LITERARY COMPOSITIONS

A Glare of Hope Life is certainly a struggle for every being... a compilation of complexities one has to hurdle... a test of tenacity to withstand every constraints that meet your way. Indeed one has to have the strenght and courage to survive... to endure... to LIVE! In a world where global animosity is felt which consequently breeds exasperation among nations and its people, life has become even more unrelenting. It has jeopardized the privilege of the people especially women and children to live in tranquility and amiability. It has to be thwarted to put it at halt for the sake of the remaining generations. We had witness the world trade center, crumbled to its feet, a manifestation of how vulnerable people are, like a defenseless prey to its predator irregardless of race, culture or religion. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, retaliation was inevitable. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Where will it end??? Will it ever end??? How many more lives will be taken??? how may more structures will be ruined??? how many more dreams will be shattered??? In an ever changing world we live in where the only thing permanent is change, methamorphosis is an eminent consequence. Evolution of something new springs from on old one. Who doesnt need change after all? But changes we have to reckon with should lean towards the benefits favoring the welfare of our environmen... betterment of our society and progress of each individual's state of being in order for each and everyone to live and find peace, serenity, hope, irregardless of race, culture or religion. People who had experience the animosity of war would know the truest meaning of peace... people who had lived a life of fear and trepidation would know the essence of bravery and heroism... people who has hope in their hearts that one day, people from all parts of the world, irregardless of race, culture or religion, would show genuine concern towards one another which would lead to global peace and understanding... not only on this generation but on all generations to come.
THE PRISM OF REFLECTION (July 14, 2003) There comes a time in our life when we think profoundly about our existence... its substance reigning over matter... its relevance towards other individual... it's power to touch other people's lives and be part of their existence. It is the moment in time when we completely account for all the actions we had taken... contemplate on everything we had said... analyze decisions we had made... and ponder on every thought we have in mind. It is the time when we confront our very own self, face-to-face, under the presence of our conscience, without any pretensions whatsoever. We had always been so indulged in our endeavor, whatever it may be and too preoccupied with all the objectives we wanted to attain. In the midst of this, we often dispense with the chance to probe into the essence of our existence. We are much too concerned with our accomplishments quantified by material and tangible merits in the shortest span of time possible. We race among other individual on the track of survival and hope to emerge as the fittest for whatever it takes. Success, more often than not, is attributed to the effort exerted by every individual in order to realize one goal he had set to achieve. Seldom do we see that success is realized thru collective effort by people who play both miniature and substantial role in our existence. For every victory we reap, may it be enormous or modest, never should we forget that such victory would never be possible without the people who had offered unselfish concern and genuine affection towards us. Nevertheless, things don't always work in our favor. We, at times, experience misery that may be too heavy to bear, too painful to take, and too inconceivable in our comprehension. We feel that heaven and earth had closed down on us, or the world had ended that we get the impression we are being abandoned by the Gods of our own belief. Life isn't always a bed of roses, or if we think it is, then we should always be prepared to endure the agony each thorn would inflict on us. In the road that would lead us both to success or failure, how many people do we remember whom we met along the way? How many people do we surmise had given us the push to set us in motion so we can move forward ahead? How many people had offered their backs for us to step on in order to get the breath that we need? Have we ever been thankful for their presence during times we need them most? Have we ever realized the relevance of their own existence in relation to ours? These are questions so noteworthy... significant enough for us to ponder and contemplate on. But above all, should we never forget the Supreme Being... the only Mighty One that will deliver us through all things that come our way... a Gentle, Kind and Ever Loyal Companion long before we were born and until the next life after. Lifted by our unfaltering, fervent faith and moved by our steadfast belief, this convoluted life can always be a bed of roses no matter how many thorns it may have. This is the enigma of life radiating a prism of pragmatic zing in our very existence. Could we have not reached the summit where we are now had it not because of the trench where we've been? The answers lie on the innermost sanctum of our being... the answer that would emulate a prism of reflection.
