The Yeba!Lessons Part 2 presents...

    marami akong natutunan nung second sem. to state an absolute understatement. to admit, second sem was shorter than usual, but definitely more.. erm, stressful? hehehe. understatement na naman. pero sa sari-saring bagay na napagdaanan ko, napagdaanan natin - magkakasama man o hindi - there's simply too much to learn. i don't know if we'd share the same sentiments on these things, but... la lang. share ko lang... i believe it's about time i formulated one of these...

I Believe...

- in God. in the Supreme Being that is above all. And I believe that no matter who our Gods maybe, we all deserve to be respected for our own beliefs.

- in friendship. i believe it's absolutely possible for a person to care about another person genuinely. nang walang hidden agenda. nang walang vested interests. nang walang dahilang iba kundi... friendship!

- in serendipity. i believe there's somebody out there for me. i believe i'm part of some divine plan. i believe because... it's what i want to believe. i believe in patience, and that the best things come to those who wait.

- that things happen for a reason. na walang bagay na nangyayari basta na lang, nang walang dahilan. kasi nga di ba, divine plan. pero i don't necessarily equate this to man's helplessness in the hands of Fate. naniniwala ako na kapag may nangyayari, may purpose. kung bakit ako napunta sa UP, kung bakit kayo ang naging blockmates ko at hindi sila, kung bakit si Abastillas ang NatSci I prof natin, kung bakit ako nakatira sa UP Visayas Guesthouse... hindi ba kayo napag-isip kung bakit tayo ang huling batch ng freshmen na may BLOCK?? well, it happened for a reason. and i believe na may purpose din kung bakit wala nang block ang mga freshmen ngayon...

- that everybody deserves a second chance. i believe that apologies should be accepted, that explanations should be heard out. kasi hindi lahat ng tao, perpekto. hindi lahat ng tao, tama lagi ang ginagawa. inaasal. sinasabi. kasi madaling saktan ang feelings ng tao. kasi minsan, humingi rin ako ng second chance.

- that running under the rain is therapy. na ok lang mawalan ng paki sa mundo kasi most of the time la rin naman paki ang mundo sa yo -- not that i meant it in a negative way ha.

- in the beauty of sunsets. dahil it makes goodbyes beautiful. dahil parang sinasabi ng sunsets na hindi lahat ng pagtatapos dapat malungkot. nakakasenti lang. at nakakabangag. pero hindi malungkot... hindi...

- in the importance of people. na dapat priority ang tao, ang welfare ng tao, ang feelings ng tao, ang needs ng tao. bakit? dahil tao rin ako. may angal? =)

- that pride is dangerous. na dapat matuto ring lumunok ng sariling pride dahil minsan mali naman talaga tayo eh.

- that there's always somebody in a worse disposition. at na kadalasan, wala talaga tayong karapatang magreklamo dahil kung tutuusin, most of the time, 'relatively' luckier pa rin tayo.

- that we shouldn't ask the questions we don't want to hear the answers to.

- that real learning occurs outside the four walls of the classroom. na ang tunay na edukasyon wala sa loob ng AS, ng UP, kundi sa labas - sa pagsakay sa isang public utility vehicle nang hindi ka man lang sigurado kung saan ka talaga papunta (may dala ka pang mapa hehe), sa paglalakad sa maiinit na kalye at pagpasok sa kung saan-saang building nang hindi mo man lang alam kung sino ang hahanapin mo dun or kung sang office ka dapat didiretso, sa pagkausap sa mga foreign nationals na... hindi kaaya-aya ang amoy... yun ang edukasyon.

- in the power of the media. and that as students of Journalism, soon we shall also share in this power. problema pa rin nga lang kung ano ba talaga, kung dapat ba tayong matuwa o malungkot about that...

- in history, and that only through studying the patterns of history can we fully understand kung bakit ganito ka-leche ang buhay ngayon -- only to find out na leche na pala ang buhay kahit noon pa. oh well. lecheng pinanggalingan, lecheng kapupuntahan.

- that grades are not important. frankly, as of the moment, i don't care kung ano ang grade ko sa j100 dahil, 1) alam kong marami akong pinagdaanan para lang sa lintek na subject na yan, at 2) i gave it all i've got. yun naman ang mahalaga. that you try hard enough, (or, most of the time, HARDER than enough) and that you get the most out of the experiences.

- in independence. dahil sa huli, ang maaasahan ko lang ay ang sarili ko. naniniwala ako na sa pinili kong 'linya' sa buhay, most of the time i will be left on my own, and when that happens, dapat i should be ready at all costs to survive. naniniwala akong i was born whole, not half -- so that i can survive, even if i'm alone. naniniwala akong maaari akong ma-force na paikutin ang mundo sa sarili ko, and when that happens, i should know how to do it.

- in choices. i believe that i always have a choice. a choice to do good. a choice to be happy. a choice to be with people, rather than isolate myself.

