So who's your hero?

I know someone who is very "stingy" on the knowledge that she passes on to her mentees. I noticed it because when an issue arose, it is only her who can solve it. You might say that maybe she is just more resourceful or because she is a better critical or logical thinker. But no, these are hard facts that she should have passed on to her mentee. When I asked a colleague of her if other people notice that too, she said "yes, and we believe she does that because she fears for the time to come that she is dispensable". Sometimes I wonder if she has the so called "Messiah complex" or "hero complex" wherein she feels that she can or should "save" other people. And if that power is lost, she has nothing.

 This is similar to the knight in shining armor attitude of some men. There are quite a number of films made based on this theme, wherein a man saves or rescues a woman from "despair". Most children's fairytales are like that,  only a man can save the girl from her long sleep, cruel stepmother or from the tower. The movie "Pretty Woman" is also an example although that was not the man's plan at first, but that's what made the story charming right?

There is female counterpart to that knight shining armor, women who like "bad boys", because whether  they admit it or not, they believe they can change that man and eventually wear that badge of honor as "the woman who changed him". Fifty shades of grey?

Another version I know is someone who gives "false" power. I am sure psychologists have a special term for these kind of people of which I am yet to find out. They lead you on, making you feel that you can make your own decisions and "supports" you on whatever you decide on but they wait for that opportune moment to come in and show everyone that they know better that everything you were actually doing along the way is wrong (or not wrong but here's a better way, as what they would usually say). And they do this so nonchalantly that you have no way to prove that was their plan all along. Thus, if you try to share your observations to others you end up looking as the jealous one, or paranoid or worst, simply incompetent.

For this last kind of people, I believe there's a special place in hell for them since they have already enjoyed all the praises and glory here on earth.

Broken doll

I dont easily give up. As child when my toy gets broken, I don't throw it right away, I will put scotch tape, packaging tape, or glue on it. I remember having a "walking doll" and for some reason one of its legs got broken and removed right from its hips, I put on lots of packaging tape on the leg and around the hip and waist so that the leg wouldn't fall off. Eventually, of course, the tape did not hold well. For quite some time, I pretended that my doll was handicapped or suffered a bad car accident which resulted to the injury. I was told by my mother to throw away the doll as its no "use" anyway. I wouldn't budge in even if at times I would detest playing with it as its not fun playing with a doll with only one leg. And then suddenly, the doll was nowhere to be found in the house.

When I made a bad decision, I always try to stick with it and defy all odds to prove to others and most especially to myself that I did not make a bad decison, that things will eventually go well. And sometimes I just wait for the  someone to throw the "doll" away for me.

Maybe its ego or just plain stupidity.

25 life changing lessons to learn from Paulo Coelho

“Life has a way of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once.” ~ Paulo Coelho

I read my first personal development book in 2007 and that book also happened to be the first book I ever read in English, up until that moment. And then, in 2008, something amazing happened, I found The Alchemist and that’s when I fell in love with Paulo Coelho’s work. 

Today I would like to share with you 25 beautiful Life Changing Lessons to learn from this amazing man, Paulo Coelho.

Enjoy

1. When you want something, the whole universe conspires to make it happen.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

2. Detach from all things and you will be free.

“When I had nothing to lose, I had everything.”

“Now that she had nothing to lose, she was free.”

3. We are all here for a purpose.

“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.”

“Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world.”

4. The only thing standing between you and your dream are your fears.

“Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.”

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”

5. Mistakes are part of life.

“Everything tells me that I am about to make a wrong decision, but making mistakes is just part of life. What does the world want of me? Does it want me to take no risks, to go back to where I came from because I didn’t have the courage to say “yes” to life?”

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”

6. Really important meetings are planned by the souls long before the bodies meet.

“Really important meetings are planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other. Generally speaking, these meetings occur when we reach a limit, when we need to die and be reborn emotionally. These meetings are waiting for us, but more often than not, we avoid them happening. If we are desperate, though, if we have nothing to lose, or if we are full of enthusiasm for life, then the unknown reveals itself, and our universe changes direction.”

