catching the rising sun

Originally uploaded by:
Harold Laudeus

isang panibagong umaga
ng pagsasalamisim sa buhay na handog,
at pahimakas
sa isang gabing puno ng mga kasaysayang nanunuot
sa kaibuturan ng malikhaing diwa at loob…
pasasalamat ang tanging pumapailanlang mula sa isang abang lingkod,
sana’y magampanan ko
ang Iyong tanging nais at niloloob.

~HH

Someone out there can rightfully say these words again to me… and i will never be able to explain fully the things that made me change my ways, my hopes, my dreams… and the things that came to be…

Once, I was young, enjoying the fruits of life. Happiness came easy as I received recognitions for my talents and not a few admirers. Yes, I had ambitions, dreams. They were like the stars in the midnight blue sky, twinkling every night. Every night I watched those stars, whispering “I will reach you someday.”

Life then was smooth sailing in the calm ocean with clear waters as pure as my dreams.

But alas, no matter how careful you are, doing things rightly, there will always be storms to test you.

I felt something within me which I could hardly define when I met you. It was a feeling that the sky would always be blue, the roses red and the sun a bright yellow.

With those undefined feelings I went through life, trying hard to take you with me to the end of the rainbow. But… you took me instead, made me a part of your life, just a part, a part to be remembered forever.

Being with you, I neglected so many things yet this did not bother me. The stars failed to hear my whispers. My will and determination to reach them eventually vanished. The undefined feeling ruled my life.

Everything was centered on you. It was for you, to you and by you. It was like a never-ending caring and sharing a bit of your life with me.

You let me sail with you, but the sailing was not always calm. The big waves madly splashed on us, separated us from one another until I was left on a island of burdens. It was dark, difficult. It was incredibly painful.

Once again I walked along life’s road – alone, lonely, bothered by the blissful moments we shared, puzzled with the first and last kiss you gently planted on my once untouched lips, broken with the loneliness in your eyes, thirsting for the touch and embrace you gave me before you finally said “Goodnight.” Now I am not exactly sure if you really did say the word I never wanted to hear: “Goodbye.”

I looked up in the sky one night and saw the stars I had ignored for a long while, invitingly twinkling at me as if saying “We are still here! Don’t you want to reach us anymore?” All the stars seemed to be celebrating something and I began to feel the fresh air that slowly melted the heavy burden and pain in my heart. And soon the tiny stars made my world bright again. The dreams and ambitions that once took the back seat gave me reasons to live.

Honestly, my world was different after you. You taught me one thing that no one else succeeded in teaching me, not until you did. You turned my existence into life. You unknowingly let me know that life is not just my dreams and ambitions. Rather, life is meaningful if you have someone in your heart who gives you the inner strength to conquer the difficulties, someone who you like to share the rest of your life with.

Yes, it was you whom I wanted to give my life to. But reality speaks that for now, you will never be mine. I had you once but you left me. Now, all I have are memories, giving me strength as I reach for my stars.

~
What I Am After You by Hannah M. Supetran

May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known and conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will always be there, even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate, and let that love embrace you as you go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire become part of you, so that you may call upon them. Remember, those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours are always a part of you, even if the encounters were less than you would have wished. It is the content of the encounter that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters, but instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.

Realize that each person has limitless abilities, but each of us is different in our own way. What you may feel you lack in one regard may be more than compensated for in another. What you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths in the future.

May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility. Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on another’s judgements of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

***

by Sandra Sturtz Hauss
Copyright © 1987 Sandra Sturtz Hauss. All rights reserved.

i am a tree
i stand proud in the middle of the forest
i am a tree

(the identity crisis of a lamppost in the wilderness)
i need a poem out of this

Out of the struggles with challenges,
one is reborn into a new way of being;
one is reborn into a new essence-
re-emerging in a new form of power,
indefinable strength,
and enlightenment…

this is the day

Originally uploaded by:
Haeroldus Laudeus

“daytoy ti aldaw
nga innaramid ti Apo
umay
umay kayo
ta ag-ragsac tayo!”

