The Colossal Gap Between The Rich and The Poor

A recent survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that most Filipino households are excluded from the country's financial system.

The survey indicates that 78.5% did not have a deposit account and 92.8% of those with no deposit accounts said the reason was that they did not have enough money for bank deposits.

This survey was a clear depiction of the two face of Filipinos.

If you are not rich, you are poor. If you are not living comfortably in a condo, you live in a shanty. If you are dining in a restaurant, you eat left-overs. If you are not shopping in those posh shopping malls, you are buying clothes in UK (ukay-ukay). If you are not swiping your credit cards, you are counting coins to buy basic necessities. If you are not depositing for a savings, you are having hard time stretching your budget.

Lets face it, there's a colossal gap between the rich and the poor, and that gap is certainly getting wider.

But whose to blame in this economic inequality?

Is it the government that favors capitalist who contributed large amount during their campaign periods? Is it our constitution that institutionalized the practice of contractualization and other forms of labor flexibilization, hence undermining job security? Like a joke from my previous job, "If you are not a regular employee, you are casual. And after 5 or 6 months, your employer says TY (Thank You) to you which makes you a casualTY. 

Can we blame capitalist that hoard as much wealth as possible leaving only a thin slice of the pie for the masa to share among themselves?

I'd like to point out, base from my experience, that a crucial factor is why the poor are not getting chances to improve their financial status is the cost of living in the Philippines. While the rich can comfortably afford basic necessities and can still stash a generous amount for savings, the poor are constrained on a tight budget. While in Malaysia, the cost of living compared in the Philippines is much lower. Basic necessities are even subsidize.

For comparison, a salary of a median employee in the Philippines is around Php 15,000.00, in Malaysia it is around RM 3,200.00 or equivalent to Php 44,500.00.

1 kilo of rice in Malaysia is equivalent to Php 24.00 while its over Php 30.00 in the Philippines.Subsidize gasoline price is at Php 29.00. A good meal in a restaurant in Malaysia cost you around Php 100.00. An apartment, take note, with a spacious living room and even more spacious bedroom, only cost Php 6,000.00.

For the sake of argument, you may say that Malaysia is "richer" than the Philippines.

Yes, that's true. But I'd like to point out that in the recent list of billionaires from Forbes, Philippines has 6 billionaires. Other "richer" country like Singapore and New Zealand has 5 and 2 respectively. This directs again the blame to those chosen few in the upper echelon of our society, the capitalist and the oligarchy. While they lining up their bursting pockets, they leave few rooms for the poor to improve their financial status. So, a county's wealth is off the equation.

In other point of view, the poor must also take a part of the blame why the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Filipinos are luxurious and has a habit of being a "one day millionaire". Some spent almost half of their meager earnings into vices like going into a beerhouse every payday, betting lotto or horse race, and playing tong-its. Some spent on buying gadgets like the latest celphone and spend considerable amount for their load. I've even seen scavenger sporting a rather high end celphone.

If only we all have an equal opportunity to benefit from this so-called capitalization, if only we try to save every single centavo we spent in luxury and vices, if only our constitution safeguard our tenure in our job, then I think, the gap would be closing in.

If only........

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Fucking Village.... A Place Where Fucking People's Are

An street sign of the village of Fucking

In the municipal of Tarsdorf in Upper Austria, near the boarder of Germany, there's a village named Fucking (pronounced as Fooking), established since 1070 by a 6th century nobleman named Focko.

It was originaly named Vucchingen but it has since evolved to Fukching, Fugkhing and in the modern spelling Fucking in the 18th century.

An article in Urban Legends entitled "The Origin of the F-Word, some says it was an acronym for "Fornication Under Consent of the King," "Fornication Under Command of the King," "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," or some other variation. But in their analysis, they dismiss it as imaginative.

