Will You Still Give Thanks?
It is but easy to give thanks when you feel good, comfortable, healthy, or prosperous. Will you still give thanks when you wake up with a pain on your wrist or any part of your body, or with a thought where you will get money for the next meal? Will you be as alive as somebody who is about to be sentenced because of an anticipated cancer?
To celebrate?
Just the other night, I was talking to a nephew, and we were talking about fraternities. I learned that those who participate in the UP's nude run are APO members. This nephew's father was an APO member and he had experienced running nude inside the UP campus. I was told that last time there were also female counterparts who posed nude as protest. The discussion went to the level where I shared my sentiment that I cannot get the idea of posing nude as protest. I have this tendency to associate nudity to celebration and find it disagreeable that people will pose nude to protest. Until this morning when I surfed about nudity, I am retracting my thoughts on the issue because of this. (Warning: the site has lewd photos.) Suddenly, protesting nude made sense to me (only for the sake of comparison) than just lifting your shirt to show your boobies or your butt to everybody in a party.
What is the difference?
My daughter was in a party the other night because of a friend's birthday. At about past 10 pm, she called up and asked if she can stay overnight. I was in my room resting from a day's work when Papsie told me that she was on the phone. I told her plainly that I don't like the idea and gave her instructions to talk again to Papsie where he will fetch her and what time. I left Papsie to talk to her. He was hurt when her daughter asked him "What's the difference if she asked permission to go overnight that time or before the party?" He told her that it would be better because we can talk about it. I told him that even if she asked permission before the party, I cannot allow it. It is one of the rules in the house - they cannot stay overnight in a party. They have to abide by the rules until they can fend for themselves.
I agree with you on the last paragraph. My mother used to forbid me from staying overnight too until I could fend for myself. But still she does not really like it and prefers that I go home early whenever I attend parties because she fears for my safety.
ReplyDelete:smile:
sabi nga, kyels, mothers know best. :-D
ReplyDeleteI loved the headline when that moron (current us pres.) visited australia. Nude ausies held up placards that say: Beat Bush (Wax regularly)
ReplyDeleteYou're talking about the Oblation Run, right? Mukhang they're handing down the tradition to their sons and daughters. BTW, how would you react if one day Kay tells you, "Mom nakakita ako ng mga nakahubad na lalaking tumatakbo"? :-D
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity that fraternities continue to do such inanities or conduct themselves that way. I thought that brotherhoods should foster unity and personal development and not hooliganism and foolhardiness.
ReplyDeleteI dont know how to comment. Really.
ReplyDeleteOn giving thanks when one's days are numbered, it is one way to celebrate one's life which this professor chose to do. Personally I see nothing wrong with it , which is much better than grieving and making yourself miserable when you know you can't really do much about it. To some people death is gross, wretched and even demonic which to me is a dismal failure in understanding the cycle of life. All things must pass and death is certain and we all must accept it.
ReplyDeleteStreaking nude as a sign of protest - is it really effective ? I doubt it - fun? probably :) Those folks who pose node on the web are obviously on their own ego trip :)
Rust never sleeps-Neil Young
ReplyDeleteAll things must pass- George Harrison
Amen to what BW said about the cycle of life.
I was never in a fraternity, I lived in a commune when I was in high school and early part of my college years in Manila.
Yung mga walang pantalon at panty na mga anak mahirap na pumapasok sa eskuwelahan nuon ang tunay na mga streaking nude protestors! At saka yung mga tatay na naka-karsunsilyo lang na kakalat -kalat sa mga kalsada diyan sa Maynila at minsan di nila alam nakalawit na pala ang mga "jewels" nila at ang mga asawa nila na naka duster lang ang mga magulang siguro nuong mga tumatakbong hubo't-hubad sa UP!