“We can also allow our Soulmate to pass us by, without accepting him or her, or even noticing. Then we will need another incarnation in order to find that Soulmate. And because of our selfishness, we will be condemned to the worst torture humankind ever invented for itself: loneliness.”

7. Every experience, either good or bad, comes with a lesson.

“There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.”

8. Do not seek for love outside of you.

“Love is not to be found in someone else but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person.”

9. When you change, the whole world changes with you.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

10. No reason is needed for loving.

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”

11. Mind your own business.

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”

12. When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive.

“When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive.”

“No one loses anyone, because no one owns anyone. That is the true experience of freedom: having the most important thing in the world without owning it.”

13. Love is an untamed force.

“Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.”

14. Wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

15. Judge not.

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”

16. Children have valuable lessons to teach you.

“A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.”

17. Appreciate the contrast of life.

“Never be ashamed,’ he said. ‘Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.’ ‘How will I know which is which?’ ‘By the taste. You can only know a good wine if you have first tasted a bad one.”

18. Nobody’s responsible for how you feel or don’t feel.

“In love, no one can harm anyone else; we are each responsible for our own feelings and cannot blame someone else for what we feel.”

19. Your beliefs shape you and make you who you are.

“You are what you believe yourself to be.”

20. Let go of the need to explain yourself.

“Don’t explain. Your friends do not need it, and your enemies will not believe you.”

21. Love changes everything.

“It is not time that changes man nor knowledge the only thing that can change someone’s mind is love.”

22. Don’t mistake elegance with superficiality.

“Elegance is usually confused with superficiality, fashion, lack of depth. This is a serious mistake: human beings need to have elegance in their actions and in their posture because this word is synonymous with good taste, amiability, equilibrium and harmony.”

23. When you do work from your soul, the critics won’t hurt you.

“I write from my soul. This is the reason that critics don’t hurt me, because it is me. If it was not me, if I was pretending to be someone else, then this could unbalance my world, but I know who I am.”

24. Each day brings a miracle of its own.

“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.”

25. Embrace your authenticity

“You are someone who is different, but who wants to be the same as everyone else. And that in my view is a serious illness. God chose you to be different. Why are you disappointing God with this kind of attitude?”

“You must be the person you have never had the courage to be. Gradually, you will discover that you are that person, but until you can see this clearly, you must pretend and invent.”

“If you want to be successful, you must respect one rule – Never lie to yourself.”

With all my love,

Source: http://www.purposefairy.com/71428/25-life-changing-lessons-to-learn-from-paulo-coelho/

 

 

Do you know anything about frogs?

“ Do you know anything about frogs?"

"Frogs?"

"Yes, various biological studies have shown that if a frog is placed in a container along with water from its own pond, it will remain there, utterly still, while the water is slowly heated up. The frog doesn't react to the gradual increase in temperature, to the changes in its environment, and when the water reaches the boiling point, the frog dies, fat and happy.

On the other hand, if a frog is thrown into a container full of already boiling water it will jump straight out again, scalded, but alive!"
Olivia doesn't quite see what this has to do with the destruction of the world. Igor goes on:
"I was like that boiled frog. I didn't notice the changes. I thought everything was fine, that the bad things would just go away, that it was just a matter of time. I was ready to die because I lost the most important thing in my life, but instead of reacting, I sat there bobbing apathetically about in water that was getting hotter by the minute.” 
― Paulo Coelho, The Winner Stands Alone

11 Exercises You Should Never Do

Now that you’re building a healthy body with a steady gym routine, do yourself a favor: Don't waste time with ineffective or downright dangerous moves. We'll tell you which exercises to skip — and the ones to do instead.

BY AMY ROBERTS

(Complete article/source: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/dangerous-exercises?src=soc_fcbks#slide-1)

1) Skip: Seated hip abductor machine

You think you’re working the outer thighs in hopes of blasting away those saddlebags. Unfortunately, the bad news here is twofold: When you’re seated in this position, the abductor muscles of the outer thighs aren’t actually doing the work. Instead, the piriformis muscle, a small deep hip muscle, is. And when this guy is worked too hard, it can get angry and pick on its neighbor, the sciatic nerve, possibly leading to painful sciatica.

