Family Bonding: Treasuring Memories with Significant Others

          Time is precious. Quality time creates special memories in our hearts. Thus last Saturday and Sunday, me and my whole family spent an overnight stay at Myrtleford Hotel right at the middle part of Myrtleford,  a popular tourist destination situated between Wangaratta and Bright. 

                                                                           

          For two days, we spent precious time exploring the similarly popular tourist destinations like Bright, Lake Buffalo, and Mount Beauty. While on our trip going to our destination, we already observed the breathtaking surroundings on both sides of the road most notably the Great Alpine Road. 

          When we were at Buffalo River Road which is more or less 21 kilometers away from Myrtleford, the serenity of the water attracted much of my attention. Further the cool breeze of the air penetrated the deepest part of me and gave me heaps of relief to free from stresses.

                                                                       

          Meanwhile, the town proper of Myrtleford was already filled with visitors when we arrived at 11 am. Both visitors and local folks were gratifying themselves with their delightful coffees while others were having fun strolling in the parka and chatting. Me and my family spent esteemed memories at the very clean park situated near the busy town centre. Night came and we had our dinner at the hotel and while we enjoyed our delicious food like my favourite salmon filet, we were at the same time delighted to listen to the live band featuring Tahlia Gibson, a very talented young girl who rendered both new and previous hits.

          Over all, the opportunity to bond together as a family allowed me and my wife plus our kiddo, Kurt to share wonderful moments.  

The Treasure of Being Together with Loved Ones

           Due to certain recent priorities that came out, I did not have anymore the luxury of having sufficient time to update my blogs. Yet I don't have any regrets since the time that I spend now with my family ( my wife and kid) is more precious than those other times. 

          Anyway, those moments spent with my love ones were treasures which are beyond any material possession. These memories would always remain in the deepest part of my heart. Having recently reunited with our son meant a lot for me as a father ( and for sure, same goes with my wife being a mom). There were times that my patient was tested by my 4 year old kid but I always tell myself, the adult in me needs to come out rather than just allowing my inner child to interfere.

          As a grown up, I know that there are things that my son, at his stage, doesn't exactly know and beyond his grasp of comprehension thus, whether he behaves properly or the other way around, it is then my responsibility as well as role being a father to guide him what then is best for him.

         As a whole, my treasured and bonding moments with my family will then be a personal source of strength to move forward and look ahead on what is at stake before me. 

How Then Could We Find Relevance on Social Networking Sites Such as Facebook?

          Social networking sites nowadays have emerged like mushrooms and to name a few, sites such as Facebook, Linked, Pinterest, Brimble, Twitter, and many more have enjoyed much popularity as each day passes by. To cite a specific interest, we will take one particular site which is very popular nowadays and this is Facebook. 

           As of March this year, there are " 665 million users everyday and 751 million using Facebook from a mobile device each month."  (Reference: https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=xdDXVYIBo-7zB-XZvfgL&gws_rd=ssl#q=statistical+data+of+facebook+users). From this figure, one can find out how much relevance Facebook is having then at the present time. 

          But one may ask, how then could we find relevance in our time using any of these  social network sites? Answers may differ from one person to the other yet the most common relevant matters we could get out of this activity are the following:

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1. checking out one's disposition- Facebook allows us to check out the whereabouts, situations, conditions, moods of our friends most notably that of our loved ones. Though it also solicits vigilance on our part since we need to monitor that others will not exploit nor manipulate our status and our personal state but nevertheless, Facebook enables us to have an update both on our own and others' conditions;

2. making friendships-  through Facebook, we will be able to establish new relationships and friendships with others thus enabling us to expand our connections. As social beings, we are happy when we make more connections since no one among us can deny that we  need each other. On the other hand, it also solicits from us a certain responsibility and that is to take care of each of these friendships. We can't just ignore our established relationships with others hence we should devote time to nurture our relationships. 

