BY: RAY GRATZNER

There once was a girl, who was the only treasure of her parents. The mother loved her daughter very much and she dressed her every day like a little princess, with gorgeous clothes which flattered her skin.

Daily, she brushed the long hair of her child with much love and devotion and she was not tired to pay attention to her child. But from time to time she sighed and said, ‘child, to be a mother is both joy and sorrow.”

The father too loved his daughter very much. He cared less than the mother to change the appearance of the girl. Rather, he gave her a great deal of attention and fulfilled her every wish, he bought her whatever she wanted, dolls, dogs, birds, books.

Thus the girl grew up without ever knowing the ugly face of the lack of concern, because the parents thought of everything and ensured that in good time.

In all of their love for their only daughter the couple also found their own love. When the father saw the daughter, then he thought: “She is a part of my good-hearted woman, which I love so much ..’ And the mother felt the same.

When the mother saw her daughter she thought, ‘She has so much from him whom I love so much. “

The parents employed the best teachers at their house to educate her daughter and over the years she grew from a young daughter to a young woman who would soon leave the house of the parents to lead a life of her own.

Photo by willgame

On her 18 birthday, the man took his wife to the side and said. ‘Dear wife, our daughter has become with the present day adult. We have given her all what parents could give a daughter. All that is left is we must still give her her own life.”

“I think just the same,” she said firmly, and seized his hand. “Let us speak with our daughter.”

They went to their daughter, who was in her room reading a book. “Daughter? We need to talk with you.”

The daughter looked up briefly with a loathly grimace. “See ye not that I read? I don’t want to be disturbed” Then she turned around and turned her back to her parents.

The father spoke again. “Dear daughter, you’re grown up now. We give thee with a heavy heart today the freedom of adult life.” The daughter had previously blocked her ears, and so she didn’t notice as the parents boldly began to pack the suitcases of their daughter.

The mother brought the suitcase before the door of the house and the father wore his beloved daughter over the threshold of her father’s home. Then they locked the door and began to smile.

“That’s it, free again.” They fell into the arms and cheered. The happiness of a childless love came over them once again.

As the daughter had read through her book, it was dark and she slowly got hungry. She sat up and looked around and saw that she was outside of the house in front of the door. Around her were the suitcases.

What game could that be? She cried after her parents and rang the doorbell, but nobody opened the door. Finally, she hammered annoyed with fist against the door to express her displeasure.

Suddenly on the first floor a window opened and the face of her teacher appeared.

“Your parents tell you that you have now become of age and therefore receive the gift of freedom.”

“Then I have birthday today? Where is my birthday cake?”, The daughter happily hopped up and down.

“There will be no cake today,” the teacher looked affected and shrugged his shoulders.

“You find in the suitcases all you need to get along.” The window was closed.

The young woman understood that she was locked out and began to cry. She sat in front of the door and cried hour by hour.

Finally, she went under the window of her parents and wailed, “Year after year, I was your daughter. I was never alone and I never had to struggle because you had already thought of everything. But now you let me alone and no one will think of me anymore? Why dear parents, why have you just done that? Wasn’t I a good daughter, why for the world did you say nothing? Because you believed that it would be my wish to hurt you? ” But nobody answered.

Photo by jenny downing

Then came a young man the road along with a horse-driven carriage who saw the girl crying. He stopped his car and shouted. “Hey, you there. What do you have? Why do you cry?”

But the young woman did not reply.

The young man dismounted, went over to her and looked at all the suitcases. “So you’re probably a servant who was thrown on the street? Well, you’re possibly pregnant?”

But the young woman did not reply.

“I will take you with me,” said the young man. “My mother is looking for a servant and you will please her just right as any other, if you only behave properly. “

The young woman sobbed and gave no further response. The man carried her suitcases to his car. And finally, he wore the young woman like a wet sack over his shoulder and placed her gently on the bank next to coach.

So they traveled for hours and the young woman didn’t stop to weep, but she sobbed and whimpered no longer and her grief had become more silent.

Photo by mando2003us

Finally, the young man turned into a farm and a tough female voice welcomed him. “Where do you come from now? Have you wasted time again?”

“Look, mother”, said the young man” I have found a maid. Your last one has run away.”

The mother looked with large eyes at the young woman saw that she cried and said. “She certainly will work nothing like she howls. But if you already have brought her, then bring her into the garret. And you – you strange one. Whoever does not work, will get nothing to eat.”

The young woman seemed not to notice what happened around her and the resolute mother had already turned and was gone

So there was the young woman as a maid at the farmers and she learned everything she needed as a maid. She milked the cows and wept. She washed the clothes and wept. She quietly ate the bread that she had baked and wept. She never gave an answer and now and then a tear ran down her cheek.

The farmer was not interested because she had a heart of stone and only the young man asked himself, which was probably the secret behind the tears of the young woman. His whole life long, he had never heard a dear word from his dear mother and he could recall how had cried a lot in his childhood.

But the tears were gone, as he once had asked his mother, “mother, do you love me?”

The mother had given him a firm look and replied, “Love – what is it? Who does not work gets nothing to eat. You get to eat and do work that is everything you can ever expect from your mother. And remember. I have not called you to come into my life. Now you do not bubble to me any requests. ” Then his mother had turned and was gone.

‘Work, eating”, he had thought.

One day the young man came back to the house of the parents of the young woman. He stopped the car and knocked on the door. The mother opened and he asked, “Good woman, why did you once throw your maid out of the house?”