Besides, you can’t blast away fat on a specific body part — better known as spot reduction — by working just those particular muscles anyway. “This machine totally ingrains that myth,” says Irene Lewis-McCormick, MS, CSCS, a personal trainer in Iowa. The only way to reduce trouble spots is by changing your diet and doing total-body exercises that peel away pounds from your entire frame.

Try: Side-lying leg raises

While you can’t slim your thighs by target training, it’s still important to strengthen the abductors because they’re essential to help keep you stable on your feet. Lie on your side, propping yourself up on your forearm. With shoulders and hips stacked, raise your top leg 3 to 12 inches, but don’t kick it so high that your leg starts to turn out — this will activate different muscles. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower, and repeat for 10 reps. Flip over and do the other side. “Body weight is fantastic for toning muscles, if you can leverage yourself,” says McCormick.

2) Skip: Crunches

If your aim is to strengthen your core, listen up: You never again have to do an abdominal crunch. “This motion puts you in spinal flexion, and reinforces the bad slouching posture that people fight against all day when sitting in a chair,” says McCormick. Furthermore, it emphasizes the incorrect notion of spot reduction. Remember, no amount of crunches will blast away belly fat. Focus on firming your body from head to toe.

Try: Planks

“The key to a strong core is to focus on extension of the rectus abdominus [otherwise known as the ‘six-pack’ muscle],” says McCormick. Prop yourself up into a plank with your hips and shoulders at the same level — on forearms or full hand — and hold for 10 seconds. Take a 5-second break, and then repeat. “After 30 seconds of this, most people are cooked,” says McCormick. “Going for 5 or 6 rounds is really hard.” 

3) Skip: Upright rows

The aim of this exercise, in which you hold dumbbells, a barbell, or resistance band in both hands and draw them up your body’s midline toward the chin, is to work your shoulder muscles. The problem is, you may end up overworking them. “This movement has the potential to compress the nerves in the shoulder area, impinging the shoulder,” says Sarah Machacek, NASM-CPT, a Virginia-based personal trainer with two decades of experience. In short, it’s a prescription for a rotator cuff injury.

Try: Straight-arm raises

This one targets the deltoids (rounded parts of the shoulders) while keeping the shoulder safer from impingement. Stand with arms down in front of you, hands holding dumbbells. “Use a lightweight dumbbell and progress gradually,” says Machacek. With control, raise arms up, hands in a neutral grip, straight in front of you to shoulder level (but no higher), then slowly lower down. Repeat 10 times. Mastering proper form is critical before increasing the weight, she adds.

4) Skip: Behind-the-neck lat pull-downs

"Any exercise that brings your spine out of alignment under load is potentially dangerous, and particularly when it’s the neck, which is the most fragile section of the spinal column,” says Andre Crayton, a personal trainer in Indiana with more than 20 years of experience. “By their very nature, behind-the-neck lat pull-downs require the user to thrust her head and neck forward and break spinal alignment, which can result in a muscle strain, pull, tear, or, even worse, a spinal disk herniation.”

Try: To-the-sternum lat pull-downs

The key to giving your largest back muscles, the latissimus dorsi, a workout, is maintaining good form, while keeping your neck and spine safe. First, stand beneath the bar with your arms forming the shape of football goal posts, then shoot your hands straight up to grasp the bar; this gets your arms the appropriate distance apart. Sit down on the seat with straight arms, bringing the bar with you. Keep your posture upright — don’t lean back — and think about raising your sternum toward the bar (rather than the bar to your sternum) while you pull down.

5) Skip: Seated leg extensions

This popular machine targets the quadricep muscles at the front of the thighs. However, using this equipment puts your knees in a very compromising position. “Lifting heavy weights in this manner, with all the resistance focused at your ankles, is not what the knee was designed to do,” says Machacek. “If you have any kind of knee problem, or use too much resistance during this exercise, you can easily cause injury.”

Try: Split squats

This move is a safer bet because it places the knees in a more natural position. Start from a lunge position, with one leg stepped forward, so that each knee can be bent to about a 90-degree angle; the front knee stays behind the toes. With your torso upright, slowly raise and lower your body, pressing your body weight primarily through the front leg (the rear one should act more as a kickstand to keep you from falling). Elevating the rear leg as shown intensifies the focus on that front quad. Repeat 10 times; then switch sides.