my humble attempt to macro…
Nikon D300 & 105mm 2.8
this is the day before the storm…

***
I am back to this blog. After such a while of exploring around and discovering different things, i am back to something i’d been wanting to do in such a long time.
Look again and recompose. just the usual thing i’d normally do when i take a picture. Somehow, this is how i handle things in real life — look at the situation again and recompose myself circumventing any obstacle to whatever i want to achieve.
I have not been very photographically productive lately. Due to the fact that the weather has begun to be very annoying, i find it quite difficult to concentrate on some inspirations.

Madilim man ang kalangitan
o magulo ang ating kinagisnan,
sa dalampasigan at dapit-hapon ng ating kamalayan
ay may pag-asa pang liripin ang kapalaran
sa paglalakbay ng buhay at sa pahimakas ng kaibigan
darating tayo sa bingit ng karimlan
at mula doo’y sisinghapin ang katuparan
ng mga pangarap sa ibayo ng karagatan

-Harold Tejada http://haerold.us

I am reposting an essay by Ms. Sheeree Ann Dela Paz that won in the recently concluded Essaylympics 2008 held at the Philippine Embassy, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This has been posted at: http://kwadrokantos.weebly.com/kuro-kuro.html

-==Terminus==-

The world is now reigned by constant gloom. The dull and cloudy skies of political crises, social menace and moral decay hinder the globe in its battle for progress. Definitely, the youth faces graver challenges than what our forefathers had experienced.

Today’s generation, witnessing all these, won’t just settle near the shore for we are not afraid of the strong gales we will encounter in the seas.

Unquestionably, there will come a time that today’s generation will have to leave the security of the lands and explore the beauty and adversities the world has to offer. With our adventurous beings, we will use our potentials to their fullest as tools in strengthening and preparing ourselves to battle the storms that we will have to face during our journey. From the charity we caught at home and from the day to day experiences of life, lessons are imbibed in our hearts that remind us how to lead our lives and change the globe for a better tomorrow.

Undeniably, the youth knows the risks of the decisions to be made; however, inspired by the ability of these choices to change the world for the better, we continue on our journey. Equipped with our innovative minds and the skills we have acquired in and out of our classrooms, we meet new areas of competence and create new routes of experiences that will alter the course of history. Our prowess in academics, sports, music and invention have already started to let the light of hope shinethrough the skies by giving recognition to today’s generation and breakthroughs to the world.

As a new sun rises and as the sky clears over the world, the posterity will meet the outcomes of the actions of today’s youth. The future generations won’t just experience the changes we have brought and continue to bring, but more importantly learn from them.

Consequently, the future of our generation won’t just live an unfulfilled life on a safe but useless shore. Today’s youth will travel and pass by both fertile and deserted lands. But instead of ignoring these the barren lands, we cultivate them and create new areas for the youth to excel in!

Today’s generation has the capability to untie a boat from the shore and explore the vast oceans of adventure and experience.With education, today’s generation will brave the world through these currently troubled times; with determination, the youth will stand still and not give in to the catastrophes we will encounter; and with our pure hearts, we will not let the future suffer the darkness that the past generations had miserably experienced.

The youth will survive the dark storm and not be left in a barren shore! The world will not live in darkness! Today’s generation will not be forgotten by the world!

- Sheeree Ann Dela Paz
Essaylympics 2008 Champion

The real essence of Freedom
lies in our capacity
to commit ourselves
to Life
and Love…

-Harold Tejada – P H O T O G R A P H E R

This is the Pre-Nup Photoshoot of Jayson and Lindsay at the beach near the Bahrain Fort. I had the opportunity to be a part of this whole day session and its very rewarding because I am actually doing what i love to do most yet I’m learning a lot and it was so much fun and exciting…

I started my day by walking towards Juffair bay right behind the Al Fatih Mosque. i planned to shoot the whole day because we had been blessed with beautiful clouds lately due to the changing of the weather here in Bahrain.