3. making one's Facebook experience profitable- online advertising nowadays is one of the most popular forms of earning money online thus with the use of these social media platforms most especially Facebook, we then could earn money if we are able to acquire the necessary skills to facilitate advertisements on them. 

          These are but just a few of the positive things that we can get out of our Facebook experience. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, we also need to be careful with our time and connection on this site. We should refrain from allowing  these sites to interfere with our very basic yet primary relationship with loved ones. Thus, we have to ensure that we devote quality time with them especially to our partners and children before we consume time on these social network sites. 

                                        

T.G.I.F......What's in a Friday?

          It's Friday once again. It may not sound true to you but it is just a personal observation that when it is Friday, the atmosphere around and everywhere is that of excitement and thrill. I know that it is probably a matter of mindset but for many people, Fridays means time for break from work, time to spend with loved ones, opportunity to relax after spending much time in offices, shops, workplaces etc.

          From a woman's point of view (my wife), it sounds though much similar to mine like Fridays and weekends are days to spend for bonding, relaxing, having time together for activities that could build further the relationship as husband and wife, as friends, as ordinary people.

          In my workplace, when Friday comes, people are so excited in coming to work and in ending their respective responsibilities also. This is contrasting to what Monday brings to people. Mondays are the opposite meaning some people seems to be still floating in the air having the after effect of the weekend's activities. Others are feeling sluggish coming into work. 

          Anyway, whatever our motivations for Fridays, may it always be for the betterment of our being and that of our relationships with others. To spend quality time with people dear to us is highly priceless. So come..... let us spend this day and the coming weekend in a way that both we and our loved ones will share alongside each other moments of togetherness and oneness. After all, life is meaningful when it is shared with others. 

                                          

Spending Precious Time with Your Loved Ones

          We all have our considered richness in life- health, family, wealth, achievements etc.. And I do believe that one among the stand out among them is the family. Yes we all value each of our families and in fact, that's the very main reason why majority, if not all of us, are working hard and exerting much of our time for the sake of our families. 

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         Indeed, we are unaware that at times, we gain strength and importance from all the significant persons inside our families. How about you, do you spend quality time with your family- with all your loved ones? Moreover we can learn bountiful things from our day to day interactions with our loved ones. All those which we have learned from school about love, understanding, openness, welcoming etc, we can concretised them all first and foremost through the members of our families. 

          How then can we teach LOVE to others if we are not loving all members of our families? How can we speak truthfully about welcoming others when in fact, we disregard one member of our home? To become a worthy example of good deeds to others, we should start first with all the members of our families- spouses and children. And we constantly bear in mind that no amount of material wealth could ever replace the CONCRETE LOVE that we convey to our family members. 

                                           

My Source of Happiness

          What really is happiness? This is a very relative matter in the sense that what could be your source of being happy may not be true for the other person. Somehow it is but essential for us to be aware of those things that can make and give us true meaning of happiness. 

To give us further insight on what happiness is, let us share these thoughts:

"Psychologist Martin Seligman asserts that happiness is not solely derived from external, momentary pleasures,^[11] and provides the acronym PERMA to summarize Positive Psychology's correlational findings: humans seem happiest when they have

1. Pleasure (tasty food, warm baths, etc.),
2. Engagement (or flow, the absorption of an enjoyed yet challenging activity),
3. Relationships (social ties have turned out to be extremely reliable indicator of happiness),
4. Meaning (a perceived quest or belonging to something bigger), and
5. Accomplishments (having realized tangible goals)."- from Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia

          From the above thoughts, it is obvious that happiness differs from one stage of being to the other. I know of some people who are happy by just being alone with themselves. They don't want to be interfered in their activities which for them are the ones that give them source of meaning in life.

imagecredit: http://www.toasto.com/free-photos/nature-and-scenic/sky-and-clouds/approaching-storm-clouds/

          There are also people who are happy with their titles like being managers, CEOs, COO, and the like. That when others devoid  them of any recognition and admiration of these titles, it seems their days are incomplete and they feel that they are not worthy. In some cases, what is worst is when they tend to vent their ire on others as if they already lose their sense of being human persons merely due to subordinates not addressing them with their titles. Sometimes, the real cause of this feeling of being unhappy is the sense of insecurity of oneself. 

