two puppies in a morning cold

these are the puppies that got me preoccupied last december. of six that were born, these 2 were the only ones that survived till now. the brown one is a female and the other, smaller one, white, is a male. he was the one i thought i also lost but found him pressed against the storeroom's wall and a plate of glass. he is weaker since his sister pup is able to get more milk from chelsea, their mom. but he's a tough guy.

their eyes are opened now and they look around inside the storeroom. trying to be aware of their surroundings. both are very mobile. in a few weeks, they'd be able to get out of that cramped place and explore the "world" outside.  they'd be real dogs soon.

in a way, they'd be doing precisely the opposite of what the Sages of old wants us to do. these Masters taught that to know the Self more, the Real us, we must go to our "world" inside. so we must close our "outer eyes" and let the "inner eyes" lead us to find that  Divine Spark within us all. Know the True Self. right now, we are preoccupied with the trappings of the material, outside world, which make us, of course, happy. yet, the happiness, the joy, is incomplete. we are still left wanting. man's lot is to be eternally happy. and it is his paramount mission to seek where he will find this. Old Sages say, that which you seek, is within you ...



they laid there, the puppies, crumpled on the floor
a brown mass and a white mass 
their shaking hearts  hoping this cold morn would soon pass; 
and i, on my solid bed 
wrapped in cozy blankets warm 
unmindful of their chilly plight 
assured that these newborn are far from harm; 
from what i knew the only problem lies 
on the children playful 
who with giggling fingers poke them -- 
o, how i wished they'd be quite careful! 
this cold morn is just Nature's way
of telling them they're alive 
and so, ever must they strive 
to live.

starting this new year happy

1.

january 2, 2011, morning. just got off from work. boarded a jeepney. the morning's chilly but sunlight is already starting to part the fleecy clouds overhead. but i thought they could also be smoke from the other night's merry-making, welcoming the new year with fireworks and firecrackers and noise.

i was sitting behind the driver. we are only 3 people in the jeepney. the other one is a fat lady, sitting opposite me, with a very big plastic basket. obviously, she's on her way to visit the market early. she's probably one of those people who do not want to brave the heavy traffic late in the day.

suddenly, the driver started singing. no, there was no radio or stereo or mp3 player in this jeep unlike most of the rest. i know he was singing to himself but it was loud enough for me and the lady to hear. his voice was not bad either. it was one of those lively filipino christmas  songs --" bagong taon ay magbagong buhay, ng lumigaya ang ating bayan ", which roughly translates to -- "here comes the new year, let's turn a new leaf, so that our country will be happy". it's probably one of those songs he picked up while attending some local new year's eve party or drinking joust. he still might have been caught in what others refer to as the "last song syndrome".

i smiled to the fat lady and she smiled back. we are both amused. the driver might have seen this silent exchange between us while looking at his rear view mirror because he explained himself to us.

"i'm sorry if i'm inconveniencing you both with my singing. it's just that i'm really happy this morning. i ended the year right and started the new year right. not one in my family got sick. i've got a lot of good runs last december that i was actually able to earn some good money."

"well, good for you!"  replied the fat lady, "i have had some good sales myself. lots of people ate at my food stall. that's why i have to do some marketing early so i can cook food. we have to do it while people still have christmas money left in their pockets. go on, please, you can actually sing!"

 "yes sir, if you feel like singing, we don't mind." i told him. he smiled at us. this time he just whistled a happy tune. i was singing inwardly myself. because i also ended the year right and started the year right. i have some few hundred pesos left saved in my bank account and i was able to save 2 newborn puppies from dying.

why does he need to apologize to us? he is just being happy. in fact, he is just being himself. i remembered what my Master often says-- "Man's lot is to be happy. Eternally joyful. this is the Creator Father's Grand Design for each of us."

lasting happiness is assured by knowing who we truly are.

lasting joy is knowing we are not separate from that Unbending, Unyielding True Love.



2.

january 2, 2011. evening. on way back to work for my midnight shift. the jeepney is full of passengers. i got seated among a bunch of young people. i believe most of them know each other. they're a bit noisy. everyone still excited with the mirth of the parties and get-togethers they went to. they were exchanging stories, reliving the amusing events that happened.

as we were passing by a drugstore by the side of the street, suddenly, one of these young people, shrieked, "HEY MISTER GUARD!" he was shouting at the top of his voice at the security guard standing by a dark corner of the building, several meters from the doorway of the store, "HURRY UP! SOMEONE IS STEALING THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OF THE DRUGSTORE!"

the jeepney stopped and everyone craned his neck to see where he was pointing at. indeed, two boys were atop the store's roofing and were busily removing the christmas decorations and the lights. it was hard to see because the store's closed and the area was unlighted.

the guard pointed his flashlight at the roof and he saw them. immediately, the guard waved us off, he shouted back, "nope, no worry, they're the guys the owner hired to bring down the christmas decorations. they're not thieves!" the two boys atop the roof apparently realized what's going on and rained invectives at us.

"FOOLS!," one of the boys shouted, "mind your own business. next time, be sure of what you're saying." the other one appears to be preparing to throw something at the jeepney. the driver hurriedly drove off.

the young lad inside was red faced. he was too embarrassed at his mistake. there was this sliver of silence. then someone snickered and there! the whole jeepney was bursting with laughter. well, i did not control myself. i joined in in this funny moment. the driver was scratching his head and shaking it at the same time.

"why did you do it?" one of his friends asked.
"i don't know. i just thought they were thieves and i wanted to help." he explained.
"good for you the guard did not shoot them right away." his friend commented with mocked concern.

the whole jeepney burst out in laughter again.
then i realized, wait, this last one does not sound funny at all ...

the firefly and the glow-worm

a firefly and a glow-worm met
on a dark and gloomy street
bodies glowing and tails afire
faced each other with heated ire.

spoke the firefly with fiery wrath,
"dare you walked on my holy path?
i am the guardian of the night
who sets wayward travelers aright."

the glow-worm answered, mouth afoul,
"how well you wear that impostor's shawl,
but i could tell the wrong from right
i'm the true watchman of the night."

lightning-fast, their blazing swords unsheathed,
they fought, the truth they'll know in death,
but in the midst of their rumble wild
they saw this crying little child.

at once their anger they forgot
each one hied to the little tot,
"oh, dear, i'm lost and i can't see,
this darkness hides my home from me."

the firefly spoke in honeyed words
"child, be calm, in this i'm lord. 
i'll light your way, you'll be alright, 
for i'm the guardian of the night."

the child arose and walked t'ward home
but then he stumbled on the stones,
that from the firefly's golden light
have remained hidden, out-of-sight. 

the glow-worm laughing, full of glee,
said, "little child, come here to me.
my light will guide you on your way,
while walking home we'll even play."

the child arose and walked t'ward home
but then he stumbled on the stones,
that from the glow-worm's golden light
have remained hidden, out-of-sight.

the child cried loud and wailed with fright
he seems imprisoned in the night.
the firefly, silent, thought worriedly,
the glow-worm crawled in a quandary.

then, glow-worm smiled, and firefly too.
both said loudly, "now, we know.
oh, child, we'll surely take you home,
you'll not stumble on a stone."

the Child arose and walked t'ward home
he'll never stumble on the stones,
for now, the Glow-worm's golden light  
merged with the Firefly's and all was bright!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!