The Tree
Have you ever wondered why the tree trunk is round and not square? I was motivated to write this because I am just happy that there are big trees around my house where we could cool down especially with this hot weather where not even an ice cream could help.
These days, just chilling under this big mango tree is a very affordable option to cool down. I really enjoy the fresh air it produces as the leaves move with the wind. I just have to be careful because there could be a lot of unwanted insects making the tree as their abode.
Going back to my question why are tree trunks not square but round. We could have saved a lot of effort and resources in cutting them for construction purposes had they been square.
According to research, trees being round are actually very beneficial:
>>A round or tubular shape allows them to resist the force of the wind better than the flat surface of a square or rectangle would (Thompson, 2016).
>>Not only does its round shape help resist the wind, but it also is a very strong shape that helps support a lot of branches (Thompson, 2016).
>>Wood layers grow outward from the center in all directions.
>>They can bend in all directions; square trees would be more vulnerable to breaking at the corners.
**A tree can be like you and me in many ways too.**
*The wind*. Our life is also full of winds that we even reach the point when we feel like there is too much wind. These are the times when our lives are not only windy but more like stormy already. We experience storms in different aspects and degrees.
I, at the moment is on a tremendous financial storm that I think I have become so used to it already that it no longer bothers me a lot. I would like to think though that I have started to entrust the circumstance to my GOD.
Others may be experiencing winds and storms emotionally while others could be physically too. Regardless of the degree, what is certain is that there are winds in our lives just like that of a tree.
*Round shape*. We too are shaped as creatures that could be resilient to the storms and winds of life. We may not know but we are designed to overcome because as we face those storms, we become stronger, better and wiser. Individually, we know how to survive. Collectively, we are also round.
This is because we gain support from other people as well. Thus, we are not only round but the network we create are also round and are supporting us in times of distress. A perfect example is the family. No matter what happens, the family will always be our greatest stronghold.
*Wood layers*. We, like the tree, grow and develop outward. We transcend from the inside. That is why we should develop what is inside for the results to be manifested in the outside. After all, we are made up of cells and if we take care of those small things in the inside, we gain good results seen in the outside.
Speaking of trees, I am reminded of Joyce Kilmer's classic poem:
`Trees`
`BY JOYCE KILMER`
`I think that I shall never see`
`A poem lovely as a tree.`
`A tree whose hungry mouth is prest`
`Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;`
`A tree that looks at God all day,`
`And lifts her leafy arms to pray;`
`A tree that may in Summer wear`
`A nest of robins in her hair;`
`Upon whose bosom snow has lain;`
`Who intimately lives with rain.`
`Poems are made by fools like me,`
`But only God can make a tree.`
In this poem, the persona is in awe of the trees that he personified them in the descriptions expressed.
In the beginning, the persona expressed how majestic a tree is that it cannot even be compared to a poem. It is so beautiful that no words could even describe it. It was just wonderful. That's it!
`I think that I shall never see`
`A poem lovely as a tree.`
However, despite the incomparable beauty, the tree is also full of humility. In the lines below, it can be deduced that the tree depends so much on the earth as its source of life and nourishment. Literally speaking, the earth holds the tree and it is also where nutrients are from.
`A tree whose hungry mouth is prest`
`Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;`
Moreover, a tree isn't boastful of its majesty. In fact, it looks up to the heavens constantly. This is evident in the lines:
`A tree that looks at God all day,`
`And lifts her leafy arms to pray;`
As I reflect on this, I realized that despite all the things I have achieved in life (if there are any), I should not forget where all those things came from. There are many instances in my life when I thought I am self-sufficient and that I did everything with my hard work. I thought I did it all and I could do more. That is true at some point but my God at these times in life constantly and **painfully** reminded me that I am nothing without Him. I used the word painfully because it took pain for me to come back to my senses.