          On the other hand, others are made happy by their achievements and the accolades that go with them. Moreover there are those who find happiness by being with their loved ones and no matter what their state of life is, they are still happy being with their significant others.

          Hence, in the midst of these various realities, it is important for us to recognize what are those things that make us real happy and how could we also radiate the same happiness to others. No matter what adversities we have in life, there would always be reasons for us to stay happy and be optimistic.

 
                                       

Each One's Uniqueness

          As I study on Organisational Behaviour, the more that it becomes clearer to me the interrelationship between an organisation and society. Both are made up of group of people whom each one carries with him/her the unique attributes which make him/her stand out among the others. 

          On organisational behaviour, it mainly rests as well on human behaviour. As we all know, people have various ethnic backgrounds thus bringing along with them their own cultures, practices, taboos, rituals etc.. Each individual therefore has his/her own learning capacity and responsibility. 

          So vast is the complexity of each individual yet what struck me most out of this given complex element is the uniqueness that each individual carries along side with him/her. How unique one is from the other at times makes it difficult to achieve self satisfaction and in certain circumstances, may lead to one's disowning of oneself. 

          What then is your behaviour when it comes to your own uniqueness? Are you basically aware of it or not? Just like any organisation, there is no such "one best way" to approach this individual uniqueness but rather, the focus must be shifted to one's humbling ownership of such "giftedness". 

          Moreover, let us all be constantly aware how we are unique from each other and let us make use of this uniqueness to extend positive things and gestures to others. Thus, we should consistently complement each other until such time that we reach our own wholeness if there is such state in life. 

                                                

Why Do We Connect With People?

          As human as we are, it is but natural for us to seek connections. Indeed, it is such a very basic need that for anybody, no matter who you are and what you are, it is but a very basic need to be connected with others. In this regard, allow me to share with you this video from Youtube on this discussion and we will all together find out some of the interesting reasons why we need though connections.

                            
                                       videocredit: https://www.youtube.com/user/shellterrell

          From our early years, we are already starting to build up connections. From the very significant people in our life like our parents and siblings, we then start to develop our ability to cope with the demands of our environment. Then later on, we start to connect with people outside of our comfort zone like neighbours, friends, relatives etc. Afterwards, we continue to build up our connection with people we meet in school, in our neighbourhood and in other places.

 Meanwhile our featured video here will show us some reasons for us to have connections. To enumerate some of them, here they are:

1. to learn (anytime, anywhere)- that's true. Interacting with people enable us to learn new things. And the beauty of this one is that it then becomes a two-way process. We will learn from others and they will also learn from us.

2. to knock down wall---learning from the classroom will allow us to be ready to face squarely the world out there....this world which is so full of surprises.....so full of anonymity.....of being so unpredictable thus it is but fitting for us to get ready to face all these surprises.

3. connect to share resources and ideas- the splendour of life is on its gift of being able to be shared with others thus let us all be reminded that we are also called to be generous donor to each other and this calls for us to extend to others whatever gift that we have. Sharing is connecting lives.

4. to help us all achieve our goals- another wonderful element of being alive---when we are able to help others to reach their potentialities.

5. to get inspired and to create

6. to get in touch  with friends and families

          These are but some of those reasons why we choose to connect with others. Can you identify your intuition the first time you meet a new friend? What exactly connect you with that person? Hence let us all open our arms and embrace anybody who comes our way. Let no race, colour, talent, skill etc hinder us to connect with others. 

 
                                         

My World of Blogging

          Blogging started on the early 90's and since then, it has grown into a very popular activity for anyone. Much have been said about this writing on the net and elsewhere, it continues to evolve into a powerful platform for people to communicate online their thoughts on many matters. 

