Matamlay ang hangin, may kilya ang boka-boka.
Tsubibo’y umiikot, payaso’y ‘di na nakatutuwa.
Buktot at sukdulang nakinabang sa kasalanan
Pati asin ng salat ay inihanda sa sabsaban.
*****
‘Ika nga: “The sin of the father is not the sin of the son.”
Patutsada: “Like father, like son.”
Whatever, it is what it is; tanggalin ang kaliskis.
*****
I believe in a Man who is, was and will always be one with His Father.
The phrase “Like Father, Like Son” suits Him well.
Many of the parables He has narrated — during private conversations and speeches before huge crowds – were of the goodness and glory of His Father.
Four autobiographies called the Gospels made a lot of reference to His Father.
One of the divine references said: Therefore Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19)
He even spoke of a prayer, which spread as fast and as far and wide as it could.
The prayer said: “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the test and deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Amen.”
His name is Jesus Christ.
*****
Someone said: Let bygones be bygones. Forget the past, move on to the future.
Patutsada: History repeats itself. No. History refutes itself. Worse, history refits itself.
*****
Ano nga ba ang talaga at totoo, Kuya? His story, her story, your story or my story?
Kaya nakalilito, nagkalat at naglipana ang kanya-kanyang kuwento kung saan-saan — sa barberya, sa palengke, sa ilalim ng tulay, sa tabi ng balite, sa tanggapan ni hepe, sa lansangan at sa palasyo ni Juan.
Tell me about lightning striking the same people and the same zones multiple times.
Na-hack ka rin ba?
*****
Well, how one has gone through life will always be the greatest story that can be told.
As they say: Well-lived life, well-told stories. It never matters if one is dead or alive.
Refresh me of the roller coaster rides, the F1 race and the flight to Hawaii.
*****
Ang sabi ‘da: Truthful words may not be beautiful. Beautiful words may not be the truth.
Patutsada: There is no beauty in the “I’s” of a boastful beholder. Mas wala sa mouth ni Marites.
Katuwiran: Maniwala ka o hindi. An unbelievable truth is way better than a believable lie.
Unbelievable! Truth does not need an adjective or an adverb to stand on its own.
Tanong ni Pilato kay Hesus sa Jesus Christ Superstar: But what is truth? Is it unchanging law? We both have truths. Am mine the same as yours?
*****
Kapuna-puna na, ramdam na ramdam pa.
Grocery runs are getting lesser. Food bank lines are getting longer.
Prices of goods are getting higher. Home budgets are getting smaller.
Sparkle of hope: Folks are getting slimmer. Many are still going digital.
Just asking: Do we roll out the barrels and raise our glasses?
*****
Sahod ay pinagkakasya, natataranta sa taas ng renta.
Puwede siguro, mas pataasin pa ang kita at pababain ang upa.
Anak ng kulog! Haskang kuyawa ang dagundong ng que sera sera.
*****
Inflation. Recession.
Question: May kinalaman ba ang una sa lobo; at ang sumunod, sa favourite subject sa Wan Bol U?
Politicians are not fond of these topics too.
Bet, gets din nila ang biton at boston sa sapatos ni Sion.
*****
Naaalala mo pa ba ang ni-represent mong bansa nuong United Nations Day sa elementary school?
Sa paglipas ng panahon, iwawagayway mo pa rin ba ang bandila ng bansang ito?
Cute kaya sa selfie kung may hawak kang flag ng Pilipinas?
*****
Halina at magbalik-tanaw, ayon sa mga nasabi’t nasulat na.
Maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations – these are the lofty goals of the international intergovernmental group called the United Nations (UN).
On October 24, 1945, seventy-seven years ago, the UN began breathing hope to a host of countries whose peoples were tired of needless death and devastation from two huge wars that could have been prevented and should be prevented.
From 51 founding member-states that drew strength from its mandate, the UN has grown to 193 countries that have committed their thumbs-up and go-ahead nods for the UN to always move forward in the righteous path.
Despite the drudgery of the lonely goatherd in the world, I still have high hopes that the United Nations will continue to learn from the flaws and failures of the League of Nations.
Amid the wars and armed conflicts, hunger and starvation, natural and man-made disasters, pandemics and health crises, climate change and other tragic come-what-may, I will go on praying for the universe to side with its kind and hearty, committed and sincere members so the UN may live up to its name.
Just a thought: Tularan ang bigkis ng walis kung world peace ang nais.
*****
How I wish that Superman and his friends, X-Men, Power Rangers (Super Sentai), the Legion of Super Heroes, and their ilk were more than just figments of fantasy of a world incessantly and desperately looking for a way out of harsh realities.
Throw in Darna, Lastikman, Captain Barbell, Ang Panday and Ang Probinsiyano. Wait. Isali na rin natin sina Wonder Dabiana, Babaing Isputnik, Dyesebel, Super Gee, Bertong Ipu-Ipo at Kisig Pinoy. Ano’ng say mo?
Pasingit ng trivia: Nuon, sikat din ang Japanese anime na Voltes V among Filipinos. But did you know, ayon sa Philippine Star, that in 1978, then President Ferdinand Marcos ordered a ban on Voltes V and other similarly-themed anime series because of its underlying themes of rebellion and revolution?
Yet, we all still go on with pure imagination and persistent determination.
A snippet from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem Ulysses has kept me walking: “… that which we are, we are / One equal temper of heroic hearts, / Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
*****
The June 2, 2022 general election set a record for the lowest voter turnout in an Ontario provincial election.
Only 43.53 percent of those eligible to vote cast their political will, breaking the low turnout of 48.2 percent in the 2011 election.
Ka Juan at Aling Maria, huwag sayangin ang iyong boses, karapatan at tungkuling ihalal ang napupusuan at pinaniniwalaang dapat mamuno ng dakbayan, same same o same shame man ang kahihinatnan.
Sa halalan dito sa Toronto sa ika-24 ng Oktubre, lumabas ka naman ng iyong tahanan at pumasyal sa presinto.
Huwag mag-alala’t mangamba, walang indelible ink at hindi ka magpa-piano.
At laging tandaan, ang Happy Halloween ay sa katapusan pa.
Sabagay, puwedeng i-extend.
*****
Some politicians never tire of exclaiming “My cup of tea!” and “Music to my ears!” every time an election is in the offing.
Pagkatapos ng halalan, either sila ay goofing, golfing or gulping, habang ang marami sa gutom at hirap ay nagkakandaduling.
Sino nga ba ang nagsabing ang boto ay will of the people at boses ng mga anito?
At sino ang nagparinig na “blessed are the cross-eyed for they shall see bathala twice”?
*****
If my father did not leave for Home up above, toasts to long life and eating pansit would be happening on his birth anniversary on October 26.
How old would he be?
Wait, I have to take a look at the picture of his tombstone.
Last time I checked, the picture was safely kept in the card compartment of my folding wallet, which is in a small gold-plated case, which is in a small shoebox, which is in a bigger shoebox, which is in a backpack, which is in an old wornout travelling bag, which was accidentally placed by my missus in a balikbayan box she recently sent to the Philippines.
Anyways, Happy 90th Birthday, Daddy Chitong.
*****
So it has been said that “all’s well that ends well.” Yet, this is true only if one does not mind what transpires in between the beginning and the end.
Huwag nang magtanong kung nasaan ang balon. Water will always seek its own level.
Mamuhay ng maayos, be kind, stay healthy and keep safe. #####