I also know someone very successful but almost lost everything. I can remember her telling me that God spoke to her with this, "Who do you think you are?" What are you without me?" Painful but true. Who could we be to say we could do everything without Him who made us?
Further, the life of the tree is not all sunshine. In the following lines, we can understand that there are stormy days. But it should also be noted that it (the tree) stood strong amidst the snow and the rain.
`Upon whose bosom snow has lain;`
`Who intimately lives with rain.`
In the end, it extended love towards the birds and other creatures.
`A tree that may in Summer wear`
`A nest of robins in her hair;`
As I look at this tree in my front yard, I am reminded that I am just like it but I could be so stubborn. Yet, I am glad that as long as it stands there, I will be reminded of what I am and what I should be.
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*Psalm 1:3* *ESV* https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+1%3A3&version=ESV
*He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.*
Birds of the Same Feather Flock Together
Such a cliche but still believed by a multitude of people at the present time. In this article, I am going to talk about the birds that I flock with and let's see what kind of person am I.
**The REVERED**
Today, I met with with two of my revered friend. The photo above is the fruity yogurt we ate. In simple terms, they are the church goers and the spiritual ones. We usually meet once a month especially when the lockdowns loosened a bit. We always find time to go to a cafe and have long chats. These friends of mine are the ones I grew up with going to to church and attending the youth ministry. Since we grew up in the church together, our topics when we meet usually revolve around inspirational experiences, Bible verses, life lessons and a lot more wholesome things.
It is in this group when I could open up my spirituality and they too. We usually pour out our sentiments in life to be consoled, encouraged and prayed on later. This is such a nice group. I feel so holy when I meet them. Also, I try my best to be even after meeting them. It is like a reinforcement group of all the things I listen to during Sunday services. This circle of friends is not always holy though as we also have the tendency to criticize and talk about other people but the good thing is we as much as possible do rebuke ourselves and each other not to judge other people.
This group is something like my moral compass.
**The MENTORS**
The second group are the educators. At work, I was able to make friends and they are the ones under this group. Since this global health crisis, learning has been done remotely so we do not meet everyday like we used to. Still, we meet out once in a while. The other day, I had the chance to have lunch with them.
In this group, we usually talk about academic matters and compare a lot of things. We compare, experiences with students, our bosses, the parents of our students and even our work places because we come from different institutions although we have a common denominator which is where I work now and some of them used to work to.
It is also in this group when rants mostly about work and anything surrounding it are aired out. It is a real outlet for each one of us. We may not be able to solve our predicaments but at least we are able to express ourselves and feel a bit better after.
After all, although we come from different institutions, we have somewhat common or identical issues. We clamor about our students who seem not interested in their academics and complain for a low or failing grade after. We clamor about parents who seem to know their children as saints but are a pain in the ass in reality. We mostly clamor about our institutions and those who head them who seem not to know what is going on with their teachers. They actually add more to the stress.
Despite all the clamors, we end up feeling better ready to show a facade again the next working day. Anyway, we are teachers and we ought to be strong for our students, our families and ourselves.
**The FRENEMIES**
Who could they be? I tried to think a lot on who could be my other group of friends but I guess that as I aged, I settled myself to lesser groups of friends. This third and final group then are my family--husband, son and 2 daughters.
My husband and children are my best friends but my enemies at the same time. Staying at home is not really much of a choice these days. As such, most of us are confined with our families at home. I think the long stay at home is causing restlessness to members. My case is no different.
Most days, I am happy that I get to have time to be with my kids and the husband. I can have quality with them by cleaning together, eating together and even learning together.
On the other hand, we also find ourselves stressing each other. Although I am a teacher by profession, I realized that I haven't really developed a significant amount of patience towards children--my children.
I also found my husband so annoying and I think he feels the same way too. I don't know but I don't mean to be annoying but I am and so with them. It is highly unlikely that they annoy me out of intention but I am really annoyed by them. hahaha
Despite all, they are the love of my life and no annoyance can ever surpass that.