          If we look at it, we could say that blogging really is not that old in existence yet it has become so popular that even the powerful worlds of advertisements and consumerism are tremendously affected by it.  The rise in popularity started in 1999 especially with the arrival of self hosted blog tools. 

• "Bruce Ableson launched Open Diary in October 1998, which soon grew to thousands of online diaries. Open Diary innovated the reader comment, becoming the first blog community where readers could add comments to other writers' blog entries.
• Brad Fitzpatrick started LiveJournal in March 1999.
• Andrew Smales created Pitas.com in July 1999 as an easier alternative to maintaining a "news page" on a Web site, followed by Diaryland in September 1999, focusing more on a personal diary community.^[22]
• Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan (Pyra Labs) launched Blogger.com in August 1999 (purchased by Google in February 2003)"- Source: Wikipedia- the free encyclopaedia

          As such, many users of the online world soon become members of the so-called blogosphere - the world of bloggers. Indeed, it is on this online world wherein bloggers come and share the joy and success of blogging. On the other hand, they tend to give and get support from one another. This kind of world that is devoid of any discrimination, boundaries, exclusivity and the like. And count me in as one of those people who make use of various platforms to express my thoughts. 

imagecredit: http://www.gratisography.com/pictures/86H.jpg

            Presently, I maintain a couple of blogs to express my thoughts and inspirations on certain topics and sharings. Enumerated below are examples of them- my sources of communicating my thoughts with you all. 

1. Every Day is a Gift- my blog which focuses on daily inspirations and human interests. On this blog, I share with the readers my thoughts on subjects that touch our daily lives and correspondingly affect our day to day journey;

2. Promoting Strong Future International- my online marketing business. Here, Strong Future International (SFI), being my first and foremost online marketing business since I have other sources as well, is constantly promoted and shared. Methods and updates on this company are displayed and extended to others most notably to those who would also be interested in putting up their own online marketing business;

3. My Life Journey- a blog on my life journey and on other people's lives inspiration. Beforehand, I am aware how my life is interwoven with other people's lives especially to the significant people in my life- my wife and my kiddo, Kurt Kristoff.  Conscious of the influence given by these special people as well as that coming from all others whom I encounter every now and then, I share my thoughts from those bonding moments with them through this blog;

4. Sports Diary- being a highly sports minded person,  I came up with this blog sharing with the readers news and updates on the sporing world. Sports plays a significant impact on people's lives since this field involves lots of facets such as discipline, consistency, moderation etc. to excel in such a way that I am also inspired by all those examples set by these sport characters.

5. Come and Share Our Fun (Jugan Clan)- a blogger who belongs to a big clan originally coming from Cebu Province, it is on this blog that I shared the history, developments, events, accomplishments and others as experienced by the members of our family. It is the intention of the writer to share our family members'  inspirations and hard work not only within the family yet to other readers also.

          Thus, with all those blogs and a couple of which I would still continue to develop, it is with joy and pleasure that I extend my thoughts and aspirations with all those who have encountered and who will be reading them.  A heartfelt gratitude for all my readers and a warm welcome for those who will one day encounter any of my blogs.

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Dreams are Sources of Strength and Motivation

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

           So powerful....moving......challenging....these are but some of the words that came out of my mind when I read this quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt. In this world, what holds us firmly is unending search for the future. The future that would lead us into a more meaningful state of living...a future that will bring us and all our loved ones in a state of closeness, bonding, happiness, strength, satisfaction and peace.

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          Yet we also need to believe that reaching this future is something that we can do and accomplish. Day by day, we experience no two exactly similar things. All of these experiences, big and small, will enable us to gradually mould our dreams---- those dreams that will give us strength to wake up each day and face life squarely. These dreams may vary from me and you yet they all have one thing in common----these dreams will lead us into self fulfilment.

          Happy are we who have embraced our dreams and live them day by day since they will guide us into becoming self directed individuals. Accept wisely those times of falling and learn from them yet never do them twice or thrice since that will result to one's stupidity. As each day comes to its end, let us all be grateful for all the realisations and the opportunities that will move us closer to our dreams. 

