A Lesson

Good morning everyone and Happy Sunday!

While I was attending 5am mass today, I was inspired to create this blog about the thing I learned this week and it is good to end this month with this.

If God forgive, love, show compassion and have mercy on me many times, there isn't any reason why I can't forgive, love, show compassion and have mercy to others as well. I know it's too broad and I know I'm not God either but the fact is, at the end of the day, showing good things to others make me happy and at peace. Having those feeling are the most important in me. It's not about being so good and appreciated by others. It's not about pretending those negative feelings and not never-minding them. But it's all about Jesus who died on the cross because of my sins to save me and because He loves me unconditionally. For that I believe I don't have enough reasons to hate others, wasted in grieving and live my life in mediocrity. 

I am still bound to commit mistakes!

A Heartwarming TAARA ZAMEEN PAR

Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth) Every Child Is Special was a 2007 Bollywood film in the direction Aamir Khan and written by Amole Gupte. This movie explored the life and imagination of a 8-year old boy Ishaan portrayed by Darsheel Safary.He exceled in art but very poor in academically that led his parents to send him to boarding school. Ishaan  received the same treatment to his teachers. Crazy, lazy, idiot, no future were few of words his teachers threw at him if he didn't get the exam of his teachers discussion. Then later on in the film, he met his new art teacher that suspects him to have dyslexia and helped him to overcome Ishaan's disability.

According to Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia about this movie, it made its theatrical debut in India and UTV Home Entertainment released a DVD for Indian audiences in 2008. In less than two years, Walt Disney Home Entertainment released an international edition DVD titled Like Stars on Eath, marking the first purchase of distribution rights for an Indian film by a global company. The movie Received several awards including Filmfare Best Film Award for 2008 and National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare. It was also India's official entry for the 2009 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film which failed the film to progress to the nominations short list sparked a debate about why no Indian film has ever won an oscar. Media outlets made comparison between Taare Zameen Par and the British Slumdog MIllionaire which won several Oscars that same year.

photo: Google

Personally, when my friend recommended me this movie, I wasn't attracted to watch but when she told me that this movie is all about a child who has dyslexia which is the disability to read and write, then, I had the interest. I watched it and finished it in one setting which usually I didn't do in watching movie since I can only watch here in the office. It took me 2 hours and 43 minutes however, I felt good. I cried a lot. I understood so much. My heart bled for Ishaan.  This movie really helped me understanding more those little precious and special children around me.

My passion to be with the children aroused more when I knew this movie. In my mind rolled many plans like pursuing my graduate studies about Special Education and eventually work with those special children. I love Ishaan. I see many children having the same situation as his. Parents who don't understand their situation and people who bully and discrimate them.

My prayer is that, may the parents love and accept fully their child. May they give the right attention and care especially if they have special needs. "Care" is what these children need. They are still worthy of our time and effort. It's just that, they are beyond our normal world that why we call them "special".

I highly recommend this movie to those parents, friends or anyone who know someone who is very special and has special needs. May they be able to learn also from this movie.

Here are some pictures of the movie that I "googled" in the net. 

 

photo: Google

A happy face of Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi or Darsheel Safary in real life. An eight-year old boy who dislikes school and unfortunately fails every test and exam. He finds all subjects difficult and belittled by all hi teachers and classmates. He also received LOTS of bullies. However, Ishaan's world is full and rich of colorful and wonderful things that he unable to convey with others, those magical lands with animated animals and the outer space with all by himself's journey. He is definitely an unrecognized artist.

photo: Google

Ishaan finds a little strength and befriended with his seatmate Rajan who is disabled but one of the top students in his class. In this scene, their new art teacher Nikumbh motivates them by asking questions about those famous people that has the same disability with Ishaan. He was surpirsed because Ishaan never knew about those people, Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci were the few mentioned in this movie. At the end of the story Rajan was really happy when the principal announced that Ishaan won the art/painting contest in their school.

photo: Google

Ram Shankar Nikumbh or Aamir Khan in real life who plays as an Art Teacher in the boarding school and discovers the life of Ishaan when he joins the faculty. He studies all the notes of Ishaan, every stroke of his pen and the spelling. His teaching style is markedly different from other teachers who are very strick but he quickly observes that Ishaan is unhappy and contributes a little in class activities. One day, Nikumbh visits Ishaan's parents and asks if he can see more of their son's work. He is stunned and surprise by the sophistication of Ishaan paintings and tells his parents that he is a bright child who possesses information differently from other children.

