Think about it
Anything in excess is a sin
By Jun Velasco
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late. to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”– Psalm l27: 2
WE were aghast at the violent manner our two friends, former Vice Mayor Ramon Arcinue and his wife, Barangay Captain Zorahayda Ramos Arcinue, were killed by a hired killer Thursday evening in Manila, in front of their son’s apartment.
Earlier, we were with the couple at a Dagupan restaurant in which we played Sherlock Holmes to track down their mysterious would-be killer or killer who staged an ambush on their lives last year. They survived that one.
Probers are right. The assassin was determined to kill the couple and succeeded in undertaking his cruel, dastardly attack Thursday. The crime couldn’t have had a more diabolical enactment, as it was done in the presence of their beloved son, whom they just accompanied home in Sampaloc, Manila.
We used to see Ramon at the Loyola Heights where they used to live.
At the Rubis Restaurant, the couple recalled to newsmen Dennis Mojares and us, “leads” that could guide in solving the crime.
We leave the sensitive part to the police which — with the help of Governor Spines and Congressman Pol Bataoil, both former bemedalled former police officers, and Mayor Jonas Castaneda — is expected to help solve the crime with dispatch.
What happened to the Arcinues is not only a terrible reflection of our fragile environment; it showed graphically how killers could so easily undertake a dastardly act rendering all protective armor by humans useless. Let’s pray for the fast solution of the crime and the eternal repose of n their souls.
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Another untimely death was that of our friend and journalism guru Isagani Yambot, publisher of the Philippines Daily Inquirer. Gani and this columnist have the same cardiologist at the Medical City, who has advised us to undergo a heart bypass. We “bypassed” the proposed bypass upon the advice of Dr. Robin Navarro, who has proposed a diet-based alternative and his fantastic Rapid Cellular Balancing formula. With God’s help, we have improved a lot. More on this in future issues.
Much earlier, we had several meetings with the good looking and soft-spoken Gani in press conferences in Manila. One time we teased him that we were defecting to the Inquirer from the Bulletin, to which he OK’d but required us to “start from the bottom.” At the time, we were writing two columns in the Bulletin.
Gani epitomized the virtues of a model journalist: prodigious, diligent, grammatical (he authored or co-authored the Manila Times and the Times Journal style books), and press freedom activist. It was from him that we learned how to do the front-page layout of a newspaper by “observing the figure ‘S’.” We’re sure most of those in the profession will miss for a long time the professionalism and devotion Gani has shown to journalism.
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We came across the life of a “successful” pastor who spent most of his fruitful years in the service of the church and his flock. He was so devoted to his spiritual work that he barely had time for his family. He always gave the alibi that since he was immersed in his work for the Lord, everything will be alright.
It was not. One day, the police came to his house to inform that his l6-year old son has been arrested for drug possession. The previous day, his wife had suffered an emotional breakdown and had been committed to a psychiatric ward at a local hospital. Upon reflection, the pastor realized that his life was a lie. he has been a bondage to his own ego and pride. He later counseled fellow church members to drop the business and get his life straightened out. He resigned as a pastor. He realized that he had to make a proper balance of his family’s needs and the church’s. He has learned what many other Christians never learn until it’s too late: God doesn’t need us to burn out for Him. He would much rather have us wear out gracefully.
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