                                       

Popular Attractions On Kho Phangan

Koh Phangan, also known as Koh Pha Ngan, is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand and is a part of the Chumphon Archipelago. The island is in the Southeastern part of Thailand, in the Surat Thani Province. A popular tourist attraction, the island is conveniently located halfway between the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Tao, and is popular for the full moon party at Haad Rin Beach. The island is known as the location for the 1996 famous novel "The Beach" by Alex Garland, which was later, adapted into a film, with Leonardo Di Caprio cast in the leading role.

Koh Phangan has an estimated perimeter of approximately 40 km, which takes about 10 hours of walking time to cover and the distance to Koh Samui is about 15 km, whereas to Koh Tao is about 35 km. The main town and the administrative center of the island is Thong Sala, which also acts as the islands main ferry port.

Here is a list of popular attractions on Koh Phangan:

Ao Nai Wok
This small bay, also known as Baan Manali Beach, is a popular tourist beach, featuring a pristine white strip of sand. The location is particularly attractive for windsurfing, kayaking and sailing, as well as snorkeling or other extreme sports. Tourists can go on kayaking trips all the way to the wild islands of Ko Tae Nok and Ko Tae Nai, located within a 10 minute paddling distance.

Haad Chao Phao
This small, quiet beach is located on the western shore of the Koh Phangan island and is very sought after by tourists who want a secluded, relaxing spot to unwind. There are bungalows that are available as housing accommodations, offering budget rooms with complete facilities. Several small restaurants and bars offer drinks and meals even during the night. A famous location is the Pirate Bar, that regularly hosts the Moon Set Party, just a few days before the Full Moon Party.

Haad Yao
Located just within a stone's throw from Haad Chao Phao, Haad Yao is a slightly more developed beach area. It has numerous bars, restaurants, 7-11 stores, ATMs and a handful of resorts. The beach is sandy and the water is sparkling clean, offering plenty of snorkeling spots where the bottom becomes rocky (there are also a lot of sea urchins and caverns). Accommodation in Haad Yao starts from 150 to 200 baht.

Haad Salad
This idyllic cove is littered with high-end resorts for tourists arriving with their families. The beach features white sand and the water crystal clear. Also, the beach has plenty of shadowy areas, where children can play safely, protected from the hot, tropical sunlight.

Haad Mae Haad
This white sandy beach is joined to Ko Maa, a national marine park and features some of the best snorkeling and diving spots on the island. As an accommodation, tourists can check in to the numerous resorts and bungalows. There is also a small village which has a variety of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. The beach is surrounded by a dead reef, offering spectacular coral growth.

Haad Khuat
Haad Khuat, also known as Bottle Beach, is one of the most secluded beaches on the island and is only accessible by longtail boat. Tourists can also reach the island after a 2 to 3 hours long hike from Haad Khom beach. The beach has little accommodation options, but the prices are very affordable, ranging from 200 to 300 baht for a bungalow. The water is very clear and is good for swimming even during the dry season. Unfortunately, due to its isolation, the beach doesn't have ATMs, restaurants or convenience stores.

Thong Nai Pan
This scenic area includes the beach resorts of Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai and Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi, which are two small bays featuring mind blowing beaches. The area is very sought after by couples or families with children. The beach has a range of local Thai restaurants, to international 4 star cuisine restaurants.

How to Get There
The easiest and cheapest way to travel to Koh Phangan is by a ferry from Koh Samui. You can check the schedule and buy tickets online at www.ferrysamui.com.



Guest writer: John Chen is a travel writer currently located in Bangkok, Thailand. He likes writing about Thailand and he writes not only about traveling in Thailand, but also about business, culture, education economy and food.