“No, we never had a maid, although I come into an age where I might need a good maid. We have a daughter, who we loved dearly, but she left us being of age. We gave her all and could give only one gift to her – freedom. “

“Your daughter is now with me,” said the young man

“Maybe she be where she wants to be. Who cares? I’m not,” said the mother saucy. “We anticipated her every wish, but she did not pay the love back. Year after year, she became more grumpy and unbearable. Once I have asked my daughter whether she loved me?”

‘Love you, certainly I love you. “

“And why?” I asked

“Because, because .. and then, she considered a long time, because you always give me what I would like to have?”

“And if I wanted something from you, dear daughter would you give it to me?”

“No, because I have nothing except what you give me. What should I give you?”

“She didn’t love me because she didn’t want to give me nothing in return. Maybe she be, where ever she is – I do not care. As a parent, I have fulfilled my duty.” She turned her look from the young man and closed the door.

TO BE CONTINUED…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RAY GRATZNER OF THE ESOTERICAL JOURNEY is one blogger who inspires profound thoughts and retrospection.

He talks about a lot of meaningful insights in his English blog and also posts them in his German blog. He describes his blog as a site that features:

“Thought and stories about personal freedom, love, life energy and the journey inside.”

Visit his German Blog DER WEG IST DAS ZIEL

If you want to read his German version

The blogosphere would not be complete without a philosopher like Ray.

Thanks Ray for contributing this thought provoking story to the Inspirational Book.

I am sure lots of readers will contemplate on its real message.

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By: CORINE LEI MANANGAN GONZALES

We used to dream of a white Christmas when we were still in the Philippines especially when we were kids.
But now that we are here in the US, it seems that the snow would not compensate for the unparalleled Christmas spirit that only the Philippines has.

Here, it’s really fun to feel the snowflakes coming down your cheeks, make angel wings on the snow-covered ground and throw snow balls at each other.

We could hardly wait to make a snowman for our little boy — he’s only six months old now but he seems to appreciate the snow already.

However, playing with snow makes us miss “halo-halo” even more…

Despite the snow fun, we still wish to come home for Christmas in the coming years.
There, the holiday season starts as early as September. In which time, the Christmas countdown begins and many already put up their Christmas trees and decorate the outdoors with lots of lights and “parol” which is an authentic pinoy Christmas lantern .

What we miss even more is the simbang gabi — we don’t usually get to complete the 9-day dawn masses but it’s always worth the try. That’s when you’d really enjoy eating puto bumbong and bibingka.

It’s also fun to see little kids all over the streets at night singing carols from one house to another hoping to get even just a few coins.

But on top of it all, it’s being with the entire family during noche buena that makes Pinoy Christmas extra special.
(Corine, husband dudz and son)
However, the family is only the second most essential element of the season. Most important of all, it’s this time of the year (and preferably all the other 364 days too) when we remember to give what is due to the REASON FOR THE SEASON.

After all, it’s His birthday that we celebrate.

Writing this blog makes me realize that though we definitely miss spending Christmas back home, the right place for Christmas is actually deep inside our hearts where our Lord resides.

So, let me be the first one to greet all of you an advance Merry Christmas !!!
and happy birthday to you Lord!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ma’am Corine as fondly called by her former students is a soft spoken but determined young woman who had decided to migrate abroad to New Mexico with her hubby – Dudz.

Looking at her petite frame, one would not guess that she had been a competent college instructor and has several educational degrees tucked under her belt – MS Micro, BSMT and is now an ASCP board passer.
Ma’am Corz, thanks for accepting the invitation to guest post in my blog.

It has been a pleasure having you here; and I hope this will not be the last.
Good luck and God bless!

The cold month of December is fast approaching but it is still hot and humid in the locality where I live.

This is probably because of global warming and the green house effect which we humans have created inadvertently; and of course I live in a tropical country.

In these humid atmosphere, a good and tried electric fan, ceiling fan or airdcondtioner is in order. One of these tried and tested ceiling fans are the “casablanca ceiling fans”.
and “Ellington celing fans”

They are durable with all accesories and spare parts available. Various ceiling and electric fans are also available and they could be adjusted depending on your specifications.

An airconditioner could burn a hole in one’s pocket and will greatly affect the household budget for the whole month;  so why don’t you shift to these less expensive but equally effective fans?

Fans are cheaper and are more affordable for middle income families.

Buying good ceiling fans and elecric fans however, should be done with care and caution. Be sure that you get your hard earned – money’s worth.

When I was a kid, I sometimes go without shoes or slippers. It was good to feel the cold damp earth tickling my soles and “refreshing” my feet. But time moves on and so does technology.

Now, I have to wear shoes – whether I like it or not- because going without it, would be like going naked in a public place.

I have trouble however in selecting my shoes as I am flat footed and almost all shoes hurt my feet. I have to let my feet be measured specifically (wide- toed shoes) because of this, and had them made to order.

The ready made shoes usually lasts only for a few weeks. And sometimes, when the new shoes hurt so much, I go back to wearing the tattered, old ones.
I have large bunions right now and I have a friend who was operated on because of bunions. This makes me doubly nervous of choosing the right shoes.

Then, my daughter who is abroad, gifted me with an Adidas. At first I ignored it, but when they have required us at work to undergo compulsory physical fitness program, I have to use it. It was the only rubber shoes I had in my possession.

Miracles of miracles, I felt so comfortable with it that I used it all day and the days after.

I also found luck with this wonderful online shop, with everything and anything available on the click of a keypad. I can now buy all the same, comfortable footwear that I now love using.

Now I don’t go without my favorite footwear, and I enjoy jogging because of it.