is it the placards, tk, or the nude aussies ? :-D
ReplyDeletewell, nothing wrong to it, single. besides they are into figure drawing and had drawn nude models. experiencing it with many people around, ang dating e fun. but wag lang seeing a man's nude body alone ha ha ha iba na yun. and i bet, she wouldnt dare tell me that kung mangyari man. ha ha (am keeping my fingers crossed) :-D
foolhardiness talaga, major. :-D i am not a fan or fraternities and sororities, too.
just be yourself, mon but be very careful.
that's a very nice piece,bw. i think most people are not ready to accept death. and a lot complain most of the time than give thanks. giving thanks is associated with the good things they have and are experiencing, not giving thanks for the entirety of life.
ha ha noypetes, talaga, nakalabas na ang 'jewels' nila? ha ha all things must pass - more like a biblical passage to me. and it's very true.
wow tita bing... its been a long time since i last dropped by ur place. how are u doing? i guess ur doing great as always.... hahaha nice post too. the joys of parenting huh? ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Bingskee, when I was still adolescent my parents didn't allow us to sleep over at our friends house. They've asked us don't we have enough space to sleep at home ? Of course because of immaturity we tend to rebel (only in the mind) ! They even told us that it's not that they don't trust us, or not liking our friends but it's a matter of discipline ! Now, I am a parent and I get to understand a lot of things on why our parents have do's and dont's :), yes and no's !
ReplyDeleteI was not into fraternity (was an activist) but I have a lot of friends who were into it some of them died, some of them were seriously injured. I guess, they misunderstand the meaning of brotherhood and sisterhood !
am doing great, jepoi. the Lord is good, he has supplied me strength to stay strong amidst life's challenges. hope you're doing fine, too. :-) really, the joys of parenting..
ReplyDeletehi, haze. kids tend to rebel especially when a kid has that nature of being rebellious. there are kids who are passive and understanding, there are those who are aggressive and short tempered. i guess it is a matter of exercising will power as a parent. there are always rules and they are instruments to practice discipline.
i have always hated fraternities and sororities because of these practices. what good will it bring a fraternity or sorority seeing people die or be hurt, emotionally and physically?
my parents didn't allow me to stay overnight in someone else's house if it was just for a party. but they did allow me if it was for religious activities such as after the prayer rally. at that time, i did not understand their rules. now that i'm a mother myself, i would adhere to the same rules because i realized that they did it for my own good.
ReplyDeletehi, evi. ganun siguro talaga, 'no? we learn to appreciate our parents' concern when we become parents, too. :-)
ReplyDelete600 Hundred of volunteers went naked on glacier in global warming protest, Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland with Spencer Tunick and Greenpeace. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=LOikDujAdTc)
ReplyDeleteI call this the naked truth.
wow, 600? that's more than a statement that they're in protest, rolly.
ReplyDeleteyea, the naked truth... :-)
"I call this the naked truth." LOL. Si Rolly talaga. LOL.
ReplyDelete*****
My Mom had always been strict. I was never allowed to go to parties, to stay overnight at friends' places (even when I was already in my thirties!), or talk to men on the phone. I think masyadong extreme na yun. LOL
or talk to men on the phone. extreme nga, jayred.
ReplyDeletehi bingskee, thanks for your comment in my blog. thanks for still visiting despite my long absence... i'm trying to (hopefully) find time to get back to it more regularly... it helps to write.
ReplyDeletei liked what you wrote about "will you still give thanks?"... i went through quite a struggle these past few months... and after reading a book, it kinda enlightened me to learn to give thanks despite any burdens/pains/struggles you are facing. and you know what, when i tried it, it did help lift up any burdens or struggles for the day 'coz it helps you to look at the more positive things in your life... the things you need to be thankful for and not the complaints. :)
i love reading your entries!
hello, stranger! nice to see you back writing again. :-) yea, writing helps A LOT. for me, it is a therapy.
ReplyDeletegiving thanks to God eases the burden. many times i have proven it effective. instead of contemplating on the concerns, i focus my prayer time to the wonders that the Lord has made and to the graces He had mercifully shared. i hope and pray everything will be alright with you. you are not alone in your struggles. every human being has his own difficulties in life. God bless!