Binhing Palay

Sa aking pagtanda, unawain
mo sana ako at pagpasensiyahan.

Kapag dala ng kalabuan ng
mata ay nakabasag ako ng pinggan
o nakatapon ng sabaw sa
hapag kainan,
huwag mo sana akong
kagagalitan.
Maramdamin ang isang
matanda.
Nagse-self-pity ako sa
tuwing sinisigawan mo ako.

Kapag mahina na ang tenga
ko at hindi ko maintindihan
ang sinasabi mo, huwag mo
naman sana akong sabihan
ng “binge!” paki-ulit
nalang ang
sinabi mo o pakisulat
nalang.
Pasensya ka na, anak.
Matanda na talaga ako.

Kapag mahina na ang tuhod
ko, pagtiyagaan mo sana akong
tulungang tumayo, katulad
ng pag-aalalay ko sa iyo
noong nag-aaral ka pa
lamang lumakad.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana ako
kung ako man ay
nagiging makulit at paulit-
ulit na parang sirang plaka.
Basta pakinggan mo nalang
ako.
Huwag mo sana akong
pagtatawanan o
pagsasawaang pakinggan.

Natatandaan mo anak noong
bata ka pa?
kapag gusto mo ng lobo,
paulit-ulit mo ‘yong sasabihin,
maghapon kang mangungulit
hangga’t
hindi mo nakukuha ang
gusto mo.
Pinagtyagaan ko ang
kakulitan mo.

Pagpasensyahan mo na rin
sana ang aking amoy.
Amoy matanda, amoy lupa.
Huwag mo sana akong
piliting maligo.
Mahina na ang katawan ko.
Madaling magkasakit kapag
nalamigan,
huwag mo sana akong
pandirihan.

Natatandaan mo noong bata
ka pa?
pinagtyagaan kitang
habulin sa ilalim ng kama
kapag ayaw mong maligo.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana
kung madalas,
ako’y masungit, dala na
marahil ito ng katandaan.
Pagtanda mo, maiintindihan
mo rin.

Kapag may konti kang
panahon,
magkwentuhan naman tayo,
kahit sandali lang.
Inip na ako sa bahay,
maghapong nag-iisa.
Walang kausap.

Alam kong busy ka sa
trabaho,
subalit nais kong malaman
mo na sabik
na sabik na akong
makakwentuhan ka,
kahit alam kong hindi ka
interesado sa mga kwento ko.

Natatandaan mo anak, noong
bata ka pa?
Pinagtyagaan kong
pakinggan at intindihin
ang pautal-utal mong
kwento tungkol sa iyong teddy bear.

At kapag dumating ang
sandali na ako’y magkakasakit
at maratay sa banig ng
karamdaman,
huwag mo sana akong
pagsawaang alagaan.

Pagpasensyahan mo na sana
kung ako
man ay maihi o madumi sa
higaan,
pagtyagaan mo sana akong
alagaan sa mga
huling sandali ng aking
buhay.
Tutal hindi na naman ako
magtatagal.

Kapag dumating ang sandali
ng aking pagpanaw,
hawakan mo sana ang aking
kamay
at bigyan mo ako ng lakas
ng loob
na harapin ang kamatayan.

At huwag kang mag-alala,
kapag kaharap ko na ang
Diyos na lumikha,
ibubulong ko sa kanya na
pagpalain ka sana …
dahil naging mapagmahal ka
sa iyong ama’t ina…

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.

“If you have the time” I said.

God smiled. “My time is eternity.”
“What questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you most about humankind?”

God answered…
“That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money…
and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.”

“That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked…
“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?”

“To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.”

“To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.”

“To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”

“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly.

“Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?”

God smiled and said,
“Just know that I am here… always.”

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

The Lord is my Shepherd ——- That’s Relationship!
I shall not want ——- That’s Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures —— That’s Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters ——- That’s Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul ——- That’s Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness ——- That’s Guidance!
For His name sake ——- That’s Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death ——- That’s Testing!
I will fear no evil ——- That’s Protection!
For Thou art with me ——- That’s Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me ——- That’s Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies ——- That’s Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil ——- That’s Consecration!
My cup runneth over ——- That’s Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life —— That’s Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord ——- That’s Security!
Forever ——- That’s Eternity!

GOD — The Greatest Lover
SO LOVED — The Greatest Degree
THE WORLD — The Greatest Company
THAT HE GAVE — The Greatest Act
HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON — The Greatest Gift
THAT WHOSOEVER — The Greatest Opportunity
BELIEVETH — The Greatest Simplicity
IN HIM — The Greatest Attraction
SHOULD NOT PERISH — The Greatest Promise
BUT — The Greatest Difference
HAVE — The Greatest Certainty
EVERLASTING LIFE. — The Greatest Possesion