                                                       

The meaning of Christmas

          How do you define the meaning of Christmas? What is the importance of this season in your life and that of your family? Who do you spend your time with on Christmas time? At times, when you are obssessed with new things such as clothes and gadgets, what you look forward as a younger boy or girl at this season is the luxurious gift that you will receive from others.

          These are but just some of the questions that come to your mind when you think about Christmas. You may think perhaps of the times when you were still young and the idea then of Christmas was mainly focused on the following:

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a. receiving gifts and giveaways from loved ones especially from parents;

b. playing time with friends 

c. opportunity to go around and mill with friends to make carolling to various houses and even to strangers thus allowing the spirit of Christmas to be shared with everyone

          On the other hand, when you grow up and become more exposed to the world, your understanding and perception of what Christmas is changed as well. Driven by your interactions with others, you begin to learn Christmas on a much deeper level. Nowadays, as this world is challenged by both natural and man made calamities, as your day to day living is colored by both of your positive and negative experiences, you then realize that Christmas is sweeter and more meaningful when it is shared with others most notably with your loved ones  and with those people who are deprived of the resources to enjoy the season.

          In your life, you have so much to share and be grateful for everything that you have cherished for this year. Yes it is true that there is joy brought along by those big and small gifts that you give and receive during this season however, the most significant among these expressions is the sharing of genuine love for everyone. Learn to love and be loved genuinely.

                                           
                                                   Free Stock Photos

Let Us Have A Meaningful Christmas

          It's Christmas morning! And many people in this side of the world are still sleeping at 8:09 am. I woke up with the priest's words during the Christmas eve mass still ringing in my ears. His main message centered on the theme: "Can we see Jesus who was born in lowliness and in poverty?" 

          In our culture, the long Christmas celebration which starts in October until January, focuses on the material aspects -- food, parties, new clothes and gadgets. If not for Yolanda, people would still have those annual big and pompous celebration. I believe that calamities do happen before Christmas to give us a message -- TO SIMPLIFY. 

          I remember last year, when I introduced a gift-less Christmas to my family in respect to the Pablo victims and survivors. It was done but was not well received. Nakasanayan na kasi eh (It has been a tradition.) . And worse, I heard "Si Tito Nel kasi eh...(It's because of Tito Nel....) "Ano ba talaga ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko (What's the true essence of Christmas)? Yun ba yung magagandang damit at gadgets, inuman hanggang malasing at katakot-takot na tawanan (Does it translate to the latest gadgets nowadays or the drink up to the last drop sessions)? Are we just using this holy celebration as an excuse to shop til we drop? 

          I was talking to a Ob-Gyne specialist last weekend and he said he is so sad that his financial capacity this time of the year is so bad that he can't even give his clinic staff cash gifts. Looking at him, he is not just sad, he is depressed. Here is an example of a person feeling sad because he cannot cope with the wrong demands of the season.Yes, Christmas is sharing. In our own little way, we give. Even children and teenagers are encouraged to give -- LOVE. I am not saying that we spend all our hard-earned money and  endlessly swipe our credit cards. 

          What I am saying here is to truly recognize that Jesus is the reason for the season. A God-king who in his humility came down to be among us. Let us also try to come down from our high and mighty lifestyle to be among the suffering, the lonely and the poor today. It comes but once a year! Let us make it special. Let us do it for the birthday of the King... :)MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL 

Guest writer: Dr. Nelson De Castro Magnaye

                    Writer, Dentist, Recollection

                      and Team Building Facilitator

                Manila, Philippines

                                                 

Life: A Wonderful Gift

          LIFE- what is it anyway? There have been so many meanings and attributions to it yet personally, I claim it as a gift --a very precious gift from somebody up there. Hence for being as such, I am also called to positively extend it with others. Every single day, countless world events unfold, both good and bad, and as I take notice of them, I could not help myself but be reflective on them specifically with the negative events that struck our great world nowadays.

imagecredit:By Matt Banks, published on 13 March 2010

While I could not contain myself from feeling pity to all those helpless victims above, the more that I become appreciative to my own life that I have the privilege to wake up everyday. The unfolding of each new day bears personal memories so worthy to cherish. This day is parallel to a great day- the outstanding weather, such fresh air, clean environment, the serenity of the place-they usher me to treasure any day. 