6) Skip: Dumbbell-loaded side bends

Here’s another exercise in which what you’re actually doing and what you think you’re doing don't align. “Not only does it not work your ab muscles, this move places high levels of compression forces on the spine and the soft tissues that act as the spine's shock absorbers,” says Michelle Olson, PhD, FACSM, CSCS, a personal trainer and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. “It puts you at risk for rupturing a spinal disc.”

Try: Side planks

This simple move isometrically targets the oblique (side abdominal) muscles while keeping the spine in a healthy alignment. Lie on your side, forearm flat on the ground and perpendicular to the shoulders. Stack the feet and bend the knees slightly to bring the feet in, then press up, using the slight leverage from the bent knees to press your shoulder so it’s directly over your elbow. Press the top hip up toward the ceiling so it’s parallel to the top shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds, then rest for 5, and repeat three times; switch sides and repeat.

7) Skip: Back extensions, especially with added weight

While extension is generally a good thing when it comes to strengthening the core,hyperextension is another story. And with this apparatus, that lower-back overarching (as shown here) is all too possible. “If you have a natural exaggerated curve and extra abdominal fat, you’re risking injury of the lower back,” says McCormick says. Adding a weight plate ups the danger in the same way, throwing off your balance.

Try: Bosu “swimming”

Train the posterior core muscles with this supportive yet challenging exercise. Place yourself facedown atop a Bosu ball. Extend arms and legs straight out so your body is balanced on the ball. Then “swim” by raising the right arm and left leg; switch sides. Repeat at a controlled, moderate pace for 30 seconds.

8) Skip: Double-leg raise

There are a number of ways this move, in which you suspend your body and bring the knees or straight legs up toward the chest, can be performed. Most often, it’s done hanging from a bar — but it’s not the core strengthener you think it is. “Most people overuse their hip flexors in this movement and let their hips fly up with their legs, instead of using their core muscles to keep their hips stable,” says Kendra Fitzgerald, ACE-CPT, a personal trainer and yoga instructor in New York City. “This can lead to spasms in the hip flexors from overuse, and even herniated disks, as the weight of the legs creates undue pressure in the vertebrae and the spine flexes and bends with weight.”

Try: Bird dogs

This yoga exercise increases core strength without overworking the hip flexors. Get down on all fours, with shoulders lined up over wrists and hips over knees. Extend your left arm and right leg, then bring the two limbs slowly together under the body so elbow and knee touch. Do 10 rounds. Then repeat with your right arm and left leg.

9) Skip: Tricep dips

Strengthening and toning the back of the arms is something every woman wants, especially since Michelle Obama exercised her right to bare arms. Though, this move, in which you’re raising and lowering your body by the strength of your upper body, isn’t the best way to accomplish it. “The shoulder is one of the most mobile, yet least stable, joints in the body,” says Fitzgerald. “Adding weight — and full body weight at that! — to the joint as you're dipping is an anterior shoulder injury waiting to happen.”

Try: Cable tricep extensions

Outfit a cable machine with a bar handle or double-handled rope, and adjust the pulley above your head. Grasp the handle with both hands shoulder-width apart, then pull down to align your forearms parallel to the ground and your elbows locked into your sides (the machine should be at tension). Press down with your hands and straighten your arms down to your sides; slowly raise arms back up to parallel. Do 10 reps. Bonus: When you’re in a standing position, you’re also engaging your core muscles to keep your torso upright.

10) Skip: Elliptical machine

“Have you ever tried actually walking, er, traveling in a way that is similar to the elliptical machine movement pattern? No? I didn’t think so,” says Crayton. “And there’s a good reason why — it’s not exactly natural.” The best exercises set you up to be stronger and more efficient in your movements in real life. “Sure, the elliptical burns calories, and it can improve your heart health. But it will not actually improve your fitness level for anything other than using the elliptical machine,” he explains. The only reason to use this equipment, Crayton says, is if you’re injured and physically cannot walk, run, or climb stairs.

