MUSINGS OVER CHANGE

What do men dread beside a bad haircut?

 

It’s change.

 

For many of us, change is something we shirk away from because of the uncertainty that it carries with it. Change maybe the harbinger of hope. But it can also bring despair. With change, there is no security. With change, we face the unknown. With change, one faces a crucial decision—to hold on or let go of the comforts we are used to.

 

Change may come in different forms. For some, it maybe a different path to tread on. It maybe a new beginning. A new baby. Loss of a loved one. A different career. A business venture. Growing of a moustache. Removing a moustache. New learning. Unlearning. Greying hair. Dyed hair.

 

For me, there are just too many. I have gained weight since my pregnancy and delivery of my baby. I have stretch marks. I have freckles. I have hair- loss. They say, these are all brought by my pregnancy and delivery. Before, I was never vain. I used to be happy with my looks. But now, the bodily changes are just so appalling. I see a different person when I look at the mirror. I say to myself, “Oh, no. This can’t be.” But yes, it is. Changes are happening. The mirror does not lie. My figure does not. My body cannot. These physical changes are not welcome at all. They are dreadful. But they are inevitable.

 

We cannot go through life without having to pass series of changes. There are beautiful changes. There are also ugly ones. Bad or good, beautiful or ugly, change moulds us.

 

So, what do I do then? How do I deal with change?

I found out that the best thing to do is not to resist it. Accept it gracefully and gratefully. I cannot do anything with the permanent changes in my body. The scars, the stretch marks, the freckles...They will stay no matter what I do. But I am happy with them because they remind me of the beautiful gift I have received from God, my baby.

Acceptance with grace and gratitude. Be happy with the changes. Thank God for them for changes are opportunities to make ourselves better and become wiser.

SMILE and the WORLD shall SMILE with you!

SMILE AND THE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU! So the saying goes.

 

 

This article on the Beauty of Smiling is a contribution of

Tricia Mae Cervas.

 

Tricia with her rather timid smile, Ain't she the right person to write about smile???

 

 

Every alumni and student  of

Pines City National High School remember most of the corridors of the school, not only because the corridors lead us to our classrooms where we learn, gain knowledge and wisdom, but also  because these corridors serve as aisles for communication and interaction... Spots where we greet everyone we meet with a sweet smile on our faces.

 Smile is contagious. This, I am sure can be affirmed by everybody.

As one can not help to smile back when being smiled at.

 A smile can be likened to a virus which would quickly spread once released.

A smile lightens one's load.

It can brighten one's day.

It can  make a lover's heart leap with joy.

It gives encouragement.

It gives affirmation.

 

It can mean so much!!!

 Because a smile carries with it the magic of real connection.

 

Researches would say smile helps release dopamine, a happy hormone that gives a happy feeling. Undisputedly, smiling does not only benefit an individual. It can also benefit our community, our society - since smile is a powerful tool for forming human relations.

But why am I writing about smile?

 

Once, I was in a conversation with our former student-teacher.  I asked her what she loves most at Pines City National High School. She told me that it was the smiles and the greetings of the students every time they meet their teachers and fellow students. I am very astonished by her answer. I have never imagined that a simple smile could have a very remarkable effect on somebody else's heart. 

 

We do not know everybody at school but our smiles, which we freely give, would create ripples of joy to the people we meet.   The school is just a microcosm of the bigger community. Just imagine if everybody would smile at one another, the effect would be tremendous. And I am sure, this world shall be a happy place to live in.

The world is full of beautiful things. God gave life for us to enjoy and appreciate these things, more importantly, God's gift of SMILE.

 

So step out and smile. Share your gift to everybody and let your smile change darkness to light, change hate to love and change war to peace. SMILE^^

STUDENTS' ALPHABET OF SUCCESS

LEARN, DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE!

A — Adapt to change. Accept failures
B — Become a better person
C — Create your own opportunity
D — Dream BIG!
E — Entertain positive thoughts
F — Follow your heart
G — Gratitude. Be grateful to your parents, teachers, to everyone.
H — Help others
I — Invest in your mind
J — Jolliness. Be jolly and enjoy life.
K — Know your limits.
L — Link with the community
M — Manage your time
N — Navigate
O — Organize
P — Prepare
Q — Quiz your self. Assess your capabilities.
R — Review your lessons
S — Show good manners
T — Take a rest
U — Unlearn bad habits
V — Verbalize your thoughts
W — Wonder and marvel at new learning
X — X-ray your attitude.
Y — Yield to authority. Do not be sour with reprimands.
Z — Zoom in on your goals and priority

The Florist

Who says classroom teachers are only classroom teachers??? They can also be florists!

Who says teachers would only hold a chalk and talk to the board??? They also hold flowers and turn them into beautiful arrangements!

