Passionately M

There is this Indian woman in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) who utilizes the social media to help locate the former Lebanese employer of her father who helped him in the 1980s. (Read more here .) For a grateful person who knows how to look back to appreciate the help of people who made it possible for her father to survive it all so the family could get through, it matters to reconnect with them to at least express the gratitude. Her father told her the story about the man who he has perceived as "a symbol of humanity" .  His story did not end in simple storytelling.  The minds and hearts of his family members are open to listening to him, to know the value of that help, and to thank people who served as 'bridges' to transport him from darkness to light. In an uncaring world, when a father/mother tells about his/her story to children, the latter just ignore him/her. In their minds -- "They have nothing to do with my life. Why should I care?...

There are many unexpected things happening in the global market that have domino effects. It is a very challenging period in our lifetime. How do we deal with an economic downturn? We are programmed to spend on products and services because this is good for the economy. We are all bombarded with advertisements showing tempting offers of many vendors. But with artificial intelligence (AI), financial difficulties and other challenges, many people around the world suffered from massive termination. In times like this, we are all encouraged to do business as every company creates job opportunities and contributes to the government funds in the form of taxes. It is not easy to establish a business as there are many requirements to be submitted and approved, prior to actual operation. There are many business consultants to help enterprising people make their dreams come true. Along the way, there are many obstacles. How the management handles them with the cooperation of the empl...

When I was a junior (third year) in high school, Public Speaking  was my elective subject. I loved it when we were asked to recite William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" . Act III, scene I -- If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? Pondering on these reaction-to-action lines from the last to the first -- I hate the idea of revenge as I am not a vindictive person. I learned to embrace the maximum degree of tolerance when a person wrongs me and leave it to God who sees all. But there is a boundary. Poisoning? Yes, we die if we get poisoned, so be very careful because even when dining in a restaurant, we can get poisoned as we do not know if some of the ingredients expired already or if they comply with safety and hygiene requirements. It is good that in our place, the government is very strict when it comes to foods and beverages being served in res...

The forgiveness story  of a father of a 12-year Arab boy who died during a quarrel with another student at their school deeply touched me. According to Gulf News as gathered from local media, it was a result of asphyxiation . The other boy was held by authorities for investigation, but they were requested by the father of the victim to release him, get him reunited with his family and bring him back to school immediately. He told them that the boy was forgiven. Losing a child can break the parents' hearts. It takes a big faith in God to bear this heavy sorrow and cope up with the untimely loss of a precious offspring. The boy's father said, "My forgiveness is for God's sake."  How many of us can tell this when other people wronged, betrayed, insulted, humiliated and in other ways hurt us? Only the strong ones can do. Mahatma Gandhi, in his "All Men are Brothers: Autobiographical Reflections" , said, The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness...

There are times when you feel that you are like a scaredy-cat -- timid, afraid and coward . You have a huge potential and power inside you, but you have a larger-than-life fear that eats all of you, and keeps your feet glued to where you are or you step back away from your goals. What is it really -- fear of failure, or fear of success? On the surface, we think that it is fear of failure, but analyzing it deeper, it is fear of success. Why? Because those who do not fear success do not fear failures. They know that in the journey to success, failures are like stepping stones that lead their way there. Looking back, I, like others, had some mistakes in life. It all boils down to same questions:  Did you choose wisely -- courage or fear? If courage, no problem. If fear, fear of success or fear of failure? I was young and obedient to my parents. I belong to Generation X with conservative elders and their words must be respected like a general's command that must be obeyed. ...

How a person or an animal responds to every situation is called reaction. Instinct has to do with our reactions. Wiktionary defines 'instinct'   as a 'natural or inherent impulse or behavior' or 'an intuitive reaction not based on rational conscious thought' . It is 'infused, urged or stimulated from within' . It is a gift . We always hear the phrase 'mother's instinct' or 'woman's instinct' . This is true. In many ways, I felt it. At an unholy hour of the night a few years ago, I woke up to pee. I did not normally go to the main door of the flat as insiders were instructed to double-lock it. A little voice told me to go and check it and found out that it was wide open. There was no intruder but it was an instinct that pushed me to do the preventive measure. I handled countless screening procedures for selecting the right applicants for clients. There were many cases when despite all very good qualifications enumer...

