something about sweet smiles. It’s not fake nor deceiving. It’s not pretentious nor luring. The feeling when his smile just made your day. The feeling when though he’s hurting he’s still able to smile for you. Somehow, sweet smiles are like drugs. You would crave hard for these.

Like The Molave

Like the Molave
Rafael Zulueta da Costa


Not yet Rizal, not yet. Sleep not in peace:

There are a thousand waters to be spanned;
There are a thousand mountains to be crossed;
There are a thousand crosses to be borne.
Our shoulders are not strong;
Our sinews are grown flaccid with dependence, smug with ease under another’s wing.
Rest not in peace

Not yet Rizal, not yet.
The land has need of young blood and what younger than your own
Forever spilled in the great name of freedom
Forever oblate on the altar of the free?

Not you alone, Rizal.
O souls and spirits of the martyred brave, arise!
Arise and scour the land!
Shed once again your willing blood!
Infuse the vibrant red into our thin anemic veins
Until we pick up your Promethean tools
And strong out of the depthless matrix of your faith in us
We carve for all time your marmoreal dream!
Until our people seeing are become
Like the molave, firm, resilient, staunch
Rising on the hillside, unafraid
Strong in its own fiber, yes, like the molave!

Not yet, Rizal, not yet. 

The glory hour will come.
Out of the silent dreaming from the seven-thousand fold silence
We shall emerge, saying WE ARE FILIPINOS
And no longer be ashamed

Sleep not in peace.
The dream is not yet fully carved.
Hard the wood but harder the blows
Yet the molave will stand
Yet the molave monument will rise
And gods walk on brown legs

Reaction:

The poem aims to awaken each of every Filipino’s inner patriotism, our heartfelt love and devotion to our country, the Philippines. Yes! We had suffered so much. And up until now, we are still struggling. The poem wants us to be firm, strong, sturdy and solid like the Molave to make it through the hardships we had encountered, the hardships we’re facing now and the hardships that will soon arrive.

The poem also stresses that we, the Filipinos, are still enslaved of other countries and that we are still dependent on them. It is said in the poem that we aren’t that strong yet, that we need bigger nations to help lift us and that in order to survive we need to cling to them for goodness sake. We cannot be like this forever. Many Filipinos had shed their very blood in order for us to gain freedom. Fearlessly, they fought hard for our country even it cost them their lives. That’s why the author encourages us to do our part as citizens of this country. We need to free ourselves from hiding under others’ wings because in fact we can fly on our own, we can soar to greater heights! We must be independent, be self-sufficient by any means. 

The poem also tells us that the road we’re about to cross would be rocky. But somehow, we need to be resilient. Our country needs to stand up every time it falls. We, the citizens ourselves, must rise, must be unafraid and must move. Just keep moving forward, though slowly, as long as we’re not stagnated on our current condition. For at the end of the road, glory is awaiting us.

The poem for me, also narrates that the youth, the young ones are the key to make our country prosper. It is us, the younger generation, whom our country needs. So we must work hard not just for the benefit of one’s self but also for the betterment of our country. Let’s refrain from being deviant and our country’s source of pain, rather let us be the hope of our nation. The poem further tells us, that we must be willing to take the responsibility in healing our country’s wounds and pushing it to the peak of its success. 

Why I Love My Philippines (A Travelogue)

Philippines, my Philippines! There's so much to be proud of: beaches, falls, lakes, hills, mountains, caves so on and so forth. Our country is blessed with so many wonders, countless actually. I promise you, an experience in the Philippines is worth your time and your money. So come on!

Puerta Princesa Underground River

The Puerta Princesa Underground River, also known as St. Paul's Underground River Cave, is more than 15 miles long with 5.1 miles of it underground. The river can be accessed by boat for up to 2.7 miles. The cave features stalactites and stalagmites and the 'Italian's Chamber' which is one of the largest cave rooms in the world.

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring at least 1,260 hills that resemble the chocolate candy kisses. These iconic hills extend over 20 square miles (50 sq km). During the dry season they turn brown and resemble the candy, thus the name.

Tubbataha Reef

The Tubbataha Reef is a natural park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reef and atolls extend over a 374.6 square mile area. The reef features 360 coral species and is home to 600 fish species, 11 shark species, and 13 dolphin and whale species.

San Juanico Bridge

The San Juanico Bridge is a piece of the Pan-Philippine Highway and extends across the San Juanico Strait. It has a total length of 1.34 miles (2.16 km) and it is the longest bridge in the Philippines.

Boracay

Boracay island was voted best island in the world by Travel & Leisure magazine. The island is approximately seven kilometers long with a dog-bone shape. The total island extends 10.32 square kilometers.

Taal Volcano

Tall Volcano reaches a peak of 1,020 feet (311 m). It is the second most active volcano in the country. The Tall Caldera does fill with water to create a lake. Considered one of the most picturesque and scenic views in the Philippines.

