If you act badly, push people around, cause pain and suffering, eventually it’s going to catch up with you, and you’ll wind up dead or in prison. I think that’s called Karma. But what about fate? Maybe it’s fate that some people are just bad news and it’s their fate to wind up suffering the consequences of their behavior. I heard that there’s a big book up in heaven that has your fate written in it. What you’ll make of yourself, who you’ll marry, how many kids you’ll have, and how you’ll die. It’s all written down. Somebody planned everything that’s going to happen to you. It’s been said.

Yet, if you’re due to become a total creep, and you know that this can’t end well, can’t you just change things? But if you can do that, then maybe it was fate that you first become a down low, cowardly, sneaky creep and you suddenly transform yourself into Mr. Wonderful and in the end, the pearly gates will open for you.  

But I think that it’s really the law of consequences. I think there are both good and bad consequences. In the end, it’s the afterlife that’s important. Everything you do has consequences. And the things you do are both external and internal. The external are the things that people can be a witness to, or there is evidence of. And they can be both good or bad such as committing a crime, or helping the poor and homeless. People see these things and react to it.

But there is the internal. You can act outwardly good. Go to church. Donate to charities. Volunteer and so on. But inwardly you may have bad thoughts. Hatred, avarice, jealousy, and so on. I really believe that you must act good outwardly as well as inwardly. Inward thoughts will become outward actions eventually, but even if they never do, at least you are aware that you are not the person that other people see. God knows the true you even if no one else does.

Priests are generally supposed to be seen as good people. We call them Father. We can go to them with our problems. Outwardly they are good but if inwardly they have unclean thoughts, it can cause problems. I’ve seen a hidden camera sequence on a Rabbi, who is supposed to be a pillar of the community, get caught while trying to meet with a teenager for a sexual encounter. I saw his reaction on getting caught. It was not pretty. Consequences. His Karma. Was it his fate? Was it written?

I think he could have avoided it.

Curse runs in the blood of those who became the president of Philippine Republic. Pardon my use of words. In the midst of viral news about the chaotic administration, I overheard an officemate saying “there’s a bad karma in being a president.” In silence I thought he was right. Let me explain why I think the Philippine presidents are doomed with fateful curse.

Image via Wikipedia

1. Emilio Aguinaldo. He is the image of the Philippine 5-peso bill. At 29, he became the first Philippine President during the Spanish period. He was the youngest to have become the country’s president and having survived to age 94, he was also the longest-lived president to date. He suffered several cardiovascular conditions medically called as Coronary Thrombosis, which lead to his death.

2. Manuel L. Quezon. He is the image of the Philippine 20-peso bill. He also appeared on two commemorative one peso coins alongside with Frank Murphy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He spent his last years in Saranac Lake in New York. He died from tuberculosis.

Image via Wikipedia

3. José P. Laurel. He is the third president of the Philippines. After his presidency, he spent time to develop the school Lyceum of the Philippines his family established. In 1959, he died from a massive heart attack and a stroke.

4. Sergio Osmeña. He was the first Visayan and the oldest to become the Philippine President. He died of both liver failure and breast cancer at the age of 83 in 1961.

5. Manuel Roxas. He became the president after granting independence in 1946. He died of myocardial infarction commonly known as heart attack in 1948. His term, which is the shortest in the Philippine president history, only lasted for 1 year 10 months and 18 days.

6. Elpidio Quirino. No matter how much he tried to become a good president, he failed to win the people’s affection. Some factors could be the unpopularity of his administration and the widespread rumors of his involvement with fraud, graft and corruption and wasteful spending of money abroad. He died of a heart attack in 1956.

7. Ramon Magsaysay. He did not finish his term which was on December 30, 1957. He died in a plane crash. The airplane had crashed on Mt. Matunggal in Cebu where 36 out 56 passengers died including himself.

8. Carlos P. Carcia. During his post-presidency life, he was elected as the President of the 1971 Constitutional Convention. Just days after his election, he died from fatal heart attack.  

To be continued…

Justin Bieber

I’m sure you’ve all heard of him, he’s the teenage pop star sensation, and the global teenage heartthrob. Yes, I am talking about Justin Bieber, and no, I shall not hate on him for this entire article. I am a 14-year-old boy, I am not a homosexual and I do have a good taste in music. So it would be stereotypically presumed to hate Justin Bieber. We’ll for all your brainless cowards out there, I don’t.