**CONCLUSION**
When I was younger, I had a lot of more groups. I even have the exact opposite of the revered. I want to call them the party-goers. They literally are party-goers and they are extremely fond of drinking alcohol, smoking. I was a hard drinker then. I think I outgrew it.
When I got married, I totally turned away from such group. They are still my friends and they will always be but we don't go out anymore like the old days. We see each other and we talk a lot but no more drinking and others. Perhaps, we all outgrew those things or maybe we reached our saturation if there is such a thing.
I also had nerdy friends. I love this group too because I was able to enjoy the solitude of the library. They read a lot and I do too a little. Most of the time we spend at the library is actually a siesta (nap time) for me. I really doze off. On the bright side, I was able to write my thesis thanks to these people.
Now, as I draw nearer to the beginning of life ("Life begins at 40"), I realized that I have a very limited circle of friends. I believe that there is nothing wrong with that. I think I merely learned to see the value of the small.
Now, what kind of person am I? Is it because of the birds I flock with? Yes but no!
No because everything about me is all because of me and the decisions I made for myself. They influenced me perhaps but I made the move. It was I who made the choice. They never did the choice for me.
Yes because with what I am today, I am forever grateful to them!
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**The righteous choose their friends carefully,**
**but the way of the wicked leads them astray. -- Proverbs 12:26**
Why do People Fall Out of Love?
Answer A: It just happens and we cannot do anything about it.
Answer B: that is a myth. People don't fall out of love.
What about you? What do you think?
Let me share to you the real life story of Tino. Do you know him? Neither do I but he posted his life story in a public platform and it is becoming a sensational topic for people who have read it. By the way, the platform where e shared his story is PUBLIC and can even be shared by other people.
Disclaimer: I will try my best to relate his story based on how I understood it but it may not necessarily be what he meant to say in his post. Also, I do not mean to judge his story or anything to that effect but I am writing this because I believe we can learn from his experience (this he also claimed at the beginning of his story).
The story is related in a local language in the Northern part of the Philippines so I will try my best to retell in English using the third person point of view.
Tino came from a broken family. He grew up along with his younger sister on the side of their mother because their father left them for another woman. His father is still living with the other woman and they also have a child of their own.
In this recount of his life, he is telling the readers that he now understood what happened to his parents and how it happened. When he entered college, he decided to live with his father and his new family leaving his sister and her mother. The mother never approved of it but he was insistent. He said that this might be his only chance to find out what indeed happened to his parents long time ago.
At the beginning of the study, he described the kind of life his father and his family are leaving. They are actually well off that they have a 5 story house where the first 3 floors are for tenants while the last 2 floors are where he and his family lives. With his decision to live with his father, he felt a bit of awkwardness toward the father's wife and so he never talks to her except when his answers are needed. That was the kind of life he had there.
One day, his father came home a bit drunk. All of a sudden, the father called him and he started crying. He apologized for leaving them when they were young and started telling him what happened then.
With the father's very long explanation, the reason for leaving them can be summarized into this:
In English, **he fell out of love**. He had to leave because there was no more love and he was afraid that the love that he felt before will be replaced with hatred because his wife (the mother of Tino) became very hateful towards him when he told her that he no longer loves him. He did not like the regular quarrels. Thus, to end the misery, he decided to leave them.
However, within the explanation, the father mentioned that he met the other woman and and wooed her for a year while he was still living with his wife and children.
Tino then asked his father whether the woman knew about them.
She knew about the family and she rejected his love many times. After a year, she gave in and they started forming their own family. According to the author, as he continued staying with them, he saw how much his father and his new wife loved each other. He even noticed how happy his father was which he believed his father never felt while he was with his mother.
In the end, he understood what happened to his parents and realized that :
He stressed in his statement that NOT EVERTHING THAT SHOULD BE IS RIGHT. That was the story of Tino.