To make Nikumbh's story short in here, he is the one who makes Ishaan free of his world and be accepted in the school and society as himself.

photo: Google

Nikumbh's painting during the contest. A portrait of Ishaan's happy face.

photo: I print screened it while I was watching in the youtube.

I hope this one is clear, Ishaan's painting during the Art/Painting Contest in Tulips School (boarding school) and won the heart of many including his Art Teacher.

photo: I print screened it while I was watching in the youtube.

Ishaan's reaction when recognized by the school principal in the crowd because of his beautiful painting. After, he hugged Nikumbh for I think he found strength in him.

KUDOS TAARA ZAMEEN PAR!

It CAPTIVATES Me!

Now, often the hardest person to fight for is… yourself. But you must. Your heart is needed. You must be present and engaged in order to love well and fight on behalf of others. Without  you, much will be lost. It is time to take stand and to stand firm. We are at war. You are needed. -p.197

A woman who was often dizzy. The feeling of dizziness would frequently come upon her and throw her off balance both physically and spiritually. -p. 191

All women are called to mother. And all women are called to give birth. Women give birth to all kinds of things - to books (it’s nearly hard as a child, believe me), to churches, to movements. Women give birth to ideas, to creative espressions, to ministries. We birth life in others by inviting them into deeper realms of healing, to deeper walks with God, to deeper intimacy with Jesus. A woman is not less of a woman because she is not a wife or has not physically bornes a child. The heart and life of a woman is much more vast than that. All women are made in the image of God in that we bring forth life. When we enter into our world and into the lives of those we love and offer our tender and strong feminine hearts, we cannot help but mother them. -p. 181

It is about seeing who a person really is and calling him out to be that person.

The impact on a life that has been seen and called out is dramatic and eternal. The nurturing of life is a high and holy calling. And as a woman, it is yours. Yes, it takes many shapes and has a myriad of faces. Yes, men are called to this as well. But uniquely and deeply, this calling makes up part of the very fiber of a woman’s soul - the calling to mother. -p. 179

Credit to: Mr. Noel Aniban! He let me borrow this book.

CAPTIVATING by John & Stasi Eldredge

                        -------------------------------------------------------

More than anything else, this book inspires me a lot. But chapter 4 made me cry. The cases mentioned there were very pitiful. I was blessed on the other hand because I wasn't able to experience those stories. Personally, I pray that those victims of malicious things and discrimination will be able to stand again and face another life without fears and trauma. I pray that they'd be able to acquire peace in the Lord and be happy because they still deserve it.

This book helped me discover the things that are beautiful in me but wasn't able to recognized. It also helped in accepting myself and other women openly. Looking more on their positive sides rather on the negative aspects. Praying more about myself and inner beauty is what this book impart to all the women.

I highly recommend this book to all the women out there who still don't know about the things that make them Captivating!

Two thumbs up!

THE CUTEST BABE IN TOWN

Having known my interest about movies, this one I will share is one of the best movies ever for me. It's totally different. The title is "Babe", is a Australian-American film in the direction of Chris Nooman. The character is a pig but bearing those other animals like dogs, sheep, duck, cat and many others. They are being played by a combination of real and animatronic pigs and Border Collies. According to the source I searched on the internet, the movie was a critical box office success and was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture but lost to Braveheart. Oh! remember Braveheart? It was such a nice movie too. The success made launched a sequel "Babe: Pig In the City", I'm gonna watch that after this.

Anyway, the movie was being introduced to me by my student. It made me interested since it was all about animals and I was thinking about funny and animated scenes they might have. However, to my surprise, it was not what I expected to. It was almost real. I was really amazed to the extent that every line I was really into it. The characters threw fantastic lines and the pig's personality realized me that it is equitable to treat other people well. To keep on trying said the mother dog and the only way you'll find happiness is to accept that they way things are is the way things are stated the cow.

And ops! I salute also the narrator of the movie. He delivered well his part.

