Celebrate

Time gives and time takes. It gave us the year 2010 and in a few days it will be taking it back to give us another year. Resetting to a fresh 31,556,926 seconds for new opportunities and ideas to work on with. Along that period comes the minor misfortunes and some ends. The brave moves on, grows and learns from these events. And those who can not cope, to borrow a U2 song, are, stuck in a moment. This season, time gives us to celebrate Christmas. 

Ten years or so ago my way of celebrating Decembers was almost the same. I get wasted then wake up to another year waiting until it ends to get wasted again. Some call it youth. I call it wasted years. Don't get me wrong here, I am not regretting. That was part of my growth. My learning process. Some of us may snap out of the semi-charmed life as radical as a blinding light opening one's eyes and setting things straight instantly. I, on the other hand, was a slow learner.

December also marks my "re-birth". Seven years ago to be exact. If not for that birth in Bethlehem there wouldn't be any reason to celebrate anything at all. Jesus wrapped in a manger. The giver of Life being born in the flesh. The Hope of mankind. Gloria in excelsis Deo!

This year is also my daughter's year. My one and only gentle Kaye. And as she is added to our motley crew last May, we get to celebrate her kuya Ken's birthday & Christmas together  for the first time!

There are a lot of things I would like to look back to and be thankful for this year. One would be that I said to myself that I will do my best to write a blog each month. In a few more hours I will be achieving that goal. Another is the honourable mention at the Shizuoka City Culture & Arts Festival. I am hoping that wherever we will be next year I would still be offered to join photo exhibits such as this. Not to mention the Bayanihan 2010. Being part of a team pulling this exhibit was a great lesson. Last is, Hong Kong and my small photo book which will be out next year. 

I am excited for the coming year. The self-projects. The new lessons. The entries I will be writing during this ride. These are what I will make use of the time given to me. My hope is that all of us will stand up every day, do what we were meant to do with the time given to us and live our potential in making this world a better place. Until the day that time will be taken from us, we would have already left our marks of Love, Peace and Joy! Happy New Year everyone!