Further, Urban Legend says "The word fuck did not originate as an acronym. It crept, fully formed, into the English language from Dutch or Low German around the 15th century (it's impossible to say precisely when because so little documentary evidence exists, probably due to the fact that the word was so taboo throughout its early history that people were afraid to write it down). The American Heritage Dictionary says its first known occurrence in English literature was in the satirical poem "Flen, Flyss" (c.1500), where it was not only disguised as a Latin word but encrypted — gxddbov — which has been deciphered as fuccant, pseudo-Latin for "they fuck."

I chance upon this news at ABS-CBN website saying there's a campaign to change its name. And I was like "WTF, there's nothing wrong with its name as it means "a place of Focko's people", according to Fucking residents. So why change it when it was named in honor to Focko?

My curiosity got me so I embark on researching the web on any news about Fucking Village and I found out that their campaign to change its name are all but rumors.

According to Reuters, "The Austrian hamlet of Fucking is sticking to a name that has made it a magnet for English-speaking tourists, sign thieves and the stuff of Internet fame."

Franz Meindl, mayor of the town of Tarsdorf, says he dismissed news reports that residents were pushing to change the name to something less controversial such as Fuking or Fugging.

This news reminds me of a school named Inuman Elementary School in Inarawan, Antipolo. "Inuman" is a Filipino word that, of all other things, means "a drinking bout" or "place for drinking liquors".

A welcome sign of Inuman Elementary School.

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Aquino Appealing on Philippine Media to Sugarcoat Bad News

In a speech of President Noynoy Aquino at the recent National Press Forum and annual membership meeting of the Philippine Press Institute, he complained of the Philippine media's too much focus on negativism and crime stories.

According to Aquino, this could drive away tourist from visiting the country. He further said that this is an example of the negative trait of crab mentality, that the Philippine media is dragging the country down. PNoy wants the media to focus on more positive news, saying he misses how newspapers were before Martial Law.

Can our President blame the media?

Does the Philippine media abuse its press freedom?

Though I have to agree on Aquino's point of view, I beg to disagree the way he did it. He was a reminiscent of my 83 year old grandfather being forgetful due to senility who always complain on things he dislike but ain't doing anything to address the problem.

What does Aquino wants to be in the news? All his good-to-be-true "reforms" and the choicest and juiciest news? 

If I may give an unsolicited suggestions, I would say he should hire more reporters that he can manipulate to deliver a bias and sugarcoated news. Better yet, PNoy could implement censorship if he wants to restrain the media on delivering bad news. Or, he should stop whining like a kid and start working.

Although he is off for a good start with his mantra "Tuwid na Daan", it seems his ship is stalled and is sailing to nowhere

Aquino may be true to his "promises", but that was before he run for the presidency. Now, PNoy epitomized hypocrisy and mediocrity. By his poor judgement, he puts incompetent puppets in top positions in different departments of his government that one way or another, contributed almost half of those "negative news" he is appealing for the media to pretentiously sandwich it in between those too few "good news" this government has done.

Aquino is preaching balance of news, but how could it be if there are more than bad than good?

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Better Than Bitter

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.)