Try: Stair mill

This machine provides a great aerobic workout that also trains you for a very common everyday activity: climbing stairs. Pick a pace you can comfortably sustain, and start stepping. Use the handles for balance if you must (it’s best not to hold on at all); if you find you’re grasping the handles for dear life, slow down, or end the session and aim to go a few minutes longer on your next workout.

11) Skip: Standing chest fly

The action of opening and closing your arms in front of you works your chest, right? Wrong, if you do this one from a standing position. “Gravity is the enemy here,” says McCormick. “You think you’re working your chest, but because the weights are pulling down on your arms, you’re really just stressing the shoulders’ rotator cuffs.”

Try: Supine chest fly

Here’s an easy fix: Lie down. Grab a pair of dumbbells, and slightly bend your arms, with weights positioned high above your chest. Slowly open your arms out to the sides, keeping the elbows bent and allowing the upper arms to come down until they’re parallel with the floor. Then, slowing raise your arms back up to the starting position, as if you’re hugging a large tree. Do 10 reps.

 

My Highschool English teacher

The faults in "The Fault in Our Stars"

SPOILER ALERT !!!!!! This is my novice review of the movie The Fault in Our Stars, so if you haven't watched the movie you know what to do...

Another note: I have just read only 2 chapters of the book so I still have no idea what will be the climax or end of the story.

Things that I didn't like about the movie because I have a feeling that:

1) it would not be Hazel who will die first to give the movie a "twist"

2) Peter van Houten would be an a*hole. I was a bit surprised when "he" paid for their dinner but then wasn't disappointed when it turns out that he did not know that his assistant did it.

Although, another "twist" that I was thinking is that Peter did not actually replied to Augustus' email and that he just created a bogus account. So that made me smile hahaha.

3) Isaac's relationship will not last when he truly goes blind. It would be too good if his gf still stayed with him after the operation.

4)  okay, this one I think we all know. Hazel will eventually fall in love with Augustus no matter how she resist it.

5) someone close to Peter died of cancer which is why he could not talk about the book as it reminds him of that person

All others:

1) for an 18 year old, Augustus is a very deep thinker.

2) the scenes where Hazel was waiting by the window for a call or a message from Augustus is very reminiscent of Bella waiting by the window for Edward to come back

3) seriously, how did Augustus track Peter van Houten's assistant?

4) they really have to show that all the fan mails scattered in Peter's house to emphasize he doesn't care? Maybe the assistant doesn't really care too? Because if she does, the mails should be neatly tucked somewhere.

5)how did they make love without removing that oxygen hose? Hahaha

6) why is that its the girl who always have to be crying in the end? That is why I love City of Angels.

And most of all, I think the reason why I did not like the movie was because of the girl who is seating on my other side because:

1) when there is a close-up of Augustus, she moves front of her seat and keeps fiddling with her mobile phone. I think she is very tempted to take a photo of the screen.

2) she keeps talking to her boyfriend and asking what will happen on the next scene, or what she predicts will happen. What particularly annoyed me is when Augustus asked Hazel to go to the church so he could hear her eulogy for him, the girl beside me told her boyfriend "baka magppakasal na sila!"

3) she has these annoying questions like:

 - bakit di siya tinutulungan? Di ba nila alam na maysakit siya?" (This is when they are in Anne Frank's house). 

 - Sino ba yang si Anne Frank? Ah.. Yan yata ung babae sa stairway..( okay this might be acceptable because not everyone knows her) 

- Pwede na sila mag-drive kahit teenager pa lang?

- Buti pa magulang nila accepted sila, dito sa atin inde ( okay, not a question hehe)

One thing I liked about the movie is when Hazel's mother told her " it's OK to let go" when she was dying when she was younger. This actually almost made me cry. Almost! Sorry no tears from me on any of the other scenes either!

