A Gift from a Stranger

Strange things happen for some unexpected reasons. 

An old man in his 50's went towards me at the National Bookstore two days ago. He smiled coyly and asked me if I have ever read this book before [True Life in God]. 

He was unassuming. He looked professional in striped beige polo shirt tucked under a prim dungarees that most senior men wear. His ashen hair was far from empty though wrinkles turn up as he tried to open his mouth and explained to me how the book had amazingly "converted" his faith. That was the exact word he used. 

Those folds in his face however hinted me a contented man whose wisdom matured in the last 10 years. He gives me a quick look through the pages, which had me reassured is an action of a man who really knows what he is talking about. 

"To which Church do you belong sir, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I am a Roman Catholic" he said.

"I first came across this book in 1997 from a friend. It only stockpiled in my desk until six months later when I read it for the first time. Lord, why have I not read this book before? I muttered. This is a very good book. It is the type that will get you teary eyed-- perhaps out of guilt, or joy, or thankfulness. It feels like Jesus speaking straight to you. A real account".

"I can give this to you as a gift" he continues.

"No it's okay sir, thank you. I'll have it myself".

"No don't worry, I'll pay for it".

I took a sly smile. He went to the counter and paid for the book. The next thing I know was that I felt surprised. I was not sure if I made a seemly response. Tears (honestly) almost gathered in my bottom lids. It felt unusual but I did not think it was ever doubtful. 

"Why do you have to do this sir?" I asked.

"I just feel happy" he only puts it. 

His assuring smile greeted me for the last time. "Well thank you sir. God bless you" I replied and then he left.

Photo Credits:
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Going Viral: Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus

You have probably seen it go viral on twitter and facebook.

   
Jesus versus religion, or is it really?

When God's Answer Doesn't Make Sense

I have been knuckling down myself, volunteering in a hospital for almost eight weeks. That’s nearly two months. And until now I really wonder how I was able to hold down close to months of physical and emotional burnout of working 40 hours every week without pay, and a slight amount of ill-humor from few random people around.

Image taken from weheartit.com

Honestly, that is even far from other people’s experience. But one of the hardest parts of getting through bad situations is when you reach the point where you can no longer balance yourself well. It happened to me in the past few weeks.

I belong to an entire generation of Nurses who after graduating and getting the license hardly gets a paying job in the same profession. Or when we get a chance we have to start from scratch and become a “volunteer”. It’s one of the trending professional misplace these days. Even supposing, I still find it okay. Sometimes we really have to start from the bottom to get to where we want (the top).

There only came a point when I could no longer find my passion in what I was doing. At times I become so ambivalent of whether my motivations for entering into nursing were really right. Or if I ever had a wrong notion about it. 

Going on duty always seemed like a struggle each day. And often times I think of quitting and never coming back to the hospital again.

When my co-trainees ask me what my plans are after the training or if I’d still ever want to work in the hospital, I stutter and trip over my words hoping to find an answer I would not regret. But even I. Even I was racking to find my own answer to the question. 

I didn’t know what to do. I cried each night and found myself always praying that I would never do any harm to my patients despite the inner struggles I was having for weeks.

I’ve never been this negative in the several years past. But adequate enough to say that losing hopes amidst too much negative circumstance shots no one in exemption.