Here now some of the lines in the movie Babe:

Narrator: Fly decided to speak very slowly, for it was a cold fact of nature that sheep were stupid, and there was nothing that could convince her otherwise.
Fly: Please, someone tell me... what happened this morning.
Narrator: The sheep decided to speak very slowly, for it was a cold fact of nature that wolves were ignorant, and there was nothing that could convince them otherwise.
Sheep: It was Babe... he saved us... the wolves killed Maa... But Babe drew the wolves away! 

Babe: I'm sorry I bit you. Are you alright?
Sheep: Well, I wouldn't call that a bite myself. You got teeth in that floppy mouth of yours or just gums?
[Babe bursts out laughing and so does the other sheep]
Maa the Very Old Ewe: You see, ladies? A heart of gold. 

Cat: Oh, do forgive me for scratching you dear. I got a bit carried away. It's a cat thing.
Babe: [laughs] Oh, well, but...
Cat: Feeling good about tomorrow, are you?
Babe: Mm-hmm, it should be alright, I think.
Cat: You know, I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm not sure if you realize how much the other animals are laughing at you for this sheep dog business.
Babe: Why would they do that?
Cat: Well, they say that you've forgotten that you're a pig. Isn't that silly?
Babe: What do you mean?
Cat: You know, why pigs are here.
Babe: Why are any of us here?
Cat: Well, the cow's here to be milked, the dogs are here to help the Boss's husband with the sheep, and I'm here to be beautiful and affectionate to the boss.
Babe: Yes?
Cat: [sighs softly] The fact is that pigs don't have a purpose, just like ducks don't have a purpose.
Babe: [confused] Uh, I - I don't, uh...
Cat: Alright, for your own sake, I'll be blunt. Why do the Bosses keep ducks? To eat them. So why do the Bosses keep a pig? The fact is that animals don't seem to have a purpose really do have a purpose. The Bosses have to eat. It's probably the most noble purpose of all, when you come to think about it.
Babe: They eat pigs?
Cat: Pork, they call it - or bacon. They only call them pigs when they're alive.
Babe: But, uh, I'm a sheep pig.
Cat: [giggles] The Boss's husband's just playing a little game with you. Believe me, sooner or later, every pig gets eaten. That's the way the world works. Oh, I haven't upset you, have I?

 Babe: Baa-ram-ewe! Baa-ram-ewe! To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true! Sheep be true! Baa-ram-ewe!

Sheep: [finally begins to speak] What - what did you say? 

This is the last part which make me awe to this movie more. I definitely congratulate to the writers, director and staffs behind this awesome film.

The scene of the pig with the cat touched me so much. I felt sorry for the pigs because I eat them (pork). I wish to communicate with the animals. Hahaha great imagination huh

Kudos Babe!

Line's Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_%28film%29

photo: Google

WHEN PANDA EXISTED

photo: I "googled" it.

Watching the first movie of Kung Fu Panda gave me the enthusiast to watch the second part. The story was simple but the impact was great not mentioning the lessons in it. The main character, Po, was very innocent. Yet, surely, a lot loved him the way he was and is in the movie most especially to the children. Funny and action were my type of movie added a little fantasy. Perfect for my taste! Now let's kickoff my favorite scenes and lines in these two movies. 

Kung Fu Panda 1

Po: The Furious Five! You look a lot bigger than your action figures! Except you, Mantis. You're about the same. 

Imaging this scene with great awe in Po's eyes seeing the Furious Five showed his innocence as a person like a child.He had lots of knowledge about Fung Fu's history, The Sword of Heroes and etc. 

Oogway: [walking towards Po] Ah! I see that you have found the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom!

Po : [Po turns around with a lot of peaches stuffed in his mouth] Oh! Is that what this is? I'm so sorry! I just thought it was a regular peach tree! 

I couldn't forget this line and scene where I saw in Po's eyes the sadness because he couldn't do the training well. So, in his free time, he spent in this tree contemplating when Oogway walked toward him. They had a good conversation. I couldn't drew a blant when Oogway said; "There are no accident."... " There was no accidents either." and "You must believe." - my favorite line in this movie. 

Po: Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles.

Oogway: Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."

I was really surprised when I heard this. After all, people got this line in this movie. Hahaha I was too late to realized that. That means, we should not deal more of what will happen next, or think too much of what happened already. It'll waste out time. Instead, let's treasure today, it's a gift and make the most out of it. Enjoy!