Living

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.
-Dale Carnegie

Special

I recently met a young man that to me appears to have Asperger's syndrome.  I am not a child psychiatrist so I could not definitely confirm this but as a mother of a child having "special needs", I have this strong gut feeling that he is one. I have also read quite a number or books,articles and discussion boards on kids in the spectrum (trying to understand my own kid) so I believe I can somehow see or tell the signs.
As most people with such conditions,they are often normal physically most of whom I see are actually good looking.  But when they begin to speak that is when you know something is different.  They ask endless questions, seem very fidgety,gets easily distracted and doesn't seem to care if someone is laughing at them.
It's like a dagger in my heart when his teammates would giggle, look at each other or smile sarcastically when he is asking too many questions or is very enthusiastic on a topic that to others are trivial. It has also been becoming annoying to me already that they would laugh or giggle at almost every word he says when it isn't even funny or weird at all.
I feel that way because as much as I try to avoid such thoughts, I can imagine how my child will be treated by his peers in school up to his adulthood even when he is already a professional.
But if you will think about it, shouldn't they be admired instead? They do not conform or pretend to conform to society's norms. They ask questions without thinking what others would say. How often does a "normal" person think that way? More often than not, we always ponder first if we would sound stupid or what the other person will think of us.
I read a novel by Jodi Picoult entitled "House Rules". One of his characters is a kid with Asperger's, he was suspected of killing someone because when questioned by police officers, all he can tell is the truth even if it incriminates him. When asked by his mom, he simply said that he is just following the house rule to always tell the truth and besides why shouldn't he?
Aside fron that, one more thing that I admire from them is how transparent they are with their emotions.  You could easily tell if they like what they are doing or talking about. You can see how bright their faces light up, how sweet and genuine their smiles are and I swear I could see a spark in their eyes. That to me is very heartwarming and makes them deserving to be called "special".

My husband often tells me that I prefer our kid with special needs, above are the reasons why. Aside from the fact that I believe that deep inside I am a special needs person too.

Change

Can people change? Yes, I believe so but if the change is not "true", then his/her old ways will always surface.
I believe that even if they quote Bible verses, praise God in every social network update and participate on all the religious activities but if the "change" is superficial, when you interact with them and try to "test the waters" with provoking questions or comments hell will break loose.

As the wise troll in movie Frozen said, the mind is easy to change but to change the heart is not.

Is doing what's right always good?

A story that I recently heard from an acquaintance of mine, brought me to this question. He had a motorcycle accident where he was quite badly hurt. He was trying to avoid a teenager who is riding his motorcycle and crossing the street. This acquaintance ended up quite badly hurt and had to actually go to the hospital for treatment. He said the teenager helped him to get up after the incident and begged him not to report the incident to the police as this would risk having his motorcycle impounded and since he also do not have a driving license most likely end up in more serious legal problems. The teenager however offered to help him go to the hospital but my acquaintance just said that’s it OK and he will not be reporting him to the police. I teased my acquaintance that I didn’t know that he has goodness in his heart.
 
Technically, it’s not the right thing to do, the right thing is to report the accident to the police, so that the teenager would learn his lesson, pay for the victim’s medical bills and the victim might be able to get something out from his insurance company for the damages on his motorcycle. But was it the good thing to do?
 
This reminded me of the stories of two different typhoon victims of the Ondoy in 2009 in the Philippines. Both are my officemates and quite wealthy though I do not know personally who is wealthier.
 
First story was about a woman whose house was badly hit by the typhoon that in fact the adobe walls of her house broke down and one of her cars was submerged in floodwater. Her supervisor asked her if she would need monetary assistance as the team she is in is raising funds for the team members who has been affected by the typhoon. Her response was, “although we would need a lot of money to repair our properties, there are others who need the monetary help more than we do, you can exclude me from those you would give help to.”
 
Second story was about a man who was also hit by typhoon and although his house was submerged in waist deep water, they were able to save their valuables including their cars from being destroyed. When the company sent out an email that they will be offering monetary assistance to typhoon victims if they can provide proofs (photos, barangay reports etc.) that they have been affected by the typhoon, he immediately applied. Nothing wrong there, but knowing that there is no serious damage to his property and knowing that he is quite wealthy, it left a bad taste on me.
 
 
You already probably heard the “story” about a man who did nothing wrong during his lifetime and when he died and is trying to enter heaven, God (sometimes St. Peter, gatekeeper or angel in other versions of the story) asked him, ”I know that you did nothing bad during your life, but have you done anything good?”