ABC STARS Inspires

Reminiscing, "Rain on the Roof", taught on piano by my mother Please stay, your pitter-patter makes me matter I do not mind even if it takes you a few days If you want you could last until midnight with only the moon and stars' rays I am glad there is no need for a rain dance In this tropical part of the world, you are taken for granted, not a glimpse nor a glance I missed you in lands where you were shy, and stayed for just minutes But here, if I ask, sometimes, you appear, sporadically, in pieces and bits As long as you don't intensify into a storm Then we'll be fine, and no remorse will form Today is the final day of the year, indeed, you are a shower of blessings May the new one — bring joy, love, and peace—as we exchange hugs and wonderful greetings! photo credit: S.A. Street Photographer Umbrella Man via photopin (license) License: (license)

Dearest Noel, Jim, Pablo, Philip, Anlu, Connie, Che, Nonnoy, Bobby, Marivic, Popon, Jay, Boy, and Tess: For a long time now, your friends have been telling you that there is no Santa Claus. That Santa is no one else but Papa. There is that song, "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe last night." But, there is that other song, too—"he knows when you've been bad or good; so be good for goodness sake ." If Santa Claus is no one else but the fathers, then there would be millions of Santa Claus throughout the world. And how about those families where their fathers are no more? Is there no Santa Claus for them? And as you grew older, you must have wondered why I always answered, yes, there is a Santa Claus. Let's solve the mystery: Why don't we see the real Santa Claus? Because He is a spirit. If He is a spirit, then how many Santa Claus are there throughout the world? Only one. Does He personally go to all the families ...

Ascension Press and Ascension Presents   in collaboration with Inspires   give you this riveting magnum opus.‎.. Condensed Reflection by James Z. Carpio That nostalgic feeling and unique predilection we—or most—experience during what many consider as one of the most joyous, vibrant occasions of the year—Christmas. We remember/reminisce cherished-childhood-memories of gifts under the adorned tree for instance. It is bittersweet, though, when we become adults. Our lives became complicated for the most part, the innocence and worry-free/carefree world we came to know when we were young, vanished when we realized that, truly, morose reality bites.

Engineer Alexander Cole has always been predictable, logical, and methodical. But never been spiritual. Until... The chauffeur called in sick for the day. He had no choice but to drive the sedan to take his wife to her A.A. meeting. His wife, Patty, has been going to the meetings for almost 24 years now. She is doing fantastic. Exceptional even. That he was elated about. The spacious, cold room with high ceiling was filled with people from different walks of life. About forty or so. Alex was, metaphorically, uncomfortable. He was fidgety and sweaty. He decided to tune out everything as each alcoholic updated the other group members and the medical moderator. Alex noticed a blind man being assisted by two female companions, as he sat on his designated chair. He heaved a heavy sigh and felt profoundly sorry for the old fellow. It was a bit tolerable to say the least, as there was only a glass partition separating the Alcoholic Anonymous area to a full a...

Looming darkness, restless, exhausted and lost at sea Expectantly waiting, please hurry home and be with me Remember each time I am walking and I see you looking Your eyes light up in sheer amazement, waiting and hoping Then in excitement, you say my name with glee, "Sir James!" Being allowed to play in the field having enjoyed the games Ages ago in innocence, I must have done something good Random people, young and old say, "Hello!" when they could Nameless faces, smiling faces, being kind—  what lasting joy! But I will say prayers for you—  man and woman, girl and boy The pinnacle is when an elderly man says, "Mr. Carpio!" The deep voice that resonates and removes my sorrow Sometimes, I think, wishfully, it may be the Voice of God Reassuring me to leave the light on, even when I'm sad I particularly like being a lighthouse keeper, day and night A responsibility, I cheerfully fulfill—here— I am a light...

Countless excuses, I know. Like raindrops, slowly, transitioning from a drizzle to a cloudburst. People sometimes miss it, even if it appears right before their very eyes. How could you miss it? Did you blink? Maybe you were asleep?  Just because it was a millisecond? No. You should forget about the time. Focus on now. Concentrate. That's better. Two fragile lives... Let me run through it one last time. He kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'm home, Dad." And his father told him, "That's great, son, go get some sleep." The twelve-year-old boy went to his room. Probably. But the next morning. Something horrible happened.  It should not have happened.  But it did. A poignant realization that pierces a compassionate heart like a cold, wicked sword. Let us reverse it with another story. He whispered to his ear, "I'm going to be okay, Dad, you go home to Mum." His silver-haired father was in his hospital bed, listening....

Let us begin. Shall we? The best way to deal with cyberbullying is to leave the internet. Yes, do not sign up even for a single social media account. If for any reason you want to test the waters, we recommend to have an I.T. expert present, to make your account foolproof.  Do not put any sensitive information in your accounts; address, telephone number or bank/credit card details. You must have a strong password that will be reset every so often. Master the privacy settings. Let's go to pictures. Unless you are in the performing arts, a good way to gauge whether it is internet appropriate is —if you can put that picture in a frame and you can hang it on a wall of a Cathedral— then by all means upload it. If not, potential employers may see it in the future and decrease your chances of being employed or even not at all. Enroll in any martial arts for self-defense class. Discipline, confidence, assurance are key elements in shaping your character. ...