Anything Under The Sun

Here are the five aspects of school life that bring me joy: Friends/Acquaintances: The prospect of reuniting with school friends and making new acquaintances is something that always excites me. It's an opportunity to learn from others, sharing experiences and influencing each other's lives. Meeting new friends is also a chance to share my faith, considering my school as both my harvest field and my battlefield (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Allowance: Anticipating my allowance is a common sentiment among students as the school year begins. Having money in my pocket gives me the freedom to budget and spend responsibly. Wise budgeting enables me to afford what I need and even some things I want, while imprudent spending would undoubtedly lead to challenges (Proverbs 21:20). The Travel/Commutation: The journey to school, though challenging, is an exciting part of the school routine. Waking up early to avoid being late and making smart choices about transportation are essential. What I love most is observing fellow commuters and passengers. This provides a unique opportunity to learn from their conversations, reactions to circumstances, and various behaviors, contributing to my understanding of human dynamics (Proverbs 12:28). The Project: While projects can be daunting, I've learned to find enjoyment in tasks that may initially seem tedious. Every project, big or small, offers valuable lessons. It's not just about academic learning but also about developing a positive attitude and perseverance in completing tasks, including regular assignments (Romans 5:3-4). The Professors: The spectrum of teacher personalities, from friendly to formidable, adds a dynamic element to my school experience. The contrasting feelings of joy with friendly teachers and nervousness with more strict ones both intrigue me. Recognizing teachers as authority figures to whom I submit and from whom I learn emphasizes the collaborative nature of education. After all, a school is incomplete without teachers who impart knowledge and guide students (1 Peter 2:13a).

Show moms that they are loved. Mother's Day is not just a one-time event but should be a day-to-day realization of the worth of every mother in this world. See Mother's Day quotes to inspire each mom as we commemorate their worth... "A mother is the truest friend we have when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us when troubles thicken around us, still, will she cling to us and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness and cause peace to return to our hearts." - Washington Irving A mother's yearning feels the presence of the cherished child even in the degraded man - George Eliot "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." - Abraham Lincoln Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world, a mother's love is not - James Joyce A mother understands what a child does not say - Jewish proverb Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons - Napoleon Bonaparte That best academy, a mother's knee - James Russell Lowell "When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." - Sophia Loren "A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary." - Dorothy Canfield Fisher "The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." - Henry Ward Beecher "Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." - Lin Yutang A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie - Tenneva Jordan "Only mothers can think of the future because they give birth to it in their children." - Maxim Gorky Most mothers are instinctive philosophers - Harriet Beecher Stowe A mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's grief and everybody's joy found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation - Mark Twain

A week ago, a harrowing hostage drama unfolded in a prominent location in the Philippines. A bus, primarily carrying tourists, mostly Hong Kong nationals, was commandeered by a retired policeman seeking justice for his dismissal from duty, allegedly due to a crime he was convicted of. He implored the Philippine ombudsman to review his case, appealing for the reinstatement of his duty and the restoration of his benefits and grants as a law enforcer. Regrettably, the situation did not conclude positively, as the hostage taker, along with most of the victims inside the bus, tragically lost their lives. The question arises: who bears responsibility for the failure to rescue the victims? Some attribute it to the mass media's coverage, providing the culprit access to information that should have been withheld from him as he took control of the bus. Others point to the strategy employed by law enforcement, resulting in the failure to safeguard the victims and the inability to keep the hostage taker calm during negotiations. Regardless of the causative factors, what has transpired is irreversible. This incident has cast a shadow over the Philippines, eliciting unfavorable impressions from neighboring countries, particularly Hong Kong. It's essential to recognize this as an isolated case, with the actions of the perpetrator not reflecting the entirety of the Philippine citizenry. Unfortunately, despite clear explanations, influencing the opinions and sentiments of individuals is beyond our control. While acknowledging potential lapses leading to the tragic conclusion of the hostage situation, it is our hope that this incident won't foster lasting animosity among Hong Kong citizens towards their counterparts in the Philippines. May healing touch all those affected by the pain and sorrow. May this incident serve as a poignant lesson for everyone involved.