iMpOrTaNt (an e-mail FWD)

PLEASE NOTE:

CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED

Apparently, YOU (yes, you!) told Santa

that you have been GOOD (yeah, right!) this year...

poor old man...

HE DIED LAUGHING.

So, yeah, thanks to YOU (but no thanks)!!!

i WiLL FoLLoW YoU iN tHe DaRk

Everyday I would hear my officemate play this song, and now I've grown to like it, too. The lyrics are not of typical sappy lovesongs but it is a love song. It talks of undying love. The song actually reminds me of the last scene from "The Notebook" when Noah went to Allie's room, slept next to her, hugged her and held her hand... and then they died in their sleep... together till the end of time.

I Will Follow You In The Dark
(By Death Cab For Cutie)

Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles brusied by a lady in black
And I held my toungue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
Cause we'll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark

SoMeBoDy (by Depeche Mode)

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
He'll get my support

He will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general

Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
He'll hear me out
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact he'll often disagree
But at the end of it all
He will understand me

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and
With every breath
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like

I don't want to be tied
To anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear of
Those things

But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put his arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
I'll get away with it

iT OnLy HuRtS wHeN...

... I'm Breathing

(by Shania Twain)

Hope life's been good to you

Since you've been gone

I'm doin' fine now

I've finally moved on

It's not so bad

I'm not that sad

~~~~~~~~

I'm not surprised just how well I survived

I'm over the worst, and

I feel so alive

I can't complain

I'm free again
~~~~~~~~

And it only hurts when I'm breathing

My heart only breaks when it's beating

My dreams only die when I'm dreaming

So, I hold my breath to forget

~~~~~~~~

Don't think I'm lyin' 'round cryin' at night

There's no need to worry,

I'm really all right

I've never looked back as a matter of fact

It only hurts when I breathe

