How’s Life Treating Us?
By: Veronica Leighton
Life is like a roller-coaster ride, there are ups and there are downs. If life just remains stable, like no challenges, no mountains and hills to climb, our everyday existence will just be so boring. And, there’s no way we can help other people if we cannot even help ourselves. For me, the best solution to overcome the downsides of life is appreciation of what you have, a lot of prayers, plenty of sincere smiles and be with the company of positive people who can cheer you up and make you laugh.
In this issue, we have two special columnists who are dear to my heart that seem to be experiencing the roller-coaster of life that I am talking about, one is up to the heights of heaven and one is down to the bottom of the pits, so she feels like. Maria Girlie Pascual (G-Mail, page 27), wrote about “Friends in Deeds When You’re in Need,” a very nice column relating her life’s dilemmas that she has been presently undergoing. I love the following description of herself, “I am one of those creatures- a 24/7, hyperactive, manic individual whose idea of life is a fast-forward daily drill of schedules, appointments and commitments that propel me towards an endless flurry of activities that to me, hits personal targets that when accomplished, does not mark an end, rather the beginning of other goals.”
Girlie is right on target about Girlie, and I love her article of selfexpression. She did not name names those special friends of hers in her column, but she sent me a picture of a couple of those dear friends who were keeping her company and cheering her up, when I talked to her on the phone while meeting my last leg of deadline. I know one thing for sure about Girlie, she could be in a quagmire of a lot of problems but she can still share her beautiful smiles and make other people laugh. Whatever kind of storm that’s hitting Girlie’s life nowadays, the only thing I can say is, “We are your friends who know you and love you just the same.”… Please read her very serious article on page 27.
The other side of the life’s ride is our Poet Victoria Smith (Warrior’s Heart, page 24), who has been reaping accolades, recognitions and awards in her intellectual passion and pursuit in life. Vicki is feeling so exhilarated and exuberant with so much happiness, but reading her poem in this issue, “Monster in My Kitchen,” together with her footnote, tells so much about her life’s story when she was young, yet down and uncertain, which I think has made a “Warrior” out of her. Read her battle cry on the legality and passage of DIVORCE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
First thrill for Vicki very recently was when the publisher of Brain Mill Press, Ms. Mary Ann Rivers, called her to say that her novella, “Faith Healer”, won their literary contest, and will publish her work and will award her prize money. This was followed by a call from another literary journal, Earthen Lamp Journal, informing her that they will be publishing her poem, “Letting Go”!
The latest on Vicki’s literary cap was when her STORY COLLECTION manuscript, “Faith Healer and Other Stories” was chosen as semi-finalist in Elixir Press’ Fiction Award, around VT’s deadline time. Just what I keep telling Vicki, “When it rains, it pours.”
Keep it up, my dear, and I want to acknowledge your reference to me in the email as your PATRON OF THE ART….”special thanks to our publisher, Ms. Veronica Leighton. Her early support of my work has inspired me to pursue my craft and allowed me to tell our stories as Filipino- Americans. One cannot overstate the importance of the support of a patron like her for an artist like me. Where would Michelangelo be without the Borgias, or Da Vinci without the Medicis, and so on and so forth? Your support and patronage gives an artist the inspiration and confidence to expand her creativity and thus reach new heights of success!”
Our Senior Editor & Columnist Ms. Elsie Sy-Niebar is one person in our family that’s been there, done that, experienced this and that, but she keeps on thriving and plugging, and reaching out to her goals in life. Amazing woman!
Support her 3rd annual church fundraising to buy a church van on September 13, Dennis J. Niebar Charitable Fund (in honor of her late husband), to be held at Four Points Sheraton O’Hare Hotel##
Smiling through it all and giving each other’s shoulders to cry on, are BFF’s Melody Dizon, Ma. Girlie Pascual, and Dan Gawat.