Many people are afraid of getting involved again after the collapse of a relationship. Some people would call them embittered, but beneath bitterness is fear. We have been hurt. We are afraid of being hurt again so we stop trusting men, or women.
I don't want to be one of those persons. This is not to say that I don't have my own fears. I do. Sometimes my fears are so huge they feel as if they will engulf me. But I'm willing to sit quietly in the center of those fears until they become something else, even if I chicken out the first hundred times and have to keep coming back to them.
I know enough to look at the world and see that it is made up both of people who are incredibly generous and open-hearted, as well as those who, in their woundedness, have chosen to turn their pain outward upon others. And these two types of people are not divided up by gender lines. And to recognize them you don't look at their faces or listen to their words, but look at their actions and listen with your heart.
I could tell stories from my relationships that would illustrate this, but I won't. I must have been okay with it on some level, because I stayed. I tried to make it work and sometimes I believed it could and sometimes I wasn't sure.
So, where does that leave me? Have I been betrayed? Truly, madly, deeply. In ways I can't quite wrap my mind around. Does it hurt? Fuck yes. It hurts so much I haven't even allowed myself to feel it all yet. I can't feel the full impact of the pain. I have to take it in doses.
But I'm still full of hope. I may not be as young as most, but I'm young enough and I still want to get it right. The good news is I'm no longer afraid to be myself, to speak my truth, to use my voice, to enforce my boundaries and, most importantly, to be vulnerable. Perhaps that is the gift of getting it wrong.
Maybe that's what we're all here for. To hold a mirror up to each other. If there is anything I could wish to accomplish with my writing it would be that, to hold a mirror up to each of you that reflected back to you your greatness.
When I say it was weighing me down I could actually feel it. It felt like all this stuff was a web of dark energy that sat over me. I hated it. I was sick of it. Today something rose up in me and just said no. I said it out loud: "NO!" I said, "I want to be free," and I felt it. I felt it all the way through to my core. I started crying because when I said it out loud I saw myself, in that mirror, and I knew that I mattered and my life was worth more than this, so much more. It felt powerful, like a rush of energy going through me, so I just kept talking and naming everything that I wanted in my life: love, joy, safety, freedom. It was liberating. In that moment, I felt like I could reach out and touch God. I felt something like a fire rising within me and I smiled and cried at the same time.

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Watch Television Shows Live From Home

Access to 4000 Live television channels from your notebook. No need of of a TV tuner or decoder. 100% legal - no monthly fee needed.

Watch television shows online anywhere. All you need is our IP TV software, your PC, and Internet connection.

There are other Internet sites that are geared specifically to Online TV. Sites like our Internet TV software give you opportunity of watching anything you like. Visitors can either search or look at the various categories of channels they have. For instance, if someone looking for episodes of Larry Sanders, then look under the Comedy section.

Whether you logged in from office to watch CNN, BBC or another news streaming station's live stream of a campaign event or you watched it on some other device such as your cellular phone or iPOD, you were able to stay on top of current news with the help of Live Internet television and online tv stations.

Just put together a PC, and ISP (Internet Service Provider) and our IP TV software, which broadcasts TV channels. You can find a few free ones or you can pay a membership subscription to join one of the many providers catering to that market. Most of your favorite shows will also allow you to connect to their programs and watch them. If you did not see an episode of your favorite show, never fear, in some cases you can look it up and watch it online.

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Manila, Philippines Once Again in the Top 10

Yeah!!!! You read it right, mate. Philippines is once again in the Top 10, in fact we are at rank 3 on a survey conducted by CNN's travel site, the CNNGo.com, last April 18, 2012. But before you start jumping from your seat, read this:

"World's 10 Worst Cities for Driving"

Now, you still too excited? I bet you're not. And I could imagine smoke going up from your ears eh...

Manila was in rank 3 because according to CNNGo.com, Filipinos are more concern getting to work on time, thus, this makes the traffic congestion as our number one problem.

CNNGo.com admitted that this ranking is "non-scientific", albeit this does not mask the negative impact for our country.

But Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Atty. Francis Tolentino go into bickering by questioning the survey's "scientific" basis. He says that he drove around the metro yesterday to prove his claim that driving in Manila was not as bad as the survey says.

Well good, he tried it and he made his point.

Tolentino asked "What's the basis? Did they take into account the number of vehicles or the quality of the road network?"

But he must have forgotten to include this on his list:

1. Abusive traffic enforcers.
2. The endless road constructions that seems to peak as election nears.
3. Floods on rainy days.
4. Garbage, garbage, and garbage that drivers need to navigate.
5. Poorly lighted roads.
6. Traffic signals not working properly that confused drivers.
7. Abusive PUV drivers
8. Pedestrians that plays "patintero" with cars.

Well that's just 8 but I'm sure one could think of more reasons why Manila was rank 3 in the survey. It could not just be the proverbial traffic problems that CNNGo.com took into account in determining the ranks but also the safety of drivers and commuters alike.