MARIA LUISA (June 13, 2003) - So vividly I remember the day I gazed upon you... The enchanting beauty that transcends from you... On every move you make... On every word you utter... I watch you with so much awe and wonder! Nothing had I thought of from that day on... Nothing had I dreamt every night that fell on... Never left my mind... Never kept me still... Hope soon as lovers we can be together! Took less time to discern the thoughts I feel inside... Took much courage to do what my heart desires... Too coward to hear... Too weak to bear... Denial to a pure and untainted love I offer! I will take the chance for whatever it may take... Just to tell you how much I truly love you... I have to act now... I have to move fast... Break my silence or hold my breath forever! Blissful and splendid moments we had over the years... Cherished with much gratitude always I will... How blessed am I... How fortunate I can be... Share my life to someone as perfect that you can be! Euphoric life created when you're at my side... Distraught never triumphed when you're at my back... The passion I had given... The love I had shared... Boundless you returned that nothing can be compared! Nothing more could there be asked... No one else could there be seen... A woman whose compassion so innate... A wife whose commitment so resolute... A mother whose love so immerse... No one, but no one, except my... MARIA LUISA !
DESTINY... (Aug. 14, 2003) "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to achieve!" A very striking quotation that has obtained my awareness of how convoluted destiny is all about. Is it our fate that's been written long before we were born? An occurrence inexorable that never can be faltered? A consequence with no direct relation to our actions? If this is so, could people just wait until such destiny would be served to them? Is it Bill Gates' fate to be destined as one of the riches persons in the World? Was it the fate of the people trapped at the World Trade Center to be destined to die after such a horrible suicide-bombing incident? Was it the fate of those people responsible for such malevolent deed to be destined in committing such a heinous crime? Is it the fate of the bad elements of every society to be destined as a nuisance and be regarded as menace to its country? Or is it simply their own choices? So many questions, too little answers. People may talk incessantly about destiny created by fate or destiny culminated by choices, and come up with diverse ideas concerning it's broad spectrum, which would vary according to one's cultural descendancy, religious affiliation, intellectual achievement, moral influence, and social exposure. For some people, destiny is fate in itself. It's been there like the lines of our palms, colors of our hair, shades of our eyes, structures of our bones... right from the very day we were born. It transcends thru every frontier of circumstances that leaves an imminent conclusion... our destiny, reckoned as master plan specifically created for each and every being. But for some, it is driven by choices we make. If there's one thing that no one can ever take away from us, that even God of our own belief cannot deprive us from, it is our own free will... free will to raise our own judgment, free will to draw on our own rationality... free will to make our own choices. These choices, created within the principle of impervious wisdom fortified by selfless empathy towards other people, will do doubt be in accordance with the master plan specifically created to be our destiny. It is imperative to say that The Supreme Being of our own belief, out of his sacrosanct benevolence, has made a marvelous plans for each and every one of us... a truly magnificent destiny that anyone would hope for... an astounding destiny every being would desire to realize. But He has bestowed us our free will... so that choices can be made... so that in our own predicament, acceptance or rejection towards such destiny can be discovered. In whose hands lies our destiny??? It may be too complex to comprehend, but answers are there in our hearts!