          On the other hand, this day further develops into another occasion for me to exchange laughters and joy with people, both significant and ordinary, in my life. As it is, I am aware that life would never be the same from one person to the other and I can fully understand that there might be people out there who are not that enthusiastic about today due to illness, problems, stress, poverty, disillusionment and other reasons like natural calamities.

imagecredit: 
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           With this reality in hand, my heart goes along with them on their plight and on their struggles in their journey. Thus far, what is noteworthy in all of these, both for them and for me, is the sensibility that we are still alive this day---that is one great reason for us to be grateful each day.

On Primary Health Care

          As I proceed with my online course nowadays, I'm glad to share with you the subject of our study, " Health for All Through Primary Health Care". This is a five-week online course and my intention to join the class was significantly to educate myself about the concept and impact of primary health care to people especially to children, mothers and the underprivileged members our society.

To quote one of the active movers of the movement, John Wyon, he said, 

          "There are three kinds of public health: disease-oriented, service oriented and community oriented. Each complements the other like the legs of a three-legged stool. "- John Wyon, 1990

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          Among the most urgent needs nowadays of the world most notably to the third world developing countries is on health issues. And what was stated by Professor John Wyon as a collaboration among those three kinds of public health, there has to be a consistent co-relation among them. The process of extending health assessment and assistance to recipients should be mutual and positive. Focus on three aspects consequently leads to a more progressive impact of public health to people. 

          This issue on primary health care is a huge one and certain causes can be attributed to this such as "multi sectoral which may include education, nutrition, water and sanitation"- https://class.coursera.org/healthforall-003/lecture/27. As such, it is very important to know them (causes of diseases) so that proper actions through health care can be prepared and performed.

           Meanwhile, I would say that this study impacts strongly to every individual regardless of sex, color, race, practices etc. since one's health is everybody's concern. Such a very constructive as well as a productive approach to health care issues-that's exactly what this study brings to everyone since it allows each participant to have a grasp on the evolution, advances and implications brought about by primary health care to people.

GRATEFULLNESS is a VIRTUE

          It has been several days since I posted my last entry on this blog. Anyway, my week though it is not yet over has been another wonderful one for me. All my rich blessings and colorful experiences enabled me to deepen further my disposition that life is such a great treasure. All the events that touched my life within this week added meaning to my life's chapter. No matter how monotonous some were yet personally,  each single experience extends a unique role to my continuing self discovery. Indeed this journey called life is a never ending one. It goes beyond time. No two experiences are exactly alike  from each other.

          For all those reasons, I could say that I am so thankful for all the

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experiences this week that allowed me to nurture more this gift called life. Meanwhile, even all the activities that I had at work were deeply appreciated for they allow me to survive day by day. Without the blessing of my job, it could have been so difficult for me to provide food for my family.  

          Consequently giving my best in anything that I do is a consistent daily goal. I always bear it in my mind that the quality and elegance of my work will always be my task's goal. Committing any error in my daily performance has no room since in the whole production process, I serve as the starting point. If I don't do it perfectly, then the rest of our production will suffer. 

          On the other hand, everything that I experienced this week was all noteworthy and special as well.  Those moments of togetherness with my dearest wife were extremely delightful moments. Both my wife and my little kid are my main reasons why this life becomes so meaningful everyday. All my efforts and dreams are geared towards their welfare and happiness. Watching them happy everyday accorded me great satisfaction and meaning for they are my source of strength.

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          Meanwhile, all the people that I interacted this week also enabled me to share myself and everything with others. After all, I believe that life is sharing and extending my self with others is my joy. That becomes another reason for my sense of self- fulfillment---- knowing that everyday,  I become a positive instrument for others to realize that life is such a wonderful journey. 

