The Story Teller

Archive for May, 2011

One day, a traveler was walking along the road on his way from one village to another. As he was walking, he saw a monk tending the field by the road. The monk greeted the traveler. The traveler returned the greeting and reluctantly asked ‘Do you mind if I ask you something?’ The monk said ‘no’ so the traveler continued.. ‘I’m on my way from the village in the mountain to the village in the valley. Do you know what is it like there?‘ The monk said yes and asked the traveler how his stay in the village in the mountain had been.

The traveler sadly replied.. ‘Dreadful. The people are cold and unaccommodating. They keep very much to themselves. I was never accepted as one of them.. What about the village in the mountain?’

‘I’m sorry’ the monk replied ‘I think your experience will be much the same..’

The traveler got even sadder and went on his way. After some while, another traveler came along and greeted the monk. After the monk returned the greeting, the second traveler said he’s on his way to the village in the valley and asked the monk if he knows what it is like. The monk said ‘yes’ and asked the traveler where he came from. The traveler said from the village in the mountain so the monk asked how his stay was..

The traveler smiled and answered ‘It was great. The people are kind and generous. The children are nice. I was treated as if I was a member of the family. I was sorry to leave.. Well, how about the village in the valley?’

The monk smiled and  answered ‘I think you will find it much the same.. Good day to you!’

The traveler smiled back, thanked the monk and journeyed on..

It’s a matter of perspective.

*Adapted from businessball.com

My childhood friend, Marce and her husband Val, have been tracking me down for more than two months now, lol! I heard they are offering insurance policies to all of us, their grade school friends. Well, for some reasons, I have this antagonistic attitude towards insurance agents. In fact, the mere mention of the word ‘insurance’ makes me jump off my chair and get ready to run, lol! I know I’m not being fair. And if I would only give it a chance and take some time to listen to the explanation, I know I would understand or I may even consider the idea. All it takes is an open mind. Practically speaking, we all need various insurance to protect ourselves and our loved ones. It’s not as if we’re waiting for something bad to happen, it’s actually being responsible for our safety and that of others. Life insurance, for instance like the new return of premium also known as ROP life insurance provides a feeling of security that an ordinary savings can’t give..

Unlike the previous years, we didn’t have a chance to have a swimming. I am just too busy and tired with my work that I don’t have enough strength for such an outing anymore. But as I promised my kids, I took them to the mall on weekends to cool down, lol! Hopefully, we will be able to have a decent outing next summer..

Fun time at DQ..

Mc Do moments..

Gone to Greenwich..

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A farmer, together with his son, was going to sell their donkey at the fair. On their way to town, they met some men who talked among themselves about how stupid the farmer and his son were for trudging on foot when they have a donkey to ride. The farmer thought about it and after some while helped his son on the donkey’s back.

As they moved along towards the town, they met a group of young women who made a face at the sight of a young boy on a donkey. They talked about how heartless the young boy was for letting his father walk when he is young and strong. The boy thought about it, alighted the donkey and let his father ride.

They continued their journey and met a group of old women who lambasted the farmer for letting his son walk when he was comfortably seated on the donkey. At this, the farmer helped his son up and they rode the donkey together.

The group of people who saw them was outraged to see a donkey being ridden by a farmer and his son, saying that it would have been better if the two were to carry the poor donkey on their backs instead of the other way around. So, the farmer and his son got off the donkey, tied the donkey’s legs and using a pole tried to carry it on their shoulders.

The sight was just so amusing that everybody laughed at the sight of a farmer and his son carrying a bound donkey on their shoulders. The donkey, not used to such handling broke free and ran as fast as he could. The farmer, filled with shame and  regret for losing the donkey learned a valuable lesson..

“If you try to please everybody, you might end up losing what you got…”

Adapted

My eldest daughter hasn’t been going out lately. I thought that maybe she just like to stay home since it’s too hot outside. But when one of her closest friends came here and invited her to watch a local beauty contest in the plaza last night, she refused to go. Well, that was something new. If she is worried only about the heat, then she didn’t have any reason not to go at night when it’s not that hot. So, as a curious mom, I asked her, as casually as possible, why she’s locking herself in. I nearly laugh out loud when I found out the truth, blackheads on nose. Well, maybe I’m just so insensitive or unsympathetic, but I really couldn’t understand why blackheads would stop a teenager to have some fun. Maybe, I’m just getting old..