Hundred Islands National Park

The Hundred Islands National Park actually number 124 islands during the low tide. At least one of the islands becomes submerged during high tide. The islands extend over 6.47 square miles (16.76 sq km).

Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano is an active volcano reaching a peak of 8,081 feet (2,463 m). It is considered the "perfect cone" because of its almost symmetrical cone shape. It was the first protected area established in the country.

Rice Field Terraces

The Rice Field Terraces of the Philippines are a UNESCO World Heritage site. They also have the distinction of being the first every feature counted in the cultural landscape category.

Maria Cristina Falls

The Maria Cristina Falls are found on the Agus River on the island of Mindanao. A rock cropping that splits the falls sometimes garners the nickname "twin falls." The falls reach a height of 320 feet (98 m).

References

http://sevenwonders.org/seven-wonders-of-the-philippines#sthash.ASzQDYdO.dpbs

My Future

I used to think that life is a fairytale, that in the future I will be a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by a prince. My childhood fantasies were really outrageous. But now, I’m 17 and I’m no longer stuck in my daydreams. Now I wonder what a 17-year old girl like me sees her future to be!

I’m visualizing a 2-storey house with a contemporary design, 2 children playing in the garden, and my ideal man cooking for me in the kitchen. Hahaha! So specific! But seriously, I want to have a family of my own in the future, a healthy, happy and God-centered family. I want to have bubbly and cute kids, raise them, play with them, teach them and pinch their cheeks whenever I giggle. And I want to grow old with a man whom I’ll never regret choosing, someone who surpassed my standards. Hahaha! Well, just give me someone who truly loves me and respects me and above all, someone who loves God so dearly.

But before settling and having a family, I want to travel the world. I see myself in the future wearing number 9 Parker jersey, sitting among the crowd, cheering and shouting for the SPURS there in AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas. It’s my greatest dream ever, to watch them play in person and grab some photos with them for keeps. Aaaaaaaah~ I’d be the happiest if this dream comes true. I’d also be going to South Korea with my girlfriends, and then to Maldives, to Paris and to Italy; wherever our feet takes us. I want to bring mama, papa and my bro to other countries, too. YOLO! You Only Live Once, so make the most out of your life. Might as well ride a parachute in India or sleep in an Igloo in Finland just for a night, or cuddle with lions in Africa J I don’t want to have regrets in life. I want to be happy and experience what this beautiful world has to offer.

But before spending millions on travels, I consider finding a job first J If Papa God wills it, then I will be a CPA someday. If not, if He has other plans, better plans for me, then any job will do as long as it’s decent and it’s pleasing in His eyes. I will work hard for goodness’ sake! I will help the needy and the poor. But I’m poor as well, but that’s not an excuse, I can always extend my hand to those who need it. I will help my parents financially, I will help my brother get a degree, and before I spend extravagantly, I will save money and I’ll make sure that my family’s future and my future is secured. This will take quite some years, but nonetheless, “saving small amount soon builds up to a large amount”. Soon! I don’t want to rush things; I just want it done smoothly.

But before I can get a decent job and have money, I will study to the max level first. Focus! Determination! Perseverance! There’s no room for giving up. Whatever happens, I’ll push on and move forward. What I do now tells what I will be in the future. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict your future is to create it”. I’m working on my future right now, actually. 

But these things are just the plans I have for myself. God’s plans are always a billion times better. It’s up to His mighty hands how He’ll write my story. It may be as what I’ve planned but it could be a total opposite. Who knows? All I know is that He’ll give me the future I deserve and if life really is a fairytale just like in my childhood fantasies, then I’ll pray to be given a Happily Ever After.

Story of My Life

Hi dude! You’re about to know my life story so you better buckle your seat belts, sit back and relax.

Yow! I'm Antonette Priel A. Santillan at your service. Pling-Pling, Pling-Plong, Prang-Prang??? *sounds weird* Call me whatever you want. Age? I'd just turned 17 last 16th of April. Yehet! If you need anything, you can visit me at my place, North Poblacion, Bacong, Negros Oriental.

My family plays a very important role in my life. My mama, papa and brother are my world, my everything. So before jumping into my life story, I feel the need of introducing my family first to you.

Ehemm! Meet my younger bro, my cute sibby, Jhunfel Jay. He’s just this innocent, playful and smart kid way back then. Now, he’d turn out to be a very protective, mature-minded, and a brave man. Others may compare us and exaggerate that he’s so different from me, that I’m more responsible, intelligent and so on. But in my eyes, we’re equally gifted. In fact, he’s better than me at some point. He can cook dishes so well while I can’t even cook an egg -_- He’s a skilled person, knows a lot of things at a very young age. He's extraordinary and I’m so proud of him. I love him more than any guys out there. And if you plan to apply as my Boyfriend, you better get yourself a “Brother’s Clearance”. I’m telling you, he’s standards are high. And I consider his opinion all the time.

