With Saint Hannibal

Today is Tuesday, April 13, 2010


After the lull days of my blogs, my mind still flies

No, I have not been somewhere, but thought I could just do other things; in the meantime

Times were happy and fleeting with family and friends, on vacation and praying during the holy week, and also ponderings ---

And that horrible day when I ate a lot of fruits, and the shortening, I thought was butter; it gave me stomach whirpool as good as penance

I left my blogs with small words of prayer

Well, I’m almost a statue with no words. Some people would say, “The glory of a woman is silence.” This is difficult to achieve because generally, women are noisy beings who are fond of talking

April vacation, made me realize that I missed most my books and my PC

I know I could stop using them, but never away from them. The sight of these inanimate helpful man-made creations reminds human beings how happy work can be, in many ways

No, I couldn’t be Thoreau who is a naturalist, because I live in the city. Besides, I have never dreamt keeping close with the insects

Neither could I be St. Therese in her cloistered life, because I can go too difficult

Sorry for me, I wasn’t able to finish that 100-article marathon on Ezine.com

I wanted to submit 100 articles in that given time span; however, I wasn’t able to do so. I didn’t. I could not compromise quality for quantity: I was aware I didn’t have enough time. I know it is just like beating magazine and newspaper deadlines (feature articles), but of course, I have to give enough quality information, and I wasn’t able to do that time

Instead, what I submitted mostly for articles were ESL lessons and my own definition of words (others, I have borrowed) because I love words – this will be my other books soon, GOD help!

This April, I saw how I have written ideas by necessity, and what it meant to live and love the teachings of life. Rilke’s letters to a writer remind me that when those who are near you are far away, and you write, this shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast. And if what is near you is far away, then your vastness is already among the stars and is very great; be happy about your growth, in which you can’t take anyone with you.

“Be gentle with those who stay behind; be gentle and calm in front of them and don’t torment them with your doubts and don’t frighten them with your faith of joy, which they wouldn’t be able to comprehend … seek out simple and true feeling of what you have in common with them…”

Truly, works of art are of infinite solitude. Only love can touch and hold them (Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell)

And so I understood, a writer’s life; there’s always something new to discover everyday

During the halt, I read Ambit’s Gambit, LOL Literatures in Other Languages, I Wrote This For You blogs, Eric Gamalinda, and Marjorie Evasco – Pernia, among others

Of course, the columns of Conrado de Quiros and Butch Dalisay

I’ve attended Juvy’s ESL seminar, watched the presentations of teacher wannabes, went with Jonathan’s Duty Free splurge and watered the carabao grass that are wilting and turning brown, the grasses look like dead monsters flattened on the ground

Nothing new. After December breeze is April heat. January to March is erratic climate in the Philippines. Come May 2010 will be a new Filipino President, who is expected to alleviate the country from poverty; help the poor and the working class, and give them a decent living

I wasn’t able to go on a retreat

Nothing new, but the beauty of the Resurrected Christ. Literally Jesus, the Lord of the Resurrection in the house

Let me share this prayer from Ven. Fr. Joseph Frassinneti:

Alliance of Peace

“Forgive, Lord, all my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Teach me to do your will.

Give me a good spirit.

Bring me near to you.

Do not let me be separated from you.

Look after me like the pupil of your eyes.

Without you dust and ashes that I am, I can do nothing.

In your name, trusting in your grace, I resolve to keep nothing for myself,

But only the perfect fulfillment of your law, by embracing your holy cross.

Neither for possessions, nor for life, nor for death,

I ask for nothing.

In this way let there be harmony between your will and mine.

May your mercy be in me and in everybody now and forever.

Amen.

Truly, the wonders of April in my journey with Saint Hannibal.

Nice to be back.


Rose Flores – Martinez
Ishallwrite, 2010
iwrotefiction