- in conversation. na maraming natututunan sa pag-uusap. walang di nadadaan sa pakiusap, walang di naaayos kung pag-uusapan. naniniwala akong ang dapat na foundation ng isang relationship ay communication. i believe nararapat i-master ang art ng listening AND talking. kasi it's a two-way street - gamitin mo naman pareho.

- in memories as a vital part of oneself. na without them, i would always be incomplete.

- in a cuture of tolerance. most especially, i believe that members of the third sex should be accepted. na hindi sila dapat pandirihan, layuan as if may sakit, i-ostracize or i-discriminate. sa panahong nanatili ako sa UP grounds at na-expose sa kanila (nakakainggit lang talaga minsan dahil mas maganda pa sila sa ken hehehe), natutunan ko na silang i-regard as... normal. part ng pang-araw-araw na buhay. i believe that they should be entitled to love - regardless of sexual preference. ok, magtatayo na ako ng Crusade or whatever. hehehe...

- that smokers should be understood for their decision to engage in such vice. i believe na alam naman nila ang pinasok nila.

- in hugging and holding hands. that you're never too old for the kind of intimacy you once enjoyed as a kid.

- in planning ahead but retaining a certain degree of spontaneity at the same time.

- in holding on and letting go. i believe na dapat alam natin kung hanggang kelan mag-hold on, at kung kelan dapat mag-let go.

- in sadness. i believe na lahat tayo may karapatang malungkot, at na may karapatan din tayong mag-grieve in our own ways.

- that nothing in this world is permanent. even the routines, naniniwala akong di sila permanente. hindi dahil nasanay ka nang andiyan ang isang bagay, or lagi shang nangyayari eh forever na shang anjan or mangyayari. minsan kasi, pumapatag din ang mundo.

- in music as the ultimate expression of the soul. i believe in singing, in playing musical instruments, and most especially in whistling.

- that we should stand up for what we believe in, kesehoda kung ano iniisip ng iba. let them think what they want to think. karapatan din nila yun, you know. naniniwala akong dapat pangatawanan natin kung ano paniniwala natin sa buhay, at kung anuman ang pinasok natin because of those beliefs -- dapat lumabas tayo nang buhay, triumphant. a little physical hardship don't matter much.

- that, in the end -- wala nang tama o mali, masaya lang at malungkot. and most of the time, mas useful pang magdesisyon using the Greatest Happiness Principle, salamat na lang kay J.S. Mill.

- that people can forget who you were, or what you did, or when you did this or became that -- people tend to forget all that. but they would never forget how you made them feel. life is not a call for accomplishments. napakababaw. this life has a purpose, and that is, to touch other lives.

- that real beauty lies within. it's cliche, pero promise, totoo sha. i also believe that beauty is relative... but then again, everything to me is relative...

- that it's ok to admit needing people. na ok lang mapagtanto na, tangina, hindi ako mabubuhay nang wala si ganito, wala si ganyan... kasi most of the time it's true naman.

- that the worst way to miss somebody is when that somebody is right beside you - and you can only know very well you can't have them. sakit noh?

- in the importance of being organized. naniniwala ako na dapat most of the time alam mo kung ano gagawin mo, at kung saan ka papunta, kasi kung hindi, you'll end up in panic - pero, thinking about it, lagi naman akong nagpapanic eh.

- that we are all counting the same stars in the same sky. this is the best therapy whenever you miss somebody - count stars. kasi you'll never know, you might just be counting them TOGETHER... in remote locations nga lang.

- that emotions should never be toyed around with. most especially love. naniniwala akong di dapat ginagawang biro ang pag-ibig. di dapat binibiro ang puso -- dahil madali itong maniwala.

- that jokes are always half-meant. to avoid argument, laging i-multiply sa zero.

- that i only have space in my life for those that MATTER to me.

- that there's nothing wrong with admitting that i want to be loved - everybody else wants to be loved. well, i guess, i'm just like everybody else...

- in dreams. kasi there are some things i can only get there, some places i can only visit there, and some people i can only have there... and only there.

- in love. in its inherent goodness. naniniwala ako na it's such a beautiful thing, na it's not something to be feared. kung takot ka lang masaktan -- it's not worth missing love for that. kasi if ever naman masaktan ka, pwede kang umaray. pwede kang umiyak. pwede mong i-ram ang ulo mo sa wall to pre-occupy yourself with other forms of pain (eh?). naniniwala akong parang package deal ang love at pain. naniniwala ako sa risks. kasi nga di ba, risk all tapos no regrets? :)

- lastly, i believe in believing - kasi as a person, this is what definess me. us. kung ano pinanghahawakan natin kung walang-wala na tayo. because in the end, we are left with our convictions. at yun yung mahalaga.

    there are still so many things i've learned, but i guess i can't remember all of them in one night... oh well. will add more, if ever i remember. or maybe i'd have to write another one altogether. whatever.