ABC STARS Inspires

She is a parking girl, earning a living to make ends meet, in the heat of the sun, and of the glare of the moon, or a rainy and drizzling day. Yet, there is that glimmer of hope in her eyes. There are a lot of them. Selling candles. Selling rugs. Then some, begging for, metaphorically, crumbs that had fallen under the table. I watched a documentary about Filipino people who would go to restaurants after closing time, i.e. Fast-Food-Chains, then, they would collect the leftover foods. They would boil them. Then, consume them. Just something to fill the stomach. With those being said, I live simply. Do not get me wrong, please. It is not a holier than thou attitude, but rather, having compassion for the poor. For instance, my pair of pants just cost 180 Pesos. From a Clearance Sale. That is 3.46 U.S. Dollars after currency conversion. I do not go quite often at fancy restaurants. I am a Grocery Man. I hope that by writing about them would be a bea...

I remember my Mama when she was alive, she would always tell us... as long as there is a raucous between siblings then there would not be peace among nations. My family is uniquely Eurasian: European- German etc. and Asian- Chinese etc... Well, I am the assigned Officer for the Public Relations of the family corporation which is ABC STARS. However, then again, I would always be the last to know of current events. Moreover, it is funny, I know. Presently, I am busy with the historical archives of the family. Thousands of photos to be restored and transformed into digital copies. It is a daunting assignment. So far, So good. Hence, the legacy continues...

I was named after the Apostle... Saint James, the less, who was a cousin of Our Lord and a brother of the apostle, Jude. He wrote one of the Epistles. He was hurled down from the terrace of the temple and clubbed to death. 'JAIME' I was named after the Martyr... Saint Hermenegild who was the son of the Arian King of the Visigoths in Spain. He was put to death for refusing to receive Holy Communion from the hands of a heretical bishop in 586. And, Abuelo Hermenegildo A. Carpio Senior, of Tabaco, Albay. He was a Division Engineer of Camarines Sur and Quezon Province. A good and just Man. 'HERMENEGILDO' The poor dead rabbit tells my mother for certain someone is there, needing her. A small strawberry of blood that is alive and growing and so very real. She was frightened too, she said to The Lord, Not because of the pain to come, but because so much can go wrong to prevent me from being born or to make me born badly. Fr...

One Sunny morning at the garage, my older brother was driving his car in reverse and I was getting something on top of the trunk, then the vehicle, literally, ran over my feet. I hollered his name, and, told him to move forward again because I was ran over by the wheel. He felt so sorry that it happened.  From then on throughout his lifetime, whenever he would remember, he would always say, "I’m sorry about the accident". I would just laugh it off. Then, I would say that happened years ago and don’t say sorry anymore because now my feet don’t hurt at all. Even then, if it pops up in his memory he would say sorry again. Then again, I would say forget about it. And, I would laugh about it. Now, I am looking at it from his perspective. Maybe, he felt so terrible that he ran over his own brother. And, now I am thinking what if I was the one driving the car and I ran over my own brother? Then, I understand now, why? Because he loves his brother. ...

Somehow it made sense. Did it make me feel better after being told that I have a serious illness? Yes, it was a relief. And, would you believe that I see it as a blessing? Why? Because I had to go through a process that is beyond words. Methodically, I had to go through stages of dealing with what’s on the horizon. I went through rationalization. Then, denial. Then, fear. Then, acceptance. I am not perfect. No human being is perfect. Hence, I had to move closer, then closer, then much more, so that I would be One with the Unmoved. Why? I realized that it was only me who was moving away. Moreover, something happened. He has a grand scheme. A plan. I surrendered my inadequacies to Him. After all, He is the Divine Healer. Well, after being sick for 23 years. I am a Veteran.  That is amazing. My Doctor said I recovered 100 percent. Why? I really do not know. Maybe only God knows. When I shook someone’s hand before. She said I have a healing hand. ...

It was a good run.... Well, I just walked. And, walked and walked. For years... In the rain... In the heat of the sun... I hope that what I had written had and would resonate in the depths of our soul. I began with the premise that man is, intrinsically, good. And, humanity is indeed a reflection that God is so Good. With heartfelt gratitude, this series will end, however, do watch out for the next level of another approach to writing. May God keep you in His Heart in your own journey, your own walk, forever... photo credit: Cloudtail the Snow Leopard European pond turtle via photopin (license) License: (license)  Bob

Thanks be to God, it did not happen, my face would have been like that, well, that is as close as it could get, a photo of a shattered face. My eyes have been saved. He still is a good man. photo credit: Stephen Poff August 27th 2008 - Fractured via photopin (license) License: (license)