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After me and some of my friends finished reading the story, we started airing our own observations and sentiments. Let me summarize our common denominator if I can remember them right:
We are really happy that the writer got the chance to finally get an explanation and perhaps even learned to forgive. We hope that the mother and the other sibling would be able to do the same. After all, everything that happened is all in the past and they need to move on. Moving on they say is not easy if we carry burdens of hate and unforgiveness.
I don't like to sound insensitive but I and friends believe that there is no such thing as falling out of love. You may not agree and it's okay because we have differing beliefs based on differing perspectives as well. In this particular situation, I guess what the couple (Tino's parents) particularly the father is perhaps not love at all. Because love is a very complex idea, it could be mistaken to anything else. But if love indeed conquers all, then they could have not separated.
We have also realized that it could be natural for man to come up with excuses to justify his actions. In this case, man can be unconsciously Machiavellian. He believed that, "The end justifies the means."
Well, these are mere thoughts of three middle aged women. You could have yours and you might want to share them too. If so, please feel free to comment down.
Thank you for reading.
Special thanks to my sponsor: @OfficialGamboaLikeUs
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19. Proverbs 3:3-4: "Let love and **faithfulness** never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
A Slice of Me Again
As you may have noticed, I am very new in this platform. In fact, I only have a handful of published articles here yet. Here they are:
**A Slice of Me** https://read.cash/@iamHeavenbound/a-slice-of-me-57c549b1
**The Sunset** https://read.cash/@iamHeavenbound/the-sunset-d858e6a9
**Nahum 1:7** https://read.cash/@iamHeavenbound/nahum-17-eca86759
This new article however will be focused on the very first full article I published that I even titled it like that of the first. I actually do not have plans to write something like this but let me just share something that is still amazing me up to this very moment.
Also, It is my hope that I am not going against any rules in this platform by writing this. I am just so amazed and grateful at the same time for what I am seeing.
After writing the first article a few days ago, I never expected anything because I know readers may not be able to notice it. To my amazement however, I got a notification saying that the random rewarder **paid** me a visit. Notice how I stressed on the word paid.
Based from the experiences of writers here, RR usually visits new writers' articles on the second or third articles. I am grateful then that I was visited on my first try. It actually boosted my interest and motivation to write more. Thus, I wrote two more. Unfortunately, RR seemed not interested with what I have written so there was no 'paid visit'. It's okay. RR may be very busy as there are a multitude of writers here already. He'd be so overwhelmed if RR was a real person.
A few minutes however after posting my third article, I received some notifications in which I did not pay attention to because I was busy with other things. When I opened the notifications, this amazed me:
RR revisited my first article many times and is still revisiting up to now. There could be a glitch or something but I think this is the best glitch or abnormality for me now.
I am just so happy and thankful for the many visits RR. I hope that when the problem is fixed, the system will not take back everything. Haha!
Anyway, for those first timers like me, it is really helpful to read the tips being sent to our notifications. I actually tried my best to follow them to the best of my ability. At this point, I may not have readers yet but I think that as I continue writing and abiding to the tips given my various writers here, I would be able to gain more readers, commenters, upvoters and subscribers.
For now, I will be read more articles, comment around, upvote and find other writers to sponsor.
Before I end, here are some of the things I have learned and are still learning with the few days I spent writing here:
If you want others to read what you write, you have to make your existence known by reading other people's articles, leaving valuable and sincere comments, and subscribing to writers you think are worth your time.
Be patient and just write. If others won't notice, just consider it a very productive way of self-expression.
Be nice to other writers. Nothing beat goodness.
As I continue learning, I would add more to this list. I believe there is more to learn. We just have to be open and empty. Remember, when a glass is full, there would be no more space for more.
Thank you for reading !
