Monday 30 January 2012

My Bloopers (and Lex')

Lito and I have been collecting bloopers before and shared with Dennis and Loida (Happy Birthday friend!). A have a few bloopers when I arrived in Canada but I only remember one. Here goes: Saying Hi or Hoy Kamusta is always done here in the form of questions like "How are you?" "How'd you doing?" "How's your morning?" and so I always answer the same like "Good" "I'm good, how about you?" "Excellent because it's Friday!" or "Never been better". Sometimes I also say negative replies and that strikes a conversation when things are really not well. Anyway, one time the Brewery General Manager's Admin Assistant and I bumped each other in the hallway and she greeted me, I immediately replied "I'm good" when she said something but I later realized that she just said "Hello!" hahaha. so that's my blooper and here's the video blooper of my 3-yr old singing London Bridge. He is so cute and I want to share this here for you to be amused. Enjoy!

Saturday 14 January 2012

Top 5 people regret before dying

Sharing this article about life and death.
This is so true. I was crying after reading this.
Let us all choose life, choose happiness!

thanks to Joan Santiago of N@W
______________________

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality.
I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a
result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical
details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called `comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to themselves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to
let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Source
http://www.ariseindiaforum.org/nurse-reveals-the-top-5-regrets-people-make-on-their-deathbed/

Friday 13 January 2012

Footprints in the Snow

When my officemate Mike asked me,” How are you today?” I blurted out, “You know with this kind of weather, it’s not a good one for me! “ They were always asking me (because I’m commuting and walking) and my boss (who lives in Barrie) how we are if the snow is pouring hard like this. It’s nice of them to show their concern. But I had the worst today! The weather is nasty. Wind is gusty and snow is pouring hard…on my face…while walking around the block. I passed by 4 bus stops, you can just imagine how far it is and walked around the whole of the Brewery to get to my office. My usual route is shorter but the turnstile failed again and would not let me in. I was already thinking of going home when I saw the bus going Southbound on the way to the other entrance but I had to move on and go to work. I felt like crying after almost slipping twice (there were icy patches where I walked on) but I realized that my tears would also turn to ice so I just prayed and sang songs of praise. I felt pity for myself but I know that moment I had to think positive. I just think about the opportunity to talk to God who kept me warm and made me feel like I’m enjoying this weather…Strange but I started to like the feel of snow on my feet and like the color around me, it’s all white – clean and pure...the Friday the thirteenth jinx didn’t work on me and I thank God, my friend Jesus who walked with me all the way..I now remember the poem/song…footprints in the sand. I experienced it today. Snow storm, Blizzard? Bring it on…I’m ready for more..

Sunday 8 January 2012

Baby Carlisle is here

My nephew came a day earlier. He should have shared the same birthday with his mom. He was born on January 2, 2012 (1-2'12) Congratulations to my sister Wendy and Carter for the many blessings you are receiving. May this year be the year you come to Canada. Happy Birthday to you Wendy and Welcome to our family Carlisle! Here are some of my sister's (as print ad model for Medicard) and nephew pictures before and after giving birth:



Saturday 7 January 2012

Happy New Year!

It's been a week since the new year started and I forgot to blog. It was a perfect opportunity to thank 2011 and welcome 2012. Well, I can still do that so I want to thank God for the many wonderful blessings last 2011. Most significant events in 2011 are acquiring our new home, my parent's visit here in Canada and my encounter retreat. Thank God for all these and other blessings. He gave us not only tangible things that we need but also the intangibles like good health, jobs and relationships.

Welcome 2012 - We went to Neil and Keli's place near Square One for the countdown. We had dinner prepared by Kelly, some Brazilian dishes, the Salmon dish she copied from me and we had fun with the Brazilian traditions that Kelly taught us while eating the lentil dish. We witnessed the very short fireworks display at the Mississauga City Hall in front of their condo. The kids played video games with Neil and stayed very late. I think we left their place after 2:00 am. It was a blast!