ROLES OF DREAMS IN LIFE

          Everyday we encounter #dreams in our sleep. And each of them plays various interpretations. Hence in my post today, I will share with you insights coming from friend's dreams. Actually, I could not help myself but be amused by her sharings on her dreams. What was touching in her dreams was their resemblance to her waking life. Below are some of her dreams as she shared them with me:

* Dream 1: 

          "I see in my dream a guy whom I haven't met in my life. One time, he is bringing a soccer ball with him. Then he brings me to his house which I notice that it is not lighted enough. We go through the kitchen door. Their house's style is  extremely different from houses way back home. When we enter the kitchen, there's an old man sitting on a chair in the dining area. Then as we come into the living room, there is this old woman sitting calmly on a sofa". 

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 -----relevance of this dream to the dreamer: when she was married to her husband,  she remembered that he looks very much alike with that guy in her dream. Then asking him about soccer game, he said he was previously playing the game and in fact, he was once a winner of the "Best Player" award. Further, she recalled that when they went to her husband's house, she recognized it as that in her dream. It was there that she also met his mother and step dad. 

* Dream  2:

          "In my dream, my boyfriend goes away one night. He wears a back pack and what he gestures to me as we part ways is that as he walks away, he just turns his back then gone".   

-----dream's relevance: It was a dream before she separated from her daughter's father. The next day after she had this dream, her boyfriend's uncle informed her that he went away just bringing his back up with him. 

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* Dream 3:

         " In my dream, I hear somebody knocking my bedroom door and when I open it, there is this lady standing then she hands over to me a baby". 

-----dream's relevance: After a few months, she and her family learned that her sister was pregnant and later, delivered  a baby girl during her (dreamer) birthday.

          Moreover, our sharer has other dreams which she claimed that later in her life, they became realities. In her case, I would say that there is that sense of connectedness between her life and her dreams. Were they all coincidences or not? I could never tell - perhaps they were or it could also be that she has the gift of foretelling certain events in her life through dreams. 

          As I remember back our study on dreams in one of the schools in Chicago, USA, we dwelt on several interpretations of dreams. In my friend's case, I  invited her to focus her energy on those parts  that she considered relevant to her waking life. A dream is composed of various important parts and it is the dreamer's option to pick out those which are most touching to him.

          After all, it is the dreamer who can evaluate a dream's impact on her/his life. On the other hand, my role lies on being a facilitator in identifying connections of any dream to one's waking life. This is done by allowing the dreamer to undergo certain accompaniment so that he will see his dream's impact. 

p.s. I thank my friend, EMILY C. DEVILBISS of Maryland, USA for sharing her story.

THE WILL TO HANG ON

          Life is such a wonderful gift and a great treasure yet once in a while it also becomes complicated. As we go along with it and develop different relationships, challenging situations also comes in. 

"As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed." - Vincent Van Gogh ( http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/difficulties.html#irDlDGSkG8m7b6sI.99" 

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          As expressed by the famous Dutch impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh above, the more that we spend time on this world, the more that our journey then also becomes complex. Everyday we encounter various experiences that will help or unhelp the development of our wholebeing. Even if at times, there could be instances that it is hard for us to cope with the situation. We may differ in terms of our reactions to difficult situations. 

          While some may be strong enough to face them, others may wilt and softened after encountering a problem. May we always remember that problems are part and parcel of life. What counts most for us is the will to survive. 

          The will to hang on plays a significant role in this arena of life. As human as we are, it could be possible that we will be upset with any big problem. On the other hand, if and foremost we know what really the problem is, then we might as well know soon or later how to deal with it.

          One of life's treasures is the presence of other significant people thus in the midst all trivialities and tough situations, we will humble ourselves and acknowledge their presence, ask for comfort as well as assistance.

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Pride makes it hard for us to do such gesture however, we need to lower our ego and recognize the special presence of others in our life. 

          May we never fail to constantly recognize that life is such a wonderful gift and let us then savor its every moment.