Olive twigs, not young coconut leaves.
Cadbury's chocolates in colourful foil wrappers.Did you know that Australians would start greeting each other a 'Happy Easter!' as early as Holy Monday? I have, actually, received four Happy Easter greetings and have eaten five egg-shaped chocolates since the start of the Holy Week.
Beer, wine and spirits...
Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, South AustraliaI am not a good swimmer so I wish I could stay afloat in case the waves aren’t mild... as I hope that nasty sea creatures won’t get wild.
...praying and believing to find some pearls of success and happiness at the bottom end of this endeavour.It was a remarkable Thursday afternoon; I skipped my weekly routine of visiting the Elizabeth Shopping Centre because of the scheduled activity in the poultry farm by nightfall.
For a change, I opted not to stay inside my caravan and wait until after sunset so I took the farm ute and drove off to Port Wakefield to enjoy the rest of the afternoon outdoor.
I chose a spot along the Wakefield River; it’s a picnic point towards the north-western side of the town, around 250 meters from the roadhouse strip. I had driven by this area many times before but didn’t really dare to stop and stay like what I did last Thursday.
What a peaceful place! There’s nobody here except me and this middle-aged moustached man in the other side of the riverbank who’s tidying his SUV under the shade of the pines. Luckily, there are flocks of seagulls resting on the sand and some are perching on the wooden fences whose casual squawks perfectly blend with the clatter of the lush pine and palm leaves blown by the mild, late afternoon wind.
Port Wakefield is one of Australia's most important sites for migratory birds! -About Australia
It’s late summer but the breeze is relatively cool, as if reminding me of the coming of the colourful autumn in the next four days.
The river has been flowing smoothly yet its surface distinctively ripples every time the south-easterly wind sets a powerful puff. From the wooden bench where I’m sitting right now, the water appears to be boasting of its bluish dye, when in fact it is only a generous reflection of the mostly clear sky.
The wooden bench.
Sunset at the Wakefield River...
The sun is now hiding behind the sparsely painted clouds as its lowest brim touches the tip of the Yorke Peninsula hills in the west. Simultaneously, the previously azure sky is gradually transforming into a grey canvas with an abstract artwork of gold and deep orange colours! The vegetations and the birds are now silhouetting against the remaining glow of the day...
Bird-watching...
This magnificent scenery would have been lovelier if the clouds are thicker and if a beautiful maiden will come and cross the wooden bridge reclining in the distance. How I wish... but just before my vulnerable mind totally succumb to these early evening illusions I was averted by the mouth-watering aroma of a sizzling steak diffusing from the neighbouring hotel.
Built 1856 as Rising Sun Inn, renamed as The Rising Sun Hotel in 1859.
The moustached man had packed-up and left, probably to have his evening tea and a mug of ice-cold West End Draught in the adjacent tavern.
T-bone steak with mushroom-black pepper gravy and mashed potato
The roadhouse strip by night; Port Wakefield, South Australia.70 x 7 =?
A simple mathematical equation that reminds me of how many times I have to forgive somebody whom I perceived has done something wrong against me. But honestly, doing it in real life is quite difficult because forgiving isn’t as easy as solving that simple arithmetic problem presented above.
Nobody is holy; I’ve even inherited a sin from our fore parents which means I have had it since the time I was conceived. With this, I feel guilty to be uncompassionate to someone who’s admitting his or her own fault and, to deny my pardon to an apologetic offender, especially if it is done publicly.
Thru a phone call, the power of my ballot was stolen in the May 2004 presidential election, but the equation above simply implies that the theft still has another 489 chances for me to be patient and for her to be forgiven. (More stories here.)
The past Australian parliament had once decided to seize the children of the natives thereby depriving them of growing up with their own culture, but the federal and state governments can still enjoy the remaining 489 times of exoneration. (More stories here.)
Countless men and women have been sexually assaulted by some members of the clergy, yet undeniably, the church possesses and at the same time teaches that we should grant our brethren the limitless opportunity of absolution. (More stories here.)
