When Compassion is Sadly Lacking

The Christmas season is fast approaching. For many families here in the Philippines, it will be a season of sadness and grieving, of homelessness and even hopelessness. The Christmas carols and blinking lights will be cruel reminders of loved ones lost and bleak futures. The typhoons that ravaged the country one strong fury after another will cast a dark shadow over the holiday celebrations. In these times of darkness and pain, the gift of compassion is greatly needed.

Sadly, there is a dearth of compassion in this world, even among so-called “Christians”.  It is highly encouraging to witness through the news funds being raised and food being distributed among the typhoon victims week after week. The heroism of a people is usually seen in tragedies of epic scales. But among the ordinary folks eking their way into existence every single day, a brief encounter with compassion is an oasis to a thirsty and war-weary soul. Yes, an oasis in the desert – hard to find, seldom seen, and a flitting mirage at best — but very much needed.

Compassion –  the deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the active desire to alleviate it — is something every hurting soul needs right now. Let us give it. Let us throw away useless platitudes, judgment, self-righteousness and even a messianic complex. Let us just feel with the hurting — no words, just feelings and loving gestures. Maybe a hug, a sincere pat on the shoulder, an understanding and kind glance. This is compassion. A soft and gentle voice mouthing judgment is not the same thing.

We call ourselves “Christians” — let us live in the way Jesus Christ lived. He is compassionate (Exodus 34:6 – “…The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”). If we want to know how else we can sincerely express compassion, we can look to Jesus’ examples in his word (you can check out BibleGateway.com). After all, he is our best example.

Ignorance is not bliss!

Have you ever noticed how many people so readily offer unsolicited advice? This always gets to me. I hope I am not guilty of the same thing — at least, I try to be very aware that I just listen and not give some random and unresearched advice.

As I have posted earlier, I am going through major depression — or a relapse of it. I have already shared this with a group we used to belong to only recently. It  was necessary for me to share this because I can no longer fulfill my responsibilities to the group.

I was half expecting it, yet I dreaded it — that someone in the group would eventually say her piece to try and make me feel better. And then it came. The so-called “advice” was so ridiculous that it reeked of total ignorance of my condition and even the lack of compassion. Why, oh why, did she have to say it?

Why do people love to give their five cents’ worth of advice without first getting their facts straight? Why do people love to talk and sound knowledgeable when they know nothing at all? In our field of ministry, we also encounter a lot of people who love to “counsel” other people but don’t bother to equip themselves with even basic counseling skills. So instead of being a comfort to the troubled person, they unknowingly become a source of discouragement and guilt! But they don’t know this and think that they are simply gifted with the ability to counsel people.

I’m sorry to burst their bubble but ignorance isn’t bliss! With the availability of information over the internet, there is simply no excuse to be ignorant. We need to equip ourselves with knowledge, especially if we have the desire to help others. I especially urge those who have the annoying tendency to play doctor to at least get some much needed facts before even blurting anything out.

The truth is, the more one talks, the more one’s intelligence or ignorance is made evident. I have noticed many times,though, that the more knowledgeable and secure a person is, the less he talks. But the more foolish and insecure a person is, the more he tries to compensate for his lack by blabbering. This is sad.

I pray I will not encounter another faux doctor any time soon. No, I don’t need any advice about my condition. I’ve done my research and I continue to do so. I also have a real doctor to tell me what I need to hear.

When Depression Comes Back

It has been a little over three years since I was first diagnosed with major depression (or clinical depression) and GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). Since that time, I had been taking medications (Imipramine for the depression and Diazepam for the GAD) to help get back some balance in my head and my life. I thank God for the treatment and the freedom it has given me – the freedom from pain, loneliness and sense of hopelessness. I was finally able to function again and perform even the simplest tasks which I had taken for granted before. I was able to enjoy life again and feel compassion for others. In other words, I felt alive again!

After tapering down my dosage from five tablets of Imipramine a day for a year and a half to one tablet within the remaining one and a half years, I finally stopped medicating two weeks ago. I honestly felt that my body, mind and emotions were sound and stable and I had been able to drink regular coffee and other caffeinated beverages without any untoward effects for several months now.  Prior to this, even just a few sips of diluted regular coffee would put my mind in a spin and cause me to have heart palpitations. I was once stuck in a McDonald’s near our place because I could not stand up after a cup of “leaded” coffee. Unfortunately for people like me who drink decaf, fast food establishments do not offer them. “Unleaded” coffee also costs around P10 o P15 more.

I realize now that I am still not ready to chuck my meds. My depression hit me so bad that I lost all motivation to do anything except vegetate in front of the TV or sleep. Even now that I have resumed taking a tablet of Imipramine, the symptoms of depression are back in full force. I am discouraged. I could only hope that I am not back to square one. I don’t want to have to take five tablets a day again.