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***"Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart".***
***--Psalms 37:4***
Nahum 1:7
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”
Today is one of those many days in which I have witnessed Nahum 1:7. I only have 1500 pesos in my wallet after purchasing some things for the kitchen and a few stocks for my merchandise. However, my daughter tells me this morning that the milk storage is empty and so with some supplies like eggs, fruits, fish and veggies. A kilo of beans, half of a medium sized squash and 2 eggs are the only things in the fridge. I am to meet a probable buyer today but I am not really sure if she is going to buy any so I thought that I will just settle with what my 1500 pesos could buy.
While I was striding the moist soil of the unpaved foot path from my house going to the main road, I saw my neighbor carrying her laundry. I shouted, “Buti ka pa nakapaglaba ka na…”(“Good for you you’re done with your laundry…”) she laughed and suddenly stopped walking as she remembered something. “Oo pala ate, bukas na due ng Avon mo. Kung may ipapahatid ka na savings mo sa Card Bank, pakisama na rin yung due mo.” (By the way, tomorrow is the due date of your Avon payment so if you will send your savings for Card Bank, then please include the due payment.”)
I imagined my big smile fading away. I am just happy she was not able to see it because I was wearing my face mask. I suddenly remembered that it has been a month since I got the Avon products from her so I had to pay them to avoid overdue penalties. I need to pay her 1000 pesos. Oh no! I only have 1500 with me and I need to buy milk and other things for the kids. What should I do? I had no choice but to say yes to her but deep inside, I actually don’t know if I would be able to pay her indeed.
As I continued walking, I received a message:
You may call it coincidental but I call it answer. What was my question? – What should I do?
When I reached the main road, the store owner called me. “Ate, pasensiya ka na di ko nacompute masyado yung binayaran nyo kahapon. Kulang po yung binayad nyo ng 225.00”. (“I’m sorry but I was not able to compute the items you paid yesterday. You need to pay 225.00 more.”) Whoa! When it rains, it pours. I just smiled and told her that I will give back the 225.00 when I come back.
Inside the jeepney, I clicked on the link in the message I received and it lead me to read the whole passage. I read and re read it. After, I closed my eyes and said, “Lord, so let it be. I will trust you for you are my stronghold in this day of trouble.”
It wasn’t still time to meet my probable client so I went to a government office to inquire about my change status and change name and so with the renewal of my professional license. The kind lady at the fifth floor told me that I need to accomplish some forms and have them be notarized by a lawyer, procure the needed requirements, pay an amount of 875.00 pesos for the rectification and renewal processes. As I have told you, I only have 1,500.00 with me so I just took the form, thanked the lady then went out of the building.
It was about time for my friend/probable client to finish her class (online) and meet me so I sent her a message. She promptly responded and said that she is about to leave the house to meet me.
Out of the government office, I walked past the public market to the office where I am supposed to meet her. While waiting for her, I had mixed thoughts and emotions but I was more at peace than worried. I believed that Nahum 1:7 gave me the assurance and so I just had to trust.
Ever since, I had trust issues. In fact, I never trusted my mom who is a very good swimmer to teach me how to swim so up till now, I can’t swim. Trusting is not easy for me and I really don’t know why. However, I am trying my best to change it because at the end of the day, I won’t have a choice but to. Trusting God should be different. This is what I am always telling myself. Today, I am delighted by the peace I am feeling.
After 30 minutes, she came. My very accommodating and equally abled sponsor analyzed her health and introduced the products. She (my friend) was showing positive signs so I was really happy. However, when the prices were discussed, I noticed the sudden switch of emotion in her face. It was not dismay but more of something that tells me that the prices were okay but she did not have enough money to pay them for now. I really don’t know how to call that expression but that is how I read her face upon learning how much she had to pay if she opts to buy the products.
I remember reciting Nahum 1:7 in my head at that moment. A few minutes later, she said. “I will buy them because I really need them now.” Whoa! What a relief! She bought all three products today.
When she left, I was about to cry. The Lord is indeed very good. He knows our needs and will meet them just like how he feeds the birds and clothe the flowers. On many days, I worry a lot on so many things but I believe that my God will take care of me.
