Sa Kanya (aekarghe with Dindo Almeda at Star J Wave Session)

My very first recorded live performance. I'm singing here, "Sa Kanya", as popularized by Ogie Alcasid which was later on revived by MYMP. This was during one of Star J Plaza's marketing events called "Star J Wave Session" with Mr. Dindo Almeda as our guest performer. Here's the video clip of the said performance. Enjoy!

Love Notes from the heart and mind of a genius....

Sometimes, in our relentless efforts to find the person we love we fail to recognize and appreciate the people who love us. We miss out on so many beautiful things and simply because we allow ourselves to be enslaved by our own selfish concerns. Go for the man of deeds and not for the man of words for you will find rewarding happiness not with the man you love but the man who loves you more. The best lovers are those capable of loving from a distance far enough to allow the person to grow, but never too far to feel the love deep within your being. TO LET GO OF SOMEONE DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO STOP LOVING, IT ONLY MEANS THAT YOU ALLOW THAT PERSON TO FIND HIS OWN HAPPINESS WITHOUT EXPECTING HIM TO COME BACK. Letting go is not just setting the other person free, but it is also setting yourself free from all bitterness, hatred, and anger that keep in your heart. Do not let the bitterness rare you away your strength and weaken your faith, and never allow pain to dishearten you, but rather let your grow with wisdom in bearing it. You may find peace in just loving someone from a distance not expecting anything in return. But be careful, for this can sustain life but can never give enough room for us to grow. We can all survive with just beautiful memories of the past but real peace and happiness come only with open acceptance of what reality is today.

There comes a time in our lives when we chance upon someone so nice and beautiful and we just find ourselves getting so intensely attracted to that person. This feeling soon become a part of our everyday lives and eventually consumes our thoughts and actions. The sad part of it is when we begin to realize that this person feels nothing more for us than just a friendship. We start our desperate attempt to get noticed and be closer but in the end our efforts are still unrewarded and we end up being sorry for ourselves. You don't have to forget someone you love. What you need to learn is how to accept the verdict of reality without being bitter or sorry for yourself. Believe me, you would be better off giving that dedication and love to someone more deserving. 

Don't let your heart run your life, be sensible and let your mind speak for itself. Listen not only to your feelings but to reason as well. Always remember that if you lose someone today, it means that someone better is coming tomorrow: If you lose love that doesn't mean that you failed in love. Cry if you have to, but make it sure that the tears wash away the hurt and the bitterness that the past has left with you. Let go of yesterday and love will find its way back to you. And when it does, pray that it may be the love that will stay and last a lifetime. There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein.

(1879-1955)

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

HUMAYO kang mapayapa sa gitna ng ingay at pagmamadali, at alalahanin mo kung anong kapayapaan mayroon sa katahimikan. Hanggat maaari, ng walang pagsuko, maging mabuti ang pakikitungo mo sa lahat ng tao. Ipahayag mo ang iyong katotohanan ng tahimik at buong linaw; at makinig ka sa iba, maging sa mga kabagot-bagot at mangmang; sila man ay mayroon ding sariling salaysay.

IWASAN mo ang maiingay at mapupusok na tao; sila ay mga pang-inis sa isip. Kung ihahambing mo ang iyong sarili sa iba, maaari kang maging palalo o may sama ng loob, sapagkat lagi nay mayroong mas nakahihigit at mas nakabababang mga tao kaysa sa iyo.

MASIYAHAN ka sa iyong mga nakamtan gayundin sa iyong mga balakin. Manatili kang interesado sa iyong sariling hanapbuhay, gaano man kababa; Itoy isang tunay na pag-aari sa pabago-bagong kapalaran ng panahon.

GAWIN mo ang pag-iingat sa iyong mga gawaing pangkalakal, sapagkat ang daigdig ay tigib ng panlilinlang. Subalit huwag mo itong bayaang bumulag sa iyo sa kung anong kabutihan ang mayroon dito; maraming tao ang nagpupunyagi tungo sa matataas na hangarin, at kahit saan ang buhay ay puno ng kabayanihan.

IKAW ay maging ikaw. Lalot higit ay huwag mong dayain ang pagmamahal. O di kayay maging mapag-alinlangan ka tungkol sa pag-ibig; sapagkat sa harap ng lahat ng kahugkagan at pagkasuklam, itoy kasing-tatag ng mga damo.

Tanggapin mo ng may kagandahang loob ang payo ng mga taon, buong kagitingang isinusuko ang mga bagay ng kabataan. Alagaan mo ang lakas ng pag-iisip upang ipananggalang laban sa madidilim na kaisipan. Marami sa mga pangamba ay hatid ng pagod at kalungkutan. Sa kabila ng isang mabuting disiplina, maging mahinahon ka.