LETTER FOR SCA REUNION  -  AUGUST 27, 2005
Hi!!!  For other scans who don’t know me, I am Jun Acuna, batch 80, president of sca-villamor high school.  For the rest, I’m sure, you all know me more than anyone else.   It’s been quite a while, looks like ages, matter of fact, that we have not seen each other after taking off from high school, or probably couple of years after that.  And I’m so happy, having learned that you will all be together, few days from the time I’m writing this.  I may not be present but I’m joining you in spirit.   So, what can I say now?  Well, I guess it’s a common denominator for all of us, having an SCA’n orientation, to try our best to lead a good, effective and productive life, integrating all the learning we had gathered and obtained in our SCA days.  It’s a mixture of joy and gratitude, being a part of SCA, having touched the lives of some of our members (student and non-student alike), being transformed to who I am now, a man of high spirit and principles with a great belief in God, and given the chance to know and be so close to wonderful people like you, who I had given special spots in my heart where you will remain for the rest of my life.   Yes, we had our bad times, guess its something people can’t do without... we were young, we had our weaknesses, but nevertheless, we wanted to learn and experience the very essence of life.   In spite of that, we accepted, understood and supported one another.  We all together hurdled all obstruction for growth and  brought the best within ourselves.  That made us better as a person, and our relationship even stronger.  All those things we had experienced and shared during those times had created a special bond... a bond that will hold us together as friends, real, true, genuine friends... a bond that transcends beyond individual differences... a bond that would stand the test of space and time.   Now, we may be on different financial capabilities, we may be of different professional heights... we may be of different social status... we may be of different political affiliations... but we probably share the same type of happiness and success, the most enduring one, brought about by our principles embedded deep within our character... principles that created values to helped us make better choices... principles that we all learned from STUDENT CATHOLIC ACTION.   I am right now, enjoying my happy married life, with my heaven-sent wife Luisa (Louie as you all call her), and 4 smart, wonderful kids- Jonathan Jerome - going 17, Kristina Louise - 15 , Audrey Allyson - going 8 and Denise Adrianne 6.  Who could ask for more?   I am also connected with Juffali Brothers & Co. here in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as an accountant, the reason why I cannot be there.   If I will be given another life, I would choose to go through the same life I have now, a God who I believe in and trust, a happy married life and great wonderful friends like you. I guess I’m too lucky to keep those all in my heart.   I love you guys, and hope when I go on vacation, I would have the chance to be with you.  Let’s keep in touch with each other!   I am wishing that the reunion you will have on Saturday will, not only be the time to reminisce the past, but to reassure each one that we will always be there for one another, irregardless of time, space and status.   Have a great day!!!   JUN ACUNA
BIGGER C… (14 May 2006)   Having your daughter diagnosed with the “BIG C” (CANCER) puts you not only through a medical journey but a very tough, grueling, challenging and heart wrenching emotional experience.  You try to learn the best you could to cope up and hang on while you watch your daughter face an ordeal of suffering day in and day out, who at an age of suppose innocence, enjoyment and pure joy is rather given with tremendous agony of battling the “BIG C”.  It is feeling so entirely helpless seeing your daughter in so much pain, facing seemingly endless uncertainties yet providing neither vivid answers nor solutions.   Having your daughter diagnosed with cancer is putting to test the limits of your humanity, the threshold of you sanity, the bounds of your faith.  It is learning to live day by day with numerous unanswered questions.  It is learning how to control your emotions so courage could dominate… to seize desolation so bliss could over take... to hold on to a belief that your faith could make an insurmountable difference in midst of a very unfortunate condition your daughter is facing.   Having your daughter diagnosed with cancer is a spiritual encounter.  For some it leads to crisis of faith.  For others it is accepting cancer as a gift and holding on to that belief that “GOD WILL MAKE A WAY”.   Having your daughter diagnosed with cancer pounds your heart and blinds your eyes with tears of sorrow.  The more you analyze and ask questions the more it gets complicated… the more you can’t find the answers.  Yet, no matter how complex it is, you try feed your spirit with high hopes and yearns that one day, your daughter will be HEALED COMPLETELY... an assuring voice your hear in your heart of hearts that  shouts “SHE WILL BE… GOD WILL MAKE A WAY”.   In this journey, it is relevant to make a choice.  And that’s what we did… We had chosen the road of faith.  We had chosen to believe rather than to live in despair.  We had chosen to drop the “TODAY’S THE TOMORROW WE WORRIED ABOUT YESTERDAY” attitude.  We had chosen not to analyze and ask question but to live life in accordance to His will.  We had chosen the more powerful and ever loving “BIGGER C”  who we trust WILL MAKE A WAY… CHRIST!!!