Who says teachers are dull?

They can be creative!



The Flora Guru: Mr. Danny Marquez

One of the Guru's arrangements

Who would have ever thought that a man with brusque stature like him would handle  flowers so delicately and turn them into beautiful arrangements. He has got Midas' touch ---only that he does not turn them into gold but anything he touches would become

flower---ly magnificent. 

  



Emerging as the Champion during the Division Competition: Ma'am Angie Mangalip



With his creativity and resourcefulness, the Guru passes on his craftsmanship to his disciples.

There is FASH in TRASH!

There is FASH in TRASH!

Garbage is one of the most prevalent problems in Baguio City. As a matter of fact, the whole city had once reeked with foul smell as uncollected garbage lay in the streets.

FASH plus TRASH gives you TRASHION! This is our answer to the problem. A little way to advocate PROPER WASTE SEGREGATION AND DISPOSAL in the city of pines.

Clad in their dresses made from plastic and wrappers, these students walked down the carpet as ramp models.

An Artist in the Making

This is Jojie Pacio, the artist I have come to know from class.

Jojie was one of the talented students I have had the chance to mentor. I discovered his hidden talent when one time I gave out a project in class where students would have to illustrate, through a modified stained glass, a representation of true freedom.

I showed the class a simple model of the modified stained glass which I have made from cut illustration board and coloured plastic or yema wrappers. It was a picture of a flower. I have explained why to me the flower symbolizes freedom. Then, I told them to use the same medium of art for their representation.

When I have collected their finished work after a week, a beautiful picture of the Crucified Christ was a stand- out among the piles. It was from Jojie.

At first, I was dubious as to whether he really did the project. But I know Jojie as an honest person. And so, I have commissioned him to make another project to be used as a backdrop for the First Friday masses held at school. He complied. And came up with this.

 

 

 

Jojie explains, these intricate designs of the Nativity, the Resurrection and the Crucified Christ depict the real essence of Christianity.

Meet Mia

For others, “Small but terrible” might be a phrase used to describe her. But I say “small and sweet” to this little girl. I know teachers should not have favourites but Mia holds a special place in my heart for various reasons.

 

I met Mia in her First Year at High School. During the first day of classes, she already caught my attention. She is quick to raise her hand and respond to my queries with her witty answers and her profound opinion. I am always mesmerized by her good command of the Filipino language.  She uses Filipino terminologies that are considered archaic, terms not usually used by a 21^st century Filipino student. Terms like “nahihinuha,” “nakikinikinita,” “nagpatianod,”and many more.

I said I adore this little girl for various reasons. She stays at the guidance office and helps in the cleaning of the office and in other menial tasks. She is no ordinary girl. Instead of playing with her friends during her vacant time, she chooses to stay at the guidance office to help. And even if she does not have any errands to do, she still stays there and mingles with other students or with some faculty members. She asks a lot of questions. In fact, she never runs out of them.

She readily offers help. She is dependable. She is smart. She is courteous. She is hard-working. She takes initiative. And she is serious even at her young age. These are just some of the good qualities, she possesses.

She dreams on becoming a teacher then eventually a lawyer.  May poverty not hinder her in achieving her dream!

The Ideal Teacher

Who is an ideal teacher?

Not so long time ago, when I was still in my elementary years I used to think an ideal teacher is infallible. This notion apparently belongs to the old school of thought as teachers are humans too. Teachers make mistakes. In fact, they constantly do. I found this out when I myself have become a teacher.

So, if not through a mistake- meter, how then should we define an ideal teacher?

                                                                          

Nikos Kazantzakis suggests that ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.

Such illustration of Kazantzakis may sound so poetic yet it encapsulates what one should expect from a teacher.

Kazantzakis associated teachers to bridges for the following reasons: First, bridges are made for connecting lands. Similarly, teachers are for connecting lives. Teachers are equipped not only to educate but to prepare their students to be well- rounded social beings. For whatever knowledge or information a teacher may impart to his students, the best is still on human relations because life is after- all about connecting lives specially now that the world has become so small with the advent of the social media such as Facebook, Twitter etc.

Second, bridges serve as easy access point to the civilized world. Teachers, on the other hand, are primarily the source of knowledge and information. And they lead their students towards a more “civilized society.”

Third, bridges serve as a path towards one’s destination whereas; teachers guide their students towards their goals- towards the realization of their dreams.

               

They teach. They instruct. They educate. They model. They facilitate. How-ever they do it, teachers mould their students.

 

 

And as Kazantzakis said, one may become an ideal teacher when he inspires his students to build bridges on their own. His success depends on how much his seed has multiplied. How many lives he has touched and not really on how many mathematical or scientific problems he had taught his students to solve.