Well, I think the best way to enjoy the summer season is by packing the entire family for a day in the water..

My son, Daryl, with my nephew Roan, my sister Liz’s son some time in 2008…

Summer vacation in Laur, Nueva Ecija in 2005.. One of my most memorable summers..

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“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”

Born in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, she was given permission to join a group of nuns in Ireland when she was just 18 years old. In her early years, she started a new order called “The Missionaries of Charity.”

When Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she refused the conventional ceremonial banquet and asked, instead, that the $6000 funds be given to the poor in Calcutta. When she received the award, she was asked:”What can we do to promote world peace?”

Her answer: Go home and love your family..

She was formally beatified in October 2003 by Pope John Paul II and is now known as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta..

Once there was a boy named Jack who lived with his mother. His mother earned a living by spinning while Jack is a lazy boy who does nothing but wait for the sun to shine and to set. His mother couldn’t get him to do anything useful until she finally got so mad that she threatened to throw Jack out of the house if he doesn’t work.

So, the following day, Tuesday, Jack set out to work for a neighboring farmer and got himself a penny for his day’s work. But he lost the penny on his way home. His mother got mad and said that he should have put it in his pocket, so Jack thought he would do so next time.

The following day, Jack set out to work for a cowkeeper and got himself a jar of milk for his day’s work. He put the jar in his pocket as his mother told him and spilled all of it on his way home. His mother got mad and said that he should have put it on his head, so Jack thought he would do so next time.

The following day, Jack set out to work for a farmer who promised to give him cream cheese for a day’s work. He put it on his head as his mother told him and spoiled it on his way home. His mother got mad and said he should have carefully held it in his hands, so Jack thought, as he was cleaning his cream cheese matted hair, he would do so next time.

The following day, Jack set out to work for a baker who promised nothing but a large tom-cat for his day’s work. Jack took the cat and carefully held it on his hands. But the cat scratched his hands so hard that he let it go before he got home. His mother got mad and said he should have tied it with a string and drag it along. So Jack thought, as he was cleaning his scratches, he would do so next time.

The following day, Jack set out to work for a butcher who gave him a shoulder of mutton for his day’s work. Jack thanked the butcher, got a long piece of string, tied the mutton and dragged it all the way home. His mother got so mad about the spoiled mutton and said that he should have carried it on his shoulder. So, Jack thought, he would do so next time.

The following day, Jack set out to work for a cattle keeper and got himself a donkey for his day’s work. So, with all his strength, he raised the donkey on his shoulder and carried it home. It was then that the deaf and dumb daughter of a rich man was looking out the window and saw Jack. This girl never smiled nor talk in her whole life. But when she saw Jack with a donkey on his shoulder, she threw a fit of laughter and recovered her speech and hearing. The rich man was overjoyed that he married his daughter to Lazy Jack, and they lived happily ever after.

What is the moral of the story? Can anyone tell me, please?

*Adapted from allstory.info

Image Source: bethany-anna.blogspot.com

Teacher Bea is the newest addition to our faculty. She is a fresh graduate and was lucky to be accepted right away even with the absence of teaching experience. I have been training her since last month and she seems to be doing fine, in fact, she seems to be starting to like teaching sincerely. So, we advised her to stay in the company longer that she intended to, so that she could train more. The problem is that she also wanted to take a Master’s Degree while she is still young. We asked her why she is rushing for Master’s Degree, and she said she might not have the chance to take it when she gets older. We said that she should prioritize her work as it is what is important right now and that her further education can wait, or she might want to take up the more convenient online business degrees which are more popular nowadays. She seems to consider that and said she will think about it.

So, we told her the advantages of taking online courses, first of which of course is the convenience of studying at home at any time you like. We even told her about other teachers in our company who are presently taking online business degrees and they are doing just fine. Well, the decision is still hers, right?

For someone who wears pajama and white shirt all throughout the day and night, the only time I deviate from my very conventional everyday wear is during the summer season when it becomes too hot to cover my legs and arms.

I normally settle for a sleeveless blouse and a pair of pants. I wish I could wear a house dress or something like it, but for some reasons, I don’t have any, lol! Maybe, I do, I just couldn’t find them, so I just wear whatever I find in my drawer. I’m not very particular with clothes for I’m not a  fashionable person. I make do with what’s comfortable and  what’s readily available, lol!

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