gifts

it has been several months now since i realized that we were meant to stay. this country is for us, and we are for this country. i realized that a lot of people have been doing their own little share to make this country better. i was amazed to find out that there are so many various foundations and non-government organizations which have projects here and there to help different marginalized sectors of society. and so there is hope. i would like to believe that there is. if we are staying put, then there should be. i had an intense urge to make this feeling known and encourage others to feel the same.

thus, my gifts for this christmas to some of our good friends, who decided to stay despite the adversities and difficulties of our times, in our place under the sun.

cacao filipina cacao balls from beans grown and processed in batangas

book 12 little things every filipino can do to help our country by alex lacson

shirt printed on it the philippine flag with the words tahanan ng aking lahi

the three things i wanted to impart through these are the real gifts.

cacao balls for support of what is filipino, a great filipino product judged superior to even ghirardelli. and there are still many others.

book for hope and positivism. also for simple concrete things we can do within our capacity to make our country better. it is possible.

shirt for a constant reminder of exactly what it says... that this is our home. that we should love it enough to take care of it, so we can be truly proud of it.

from the book i quote, this stirring realization which pierces deep, that is "our country yearns for love from its people." it is true and it is sad. but it is a challenge too.