~~~~~~~~

Mmm, no, I've never looked back

As a matter fact

~~~~~~~~

Hurts when I'm breathing

Breaks when it's beating

Die when I'm dreaming

It only hurts when I breathe

DiFFeReNt SeAsOnS iN LiFe (a FWD)

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no; it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral of the Story:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

ThE UnExPeCtEd

"Remember, love sometimes sneaks up from the most surprising places at the most unexpected time. Let us just make sure that we are able to make sensible decisions when that happens because sometimes it is the love by accident and not the love that was contemplated that takes hold of our hearts and keeps it forever."

- Anonymous

FrOm SoMeOnE i CaLL a FriEnD

"Sometimes we walk through life, not even knowing where to go, without a destination, or knowing why, or with what kind of purpose. We go through life, looking for something, though we don't know what it is. Suddenly along the way, we meet wonderful people, 'those' who will change our lives, in a way or another, 'those' who will be there for us, to guide us in our way, 'those' who will make life easier, just lending a hand, or a comforting shoulder to lean on. Those people, who will always find a way to make us laugh, even when we see the world falling apart at our feet. They will stand beside us, and will always be willing to cheer us up... 'those' are the ones I call real friends... and YOU are definitely one of them. Thanks for being with me in the most troublesome parts of my life. YOU were just what I was looking for. I'm glad I found you. I count on you. I hope you count on me. From now on... I CALL YOU FRIEND." -- from MCS

to CaYe

Thank you for being patient in listening to my rumblings about some issues in my life right now. Just talking to you made me feel so much better. I will seriously put your advice to heart. You've always been willing to listen and comfort me, and I will forever be grateful for that. Be assured that I will be here for you when it's your time to vent. I guess when the friends we expect to be there when we're down are not there, the Lord sends us an angel friend, someone we didn't expect to wipe our tears, to be there for us.

I may be upset right now but I am still thankful because if not for times like this, I will not realize who my true friends are. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. And you don't have to say anything to the people involve, it's not necessary anymore. Manahimik naku mu. I'll be less involve.

WhAt WoMeN wAnT (a FWD)

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.

The question?... What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus:

What a woman really wants,

she answered...

is to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.

The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened. The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.

Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night? Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments? What would YOU do?

What Lancelot chose is below...


Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

Now... what is the moral to this story?

The moral is...

If you don't let a woman

have her own way...

Things are going to get ugly!

aOi uSaGi

Sometime in 1996, I encountered this Japanese soap opera (with English subtitle) on the International channel here in the US. It was one of the best love stories I have ever seen and it has remained one of my favorites up till now. The title is "Heaven's Coins (Hoshi No Kinka)" and it's the story of a deaf and mute girl named Aya, and her undying love for Shuichi. The two of them met and fell in love in a little town where Aya works at a local clinic, and Shuichi, a doctor, came to work when he got disillusioned with his manipulative family. Before Shuichi went back to Tokyo, he promised Aya that he will come back for her and marry her. Unfortunately, he met an accident on his way to Tokyo and lost his memory. After waiting for Shuichi's return for sometime, Aya went to Tokyo in search of him. There he meets Takumi, Shuichi's brother, who saved her from an accident and instantly fell in love with her. Takumi brought Aya to the hospital that his family owns, and there Aya found the love of her life, Shuichi, who was battling amnesia. Aya worked at the hospital as a nurse with Takumi's help, but without his knowledge, Aya only worked there to be close to Shuichi and help him bring back his memory. And the rest is a beautiful, inspiring story about love... true, unconditional, and undying. It showed the many facets of love and loving and the sacrifices that people make to express it.

I so wish that I can find a DVD copy of Heaven's Coins (all 3 seasons) and with English subtitle, of course. Then I would be so happy. I just don't know where to find it.
(UPDATE: I found them on E-bay... finally! I'm so happy)

Here's the love theme from the first season...

performed by Sakai Noriko (Aya).

AOI USAGI

(Japanese Lyrics)

ato dore kurai setsunakunareba

anata no koe ga kikoeru kashira
nanigenai kotoba o hitomi awasete tada shizuka ni

kawaseru dake de ii hoka ni wa nanni mo iranai

aoi usagi zutto matteru hitorikiri de furuenagara

sabishisugite shinde shimau wa haiyaku atatamete hoshii
ato dore kurai kizutsuita nara

anata ni tadoritsukeru no kashira
araitate no shatsu no nioi ni daki sukumeraretara

itami mo kanashimi mo subete ga nagarete kieru wa

aoi usagi naite iru no yo sou anata ni kikoeru you ni

tatoe zutto todokanakute mo eien ni aishite iru wa

aoi usagi sora o kaketeku kokoro terasu hikaru hanachi

ai no hana ni yume o furimaki ashita e to AH...

aoi usagi inori tsuzukeru doko ka ni iru anata no tame

ima no futari sukueru mono wa kitto shinjitsu dake dakara

(English Translation)
I wonder how much more suffering I can take

And still hear your voice
It would be nice if we could exchange

Simple words in silence

With but a glance

I'd want nothing more

This blue bunny has been shivering for so long

While waiting for you all alone

If I get too lonely, I'll die

Won't you hurry and warm me up
I wonder how much more pain I can take

And still keep following after you

When I indulge in the smell

Of your freshly washed shirts

The pain and the sadness

Are all washed away

This blue bunny is crying, you know

Trying to make you hear me

Even if you never realize it

I'll love you forever

This blue bunny is flying

Through the sky towards tomorrow

Radiating a light shining from my heart

And sprinkling dreams on the flowers of love

This blue bunny is somewhere

Still praying for your sake

Because the only thing that can save us now

Is the truth

WiSdOm oF MoRRiE (from "Tuesdays With Morrie")

• ON TRUSTING OTHERS: "Sometimes, you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if ever you are going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too... even when you're in the dark... even when you're falling."

• ON WHAT MAKES US EQUAL: "Maybe death is the great equalizer , the one big thing that can finally make strangers shed a tear for one another."

• ON HOPE/LIFE/OR DEATH: "Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long."

• ON LIFE: "Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted... a tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubberband and most of us live somewhere in the midddle."

• ON WHAT MATTERS: "Everyone is in a hurry... People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next job. They find those things empty, too, and they keep running. Once you start running, it's hard to slow yourself down."

• ON HAVING AND RAISING CHILDREN: "There is no experience like having children. That's all. There is no substitute for it. You cannot (find the experience) with a friend. You cannot (find the experience) with a lover. If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and learn how to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children."

• ON SOCIAL STATUS: "...if you try to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down at you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for the people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone."

• ON LIFE'S PURPOSE: "So many people walk with meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

• ON EMOTIONS: ... "It doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it. If you hold back on the emotions--- if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them--- you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that LOVING entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then you can say, "All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach myself from that emotion for a moment."

• ON WHAT MATTERS: "The average person is so fogged up by all of this, he has no perspective on what's really important anymore. Wherever I went in my life, I met people wanting to gobble up something new. Gobble up a new car. Gobble up the latest toy. And they want to tell you about it. 'Guess what I got? Guess what I got?' Do you know how I interpreted that? These people were so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes... They were embracing material things and expecting a sort of a hug back. But it never works."

iT's FiNaL!

I just finished writing and distributing my letter(s) of resignation to the companies I work for. My resignation from the 3 companies is effective the 6th of January '06. I don't have to write a letter to the other two since I only do seasonal work for them. So, there you go, it's now official! There's no turning back. The choice has been made. The decision made final.

I have mixed emotions at this point...
I am relieved because I've finally made my decision final. I am sad to be leaving a place I love, and people I've worked with for the past seven years. However, I am happy because I have made a step forward into working on my plans. I am stressed out just thinkin' about all the work I have to do with regards to my relocation. Yet, I am excited because I'm so close to being back home, and pursuing a career I've always dreamed of as a child. And I am scared... scared of all the uncertainties the future brings.

With all these emotions, one thing remains certain... I intend to fulfill my dream of being a physician no matter what. I will never give up. I won't lose hope. I will always have faith. (So help me God!)