Of Unwed Moms and Morality

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/school-t-sack-unwed-mom-000000754.html

The Supreme Court issued a decision very recently which vindicated a school teacher sacked on the basis of her bearing a child out of wedlock. The decision came as a surprise to many considering that the private school involved is a Catholic school.  According to reports, the teacher who was then employed by the school was single but got pregnant.  The teacher's affair had no impediments whatsoever but that she simply chose to proceed with the pregnancy without marrying her partner.

Her employer, the school, dismissed her on the basis of "immorality."  That as a teacher, getting pregnant without the benefit of marriage "scandalized" the institution and bred "controversy."  

But the Supreme Court decided it was unfair for the school to dismiss the unwed mom.  Given that there were no impediments between her and her baby's father and that the choice of non-marriage was purely personal, the Supreme Court saw merit in the teacher's cause.

Ahh.  It pains me so much to think how people can be cruel and spiteful towards unwed moms.  Society's standards esteem poorly a woman who bears a child out of wedlock.  Moreso if such woman is a teacher.  But for the bigoted, how many married couples succeed in marriage?  How many married couples have raised their children well?  How many married people can honestly and truly say they are happy to be married to their child's parent?  How many "perfect" families are there in your immediate vicinity?  How many married individuals have made positive contribution to the society at large?

I am not trying to be a cynic.  Neither am i trying to warp the society's standards.  Truth is, to be unwed (or deserted) isn't everyone's preference.  It's just that sometimes, there are bitter pills we have to swallow in order to survive.

And if one happens to emerge from the ideal --- a perfect marriage and a perfect family to boot, does that make him,

or her,

or you,

Holier 

than me?

The 5th Hearing: Senate Probe on Mamasapano Massacre

Enough is enough. What else do we need to learn from Iqbal and the rest of his constituents to determine the most prudent course of action that we should undertake as a peace-loving people? They DO NOT respect our laws, they do not respect our government, and everyone else na salungat sa ila kontra nila, so ano pa? They only insist on what's beneficial to them! They demand peace, respect, compassion...but shouldn't that be reciprocal? 

Iqbal is the most transparent hypocritical resourceperson in the senate hearing.  Some criticize Cayetano for lambasting Iqbal, for his sarcasm to Ferrer and Deles but goodness! They do not want to submit themselves to our justice system! They demand that the police/military coordinate with them during operations but deny having cuddled Marwan! On top of that, the peace negotiators seem to forget which side they are working for!

Do they think we are this stupid? Do they think they can insult us just like that? Why do we even have to listen to them? Or worst, to negotiate with them? Haisst.

"...the pursuit of peace must not be at the expense of our sovereignty." - Sen. Grace Poe's concluding statement, Feb. 24, 2015 Senate Hearing on the Mamasapano Incident

Spectacles

Just yesterday, i was very upset with my sidekick for taking a day off without telling me the kitchen sink is clogged. She got a good dose of lecturing when she got back. Afterall, she's seemed to make a habit of keeping things from me. Lost/broken/ruined objects are kept until I make the discovery myself.  But in fairness to her, her lapses are hardly intentional. Often, just a result of deliberate imprudence. 

But this morning, as she was cleaning the car...she found my precious glasses! I consider them precious because these were my most "pricey" purchase in my entire spectacle-wearing adult life! (Nah. These aren't even branded. The frames are ordinary but I did splurge abit on the lenses being Essilor Anti-Fatigue for my astigmatism and nearsightedness just slightly worsening.) 

Anyways, I thought i lost these last month at the mall. I felt I had to castigate myself for my recklessness in losing them so I did not get a replacement right away immediately! 

But my dear alalay found it! And I couldn't be happier.  :) She was also giddy when she handed it to me! (notwithstanding the fact that I have asked her many times in the past to check everywhere in the car to find my missing glasses). But oh well, she's the one who found them!  