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Nature

Add caption on this photo

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Frolicking by the Shore

A black and white photo showing how children should be.

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Bullzip PDF Printer

Sometimes my work requires me to lay-out a newsletter for schools, organizations or for some politicians wanting to brag all their good-to-be-true projects. More often than not, they require me to provide a soft copy of the of the layout before production which give me some headaches because I often do it using an Adobe PageMaker software which most of my clients are not using. The solution is the give them a PDF file of he same. Of course, I can easily export my Pagemaker publication files into PDF with the aid of Acrobat Distiller. 

One time, I'm into beating a deadline on submitting a soft copy for my client and my computer crash. I need to reformat my CPU and install once again all the softwares I am using but my Adobe Acrobat was missing. This leads me to discovering this Bullzip PDF Printer.

Bullzip PDF Printer is free, although their site is accepting donations. Its a simple, fast, and straightforward application. The Bullzip PDF Printer works by creating a virtual printer in the operating systems that prints to PDF files instead of paper. This practically allows any application to create PDF files from the print menu. The virtual printer employs ghostscript in order to translate the document into the Portable Document Format.

If you want to try, 

you can download it here.

 

Bullzip PDF Printer

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London 2012 Olympics Mascot

As I am using StumbleUpon to browse my interest, I came across the picture of the London 2012 Olympics.They were named Wenlock and Mandeville. Its design looks like a one-eyed alien with taxi lights on the head of both mascots. I think it's kinda weird to have a mascot like that. Its very far from its predecessor the cuddly Fuwa, which is the official mascot of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Wenlock and Mandeville, the official mascot of the London 2012 Olympic Games. (Photo courtesy of http://www.london2012.com)

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House Bill 5901: Anti-Spitting Law

Alliance of Volunteer Educator (AVE) partylist Representative Eulogio Magsaysay filled House Bill 5901 that seek to outlaw spitting in public places.

The bill, prohibits persons from carelessly or intentionally spitting saliva, phlegm, mucus or other substances in public places.

Persons caught spitting face a jail term of six months and a fine of P500 for first offense; P1000 for second offense; and P2000 for third offense.

The bill also require the violator to attend a health seminar conducted by the Department of Health (DoH).

According to Magsaysay he seeks to address the Filipinos' bad habit of spitting in public places. He said spitting in public places may cause the spread of dreaded diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis among others.

I applaud Magsaysay for that bill. What concerns me most is the need to pass such law just to address a "bad habit". Of course its disgusting to see saliva in the pavement much less to see someone spitting a yellowish mucus.

I agree, prevention is better than cure but House Bill 5901, if pass, will only be one of those laws that can not be properly enforce.

What's his plan? Is Magsaysay planning to hire more law enforcer to fully enforce such law? Or maybe, some kind of watchmen to be strategically place on virtually all corners of "public areas". Will he be going to construct "spittoon" in public areas like the pink urinals of MMDA? For that he need to hire more aides to clean those spittoons otherwise they will become nest of bacteria and virus like those stinking urinals. A clever idea for job creation eh?

Further, the need for such bill only shows how we Filipinos are so stubborn, at least to some. Or does Magsaysay becomes so anti-social that he seeks to outlaw something that has been a social norm  since time immemorial?

I do not see how could you outlaw such. We can only educate people out of it. Because the underlying problem roots from a lack of civic mindedness and proper etiquette. WE do not need laws to outlaw a cultural habit if that law itself can't be fully enforce.

China, India, Singapore and Malaysia has the same Anti-Spitting law but that's insufficient and the problem has never been arrested. It's because changing social habits is not a one, two, three step.

What if you have a mouthful of phlegm? Are you going to swallow it? What if you inhaled dirt or dust from our polluted air? Are you not going to spit it out? Of course, you ain't going to aim at people, don't you?

What if the violator take the matter to court? Does that mean the law enforcer need to collect the spit to use as evidence? Oh common! I don't buy that idea. It's only a waste of time and resources of the government in expense of the tax payers money.

