Sunday, December 7, 2008

When the sky smiles on us.


It was on a dark midnight ages and ages ago...
Three wise and learned men, the Magi, looked up to the skies, as did shepherds watching their flocks in the fields.
They saw a bright star and followed it which led them to Bethlehem where they pay homage to the Babe in the Manger as angels choir sang.
The Magi came with their regal gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and the shepherds with their humble flocks.

And then last Monday, we in the Philippines also looked up to the night sky to see a rare planetary conjunction with Venus and Jupiter shining so bright.
Add to the wonder is the waning crescent moon forming a smiling face in the sky.
It was a rare sight indeed.
But could this be a sign for our dark and difficult times - to look to the stars as a reminder that, with the Advent of Christmas, we should turn/return to prayer with hope and thanksgiving for God’s gift of Christmas?

Yeah, let us not allow the compulsive frenzy of the Yultide season to distracts us from the spiritual and essential aspects of life - love, hope and goodwill to mankind.

Sidelight:
It’s odd how what first loomed to be an epic challenge as scaling a personal Everest ended up as trouble free as uprooting a rusty monument for our boxer Manny Pacquiao.
The stormy demolition of the great De La Hoya, a future Hall of Famer, winner of 10 world crowns in six weight classifications, was also totally unexpected.
Of course, we rejoice over Manny's win and took pity on Oscar as he was rushed to the nearby hospital.

Manny, mabuhay ka!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha, nice intro..thought you are going to discuss nativity then to my delight you ended up with boxing..you are so creative..keep it up! Merry Christmas and hope you'll have a wonderful family celebration though it's a tough time but we should not lose the spirit..christmas is christmas, a religious and cultural tradition and it must go on..

I received one text from a distant friend saying "ho ho ho merry christmas intro and i could imagine his big smile while sending that text, it was a very jolly message, full of life asking how am I doing and wishing happy holidays, i snapped out and answered him back saying "do you still have christmas? the poor guy text back and said, in the Phils, it's a matter of life and death but the Christmas spirit is still everywhere so we should do the same here abroad..felt embarassed then, I sounds like a christmas scourge and I sent him a message saying "Merry Christmas too my dearest friend and thanks for sharing the happy christmas spirit which I almost lost.

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

Actually when I sat down in front of my laptop today, I am at a loss at what to talk about. Maybe coz its only 5:30 am and my brain isnt fully awake yet, and I still have to get my dose of caffeine.
I'll try to think of better topic next time. Knowing that you follow this makes me more concious to write interesting topic each time. Merry Christmas to you too, Amna.

Anonymous said...

Whenever I look up to the sky, I am amazed at how much I dont know... I look at Hubble telescope images and it simply crackes my brain... when they zoomed into a dark spot 8 times over (meaning, zoomed, took a dark spot, then zoomed again, then found a dark spot and then zoomed again, etc... 8 times) and took a picture, that picture was develloped into an image that was 2 feet by 3 feet (aproximately) and in the picture was 1,500 galaxys. GALAXYS!!!!

My brain split clear in two when i saw that....

The older I get, the dumber I feel.... Ther is alot going on out there....

Ed

Anonymous said...

I never thought that you are also one of the fanatic boxing lovers. So, you have watched how great our Filipino boxers are… especially Manny Paquiao. Believe me or not, he might become the first Legendary Filipino Boxer in our time.

Odette, I like your site and you have millions of ideas in your brain. Is this how really brainy the Chemist is…? Hmmm… but don’t push too hard, ‘cause one day, I don’t want to hear that you become one of the Mandaluyong residents (joke only)...

Do you still remember me…? We met one time during the last day of our Grand Homecoming event and I never realize that you are one of my long time friend Abe’s kin. Keep up the good work and GOD bless…

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

hi, Popoy!
wow, i didnt know you would stumble into this site, but ofcourse, i am happy that you did.
i hope you will be able to bear my senseless ramblings, hahaha.
hey, i read from sagay message board about the death in your family. it's a tragic loss, but then we will all go one way or the other - they just manage to beat us to the exit.
i wrote a blog about our loss too, have you read it?
so welcome aboard Poy, and hang on tight as we still have a journey to take...

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