Think about it
Get a coffee
By Jun Velasco
BARANGAY Malued in Dagupan — literally our birthplace, where we spent our memorable boyhood — was in a festive mood Sunday evening.
The family of Optometry Board No. l Topnotcher Dr. Voltaire Siapno-Tada led by joyous and proud parents Ben Tada and the former Dr. Vicky Siapno, of this famous barangay, tendered a grand reception, blow-out to family members, relatives, friends and barangay-mates to celebrate Voltaire’s great achievement.
Listening to Vicky in her inspired remarks, we felt a mother’s joy at a child’s achievement. Dr. Voltaire, the honoree, did a shorty speech, candid, straight from the heart, and there was no doubt about everybody feeling the pride of the Siapno-Tada family in its moment of triumph. .
Mayor Al Fernandez, his wife Mina, former Vice Mayor Pepe Siapno, Voltaire’s classmates at the Malued Elementary School (our alma mater, too) and the Lyceum Northwestern University College of Optometry faculty and alumni (President Gonzalo was in Vegas) and hundreds of admiring folk from all corners of the world came to felicitate the Siapnos, a fitting celebration indeed.
Not everyone can top a national board, you know.
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There was a time, under Mayor Al, when the city came out with a 3-month vocational skills seminar-workshop that succeeded in converting many unemployed to productive entrepreneurs. It was a big success. We were a first-hand witness to that powerful anti poverty strategy because the one who largely implemented it was Mrs. Cathy Velasco, and for which her group won back to back national awards — “most outstanding provincial nutritionist” and “most outstanding Nutritionist Dieticians Ass’n of the Philippines Pangasinan chapter.”
Whatever happened to that simple but powerful idea, Mayor Al?
In Urdaneta City, Mayor Amadito Perez is into the same or similar program lately, starting, according to his skills manager Revillene Llagas, last February yet.
We have seen how the Llagas group does it, and we predict that the Green Banner that Dagupan won in the 90’s might this time go to Cattle Country.
We wonder why this effective program has not been sustained in Dagupan.
* * * *
In the tradition of “Get a Life,” here is another story that will warm your heart.
A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal – some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee..
When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering.
’You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems.”
He continued: ‘’Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink.
What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups. Then you began eyeing each other’s cups.’’
“Now consider this: Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us… God brews the coffee, but he does not supply the cups. Enjoy your coffee!’’
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have… So please remember: Live simply. Love generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the Rest to God. And remember, the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.
(Readers may reach columnist at junmv@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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