There are words that stay with us long after the people who spoke them are gone. For me, one of those words is the Cebuano phrase: “Padayon lang.” These simple words describe my life motto. It is short, almost ordinary. It does not shine with poetry. Yet it has a quiet strength, the kind that you don’t just think about but actually feel deep inside. Literally, it means “just continue” or “keep going.” But in Cebuano life, padayon lang is less of a command and more of gentle encouragement, just a soft pat on the shoulder, a light that shows you the way in the dark. I first heard it as a child, when I struggled with school and say, “Padayon lang sa imong pagtuon.” Keep studying. It is not a word of triumph. It does not promise success. Unlike congratulations or I’m proud of you, padayon lang accepts that life is hard, that the road is tiring, and yet it reminds us that moving forward, even slowly, even step by step is still worth it. It is the Cebuano spirit of resilience, no...
When I look back on the year, I understand that it was not about perfect numbers or completing every goal. It was a year of adjustment, balance, and quiet growth. Some changes were planned, others were forced by life and work. A few goals were achieved, many were not, but almost all of them taught me something important. This reflection is not about success or failure, but about learning; learning my limits, my priorities, and how personal growth often happens slowly. Reading Less, Learning More Reading was one area where this became clear. I wanted to read 21 books in 2025, but I finished only 12. At first, this felt disappointing. Over time, I realized that the quality of what I read mattered more than the number. Books like Sapiens, Think Again, Factfulness, and Stolen Focus were not easy or fast reads. They required focus and patience, and they stayed with me long after I finished them. Instead of reading many light books, I chose fewer books with deeper ideas about his...
The world's largest collection of sculptures in a park is attracting one million people every year. The art pieces, which were made from bronze, granite and iron features the appreciation of the human spirit of Norway's most renowned sculptor Gustav Vigeland. Click the link below: http://vimeo.com/65900073 Visiting Vigelandsparken makes one realize things in life, inspired from the different sections of the park: the Main Gate, the Bridge, the Fountain, the Monolith and the Wheel of life. The main gate is very simple but elegant. It features a long pathway towards the main section of the park. It gives the visitor the feeling that life requires a pathway and direction where one should follow through. That direction is the person's purpose in his or her life, that will guide all his or her actions, no matter what situations the person will be experiencing and whoever the person will be meeting. The bridge is one of the most dramatic part of the park, which...
Do really first impression last? Many would disagree would this because upon meeting another for the first time, everything we know seems to be superficial, and the more we spend time with certain people, we get to know them better, making first impression either incorrect or simply inaccurate. However, this blogpost will not focus on these impressions, rather on our expectations which could be developed since the first meeting or the succeeding ones. This is actually for me very crucial how we understand based on them. The popular definition of expectation has three parts: (1) it is a strong belief, (2) of something will happen, or (3) be the case. So from the definition, it is clear that expectations revolves around events or situations, not individuals. However, this events maybe the result of action of humans that aid in creating the belief, or further strengthening the expectation. So what can we understand by this. Expectation is a mere supposition. If there is a pattern, then...
I tell to most of my friends that I actually do not speak Filipino as my mother language. Ofcourse, the most natural question I get is what language do I speak? I answer Cebuano and explain that it is the second most spoken of the Philippine language. It is not a dialect, and the people that speaks it are popularly known as Cebuanos. However, due to the cultural and linguistic diversity among groups in the Philippines, misunderstanding occur very often. And this blogspot is all about the often misunderstood Cebuanos. Fatalism, Realism and Resilience The Cebuano has undergone a lot of bad things in the past. Cebuanos in the southern island of Mindanao could be followers of Islam or belong to an indigenous group. Being part of another religious and cultural group could mean oppression by a larger group. The Spaniards and Americans tried to suppress any resistance in the group. When the country became independent, co-Filipinos in Manila oppressed and associated the Cebuano cu...
Today (November 30) marks the birth anniversary of the known Filipino hero Andres Bonifacio. Many including me are used to hearing Bonifacio's name but never really got to deepen the appreciation and knowledge about him. There were controversies and unresolved issues regarding the motivation, personality and death of Bonifacio; but in this blogpost, the focus would rather be on the learnings we could possibly derive from the story of Bonifacio and how we could reflect on it when applied on our own respective lives. Family and friends first At the age of 14, Bonifacio needed to stop going to private school to support his five other siblings because both their parents died of illness in a duration of a year. Because of this, he earned a living for his family until his siblings had been regularly employed thereafter. On the other hand, by mere impression, Bonifacio treated Rizal as a friend or as an important person of the Filipino revolution. Motivated by this, Bonifacio with his c...
Being the Danish nation’s northernmost town, Skagen is known for the Skagen Odde peninsula located in the North Jutland Island. The town also houses the world largest fish oil factory. The sand and fish port factors make vacations to Skagen peninsula a very unique experience. This has been made more special during my visit in the winter season in February when spring pauses occur. Thus, my short trip became a combination of sun, snow and sand in Skagen. Skagen Fyr The Skagen Lighthouse was a reconstruction of the White Lighthouse, which is primarily used for exhibitions nowadays. This lighthouse has been useful in preventing invasion of the Danish capital Copenhagen by Western countries like the Great Britain. Grenen This is Denmark’s northernmost tip where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet. Grenen literally means the branch, showcases a very beautiful landscape and sea horizon. Sandormen It is a wagon pulled by a tractor carrying ...
All of us are encouraged to share. This is a virtue that was taught to us since we were younger. However, sometimes culture determines how generous one should be to family and friends. When can one say generosity becomes excessive and gearing towards abusive nature? As a Filipino, I was taught to be hospitable, although I do not completely adhere with it. My family raised me to be patient and accommodating enough to anyone who needs favor or help. The best thing my parents encouraged me to do indirectly is give favors for free and ask nothing in return. When one could say another is exploiting one's generosity? Unnecessary When one asks for a favor or help from another, which one does not lack or need. For example, a friend, who is perfectly capable and has the time and resources asks help from another even though the latter is unable to do so or will experience difficulty and undue discomfort in doing so. Hence, before one asks for help, he or she must be sensitive also of the...
In the last 18 months, there has been a significant increase in my personal financial capacity. However, the greatest challenge is to keep a reasonable lifestyle against my earning ability. It was not easy, I was feeling that I can buy more than I was used to. However, in the process of finding the balance, I was committing financial mistakes due to my prior misconceptions. This will be the focus of this blogpost. 1. Working for time, not for results. I have once published a blogpost on what is expensive and what us cheap. This concept has been solely based on hourly rate. Perhaps, it not wrong to write that post. It was mainly an attempt to create a guide on determining the appropriateness of one's spending habits, in comparison to one's earned income. However, the mistake occurs when one focuses heavily on hourly rate, and not on results. This concept is however applicable to all jobs, whether service, manufacturing or industry-related. I consider this as a mistake in a way...
Have you ever experienced being annoyed by acts of others that you really hope they never have done? Well, I realized these infuriating acts reflect how we as individuals have been brought up. This somehow reflects we as human beings, unique from others, and in this blogpost I am going to enumerate some of them. Leaving your used cup or glass after work Who are you to behave like that? Your cup is from your mouth, and you expect people to get your cup and clean it for you after work. Your cup is for me part of another's intimate zone, so keep it to yourself, not the entire workplace. How would people think of themselves? Next time, I would put my used tissue paper in that cup even you are still drinking. 🤣 Talking too much, but loses interest quickly Unfortunately, this is very common. For me, it is better to talk about your enthusiasm most to yourself, then act. Do something before talking about it. Some people talk as if they were finished doing things, even they even have not s...
Comments
Post a Comment