I would like to write about today of how millions around the world hate this 17-year-old boy. I believe it is for one reason, jealousy. Sure, Justin Bieber doesn’t have a great voice in a lot of people’s opinion including mine; he’s a bit of a pouf, he does stupid things and he try’s very hard to look cool. 

We all know singers out there with terrible voices; we do not criticize them extensively like we do with Justin Bieber do we? We know celebrities such as the Jonas Brothers that are considered a bunch of pouf bags; we do not criticize them like we do with Justin Bieber. We all know TV stars like Charlie Sheen who have done stupid things, we do not criticize him for these things and some people even praise him for it. Miley Cyrus try’s to look cool and she is not criticized about this like Justin Bieber is.

What I’m trying to say here is that people hate Justin Bieber because they are jealous of Justin Bieber. He is the classic tale of a poor family rising to success and fame. So for all you working class haters sitting in your shacks chewing on the contents you found in your local rubbish bin for dinner I ask you to please, shut up. There is a one in a million chance that you will amazingly rise up from the dumps so quit fantasizing and be happy for someone who has risen up. 

To further prove my point you are all jealous of him because he drives a Ferrari, has many girls who love him and is rich. You want what he has so you put him down for it. You are jealous little off cuts of chewing gum on the street sticking to the bottom of people’s shoes. It is only fair to say that you can hate him all you want, but only if you can beat him, only if you can be better than him. I’m sure the majority of you cannot, so keep your singing in the shower. 

At the beginning of this article I mentioned how I didn’t hate Justin Bieber, yet I think he’s a poof, has bad singing and is always desperately trying to look cool. I do not hate him because he has achieved probably better than I ever will in my life, and I am happy for him. I cannot beat him and so I will not hate on him. So for all of you haters out there, have some maturity, stop hating on a 17 year old boy and get on with your lives.

If you are passionate about something so much then if you follow it you will be successful and if your lucky money may come too. But for now, all you haters can sit in the small shack you call home, eat you cities waste for dinner and feel sorry for your miserable lives, because if you intend to sit there criticize others the world around you will move on, you will be left behind and then you will find the aspect of Karma will take place. So then you will sit there and be criticized. You will become depressed. You will not be forgiven. You will be so isolated that you will won’t to die.

So take my advice, don’t hate on Justin Bieber.

The kissing bandit was another name he used for him as he chased females for those kisses. We would have great lunches with food a plenty with drinks both soft and alcohol although best to not drink too much if one was to drive a car. Coupled with responsibility with ferrying the family to safety. We would make a day of it after the huge lunch, we would lay about watching television and in this year a large screen as we bought our mother one last year. We would digest our food and of course have a dessert of which last year was a pavlova my favourite.

I often think about the charities I ascribe to from time to time. I should make a conscious effort to donate at Christmas time as well. I am committed to lost dogs organisation and do donate to animal welfare and children’s hospital. I have donated to different organisations as they appear but not feasible to donate to all of them. The shelters that care for our homeless or less unfortunate than ourselves deserve to be cared for as best our community can afford. Christmas giving needs to be recognized as a time of giving and sharing and showing love between each other. We are not in this world for a long time in the full scheme of things, if we can relate to each other in this way I am sure it will define us in our journey though life. Although I was baptized a Catholic, I have benefited from the Buddhist tradition and philosophy sending out good and positive thoughts will return to you in kind as in Karma for each action there is a reaction.

Seems , the ex president is in Karma now , looked what she had done to the previous government , that President Estrada where she puts to jail ,that was so hindered from true and due process of the law and now seems what she did bounce back to her ! She can feel now the pain that they felt , the family’s agony.  But one big difference in here ,  from day one up to the date Pres. Estrada was released the people did not left him , all support were given and shown especially that moral and emotional support, even  some who were willing to give their life to the Ex Pres. Estrada . I am not an Estrada supporter , I was just able to compare the two since both are in similar cases but the latter is the worst . I am just so sorry for her , how pathetic are the Filipino people to her , even when she is sick , i don’t know if the common Tao got worries even a little or bothered a bit. Also , like the other days incident when they liked  to fly  and seek medical help out side country , they were not permitted by the present administration ,she shouted it is unlawful  ,maybe it is but so sad to say no support she received from the Filipino people. If only she’s that clean ? pure in her service I guess the roads now are so full of Filipinos ,shouting ,supporting  the ex President, but up to date streets are clear and country is peaceful because she is not worthy fighting for. She needs to face all accusations alone ,of course maybe with some big fishes and family.