Hahah! It's almost funny how circumstances can force us to see wisdom in the most unlikely situation. If i allowed that clogged drain to unleash my nasty irrational side, (and my kasambahay decided to leave me), i would have regretted it more than  i would have regretted losing my glasses. The drain got fixed.  And I founded my glasses.

Ahh. Thank you Lord for keeping me grounded. And for not "punishing" me even when i err often and bad. 

Happy monday y'all!

On the Importance and Dignity of Fatherhood

This is a response to a post I saw on Pope Francis' message on the importance and dignity of fatherhood:

Sad. Because ours keeps repeating his mistakes, won't admit he makes them, but enjoys demeaning and demoralizing his erring children instead.

Having been a prodigal father, we accepted him even after deserting us for 18 long years. But upon his return, he was still an unchanged man. Ironically, he expected to come home to "unchanged"children. Children he could manipulate, he could scare, he could scold at whim.

His children, now all grown up and with families of their own, could not recall having learned anything sensible from him. If at all, his children learned instead to choose a good man to marry and be father to their kids. Someone who was their father's complete opposite. 

Unlike a wise and mature father, ours hurt us and lambasted us when we made mistakes. None of us felt the "deep and discreet" affection which we hoped to get as a child. There were no fond memories, only hurtful ones. And after all these years, he still makes no attempt whatsoever to make up for those years gone by. Or to rectify his misdemeanors.

We even wonder if he's aware that he left us when we most needed his protection. He failed to guide us and support us. He was every inch a "softie, a weakling, and a yielding" man who allowed the circumstances to swallow him and rob him the opportunity to exercise paternity in its truest sense.

It is our prayer that no other child should experience this kind of a father.. No one, especially our own children, should have to lead a "fatherless" existence. 

I wish all fathers (especially ours) get to read this. I wish all fathers would finally start emulating the example of God, our father in heaven, whose image all fathers reflect.

Prepositions

I am INSIDE you.

I am BESIDE you.

I am BETWEEN you.

I am WITHIN you.

I am UNDER you.

And you thought prepositions don't matter? 

IN my opinion..

WITH my opinion...

FOR my opinion...

ON my opinion...

BY my opinion...

...they do. ;)

The Comfiest Shoes in the World

I am on my feet most of the time! 

Ever since i left government service to tackle freelance gigs, I knew I had to rid myself of my "pretty" uncomfy shoes: narrow pointy flats, pumps, wedges, sandals, etc. I realized I had no real need for them anyway! Living in a tiny home has its perks. And dealing with soo much stuff isn't definitely one of them.

So i was in search of the "comfiest" shoes in the planet. My feet aren't too pretty for flipflops (or Fitflops! For that matter! Everyone I know owns atleast a pair of those huuge chunky flops!) and Crocs can be boring (I have five pairs I wear in rotation). So the comfiest pair I don so far are the black Hush Puppy loafers I bought back when I was still an office gurl.

Anyways, i searched shoe fora, blogs, and even pinterest! The common shoe that was mentioned was this:

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/195625177539514302/

Yup, i agree! It doesn't look very pretty in there! But at 37? I certainly know i can no longer compromise comfort for style! 

So yes, i yielded! After waddling through an array of colors and styles of Skechers Go Walk, i finally opted for this one. And take note, i got it on sale! ;)

Presenting, my Skechers Go Walk! ;)

While boxed, the pair indeed feels über light!

My first Go Walk pair in grey maryjanes.

The Go Walk logo at the heel part

With elastic band, nylon and suede top, and resalyte sole

Isn't she pretty?

Sole-mates!

Hot pink soles are made of memory foam!  That's why others claim they seem to "walk in the clouds" in their Go Walk!

Yup, they;re not only light!  They're also flexible!

And they can literally take you anywhere!

So yes, being comfy, they're mg everyday staple. I could walk and prance in them all day. And while the style i got seems kind've juvenile for my age, i don't fret. Afterall, nothing beats the satisfaction of having worn the comfiest shoes in the world all day long! ;)

Skechers Go Walk range from Php3,200 to php3,600 in SM department stores.  I got mine for php2,500(?) on sale. :)