HE METAMORPHOSIS (4/11/14 column)
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON
“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2014, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continuethe healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about three decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby (in addition to my newfound career as an “APOStolic” (aka male nanny), very effective but inexpensive therapy for a businessman’s life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, theLenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. It reminds me of that acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, ThePassion of the Christ, several years ago that fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who had seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ’s suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by many tragedies in our world today, like Civil Wars, the mysterious Malaysian Airline disappearance, many fatal accidents, and countless pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism to our Asian Journal readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments that are unfolding here in America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to improve causing the unemployment figures go down. Housing market is slowly moving upwards too which will also cause a domino effect to more sales of home related products and services ---- from insurance to building materials to electricians and plumbers ------ and it is expected that demand for housing increases while interest rates are still historically very low.
For some regions of the United States like Orange County, California, where housing prices are beyond reach for many families, I have observed that many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,200 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this non-affordability of a single family residence for many families is that family members are “forced” to live together as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared to a couple of generations ago, are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
* Another phenomenon is the emerging power of second generation Filipino Americans in both private sectors (business and entrepreneurships) and public sectors. For instance, our Filipino American Chamber of Orange County has been presenting annually a popular “Secrets to Success” forum featuring local role models in business and government. This month, FACCOC featured successful 2nd Generation Fil-Ams such as: Gina Lopez Alexander, designer of celebrity bags aand accessories and founder of the Gina Alexander Philantrophy Project, Emil Soriano, and Dennis Calvero, founders of Crooks and Castle Clothing line, Dr. Ray Mangune, owner of Gerry’s Grill in Cerritos, DJ Eman of Power 106 and its Programing Director LA Power 106.0 Radio Station, and Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido. I believe that all of them are now second generation Filipino Americans, replacing us the Baby Boomer generation that now becoming senior citizens every day.
· In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially thenurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos in America, many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they were my insurance and real estate clients, made over $100,000 per annum just being caregivers!
· In the field of entertainment, from boxing to singing, led my Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, and celebrities like Martin Nievera, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Charice Pempengco and many entertainers, whenever they appear in the USA especially in in Las Vegas are not only making names for themselves but for the Philippines where they came from Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now an accepted worldwide phenomenon !
· Last but not the least, it is also very heartwarming to know that thousands of Filipinos in America and their American friends are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines, as evidenced inthe massive outpouring of support to the thousands of victims of the Haiyan or Yolanda Typhoon victims. It is when tragedies like Yolanda that we are reminded that we are really connected as brothers and sisters that we do our fair share to alleviate the untold pains and suffering of our p0eople, regardless where we live on this planet.
In our Global Kalinga e-Rotary Club, one of the first internet or electronic based Rotary Club that I founded almost 3 years ago, we are also doing some worthy projects especially education and in the mentoring, training and empowering athe New Generation (young adults 18-30 year olds) to become entrepreneurs, as we believe in themaxim that it is a thousand times better to teach people how to fish rather than giving them fish to eat.
Any reader who is interested to join our GKeRC or in any of our Rotary projects locally and in thePhilippines or Mexico, please visit our website: www.
With that, I wish all you, my ASIAN JOURNAL readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
E-mail writer at: ernie.delfin@gmail.com or ernie.gkerc@gmail.com
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