What we sow is what we reap.. Let us  believe on Karma.

1) The Great Law- As you sow, so shall you reap. This is also known as the Law of Cause and Effect. Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us. If what we want is happiness, peace, friendship, love…Then we should BE happy, peaceful, loving, a friend. Negative energy sent out to others will come back to you 10 fold
2) The Law of Creation- Life doesn’t just HAPPEN, it requires our participation. We are one with the Universe both inside and out. Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state. BE and DO yourself what you want to have in your life.
3) The Law of Humility-What you refuse to accept, will continue for you. If what we see is an enemy, or someone with a character trait that we find to be negative, then we ourselves are not focused on a higher level of existence.
4) The law of Growth- Wherever you go, there you are. For us to GROW in Spirit it is WE who must change and not the people, places or things around us. The only given we have in our lives is OURSELVES, and that is the only factor we have control over. When we change who and what we are within our heart, our life changes too.
5) The Law of responsibility-  Whenever there is something wrong, there is something wrong in me. We mirror what surrounds us and what surrounds us mirrors us: we must take responsibility for what is in our life.
6) The Law of Connection- Even if something we do seems inconsequential, it is very important that it gets done as everything in the Universe is connected. Each step leads to the next step and so forth and so on. Someone must do the initial work to get a job done. Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance-they were both needed to accomplish the task. Past, Present, Future…they are all connected…
7) The Law of Focus-  You can’t think of two things at the same time. You should climb up a ladder one step at a time. When you lose your focus you let in insecurities and anger.
The law of Giving and Hospitality- If you believe something to be true, then sometime in your life you will be called upon to demonstrate that truth. Here is where we put what we SAY that we have learned into PRACTICE.
9) The Law of Here and Now- Looking back to examine what was prevents us from being totally in the HERE AND NOW. Old thoughts, old patterns of behavior, old dreams…Prevent us from having new ones.
10) The Law of Change- History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.
11) The Law of Patience and Reward- All Rewards require initial toil. Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil. True joy follows doing what we’re suppose to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in it’s own time.
12) The Law of Significance and Inspiration- You get back from something whatever you’ve put into it. The value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it. Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole. Lack luster contributions have no impact on the Whole or work to diminish it.

Deepavali or Diwali is known as the festival of lights and it is celebrated during mid October or November every year. There has been a number of stories revolving around Diwali, the first one been that Lord Ram had returned from the forest after 14 years of exile (Vanvas). The killing of Narakasura by Lord Krishna has been another story revolving around this great occasion of Diwali. The defeat of Lord Indra by Lord Krishna where ultimately Lord Krishna wins as he had been on the side of Karma, the ‘duty’ that is bestowed on us which we have to perform religiously in our daily lives and later, Lord Krishna was recognized as the Supreme God by Indra. The return of Pandavas after 12 years from Vanvas has been another story prevailing among the Hindus to celebrate this festival.

The release of Guru Hargobind Ji and of 52 of other prisoners mainly Hindu Kings, the martyrdom of Bhai Mani Singh, the rise of the Khalsa movement and the Khalsa movement been established by Guru Govind Singh have been the stories behind this festival celebrated by the Sikhs.

The Jains celebrate Diwali as they consider that Lord Mahavira had attained Nirvana during this time but according to some historical books it is said that the Jainism religion had been established during this time while for some of the Buddhists they celebrate Diwali by chanting mantras as according to them on this day they believe that Emperor Ashoka had converted to Buddhism on this day.

During this time all the citizens of India conduct Lakshmi Pooja as Lord Laksmi is considered as the God of wealth and prosperity and pray for the prosperity for the years to come by.

Whatever be the stories or the reasons behind celebrating Diwali, it brings all religions under one roof and huge celebration is conducted throughout India.

During this festival, people decorate their houses with tiny clay lamps known as diyas and everyone wears new clothes and also shares sweets with their family and friends. The children celebrate Diwali by bursting crackers and by lighting sparklers.

During this time let us all pray for the prosperity and well being of others without forgetting our Karma to our fellow beings which is our duty and always be united during the forthcoming years.

‘Happy Diwali to all those on ‘Triond’ and for all those people who have given a platform to express ourselves through ‘Triond’ through various other subjects.