Why Love?

Alexander Lowen once said that man’s natural behavior is open to love and to life. However our culture has led us to believe that this is not so, that we must be closed and mistrustful. We think that by acting in this way we will not be hurt by life’s surprises but in fact what happens is we are not taking advantage of lives. Because of too much suffering we sometimes want to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. We want to live in a place wherein no people can hurt us. A place where pain, suffering, sadness, hopelessness, fear and all those unpleasant feeling do not exist.

How many times did we try to push those people who truly love us away simply because of the fear that one day they will abandon us? That one day they will grow tired of loving us and will soon depart to continue on their own way. We hold back our emotions; we didn't allow ourselves to go all through them. We are too busy of being afraid. We are afraid of the pain of losing someone. We are afraid to do the things that we truly desire. We stopped listening to our hearts so it stopped speaking to us. It grew tired of being ignored.

We forgot that famous line that says “it is better to love and lost that never to love at all.” We stopped loving because in love there’s always pain. We think we suffered too much. All of us had this experience. At some point we have each said through our tears “I’m suffering for a love that’s not worth it.” We suffer because we feel we are giving more than we receive. We suffer because our love is going unrecognized.

Being good, decent, respectable person will mean that others will see you as weak, vulnerable and easy to manipulate. Good people are always taken for granted that’s why sometimes they don’t want to be good or nice anymore. Our society is unappreciative and abusive. They will say that “nice people” don’t exist anymore but when they do find one I’m sure as hell they will just take that person for granted. Where’s the path to justice? None. It is blocked by the wicked hearts of men. So we become mistrustful in people around us. We built fences around hearts and closed the door that leads to human relationship. But God who accompanies our every step will be annoyed because he can see that we are not paying attention to the miracle of life.

And so we continue to love despite the fear roaming around our hearts. We tell ourselves that the fear of suffering is worst than suffering itself.  After all when we die and our soul arrives at the final judgment God will only ask “Did you love while you were alive?” for that is the essence of life the ability to love.

Feature- Playgroung Fitness

Want to have that model-like body but don’t want to go to gym? Worry no more. Try the new trend in sports known as “functional fitness” or “playground fitness”.  So what is it? It is a move away from machines that rely on repetitive pushing, pulling and lifting a single body part and towards a more open space (like playground) where movements involves the entire body unlike in the gym wherein you have to use different machines to exercise different parts of the body. In this latest exercise trend you can do everything at the same time. You can climb, dangle, and touch the ground while balancing on one leg. All of this imitates the kind of full-body exercise one can get from the gym. According to some studies “playground fitness” is more effective, building better overall strength and mobility one can use in everyday life, rather than the bulging muscles sometimes associated with traditional weight-training. Good luck folks.

Memoir

Someone said that we are an experience to other people. The question is are we a good one?

A Letter and a Hug

Everyone was walking around. Every faces have a sign of excitement. It was the day after our Elementary graduation. The whole class was ready for the year end party for that was last party that we could share with one another before we depart on our own ways, before everyone goes to different places to continue his or her studies.  The food was already on the table. The room was decorated with colourful balloons as if it is a birthday party. The emcee was preparing his message. The music played so loud and I felt the beat of the sound in my heart. That moment I felt like there’s an army marching in my chest. I was sitting at the back not participating in any activities my classmates seem to enjoy. I guess I’m not a party goer but I knew that I would join them if they ask me to. So I was sitting there at the back, keeping myself company when one of my friends approached me. I stood up

“Are you enjoying this party?” She said

“I am” I replied

She’s one of my friends who are real close to me. I was new in their class but being friendly that she was we became close immediately. In every group activity we were always together.  I remembered when my friends and I used to hang out in a particular subdivision during Friday afternoon just to have some fun. We would play badminton, share the foods that we have and sometimes we would go to the river near the place.

We talked some more after that then she opened her bag and took something. In her hand she held a green paper. She gave it to me and I saw that it was a letter

“That’s for you” she said

“Really?” I asked

“Yes, read it” she said

So I did. And that was the first time that I received a letter from someone. The letter says how much she appreciates me for being her friend. She thanked me for everything that I did for her and things like that. I didn’t expect her to give me a letter and say the things that she said.  Needless to say I wasn’t able to speak but thank you. I said sorry because I don’t have one for her. She said that it is okay. Then suddenly she hugged me and I hugged her back. Then we laughed for a while for we both know that no more words are needed to say.

Looking back I realized how great it felt to know that someone appreciates you. That someone values your efforts and does not take you for granted.

I guess I was a good experience to her.