Ang Huling Paglipad..

Ang Haribon.

Hari ng mga ibon.

Maestro ng himpapawid.

Panganib at kagandahan na lumilipad.

Ito ang aking paboritong ibon at hayop. Para sa akin, ito ang isa sa pinakamagandang nilalang ng ating Panginoon sa mundong ito. Ang kanyang pangalan, pinaikli mula sa mga salitang "haring ibon", ay tunay nga namang naaayon at karapat-dapat na itawag sa kanya. Wala nang mas gaganda pa sa ibon na ito.

 Ang kanyang tuka ay walang kasing talas at dilim; tinatago ng taglay nitong ganda ang lakas ng bawat kagat at ang panganib na dala nito sa kanyang mga biktima. Ang kanyang mga pakpak ay maikli, malapad at matikas - tamang-tama sa pagkilos nang maliksi at walang-hirap sa mga masukal na kakahuyan na siya niyang hinaharian. Ang katawan niya ay malakas ngunit magaan, katangi-tangi sa isang atleta na lumilipad. Ang dilim ng kanyang tuka ay tinatalo lamang ng kulay ng kanyang kuko, na kayang pumatay sa isang iglap ng kahit anong sa tingin niya'y pagkaen. Ang buntot niya ay malakas din at maliksi at gamit niya sa mga mabilisang liko at preno. Ang lahat ng ito ay katangian ng hari na walang katulad..

Ngunit - ang pinaka-natatangi sa lahat, ay ang kayang walang kaparis at walang kasing gandang korona.

Ang mga pluma sa kanyang ulo ay mistulang korona na nagpapatindi sa taglay niyang kamaharlikhaan. Ito'y naihahalintutulad sa balahibo ng leon, na siya rin tinatawag na hari ng mga hayop. Ang Haribon na nakatindig ang korona ay walang kasing dakila at walang kasing tapang ang dating. Kung pwede lang makapatay ang tingin, dun palang ay wala nang natirang buhay sa harapan niya.

Mapanganib. Malakas. Maganda. Maharlikha. Lahat ng ito ay nararapat na salita sa hari ng himpapawid. 

Sa kasamaang palad, ang ibon na kilabot ng lahat ng hayop sa buong pilipinas ay siya rin nanganganib na mawala sa kaharian nito. Ang panganib ay galing sa tanging ibang hayop na kayang limipol sa kanya - ang tao. Sa dami ng problema ng lipunan ngayon, may mga bagay na nangangailangan ng atensyon ng bayan ang tuluyan nang naibaon sa alaala ng buong lahing Pilipino, liban nalang ng iilang bilang na katao. Isa dito ang kalagayan ng ating pambansang ibon, na bilang nalang ang natira sa kaparangan. Kung susumahin ang estado ng populasyon ng Haribon sa pilipinas, masasabing ito ay naghihingalo at halos wala nang pulso. Halos patay na, at nakasalalay nalang sa kamay ng ilang kataong may malasakit and hindi pa nakakalimot.

Nakakalungkot isipin na ganito ang dinadanas ng pambansang ibon. Nakakalungkot. Nakakatakot.

Lumipas na ang panahon na kayang lumipad nang malaya ng Haribon sa himpapawid ng bansa. Maaaring dumating ang araw na dumating ang huling paglipad nito nang hindi manlang namamalayan ng mga tao. Sa kasamaang-palad, maaaring dumaan na pala ang araw na ito.

A Running Headstart..

My first blog for the whole of 2013 has never felt so good!

A new start, a new year, a new adventure - not to mention a new haircut. The beginning of the year is usually the time when people start making resolutions they know they will break, and setting plans that will never come to fruition. The reason I mention this - is that I, myself, have been very guilty for doing the very same for the past few 26 years of my life. I've always been very good in starting things and not finishing them. These range from my personal projects to my career and even to my various relationships. You can look at my sketchpad and see more than half of the things drawn there unfinished - probably that way forever. You can ask various people in church for the previous ministries i have left hanging. You can listen to the various promises I have made to myself and to others and you might not even witness them come true within this lifetime..

As much as I would like to attribute this to me being an artist, it's become too atrophic and destructive to my life for me to simply ignore and do nothing about. I've already gone past the first half of my life, assuming that I live up to 50, and I've I haven't really achieved any of the things that I've planned for myself at this age. I remember telling myself when I was 20 - and I was so confident about it - that I'd have my own place and my own car by 25. I don't even know how to drive yet, I barely have enough savings, let alone I live in my parents' house (although i believe the latter is something I've no choice on). I personally believe that in my current position, there is no other way but up, and i will not be allowing this old habit of mine to hold me down any longer. This time, things will be different.

How different, you say?

First of all, I've put it all in God's hands. The Lord has said in His word that when you commit to Him whatever you do, and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3). Believe it or not, My plans are no longer mine. I have set things I want to achieve this year, I have prayed for them, but I am allowing the Lord to move them as He wills so long as it's for His glory. These plans are not idle, just so you know, and I am not one to lie on my back and wait for things to work out. The Lord also has said in His Word that He blesses those who work hard (Proverbs 12:11). I will be working hard and doing my part, glorifying the Lord in my job, working towards the plans I have set,l but I will let Him sway my plans as He sees fit.

Second, I've written down my plans this time around. I have learned the past year that "plans" that aren't written aren't really plans, just fantasies. Now that I've had them all scripted down, I am engraving them into my mind and giving the said goals a timeline/deadline. It may seem like a trivial factor, but having your plans in paper can make all the difference.

Lastly, I have involved people in my plans so that I can be accountable to them regarding following through. With others included, I would have constant reminders for me to stay on track and finish what I have begun. As with the Israelites, the nature of man would be to forget what is not always seen or felt. Plans and goals are the same. If you don't have someone reminding you what you're supposed to do and where you currently are, they will soon be lost in memory and you will have changed course long before you notice.

 Things are looking very bright from this angle, indeed, and I'm ready to put it all on the line, not pulling any stops. I have offered this year to the Lord and I know things will be different this time around. All of the things I've mentioned should allow the comes to come into fruition, and I know as long as I remain in Him and abide in His plans, I would be bearing much fruit. And now that I have all these in my blog, this should serve as a last countermeasure to remind me that I, at the beginning of the year, felt this way and was this determined. I will not let myself waver.

All glory and honor be to you, Lord! Para sa inyo lahat 'to!

Oh, and it looks like I'll be blogging once a week now thanks to Kitty. Whew. Let's do this, then.