In the end, I was able to buy what I needed, pay the financial obligations I promised to and once again, God has proven Himself to me.
Dear God, forgive me for not fully trusting you. Help me to learn to trust you more because I am indeed nothing without you. Have your way in me. Have your way in everything I do and even those that I will still decide to do. Be with me; be the magnified in my life and be the captain of my life. Again, thank you and all glory belongs to you!
The Sunset
At this very moment while writing this article, I am looking at the sunset. Notice that I did not put any adjective to describe it because the sunset can actually mean different things depending at the one looking at it.
I am at the 4th floor of a building now and this is how the sunset looks like.
Some say the sunset marks the end of something much like how the day ends. It can then be alluded to a life nearing its end or a journey at its expiration. More poetic people would say the sunset symbolizes the completion of a journey. Others say that it is a beautiful scene that marks a time to rest and recharge for a new day ahead. Here, the sunset becomes a signal of refreshing for a new hope and a new beginning.
People can become so poetic when they see things like this. I don't know why but man has the tendency to relate himself/herself especially his/her emotions to phenomenon such a the sunset or the sunrise.
As for me, I think I am more filled with awe while looking at it so I had to take a photo or two. I am more drawn to the sunset’s beauty just as much as what the event signifies.
The sunset for me now is just the beginning of my life. This is because I had to sleep during the day while I work the graveyard. Like many workers here in the Philippines, I have learned to embrace the fact that the sunset is not a signal for me to rest but the other way around. It is a sign for me that to wake my neurons up along with the cells of my body so I could start working. My body clock seem to cooperate that in normal days outside work, I couldn't sleep at night but I am very sleepy during the day.
On the bright side, the sunset also tells me that I should remain grateful that I have a job and that I could put food on the table. You see, with the situation that the world is facing now, not having a job is even more difficult. It seems like choosing a job is a luxury for people. The only concern is to be able to survive with this crisis.
I remember a story in the Bible when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus of his knowledge on the sign of the heavens. Jesus answered them by saying,
**2** He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ **3** and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.[a] **4** A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16&version=NIV#fen-NIV-23676a
Indeed. We put meaning into the things we see in the sky like that of the sunset but we are actually being warned that we cannot interpret the signs of the times. No one I suppose foresee this situation we are facing now but then, it is already here and we have to learn how to live with it. No one knows until when this will end but as for me, I am comforted by the fact that my God will never leave me nor forsake me.
A few minutes later, this was how the sunset looked like outside my window.
The sun is now slowly replaced by the bright lights from the different households and establishments. It still looks lovely to me.
I am now in the middle of doing my job while I take time to write something here in between. The lights are giving a feeling that I am not alone and that in fact, everyone is more awake or so I thought.
I am glad that I am in a city where the night can be like any other day for people like me. How could a city full of lights be sleeping at this time? It can't be. Or perhaps it is merely giving a bit of consolation.
They say, the night was created for us to rest our weary bodies and minds to be recharged and be ready for a new days task. Unfortunately for me, it is the other way around. Nevertheless, I still continue to be grateful.
In the middle of the night, my shift will be over so I have to travel home. By then, the lights illuminated by the households and establishments outside my window will be more dazzling as the the sun is now in its resting place and the night is succumbed by pitch darkness. You see, the darker it is, the brighter a spark of light becomes. A really nice oxymoron but that is the same with our lives.
As we are immersed in our darkest times, so should the Lord's radiance be magnified. As we indulge into our pains and sorrows, so should our desire burn to reach out for the Lord's hands outstretched for us. Sometimes, we just don't realize because we are so immersed into our circumstances.
After the journey, I will have to reach the main road leading to a path home. I will have to walk a bit more before I would reach home. There is the family waiting for me in their dreams. I will have to go kiss the sleeping kids before I finally say, "Let's call it the night. Thank you Lord for this victorious day"!