I really miss Beth. She calls me "'Nay"  which is a short Filipino (Tagalog) word for 'Inay ' or 'mother' or "Mommy". She must be in her late 20's or early 30's, truly beautiful inside and out. I never saw her angry. She always had that contagious innocent smile. Beth and her husband were just a wall away from me in a shared flat a few years ago. She was in sales promoting some foods and beverages. When there were giveaways from her company, she would surprise me with some sample products. I could not forget how sweet Beth prepared the best  chai  I have ever tasted so far. She shared with me the list of ingredients and the ways to do it. I also tasted some of their delicious foods cooked with love in their hearts. They shared the works of their hands not because they wanted to be liked but because they liked to share the joy of being blessed with others; not because they wanted something from me in return, but simply because th...

The "Youth Hub" , an initiative by the Federation Youth Authority, was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday, 4 September 2019. According to Gulf News , "it will be the largest open trade incubator in trade centers, markets, airports, cultural and tourist facilities in the state". This is open to young entrepreneurs who are in the age group of 18 to 35 years old. They are privileged to set up their businesses in six (6) months subject to renewal in the country's most profitable spaces. They are very blessed to be provided with free spaces as the primary challenge in starting a business is the high cost of space rental. Normally a tenancy contract is required, and one cannot have without sufficient money to pay for that. There is also a space size requirement for different trade activities. Added to the free spaces are key services and facil...

A Filipina won the mega raffle prize of AED10M (US$2,722,422 or PhP141,077,259)  at Big Ticket Abu Dhabi on 26 August 2019.  For sure our blessed kabayan saw many fireworks in heaven! Congratulations to her! If I were to win that amount, I would do these -- Give 10% to churches and charitable organizations; Give 5% each to my three (3) children and mother; Feed 2020 people to welcome the Year 2020; Start a business center here that will empower start-ups and agri-business in the Philippines; Invest in condominium units and apartments to be rented out;  Support Big Ticket Abu Dhabi by buying tickets every month; Pay all debts and enjoy financial freedom; Give tokens of appreciation (anything gold from Dubai) to human angels who helped me in my darkest days; Buy life/health insurance, and; Save for retirement days. To win dream BigTicket AED12M for 3 October 2019 raffle draw, one has to buy a ticket for AED500 or if you buy two, you get another one...

My resilient youngest daughter tagged me and my mother in her posted article that made me cry. It is about how you become a strong girl when you have a strong mother. With some unexpected turns of events, I thought she did not think me that way because I am not supposed to be where I am, and I am not who I was born to be, by now. But emotionally I am who she thinks I am, by now. There comes a point in time of a warrior mother when she gets tired of fighting alone most of her life. Many people misunderstand her for her need for quiet time reconnecting with her soul and source, to get her energy recharged. She can see other things which ordinary eyes cannot see, and can feel deeper emotions particularly compassion, which others cannot do. Hire a woman, hire a mother -- and you can see how she takes care of her job like her household affairs, and her team, like her own family. My love for my children has been my life propeller. Some storms hit me in the past, and I was stronge...

The private consumption expenditure per capita (for each person) has risen to AED5,250 compared to AED4,650 during the same period last year. This is according to the leading newspaper Gulf News . Despite a challenging period, the spending improved which helps the economy to keep afloat, as people's spending helps the providers of durable and non-durable goods and services and their employees. This is one of the challenges of promoting artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses. The companies save a lot of costs utilizing machines instead of manpower. We read articles on robots replacing human resources like receptionists in the hotels, waitresses in the restaurants, etc. but those robots do not spend for goods and services, unlike human beings who do spend for themselves and their families, thereby helping the economic cycle, and pay taxes while spending (and earning, in other countries), so they help the government defray its expenses. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE),...

On 31 August 2019, Saturday, the Arab world celebrated the Islamic New Year.  His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had a very good message to the officials, ministers and leaders for the new season .  I love the first of six points in his message, as published by the Gulf News . The right place for officials, ministers and leaders, is the field. He said , " We need to see them amongst students and teachers; in the markets among traders and investors. We want to hear they are among farmers and at the ports of fishermen, with widows and mothers, senior citizens and with patients, in hospitals and among doctors and staff." He simply wants the officials, ministers and leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) particularly in Dubai, to have a process of immersion or deep mental involvement in something in the field. This way they have a first-hand experience of what is really going on wi...