A world-renowned golfer has committed adultery and admitted his sexual relationships to more than a dozen women; luckily he still has more than 39 dozens of opportunity to be understood by his family, friends and fans. (More stories here.)
The British 'child migration scheme' in the 1920's-1960's sent an estimated number of 150,000 children to Australia without the consent of their parents thereby painfully tearing those families apart... but the kingdom still has 489 chances to make up with each of these victims. (More stories here.)
Assessing the sincerity of the remorse as the transgressor expresses an apology is very subjective, most especially to the one who has been offended because of the complexities of the prejudices involved. Objectively, when the offender refrain from doing the same mistake for a lifetime, only then can one conclude that he has genuinely repented. But in the case of ‘addiction’ of any immoral, illegal or anti-religious acts, genuine repentance is more likely unachievable!
But then again, I should not judge; I should not condemn. I should love my neighbours; I should love my enemies. I should forgive so I shall be forgiven. It is worthwhile to note here that according to the University of Wisconsin, happier and healthier people are those who forgive. (More...)
Lucky are those who are forgiven, they have all the opportunity to be happy and be healthy, as well. They are being freed from all the horrifying punishments and restitution entailed because of their shortcomings.
Forgiving a person who's asking an apology isn't the end of the story. The question if they have forgiven themselves of the guilt they've inflicted in their own heart and mind after committing a mistake as well as the shame of doing a public apology (if needed) and, above all, if they have asked for and received the divine forgiveness that they surely need are now beyond my control. Of course, I am a sinner, and I know that I also need the same.
.
I really would like to submit myself into an elective surgery; I wanted my occipitofrontalis muscle be severed so I could stop raising my eyebrows!
There's something about the modern Philippine politics that I simply hate the most- when leaders of various religious organizations deliberately choose to appear old-fashioned by entertaining the ‘serenade’ and ‘go dating’ with the national electoral candidates. Or shall I put it this way: ...when these candidates are desperately doing a ‘serenade’ and going out with these ministers for a ‘date’.
I, obviously, don’t know if who among them is enjoying this kind of affair, the electoral candidate who ran after the religious minister or the minister being persuaded by the soon-to-be a national leader.
...just can’t believe that gaining and giving a support for one's candidacy is as difficult and embarrassing as that. For me, yes. But perhaps, for these candidates who desire to earn millions of votes in the much-awaited May 2010 election, courting an influential religious leader may be much easier than visiting every household in the 41,995 barangays throughout the Philippines.
This type of political campaign is undoubtedly like courting an intended spouse amidst a number of equally competent rivals! And with these preachers openly saying to reveal their decisions, if to whom they are giving their support, in the next or after a couple of month, it would surely drive the ‘dandies’ to intensify their flattery so they could savour the heavenly flavour/favour they’re craving for—the powerful votes.
Courtship is an art; I believe nobody would dare to disagree. Undeniably, special gifts such as stuffed toys, delicious chocolates, expensive flowers, as well as sugar-coated words are all part of the craft. The finest presents and the most excellent promises that could gratify these ministers, of course their suitors know best.
I am not questioning the religious leaders’ ability to assess a potential and to choose a good candidate to vote, nor am I taking away their right of suffrage. With their credibility, well...
It seems that I am going too far, far away from what I wanted to point out in this post- that when somebody decides whom to vote there are only two possible outcomes—a right choice or a wrong choice. And in the case of these great and most ‘sought after’ religious ministers, millions of votes are at stake! Of course I haven’t forgotten that the Holy Spirit is ____ there to guide them, hopefully at all times and NOT just always.
The question on why the followers of these religious organizations behave like water buffaloes with a nose-string is another lengthy story.
Now back to dating and courtship... I know you know what’s next—engagement and marriage. In the Philippine political affairs, I am giving all the benefits of the doubt regarding ‘engagements after the election’.