Magsaysay said that the reason why he seek to outlaw spitting is to stop the spread of dreadful diseases. But that's only theoretically possible. For a virus or bacteria to be spread from a lump of spit on the pavement need to be blown into the air while its still fresh and be inhaled directly into someone's lung.

In my humble opinion, we don't need such law. The government needs to instil right social behavior in our children. Magsaysay, as a teacher, must know that. Educate them while they are still young. What we really need to combat diseases is a comprehensive Health Care System that is accessible to everybody.

For the mean time, I must spit in the window of my room because this topic makes my salivary gland work overtime. Hey, a piece of advice to our congressman, "Bring your own spittoons when you are going to deliberate this House Bill. he he he

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The Infamous Jimmy Sieczka

A video entitled "20 Reasons To Dislike The Philippines" recently went viral. But due to overwhelming negative reactions, and copyright infringement (Apparently, the video was produced for channelfix), it was removed.

The infamous Jimmy Sieczka

The guy in the 14 minute video is Jimmy Sieczka, an American filmmaker who worked at the International Academy of Film and Television in Mactan, Cebu for the past 3 1/2 years. He instantly became infamous for his contumely depictions peppered with profanity of his 20 reasons he dislike the Philippines. But I'm not here to discuss nor go into bickering  with those reasons he points out. If you want to watch it yourself, you can view his video here.

As a Filipino, and I'm proud to be, I painfully agree with those reasons he dislike about my country (although he made that video in Cebu) as a whole. It would be hypocritical to deny, or even to sugarcoat those facts. Those are problems we learned to ignore, and as such, often overlook and neglected.

He maybe arrogant, insensitive and egotistic guy but he was just pointing out those very obvious flaws. In the process, he drawn fire from the Filipinos. And as customary for us Pinoys on such case, many went on attacking him thru social networking sites to the point that they themselves became arrogant and insensitive as the person they were trying to nail. Even the Cebu City Council had a hitchhiked on this issue as they tried, or at least, debated to declare Sieczka as persona non-grata.

But whats all the fuss? He was just voicing out his own opinions. 

I had to ask myself, "If that video was made by a Filipino, will it get as much attention as Sieczka's video?

In my point of view, that video is like a dose of medicine that leaves a bitter taste in our mouth. As what a medicine should be, we have to swallow it and hope for the best that it can cure us.

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Playa Calatagan

Playa Calatagan gained the monicker as the Boracay of the South. It is located in, of course, Calatagan, Batangas.
A haven for a family bonding and for those who love the sands and the sun.
I really enjoyed my trip there. Courtesy of a friend. (again. lol)

Being at Playa Calatagan's beach front? A relaxing moment.

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Determination

A boy walking down the streets of Intramuros. He seems very determined on where he wants to go.

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Window

A capiz shell window. This reminds me of our ancestral house in Laoag City.

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Tunnel

A tunnel in Intramuros.

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And He Was Gone

He chose to walk alone,

though others wondered why

Refused to look before him,

kept eyes cast upwards towards the sky

He didn’t have companions;

no need for earthly things

Only wanted freedom

from what he felt were puppet strings.

He longed to be a bird,

that he might fly away.

He pitied every blade of grass,

for planted they would stay.

He longed to be a flame

that brightly danced alone.

Felt jealous of the steam

that made the air its only home.

Some say he wished too hard;

some say he wished too long.

But we awoke one autumn day

to find that he was gone.