Now meet my mama, Antonia A. Santillan, she’s a SUPERMOM. Very versatile, limitless, unique, and can teleport up to Pluto just to give us what we need. She’s AWESOME. Until now, she’s the only one who can give me a total comfort when I’m in weary. She hugs us at night, kisses us when she wakes up, I couldn't survive without her. And now, say hello to my papa, Felito V. Santillan Jr. I want to marry a guy just like him in the future. He’s very strict but on the inside, I can’t even imagine how big he’s love for us is. The safest place in the world is to be in his arms. Without a doubt, I know I grew up in a very comforting environment. An environment wherein I’m satisfied with everything, all my needs are given heartily and there’s nothing more to ask for because seeing these people everyday when waking up each morning is HAPPINESS. Our home is warm for it is filled with the love we give to each other. When trials come, we just hold on to our faiths for God is the foundation of this family. You know, my family’s existence is my sole reason to study hard and maintain my grades.

Now, meet me.

Everyone wants his/her childhood back. The times when you play endlessly, the times when you only care about was how to open your lollipop, the times when you cry hard because of a small scratch. How I missed my childhood.

When I’m 10 months old, I started walking straight with the assistance of my parents. By the age of 1 year and 5 months, I can already speak fluently. But letters “R” and “S” were quite difficult for me to pronounce. Words like “dos pisos” and “Pepsi” would sound like “dot pitot” and “Pepti”. *hahaha!* My mom often shared how bubbly I was before. People loved me so much because I always dance and I always talk. Obviously, I grew up as a chubby kid. “Tambokikay!” This was the phrase they would use to describe me.

Then my family transferred at Guihulngan by the year 2000. My father worked as a Clerk at CruzTelCo Guihulngan Branch. At 3 years old, I joined the Flores de Mayo and until now it became an annual practice for me every May. I’m a fast-learner and I’m often praised by others because I tend to act like a teenager. At a very young age, I’m a perfectionist. I don’t want erasures on my paper, I hate it when I wrote the letters wrongly and I throw my paper because of that. I finished the school year as the class’ First Honor. When I was 5 years old, Kinder – 2, I had my first crush which lasted until Grade 3. Sssssh! That’s just between us. 

At the age of six, I was able to enroll at Guihulngan South Central School. There, my elementary years began. I remember crossing the street alone for the first time and a motorcycle bumped me. I was knocked down in the street. I'm still alive though. I became very active at school.  I became one of the school’s Student Body. I was also a journalist under our school’s official publication, Sun Beam. I am a member of the Entertainment Club, too.  I started joining contests of all sorts, be it in Math, English, Science, Filipino, so on and so forth, even Chess, Dancing Contests, both academic and extra-curricular. With Papa God’s immeasurable love and goodness, I reached the regional level often and ranked 2^nd or 1^st in class since Kindergarten.

Then my parents decided to go back here in Bacong and leave Guihulngan for good. We transferred school and eventually got a culture shock in our new environment. But thanks to our high coping mechanism, we are able to adapt pretty quickly. Then, the hardest challenge came. My father suffered a severe brain attack where his brain had an immense blood clot. We’re told by the doctor that he’d only last for 4-7 days. It was heart-crushing to see your father almost lifeless. But Papa God was the greatest! Miracles do happen, guys. Prayers are always heard. It is just a matter of believing! Have faith. Trust Him above all just like what we did. Praise Papa God for my father’s second life! And praise Him for making me the Class Salutatorian for that school year.

HIGHSCHOOL! Best isn’t even enough to define it. I went to Ong Che Tee-Bacong High School. I met all types of people, the good ones, bad-ass ones, the bullies, the crazy frogs, the motor-mouthed, the shy types, and more. They made each of my days in highschool colorful and bright. My boy-best-friends who torture me, who bite my arm, who mess my hair, who tease me infinitely, who makes me cry in anger, but they who protect me, fight bloody battles for me, love me and would never dare leave me. And my girlfriends who are also my clowns, my food-provider, my money-giver, secret keepers, stress relievers, crying shoulders, advisers, partners in crime and the gorgeous princesses  I can’t live without. These people were God’s angels sent for me, including all of my teachers. Highschool is full of drama, crazy love affairs, heated competitions, unbreakable bonds, there’s really so much to say.  For 2 years, I was the Supreme Government President of our school. I was 13 then when I was elected on my 1^st term. It was really scary at first. But since the school did trust me, I considered trusting myself as well. For 2 years as well, I was the Editor-in-Chief of our school paper, The Guardian. Then multifold of these kinds of opportunities/responsibilities kept on coming. My highest achievement so far was being able to compete in Taguig City for the National Schools Press Conference English Editorial Writing category after winning First Place in the Regional Level. I graduated as Class Valedictorian. All for the greater glory of God’s name! Praise God!

Now, I’m an upcoming sophomore college student. I’m studying at Negros Oriental State University taking up Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. I’m inspired, fueled, and strengthened by God every single day. So I’m aware that there’s no mountain I can’t climb. I live for Him and may you also be. Now, what's your life story?