IKAW ay anak ng sanlibutan, hindi hamak kaysa mga puno at mga bituin; may karapatan kang maparito. At maging ito man ay malinaw o hindi sa iyo, walang alinlangan na ang sanlibutan ay umiinog gaya ng nararapat nitong gawin. Kung gayon, maging mapayapa ka sa piling ng Diyos, anuman ang iyong pananaw tungkol sa Kanya. At anuman ang iyong mga pagpapagal at mithiin, sa maingay na kalituhan ng buhay, pamalagiin mo ang kapayapaan sa iyong kaluluwa.

SA KABILA ng kanyang mga pagkukunwari, pagkaalipin at gumuhong mga pangarap, itoy isa pa ring magandang daigdig. Maging maingat ka. Pagsumikapan mong maging maligaya.

--- Max Ehrmann, 1927

A Letter To The One That God Has Prepared For Me (Author Unknown)

I am wondering at this very minute if you are thinking of me, if like me, you are wondering what is taking us so long to find each other. Many times I thought I finally found you only to be disillusioned by the fact that my wait has not yet ended. I get up each morning hoping, dreaming, longing to meet you. I am thinking of how we will meet, would be as romantic as the ones I have seen in movies? Or is it possible that I have known you all my life but we have yet to realize that we are meant for each other? Oh How I wish you were here right now because you are the only one who has the answers to all my questions. Sometimes I ask myself if I have ever really known love. I do not have the answer to that question either but I believe that, more often than not, we will never really know what love is until we find that right person? And since I have not found you yet, then maybe I do not really know what love is!

You just don’t know how often I dream of finally knowing what it feels like to be in your arms. Even at this very moment I am imagining how you will simply sweep me off my feet! Perhaps I would be drawn to you by your smile, or your eyes, or maybe even how you manage to make me laugh by your silly little ways! I don’t really know for sure but I am praying that God will help me recognize you when the right time comes. I think of all the pain that I have gone through in the past and of how much I have cried since the day I began my search. I just wanted you to know that I find my strength in clinging onto my vision of the beautiful life ahead of me --- the life I shall spend with you. In my mind and in my heart I know that you are worth all that pain and sacrifice. After all, the tears have become a part of my life and I believe that they are slowly washing away my flaws so that I would become perfect, not perfect in its truest sense, but perfect --- for YOU!

I wonder if you’ve been hurt so many times along the journey. But my dearest one, please don’t ever give up because I am right here? Patiently waiting for you! I assure you that when we finally find each other I would slowly heal those wounds by my love. At night, I would look out my window and stare at the beautiful sky, hoping that somehow you are also looking up and wondering about me. I utter a silent prayer and send all my cries to the heavens above thinking that in time they would reach you. And when I feel impatient, I just close my eyes and believe that you are on your way and that you are longing to see me as well.

It is funny but when I finally fall asleep, it is still you that I think of, for you are always in my dreams. It seems that, for now, that is the only place where I can hold on to you, long enough to tell you how much I love you. In my dreams you would kiss away my fears and wrap me with your arms of love. And this, all the more, makes me want to wake up and face the new day ahead with the hope that soon enough, you will no longer be a dream but a reality and once again I am assured that you are worth the wait. And when that time comes, everything will fall into its place, just as I had imagined, just as I had thought and dreamed, just as I had believed it would be! By then, I would simply look back and smile at all that I have gone through, in spite of the pain and amidst the simple joys of life --- and I would be very thankful because they all led me to you!

In the meantime, take care of yourself for me. Hold on to our dream and don’t even think of letting go. Believe in your heart that we will find each other no matter what happens. God has planned the course and it is up to us to follow the directions. Don’t worry, don’t be afraid about getting lost, God saw to it that all the roads, no matter which one you choose to follow, lead to me?!

Reflections

"Reflecting on what had been and what might had been..
What I did and what I shouldn't been done..
My achievements and my failures..
My virtues and my mistakes..

The past.. 
There are so many things that I know I cannot change anymore..
Plans that did not materialized..
Decisions that turned out to be wrong..

The past..
There are many words that shouldn't been said..
While important things were left unsaid..

Life is like playing a song without rewind..
A live show without second take..

I know I cannot catch up to everything that already passed my way..
Things that I let go with my hands..
Missed opportunities ..
Uncaptured moments..

From where I am now.. life will go on..
From where I am standing now.. my next step follows..
Even though there's no more rewinds..
From what is left.. I'll start something new.."

aekarghe/06Jul2012