Shifu: [intercepting Po, who is fleeing the temple after learning he has to face Tai Lung soon] You cannot leave! A real warrior never quits!

Po: Watch me!

[tries to run around Shifu]

Po: Come on! How am I supposed to beat Tai Lung? I can't even beat you to the stairs!

Shifu: You will beat him because you are the Dragon Warrior!

[pokes Po in his stomach]

Po: You don't believe that!

[Shifu swipes at his hand with Oogway's stick]

Po: You never believed that! From the first moment I got here, you've been trying to get rid of me!

[Shifu knocks him to the ground]

Shifu: Yes! I was! But now I ask you to trust in your master as I have come to trust in mine.

Po: You're not my master. And I'm not the Dragon Warrior.

Shifu: Then why didn't you quit? You knew I was trying to get rid of you, yet you stayed!

Po: Yeah, I stayed. I stayed because everytime you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled; it hurt, but it could never hurt more than everyday of my life just being me. I stayed because I thought if anyone can change me, can make me not me, it was you! The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China!

Shifu: I can change you! I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I will!

Po: Come on! Tai Lung is on his way here right now! And even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are *you* gonna change *this* into the Dragon Warrior? Huh? How? How? How!

Shifu: I don't know!

[sighs]

Shifu: I don't know.

Po: [sighs and frowns sadly] That's what I thought.

I cried in this scene, really. I felt the emotions of these who characters. I couldn't say anything but applaused them and the people behind this movie. Really great!

Next scenarios were the training of Po. The face-off with Tai Ling. The Furious Five fought together with Po and so on. 

To end this, a proud father of Po.

Mr. Ping: That's my boy! That beautiful kung-fu warrior is my son!

Po: Thanks, Dad. 

In Kung Fu Panda 2, "Inner Peace" was my favorite part. I couldn't afford to forget this for I know how important this to me. Though I don't have this perfectly in my heart, but learning this in the movie made me try harder achieve. I wish.  

Tigress: The hardcore do understand, but I can't watch my friend be killed.

Po: Scars heal.  

Lord Shen: No, they don't. Wounds heal. 

Po: Oh, right. What do scars do? Fade?

Lord Shen: I don't care what scars do!

Po: You should Shen. You got to let go of the stuff from past, because it just doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now.

This line made my eyes awaken in the area of my life where I still deal on my past. I hardly thought about not forgiving myself completely. I was like brutal on myself. (Sigh) "The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now." - helped me recognize the things that are important today. Learning also to forgive myself and others.And letting go of my past.

  

Master Shifu: Remember dragon warrior, when you follow the noble path, anything is possible.

When I read this, I considered "noble path" as the path of Jesus where I know following Him puts and makes everything possible as to "All thing are possible in Him".

Thank you Kung Fu Panda! Kudos!

Sources

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441773/quotes

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kung_fu_panda_the_kaboom_of_doom/quotes

AS COACH CARTER ENTERTED

photo: I googled it.

Ken Carter kept on asking Cruz (the man on the left side) in the movie Coach Carter WHAT IS YOUR DEEPEST FEAR, and Cruz’ speech was:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Every character had its own story to tell. Coach Ken Carter and his passion for basketball as well as his goal to let all the boys enter a college or perhaps will have a good life after highschool. I couldn’t forget his line in the board hearing when people want to replace him as a coach. “You really need to consider the message you’re sending this boys by ending the lockout. It’s the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they’re out there breaking the law? I played ball here at Richmond High 30 years ago. It was the same thing then; some of my teammates went to prison, some of them even ended up dead. If you vote to end the lockout, you won’t have to terminate me; I’ll quit.” His rules were hard but reasonable. As he said; “l came to coach basketball players, and you became students. l came to teach boys, and you became men.” So, could you imagine how hard he tried his very best to discipline and trained well those boys in Richmond Oilers basketball team?

