Magkape tayo! (a night with tita norms)

Magkape tayo! (a night with tita norms)

Isang gabi sa may project 8 - sa bahay ni Tita Norma Dollaga... will be sharing what we did that night :)

"Having a drink together is a sign of friendship, intimacy, and peace. Being thirsty is often not the main reason to drink..."

Bago maglaba si Tita Norms at bago ako magsulat, napagkasunduan namin ang magKAPE muna sandali. Sino ba naman ang makakatanggi sa libreng kape? :) 

Bonggang set up, parang tinaob pa ang starbucks with matching pines and candle lit pa!

"Being thirsty is often not the main reson to drink. We drink to break the ice, enter a conversation, show good intention, express friendship and goodwill, be open, vulnerable, accessible... It breaks though boundaries that separate us to recognize our shared humanity. Thus drinking together can be a true spiritual event, affirming our unity as children of one God."

TRUE! Eto na, habang nakaindian sit kami with the cups of coffee in between, Tita Norms read a book by HEnri J.M. Nouwen entitled 'Can you drink the cup?' (Actually the italicized statements are excerpt from the book. to share :))

"It also seems to make us at home with ourselves and safe with others... Moments to say to ourselves or others: it is good to be alive in the midst of all that is going on, and I want to be reminded of that.

Drinking the cup of life is fully appropriating and internalizing our own unique existence, with all its SORROWS AND JOYS. It is not easy to do this! For a long time we might not feel capable of accepting our own life; we might keep fighting for a better or at least a different life... doing everything to change the circumstances of our life.

Bt as we gradually come to befriend our own reality and discover the unique potential of our way of being in the world, we can move beyond our protest, PUT THE CUP OF OUR LIFE TO OUR LIPS AND DRINK OT, SLOWLY, CAREFULLY BUT FULLY...

sabay taas ng kape, toss and drink slowly but fully :)

Drinking our cup is a hopeful, courageous and self-confident WAY OF LOVING. Facing the realit that surrounds us and responding to it from our hearts...

The great figures of history... knew that the life which was given to them was given TO LIVE TO ITS FULLNESS in the presence of God and God's people, and thus bear much fruit. "Can anything good come out from Nazareth?" people asked. -- Jesus drank his cup to the bitter end.

Spiritual greatness has nothing to do with being greater than others. It is being as great as each of us can be. True sanctity is precisely drinking our own cup and trustiing that by that, we can become a SOURCE OOF HOPE FOR MANY.

When we avoid our cup, we know somehow that our lives become inauthentic, insincere, superficial and boring. We become puppets moves up and down, left and right by puppeteers of this world. We become objects, yes, victims of other people's interests and desires..

But we don't have to be victims because we can choose to drink our cup and find true freedom."

At doon nagtapos ang aming pagkakape.

Narealize namin na napakahalaga ang magPAUSE ka paminsan-minsan. Sa gulo ng paligid, kabi-kabilang mga isyus ng buhay, komplikadong mga sitwasyon at samu't saring pinagkakaabalahan, mapapagod at mapapagod talaga tayo bilang isang tao. Pero katulad nang gabing iyon, maaari tayong maglaan ng kaunting oras para magpahinga..

...isang simpleng paghinto sa mga bagay na DAPAT gawin at paglanghap ng hangin na may pasasalamat sa buhay na meron ka (mabuti man o hindi masyado).

...isang conversation kasama ng isang kaibigan,

...isang pagbubulay-bulay sa salita ng Diyos

TARA, magkape tayo! :)