It was a mistake for me stop medicating, especially since many of the stressful situations that triggered my bouts of anxiety and depression before are still very much present. I only realized this after reading up on depression relapse. This is what I’m having – a relapse. At least I hope it’s “just that”.

So, I am struggling again and striving to gain some measure of control over my life. There is not much I can do when the chemicals in my brain are all screwed up. This needs to be addressed first, and I will need to see my doctor again. Meanwhile, I wake up everyday and try to be hopeful. Even this is not easy – hope is difficult to grasp when I wake up wanting desperately to cry but don’t. The sun may be up, the breeze may be cooling my head, the birds may be singing, but I don’t notice all that. I feel several stabs of pain in my chest and just want to be well again. I will be. It will just take time.

A letter from a lady who cares…

Kudos to this brave lady! I feel the same way and have long lamented the state of our country because of the deep-seated corruption for many years. I pray there is still hope for our country — it’s the only one we’ve got.

Sheila

To all Filipinos Everywhere:

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn’t true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men – too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these “honorable” crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and appalling that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like “Honorable”, “Senator”, “Justice”, “General” and worse, “President”. Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation – Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? “Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich.”

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family’s, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation’s coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone’s morality! The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own “pag bad ka, lagot ka!” slogan.. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it’s all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. “Love (of power) is blind” takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband’s financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don’t agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality (correction: ineffectiveness). It is not that I won’t make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it..

But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could for it.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good. We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion – right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.

I call on educators and teachers – we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future – and it would be largely because of you,, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders. YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves. You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country.. You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field.. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.

The Pinoy’s Mess in a PAL Flight

I know, what a way to start this blog. Perhaps just like most Pinoys, I don’t feel comfortable about criticizing my own countrymen. It bothers me no end, however, whenever bad habits come out, “en masse”, for most of the world to see. In this case, for other plane passengers to see.

On our flight from Manila to Los Angeles, CA via Philippine Airlines (PAL), it shocked me and my husband to see used blankets and pillows on the floor as well as peanut wrappers and crumpled newspaper strewn all over the once clean seats and pristine carpets. We distinctly remember being asked to return the blankets, pillows and headsets lent to us and flight attendants going around to collect our trash before the plane landed. So what on earth were our fellow Filipinos doing all that time? Which part of those instructions did they not understand? Or did they simply not care?

We witnessed the same shameful mess on our way back to the Philippines. Just like the previous flight, this one had perhaps 99% Filipino passengers as well. I don’t know why I still hoped to see something different, only to be sorely disappointed and ashamed once again. Why can’t we keep our spaces clean? Is this a reflection, perhaps, of the state of uncleanliness in one’s personal abode?

We did not see this mess in six of the US interstate flights we took. I guess, I had hoped to see the same mess from the American passengers  just so our fellow Pinoys won’t look too bad. I peeked under seats to find any sign of glittering peanut foil or candy wrapper but didn’t find any. I had to swallow hard and admit that the Pinoy passengers are a messy lot!

It would be good for us to learn some simple lessons from the Americans. This is not an article to glorify them in any way, but to learn some better habits from them.

Have you ever noticed how we leave our food wrapper, plates, utensils and trays on our tables after eating in a fastfood joint like McDonalds. or Jollibee? Well, in America, they clear up their tables and throw their mess in the trash bin. It’s really quite simple and requires very little effort. That’s why it astounds me that even our security guards go and clear tables when their job is to guard the establishment! Are we so insensitive already?

If we just magnify this trash situation one hundred times, we’ll easily see the reason for all the soaked and muddy rubbish all over our streets after the terrible floods in our country recently. One piece of candy wrapper thrown on the pavement is one million pieces of candy wrappers from one million irresponsible people, and eighty million pieces from eighty million people who don’t give a damn about our country and the environment.

Just like corruption, bad habits do start in the family. Lets nip this nasty habit of carelessly throwing trash in the bud. It is not only a crying shame but our impending downfall as a people. And please, lets keep our airplanes clean people!

Faith never makes sense…

In a few hours, hubby and I will be flying off to the US. While it is an exciting trip not just for us, but for four more friends who will be traveling with us, it is a trip that involves a lot of faith.

We are all going to the US as a church planting team. We will be attending a church planting conference and attending a series of meetings that will help equip us a church planters.

Faith is defined in the Bible as such: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” – Hebrews 11:1

Many will wonder why we are making this trip. There are many unknowns in a country that is currently going through a recession. As a team and as couples, we incurred a lot of expenses just to go through with this trip. But contrary to what most people will think, we are not going on a whim. We are going by faith.

