Sunday, January 06, 2008 Luab: May the three Wise Men bring us wisdom By Evelyn R. Luab Ligth Sunday
THE year 2008 must be met with a certain amount of wisdom. It’s got to be wisdom of the mind and wisdom coming from the heart.
An incident in Manila last Dec. 24 touched our hearts to the core. My son-in-law brought us all to Good Earth at the Fort for our dinner. After dinner we had some food, which were still untouched so we asked to have it wrapped.
At one crossroad during a stoplight, a family knocked on our car window. My daughter handed over the food and said, “Pagkain ‘yan.” Their “Maraming salamat” was so full of gratitude and happiness that my daughter sadly exclaimed, “Yet we take so many things for granted.” That was wisdom from her heart.
What about wisdom from the mind? Okay, let me talk to you, young couples.
Listen to your mind. Your mind will tell you that there are no supermen or superwomen. They do not exist. No one man or woman can carry a family alone. While the cliché “it takes two to tango” should be thrown out of our books, nevertheless it still holds true.
My late husband had an IQ of 136. Me? Oh, I’m way below that. However, he always credited the whole family for the success of our small enterprises. He knew that vision alone, capital, or guts or perspiration were not enough. He knew that time, effort, physical, mental and manual help mattered. I remember his telling us this: “When the stress had come, when tough decisions had to be made, when hardships were met, you were all there behind me to keep me from falling.” Up to this day, we know his many failings, but we do credit him for acknowledging that his wife and children were pillars of his strength.
I had my cervical cancer treated at Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for one month and a half. During the cobalt and radiation therapy, everyone in the family pitched in. I have five daughters. All of them took turns in staying with me for a week at PGH. They would take a week’s leave from work or school just to be at my side. Even my flight attendant daughter, Ludette, marked time to be with her mom. No one told them what to do. The wisdom of the heart guided them to act.
Today, we need to listen more to what we hear from within.
Last Dec.27, nine of my former street children who have been relocated from the William Lines area to Talamban paid me a visit. They brought me a carving of the Holy Family, which they said only cost them P10. (I worried because I knew they had very little money.) Alan, my rolly polly one, who still works at the pier during early mornings impishly said: “Imo man ming tagaan og pinaskuhan unya ilisan man sad mi nimo sa among plete, diba?”
(You are going to give us a Christmas gift anyway; besides, you will reimburse our fares, right?) What Alan said came from his mind. The carving, which they all paid for, came from the wisdom of their hearts. They knew I love things like these.
Today, allow me to share my observation of what I have noticed among the people here in Cebu.
There is an increase in the number of people who are no longer attached to material things. If new dresses or T-shirts are received by these people, they immediately take from their wardrobe the same number of dresses to give away. Things which are no longer being used are given away—even plates and drinking glasses which are rarely used.
During the holidays, a business friend had to terminate the employment an employee for gross negligence. But he listened to the wisdom of his heart and lessened the sanction to a suspension of only a few days. When we allow compassion to lead the way, at least we know that there were three Wise Men ahead of us who paid homage to a Christ child who grew up to shower us with full compassion by giving up His life for us.
We can make 2008 a good year. The mind and heart is a beautiful combination!