Kenyon Stone who planned to have a baby with his girlfriend  Kyra not realizing what will be there life after having it as if everything will be fine. Soon he realized and switched another plan but Kyra didn’t understand it first thinking that Kenyon was selfish. At the end of the movie he attended Sacramento State University and received a degree in Communications. Damien Carter, the son of Coach Carter, who was a freshmen at the time played also a very supporting role. His character was quite but later on the story he played a major role when he caught in the house party drunk and had kissing scene in the pool with girls around. His father shaped his character well. He went on to break the Richmond High School scoring and assist records previously held by his father. Upon graduation, he attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Timo Cruz, my other favorite character in the movice aside from the main character itself. He definitely had an attitude. Woah! He was a Richmond High basketball team’s shooting guard. According to the source I surfed in the internet, he’s got a killer three pointer, yet he’s got a bit of an attitude. At the beginning of the movie, when Coach Carter is handing out the contracts to the players, Timo gives Coach attitude and then is asked to leave the gym. Timo wants to come back on the team, but Coach Carter says that first he has to do so many suicides and push-ups. He does not complete all of them by the deadline, so his teammates help him finish the rest. The idea to help him is initiated by Jason Lyle - a teammate who actually doesn’t get along with Timo very well earlier on in the movie. The turned off of his character in the movie was one of the best I consider when all he uttered was to come back the team and do whatever Coach Carter wanted him to do. He cried for grief of a cousin at that time and was very weak. Mentioning also Jason Lyle he went to San Diego State University. “You said we’re a team. One person struggles, we all struggle. One person triumphs, we all triumph.”, this was the line he threw to Coach Carter when Cruz had his return suicides and push ups. “Sir, they can cut the chains off the door, but they can’t make us play.”, Jason Lyle. Junior Battle was a quite type of player. He went to San Jose State University on a full scholarship and he played well. Worm received a scholarship to San Francisco State University where he played point guard for four years. He gave Coach Carter an attitude also aside from Cruz during their first meeting by telling some degrogatory term used to insult their ancestors so Coach Carter caught red-handed and had this line; “See, if a white man used it, you’d be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You’re saying it’s cool. Well, it’s not cool, and when you’re around me, I don’t want to hear that shit! Are we clear?”

The other characters played a great impact on the movie not mentioning Principal Garrison, Tonya (Ken Carter’s wife) Ty Crance, Mrs. Battle and some teachers in Richmond Highschool. Great movie!

quoted lines’ source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393162/quotes

HIS BRAVEHEART

photo: I googled it.

I just couldn’t get through it all the meaningful lines in the movie Braveheart one of which was; “It’s all for nothing if you don’t have freedom.” William Wallace, the main character. He fought not to gain titles, lands, men or power but he fought for his countrymen’s freedom. What a good purpose for fighting, isn’t it? Here are some memorable scenes in this movie that I couldn’t help but reminiscing and they’re all getting into my veins. (Hehehe char! OA ra) I even could still imagine how the characters acted and their facial expressions were soooo touching.

Robert the Bruce: Lands, titles, men, power, nothing.

Robert’s Father: Nothing?

Robert the Bruce: I have nothing. Men fight for me because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and their children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk, they fought for William Wallace, and he fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield and it’s tearing me apart.

Robert’s Father: All men betray. All lose heart.

Robert the Bruce: I don’t wanna lose heart. I wanna believe as he does.

—-This was the confrontation of son to his father about the lesson and the realization about fighting a good fight and choosing what is right.

William Wallace: There’s a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.

William Wallace: Lower your flags and march straight back to England, stopping at every home you pass by to beg forgiveness for a hundred years of theft, rape, and murder. Do that and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you will die today.  

—-These two lines of William Wallace showed a lot of courage and a braveheart to start the battle for freedom. No signs of doubt or fear. 

Princess Isabelle: I understand you have suffered. I know… about your woman.

William Wallace: [pauses] She was my wife. We married in secret because I would not share her with an English lord. They killed her to get to me. I’ve never spoken of it, I don’t know why I tell you now, except… I see her strength in you. One day, you’ll be a queen. And you must open your eyes. You tell your king that William Wallace will *not* be ruled… and nor will any Scot while I live.

—-A confession of a lover who lost a loved one for no apparent reason - Murron.

William Wallace: I love you. Always have. I wanna marry you.

—-I will marry you too:D Wow! Lovely words coming from a man. If I’ll have the chance to hear these words, I think, I will melt. Hahaha

Malcolm Wallace: Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it.

—-The first line I memorized. Doing things without your freedom is like doing things in prison. The Lord gave us the freewill to choose so exercise it but make sure that you use it for good reasons. FREEDOM!

Source of the lines: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/quotes