Faith is probably one of the hardest truths to explain. It is a strong and deep conviction that happens inside our hearts that compels us to action and obedience to God, often times without regard for the possible consequences. And the only reason for this deliberate disregard of the possible consequences is faith in a God who will take care of these same “consequences”.

When God calls us to step out in faith, we do so with eyes wide open and focused on him alone. Once we look around at our situation and circumstances, we will falter and stumble in our walk just like Peter did when he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink in the water (Matthew 14:30).

"Follow Me" by Spencer Williams

Did it make sense for Peter to walk on water when Jesus asked him to in Matthew 14: 28-30?

^“28‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’

²⁹‘Come,’ he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”

Just like Peter, our team prayed together and asked Jesus to reveal his calling to us to plant churches. He did and affirmed his call to each of us. In faith, we all believe that God convicted us to go and attend the conference and do the rest of the work he wants us to do for a month  in the US regardless of our present financial and other situations. And if we do sink, Jesus will always save us, just as he did Peter.

^“31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ – Matthew 14:31

Does it make sense? No, it doesn’t. But is it what God is telling us to do? Yes, we believe it is. My husband called it “being foolish for God.” Will he take care of all our worries and anxieties about this trip? Yes, he will — if we surrender them all to him. He promised his blessed peace in Philippians 4: 6-7;

^“6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Will he provide for all our needs? Yes, he will, and more.

No, we don’t have all the evidences to show people because God is revealing himself and his promises to us one step at a time. We are on a journey of faith and all will be revealed in God’s good time. And as we walk with him, we will declare his praises wherever he takes us.

The Power of a Mother’s Prayer

Two weeks ago, the mother of Philippine democracy, former president Corazon (Cory) Aquino, was laid to rest beside her husband Ninoy. Our nation mourns the loss of a strong, courageous, peaceful and prayerful woman. She was known to pray every single day, several times a day, for her family and for our country. She was quoted as saying:

“So I cannot think of myself as being separate from the good Lord. And my whole day is dedicated to Him. I mean, I say that in the beginning of the day, and at the end of the day, I address myself to the Lord. So I pray that those who do not believe in Him hopefully will be given that grace, to go to Him so that their lives will be that much better, and that they will be able to handle whatever problems or trials come their way.” – Excerpt from her interview with Dr. Shann Ferch, 2007

Much has been said about the power of prayer. I live every moment of my life in constant communication with our Father in heaven and I cannot imagine any other life without it. He is the reason for my being, my hope and purpose for living. Also, my many prayers would have been for naught without our good Lord who answers each and every one of them. And I believe that many of my answered prayers are prayers my mom also said for me and my sister.

I recently had a wonderful conversation with two mothers in one of our larger congregations. I asked them if they believed in the power of their prayers for their families and they both readily agreed. Many times it could feel like God is not answering their prayers for their children when, as teenagers, they struggle to find their identities and establish themselves in their world. They make a lot of mistakes that cause them pain and make them take the rebellion road, but they eventually find their way back and realize who brought them there.

One mother was very grateful that her daughter, whom she prayed for and spent sleepless nights crying over, realized the error of her ways and has dedicated herself to serving her church through her gifts. Only later did this mother realize that she had prayed for this specifically many years ago and had almost forgotten about it until it came to fruition.

The other mom firmly believes that no matter what happens to her children, they will always go back on the right track because God honors all her prayers for them. She is now enjoying the fruit of those prayers as her children remain open with her and also share their faith with their office colleagues and friends. She enjoys a close relationship with them and continues to pray for them.

My mom always prayed for me and my sister. She prayed that God would always look after us, that he would draw us closer to him, that he would protect us from harm, that he would give us good and loving husbands who would also faithfully provide for us, and that God’s purpose for us will be fulfilled. Many violent storms have passed in our lives since our mom went home to our Lord, but we have weathered them all because our Father honored each and every heartfelt prayer. Some storms left us battered and bruised, but we still stand because of God’s goodness and mercy, and his faithfulness to our mom who dedicated her life to him.

I miss my mom. Whenever I begin to wonder if anyone out there is praying for me, I think of her and know that her prayer lives in me and sustains me. I pray that all mothers will realize how special and powerful their prayers are. In the midst of all our worries and fears, our Lord urges us to pray and he promises his blessed peace.
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)

Reading Seabiscuit

To clear any misconceptions, this is NOT a book review. I find reviews a bit too tedious to write –it’s just not me.

After years of not being able to read a good novel, I finally decided to buy a reasonably priced book from my favorite Book Sale outlet. Being on a tight budget, I was hard pressed to find that award winning best seller in a tiny and crowded 3×3 meter space. Whew!

I spotted Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand in a non-descript corner and grabbed it immediately. I had been wanting to see the movie with Toby Mcguire but have had no luck since the DVD is perennially out of stock.

