Saturday, October 31, 2015

Fortune Cookie for the Day

"What you're looking for is what is looking." - St. Francis of Assisi

It's like the quote, "What you seek is seeking you." - Rumi

It's an old fortune cookie I never opened, or plainly forgot to open from several years ago, I'm embarrassed to say when. I was looking for an article about TIME in an old tote bag I got from a Science Conference I attended that year, (alright, it was 2011!) and what did I see inside the bag, an old fortune cookie, which, luckily, was wrapped in cellophane! It still looked good, but, of course, I threw it, but kept the fortune.

And as Nature is the best organizer, re-discovering the fortune cookie came at a perfect time, being at the right place at the right time. Right when I'm searching for answers about TIME and TIMING, and actually getting the answers now, and beginning to understand more!

I saw a recent interview about Lea Salonga. Remembering when Cameron McIntosh, creator of the musical, Miss Saigon, was looking for someone for the lead role of Kim, he and his crew searched all over the world to look for that particular actress/singer in her teens. And who did they find - Lea Salonga! She wowed them with her audition. She was fantastic. And as luck isn't just all about talent and skills but preparedness when the opportunity comes, she was ready. She got the part, and SheWasPerfect!

About 30 years later, a new Broadway musical, ALLEGIANCE, was searching for an Asian in her 30s/40s for the lead role. And who could be more perfect - Lea Salonga, again! Yes, she has matured, still as great as ever, taking care of herself, and opportunity knocked, again, and she was ready. She didn't just get the part. It's as if the musical was made specifically for her, again, her role especially reserved for her 30 years later, and yet ALLEGIANCE is new, and She. Is. Perfect!


Time. What is time? I've just asked you this, remember? Time has so many definitions, in so many contexts, in so many levels. However, in relation to the fortune cookie that I finally opened today, and quite accidentally, (Is there such a thing as accidentally?), "When it's your time, it's your time!"
It doesn't mean we just sit there and do nothing. Nope! We do what we can to fulfill our dreams, achieve our goals, anything we want in life. However, we can pray for all our life, but when it's not time, it's not time. On the other hand, “I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” 

Yup, we don't even have to pray. Or let me modify that -
Pray, like everything depended on God. Act, like everything depended on you.

We do our best, our very best, in every endeavor, in everything we do, anything we want to do! What we look for, what we seek, has always been there, looking straight and clear back at each and every one of us. It's as easy for God to grant us what we wish for right here and now. Like, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW!! The problem is it's us who don't always look straight and clear into what we want. That's why we end up with what we need. That's not bad. It's what we need for the moment, at the moment, in the moment... until we're ready. And when the opportunity comes "unexpected in common hours,", that is when our dreams come true, "beyond our wildest imagination"!!


Such is Fortune, huh!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

TIME... What is TIME?

"Time flies when you're having fun."

We all know that. However, these past few days, specifically, these past 3 days, time seems to have stood still. Everything around me seems to have stopped. AND... I'm having fun! I'm enjoying every bit of it! With all so many things I have to do these days, I've never been busier doing music, at the same time, finishing up this year's competency test at work, and on and on and on, and time seemingly running out, there's not enough time, YET... time seems to go in 
... SLOW... MOTION... 

It's what I want, it's what I need. Right now. And I'm getting it, and enjoying it - WOW! I seem to get things done, and at a good pace at that! On top of that, Daylight Saving Time is coming up - an added time, an extra hour! - I ain't complaining!


Here are some interesting topics I saw on the web:
What is Time?
Is Time an Illusion?
There is No such Thing as Time


What are your thoughts on TIME?

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Today is the Feastday of Our Lady of the Rosary. I have a very close connection with her, more so than ever before. It started when my niece and her husband went to Fatima last year in October, month of the Holy Rosary, as a matter of fact. Here's an excerpt from my story -

"... But there was something that would occur constantly, a religious experience, a connection with the Blessed Virgin Mary. I've always had a close connection with the Virgin Mary, in this life and past, past lives. But these past few months, as I said, I was incommunicado. But as much as I ignored her, I couldn't totally  do so. She was always there.

When my niece, Lourdes, and her husband, Brian, were at Fatima, Portugal, in October, month of the Holy Rosary, couldn't be more special and timely, she text me right there to tell me she prayed for my particular intentions, for all of us, friends and families, all loved ones. Since then, whenever I prayed to Mary, somehow, I would hear her say, "I know about that."
She knew. And when I'd pray for my family, especially for my mother, and everyone I could think of, again she'd say, "I know about that," as if everyone, everything that Loudette and Brian prayed for in their visit to Fatima, she knew already. They didn't have to go to Fatima to pray for us. The Blessed Virgin hears our prayers wherever we are, but that trip of theirs made it so very special for us all. Like she knew us all personally, and she knew our wants and needs before we could even utter them.
And through it all, one word, one word, she would repeatedly tell me in a whisper, "Miraculous."
Then she adds another word to it - a secret, a mighty secret!

It's been like that since..."


How could I be so blessed??

Our Lady, this whole month I resolve to pray the rosary every night in your honor, to thank you for all the miracles you've done to me, for me, my family, all my loved ones, friends, even enemies, whoever they are.  How did I ever deserve you and your love?!  I'm humbled. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.



Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us, sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.