thought i'd just share

The Earth revolves around the sun. The Earth rotates on its axis. Time passes you by.Life happens.Our lives: a mosaic of good and bad experiences.A quest for GreatnessBounded by Actions:The Ones we are capable of doing,The Ones we took,The Ones we never did...
--Mendoza, Paolo

by: Mary Catherine L. Mendoza


We are born to a busy world, and everyday we take every opportunity to find ourselves. We try to give our lives meaning: by discovering our purpose. In the process, we begin to dream, and then explore. We either: loose track; get lost; find answers to our questions; fulfill our dreams. This is a very basic pattern of existence. These are homologous elements to life as a student, a professional, an individual. It's a jungle out there, whatever world you are in.The possibility of failing is very palpable, but we have to risk it, because if we don't step forward, we will always find ourselves in the same place.

We only live once. We only have one shot! That is why we find it hard to reconcile with our past, and cringe about our failures.Regret-Disappointment-Giving up is just not the path we should take.In the pursuit of Greatness, we inevitably experience setbacks. To be able to move FORWARD, we should LOOK BACK.

LAYOUT: The process of Retrospection knows only one direction, and these are the 3 P's : the Present, the Past, and the Porvenir (or Future) This guides you on how to take into account and to analyze the elements in your story. Details are of value.ONE ITEM AT A TIME RULE: As we start our journey of the Present time, it is imperative that we identify what we have. Is it a problem that needs to be resolved? Is it a goal that needs to be achieved? This way, we can deal with each concern independently, or with reference to other concerns.

OBTAIN SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE: It is all-important to gather relevant information. This way, we establish the problem in terms of its nature, the causes, the effects, the factors that come into play. This way, we can strategize on achieving the goal. Of utmost importance is that we consider a few things as we set our goals. In goal setting: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART)!

KNOWING WHERE YOU STAND: Only in carefully looking at the elements that make up a problem or a goal, the substantial evidence we obtained will tell us where we are. Being able to describe and define our status at a particular moment is vital in dealing with our concerns.

BE HUMBLE: The journey to the past: it is always best to start with Failure. This entails a certain degree of honesty and courage to accept Failure. More so, honor it. Finger pointing does not help nor resolve anything. It is by knowing and accepting our faults, our deficiencies that we are able to understand that some things are bound to fail, and some things we can't control.

ABSOLVE: When we are able to forgive, we free ourselves of the excess baggages of life. This way, we can deal with the issue intimately. Our journey towards achievement or failure is personal, and it follows that we could get bumped and bruised. Grandstanding is the concept that some people have contributed to the equation of failure. When people- meaning, all of us- fall short of doing something that is expected or required of us, intentionally or unintentionally, we get disappointed. We get hurt. In Forgiving, we reconcile with the universe, and most importantly, we reconcile with ourselves.

CREDIT: We should take credit for the things we have done. Justice dictates that we own our contributions- be it our ideas, our talent, our skill, our effort, and even just our sheer interest. No "False Humility" allowed. Own it! That is why, even in Failure, it is always consoling to know that we have done what was asked of us, what we could our best.

KINSHIP AND KEENNESS: The journey to the future works on the premise that everything comes in due time. To move forward, everything must be accounted for. Everything in life is relevant depending on how we take it. Learn from mistakes, that every experience may be of meaning. To bring with us memories, we should ardently take on new challenges. Every failure is a victory.

We live only once.Until the time that man can already harness the bounds of time and space, I'd be thinking of this song from Aqua... If only I could turn back time. No time traveling. But then again, we could always look back.