It was a challenging read in that I was always too busy to read no more than 5 pages at one time. But once I got through over 30 pages, I HAD to make time to read! And I loved it!

Mostly, I was encouraged that I was not alone, and that true and lasting success does not come easy. I’m even fortunate that I have not broken my bones and been near death whenever I “failed”. There seems to be no more tenacious a soul than that of jockey, Red Pollack. He was not much to look at, poor, but was a wit in his own right. His partnership with the feisty Sea Biscuit, horse trainer Tom Smith and owner Charles Howard, was what made him the hero of the 1930s. The book was a very well-written chronicle of the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the failures and successes of one man,his horse, and the equally persevering characters that surrounded him. It was an amazing and encouraging read.

I found myself crying at the end of the story, feeling as if I knew each character personally and witnessed their lives as they unfolded. I did not want the story to end because it meant that my journey with each character had ended. That was how effectively Laura Hillenbrand depicted each character, making them real in every page through the very accurate and detailed accounts borne from intensive research. Hillenbrand herself is a strong character and reading an excerpt of her life at the end of the book made me appreciate the story more.

True success doesn’t come easy and I only need to remember the challenges and tribulations of Red Pollack to truly get right back on the horse after I fall.

My next read? Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt – winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

Kudos to the SAHM!

I just read an inspiring blog from an online friend She is a stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM) and supplements her family’s income by running her online baking business. She gets no slack from some family members and friends who wonder why she wouldn’t get a “real” job when she graduated with an engineering degree at a top university. Why not indeed?

Her story is my story. I was always dreaming of running some kind of business when I was much younger. The thought of being my own boss seemed very appealing fresh out of college.  But, alas! The need for a stable income pressured me into being employed for a good ten years or so. And I was never completely happy. Something inside of me wanted to break out and go on my own. I was scared, but the desire to break free from the mold was stronger.

Just like my online friends, I now also run my online baking business (http://velvetconfections.multiply.com/) because of a new found passion that took years to form. I also established a training and speaking business two years ago (http://teamworxventures.wordpress.com/) and relish being able to control my time and activities.

The doubts still come every now and then, though, especially when finances take a turn for the worse. Voices filled with self-incrimination nag me when I find myself with more time and less money in my hands. It is still a never-ending battle that drains me and leaves me wondering if I am doing the right thing.

For all the stay-at-home-mothers out there, your decision to stay home and take care of your precious children will always be the right decision. There could be nothing wrong with it. I have observed so many children who have grown up without their parents’ guidance and I am saddened by their lack of direction in life and their lack of sensitivity toward others. It is a tragedy that so many children are made to grow up on their own and mess up their lives and other people’s lives.

I pray that more families will support the SAHMs. This is a portion of what I wrote to my online friend: “I have started and ended a number of businesses since I graduated from college. And each time I would chide myself for giving up so easily. Perhaps I just wasn’t emotionally, psychologically and financially prepared yet. You said, “It’s been said that not everyone is cut out to be an employee.” I agree with you 100%! I’m one of those — I want to be my own boss and make my business grow and succeed. I have never been happy in all my employment history. And I believe we are all succeeding. Let us not allow other people to define our success for us. The fact that you are doing what you’re passionate about, that you are able to finance your passion and business, that you give happiness to people who receive your tasty works of art, that you are finally recognized and affirmed, all confirm how successful you are!”

This is a good reminder for all the women and mothers having second thoughts about being their own boss and running the household more efficiently. You are never “just a housewife”. Whether you run your own business or not, you are still doing a worthwhile and very important job at home. While money is important, it does not define you as a person. Don’t let it dictate the most important decisions in your life. Go and follow your dreams.

“The ideal life is in our blood and never will be still. Sad will be the day for any man when he becomes contented with the thoughts he is thinking and the deeds he is doing–where there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do.”
–Phillips Brooks

I salute you SAHMs! You are God’s gift to mankind.

Age Limit for Writing Jobs

With the global economy on a quick decline, I am now seeking a freelance or stay-at-home writing job to supplement my growing baking business. I have begun applying in our more popular job search engines and am at a complete loss as to why most companies set an age limit for writing positions. I mean, at most 27 years old? Do they seriously want to hire babies?

I am hitting my forties soon and am no where near senile! I do strongly believe that “older” writers have more or less mastered the written language they use, have broadened their vocabulary (colorful and idiomatic as well), and have acquired more than enough courage, jutzpah and experience to write about anything under the blazing sun!

We “older” writers have also accumulated enough written material to fill out several hard folders or several pages in cyberspace through blogs. Thanks to technology and the internet, we are now able to write and share our thoughts online, anytime. So I seriously think that companies that still require hard copies should get out of the dark ages and come into the light. Seriously!

I will continue to look for those elusive writing jobs in the hope that I will be hired, and soon. After all, I do need the pocket money.