A Slice of Me
Let me tell you something about me by telling you some of the things I hate and love. Let’s be more positive so let me talk about the things I love first.
First, I love being free. I decide on my own. I go anywhere whenever I want to. I eat what I want whether it is good for me or not. I go home whenever I want and even wherever I want. I earn and spend also on whatever pleases me. Such a beautiful definition of freedom, ain’t it?
This freedom however is all in the past. In college, I learned to live on my own and do almost everything on my own. I was in fact self-sufficient and I loved it that way. The perks however came with a price. I had to work a lot almost not leaving any time for rest. I had to juggle my tasks as a student and a worker at the same time. It wasn’t easy but I managed. All so I thought.
Now, let’s just say that how I understood freedom revamped. I am now a parent to three amazing children. It’s true I couldn’t enjoy that freedom I once relished but I am not deprived of freedom. In fact, I have more freedom now. While the kids are at their tender years, I am given the privilege to decide for them, hone them and perhaps manipulate them? hahhahahah (evil laugh)
I enjoy my freedom now quite differently. This is because I believe that LOVE is freedom. When we love, we are bound by laws because loving is more outward than inward. Thus, as I show my love to my kids, I am actually enjoying my freedom. While I decide for them, it is also my way of training them to learn to make better decisions when they will have to stand on their own and decide for themselves. As a result, I pray for them to become productive individuals and citizens of worth not only for themselves but for the society as a whole. In the end, freedom will be enjoyed not only by them but also by the people around them. That is real freedom.
Second, I love food.
When I was younger, I was so skinny despite the volume of food I take in. During those days, people would bully me and call me names such bamboo stick, walking stick or just stick. Because of that, I always hated my body built. By the way, I was taller than most of the kids my age. My height was never an advantage for me then especially that I was even taller than the boys. I thought I would never find love because it would be difficult to find a man taller than me. Hilarious right? But that was how I felt then. Consequently, I ate more and anything in the hope of gaining more significant fats to fill in the scrawny body. This was to the point of not being able to control my appetite.
When I got married and had children, I miraculously gained weight and then it didn’t stop. My cravings for food did not subside though but I am trying my best to lose weight now not only to look good but also to maintain good health. Looking back at how people treated me then, I realized that the other people’s judgement about me gave a great impact on how I tried to live my life. I lived full of inhibitions in life while in fact, I was the sexiest then among us all and I even have a very good height had I known earlier. Well, those were all in the past and I still have the present to manage. I am just thankful that I learned significant lessons and I will have to teach them to my kids.
Finally, I love teaching. In fact, I am a teacher and I have been teaching for some time now. At a young age, I always saw my teachers as awesome people for they are a monopoly of knowledge. I thought they are the most intelligent people in this planet as they know a lot; they knew everything. From the beginning then, I have dreamt of becoming one of them. Unlike many who did not pursue their childhood dreams, I did become a teacher. Just after graduation, I managed to get employed as a teacher in an international school with students of various nationalities.
I moved from one school to another looking for my fit place to complete the puzzle. At present, I am not really sure if I am indeed in the right place. I still long for more but only God knows where should I be in the next years to come. I am just lucky that I am not jobless at this difficult time.
What do I hate?
I used to hate a lot. I say ‘used’ because I am trying to trim them down because there would be no room in my heart for love if I fill it with hate. So, let me just talk about one thing I hate.
I hate it when I feel like I couldn’t do anything right. I know you have had this feeling too at some point in your life. I also know that you know how it feels exactly.
As I have said, let us not dwell on those things that do not seem pleasing to us. They could be very stressful. So, I am going to end my self introduction here. There will be more to come as I continue writing.
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1 Thessalonians 5:18
**18** in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Hi! I am new here and I am still trying to navigate things so let me just read your articles, comment around and maybe get inspired to write an article in the next days.
@iamHeavenbound