The trees, they say, stood witness;

the sky refused to tell

But someone who had seen it

said the story played out well

He spread his arms out wide,

breathed in the break of dawn

He just let go of all he held…

and then he was gone

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The Odds

(This is a love letter from a boy to his girlfriend. However, the girl's father does not like him and want them to stop their relationship. He knows that the girl's father will definitely read this letter that goes like this:)

1 The great love that I have for you 2 is gone, and I find my dislike for you 3 grows everyday. When I see you, 4 I do not even like your face. 5 the one thing that I want to do is to 6 look at other girls. I never wanted to 7 marry you. Our last conversation 8 was very boring and has not 9 made of look forward to seeing you again. 10 You think only of yourself. 11 If we were married, I know that I would find 12 life very difficult, and I would have no 13 pleasure in living with you. I have a heart 14 to give, but it is not something that 15 I want to give to you. No one is more 16 foolish and selfish than you, and you are not 17 able to care for me and help me. 18 I sincerely want you to understand that 19 I speak the truth. You will do me a favor 20 if you think this is the end. Do not try 21 to answer this. Your letters are full of 22 things that do not interest me. You have no 23 true love for me. Good-bye! Believe me, 24 I do not care for you. Please do not think that 25 I am still your boyfriend. So bad!

(However, before handing over the letter to the girl, he told to read the 'odds'. So..... try reading it again. Its kinda sweet.)

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Rising Spirit

The rhythm of my hand goes well with the drops of ink and with words floating in my brain. I do not have highfaluting words to speak of, instead, the way of my emotions and the labyrinth that my soul’s going through are the ones obliging me to put the significance of other’s life into scriptures. But, ironically, I do not find my life as important as others do consider it. The poetry of contrast the world has offered me evoked my sensations to be involved in its abyss. In there I grew, letting my entirety to be succumbed in angst, chaos, obscurity and insanity. I tried to reach and comprehend what others have to say. But then, when I speak mine, no one dared to listen. So I merely buried myself to the grounds, lips closed, with tranquility by my side.

I let my soul be caged, bleeding with verses of blunt poems. The eternal one brought me to my fallen state, my solitary freedom, where there is only darkness and no recline. He was the one who sent and made me street poet, with holes in my jacket, stones in my shoes and stains of remorse in my spirit. The irony of life, my illusions, false hopes, after thoughts, daydreams, agonies, memories made me a prison of words. And this unspoken prose is my destiny. Though I’ve been rejected repeatedly, sonnets make me the wholeness of my life and makes me hush all these words…… letting my spirit rise again…… to another life yet unlived.

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Fake

Fake, that's all I am
My meaningless smile,
My hollow laugh,
It’s all an act.

Outside I’m happy
Inside I’m not,
My life is empty
My soul is dead.

I hide all the sadness,
I don’t want people to care,
I’m a useless cause
My sadness, I will not share.

As the emotions get stronger,
I have but one release
With one quick slash,
I finally rest in peace.

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Flower

I don't know what flower is this. (lol) I only saw this at La Mesa Water Shed.

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Trash Cans

Garbage segregation is a must at La Mesa Water Shed.... I just don't know if visitors really segregate their trash.

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Praying Mantis?

Is this a praying mantis?????

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Quail Eggs

Itlog ng pugo (quail eggs) are popular snacks here in the Philippines, usually sold by street vendors.

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Learn To Like Yourself

Every once in a while, we tend to blame ourselves for things gone wrong. And to avoid blaming ourselves, we often avoid those things that makes us feel bad. More often than not, we fall into some kind of self-denial which in turn can lower our esteem. This could be dangerous as it can stagnate our growth as a person.

I believe that accepting ourselves as who we are can reverse that process. We can't change others to fit our expectations, but we can change our attitude to fit perfectly on ourselves.

Low self-esteem can be like roadblocks that stops us in achieving our goals. But by having a good relationship with the person we see when we face the mirror, can boost our self-esteem. We just need to examine our accomplishments and consider ourselves as a treasured friend.

In no time, you'll be saying "I feel great about myself".

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First Love

First love, I thought, may cut and mark us the deepest, but love that lasts and grows does so because it joins and nurtures what is dearest, finest and noblest in two people. And because it understands and forgives what is less so.
First love may register in the blood with dizzying effect, but the love that endures takes up residence in the soul. In this way, love becomes something far more powerful than bone and flesh. It completes us, gives us the wholeness we need to navigate safely through life.

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