I'M POSSIBLE

Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE.

The word itself says,

"I'M POSSIBLE"

Pay it Forward

Have you watched the movie “Pay it Forward?” I’ve watched this for the first time I think in 2003 and no movie has ever surpassed it on my top movies of all time.

It’s a 2000 movie which stars Haley Joel Osment, yeah you’re right the kid from Sixth Sense. He is co-starred by Kevin Spacey. The movie centers on the assignment of young Trevor (Osment) given by his teacher played by Kevin Spacey. The assignment requires that the each student helps three people with the condition that the people they’ve helped would help three more. Trevor however touched a number of people more than he planned. The phenomenon ‘Pay it Forward’ went almost all throughout America which prompted a journalist to investigate. An interview with Trevor was conducted and it was even televised. Trevor became an instant celebrity. However, a very tragic event happened.

I think I’ve had enough of being a spoiler for those who have not watched it. Better rent a video or buy one if you haven’t watched it.

Now, I’d like to talk about the concept of ‘Pay it Forward’. The concept is so simple that if we could only try it for ourselves then this world would be a happier place. It’s as simple as ABC. You help three people and tell them that instead of paying it back, PAY IT FORWARD to three other people who in turn would also do the same. If I’d be asked, three would have been a little difficult and helping one person is more than enough. But it’s not about the numbers, it’s all about doing something great for others. A simple gesture say, giving a smile to someone could help him brighten up his or her day.

Helping others even through the smallest ways could not only be a rewarding feeling because somehow you’ve contributed to make this world a better place.

Now, have you helped someone today? Have you inspired someone to do some good deed for others? Well, I hope I did..

HERE'S the MOVIE TRAILER.

AIM HIGH, SHOOT LOW

Aim High, Shoot Low. These were the last words of Senator Chiz Escudero when he guested in IMo(In My Opinion) on ANC with Mo Twister a while ago. Senator Chiz doesn't fail to inspire me when he starts to talk. His eloquence and brilliance are impressive and one cannot even feel any arrogance in him. Lucky for us one good fellow has a seat in the Senate and I hope he gets the chance to continue his advocacies in the Malacañang Palace.

"Aim High, Shoot Low" is an archer’s creed. The bow and arrow are scientifically designed. Archers learn that wind resistance, trajectory, weight, and obstacles all come into play when making an effective shot. Arrows are agile. A well aimed shot can slice through a minuscule target. Knowing you can hit a target, despite constant variations of uncontrollable elements, requires a degree of skill and faith.

The same is true when we set our goals in life. We should set our goals high even if we aren't certain of success. Accepting disappointments when we fail would be easier because it's not a bad fall having set high aims. Don't get me wrong but I am not patronizing mediocrity. We still need to work our asses off to get everything done, maybe not as perfect as everyone did, but something that would give us contentment and a feeling of self-fulfillment. We need to muster enough courage, strength and faith to accomplish these goals, because along the way we will be facing a lot of obstacles. We don't need to be perfect. We don't need to be masters. We just need to believe. Believing that we are special or that we have something special in us that would help us achieve our goals.

We might have failed a few times or more but this should not be the reason to quit. When we start something, we actually have accomplished something. Starting alone is an achievement. It's part and parcel of accomplishing your goals. The books or the the vast resources in the internet would give us a list of people who have failed a lot of times but have become successful in their fields eventually. Truly, everything has its own time.





The Paper Chase. I thought I needed to get inspired again so I watched "The Paper Chase", a 1973 film based on John Jay Osborn Jr.'s novel, about a struggling law student(Hart) at Harvard Law School. He tries to balance lawschool and his relationship with a girl (Susan), who happens to be the daughter of his terror professor, Professor Kingsfield. He joined a study group which helped him to impress the strict professor. The group's objective of sharing notes and outlines weren't achieved as the other members of the group cannot go along. But this did not stop Hart from taking the exams seriously and even getting an A.

An incoming law student should watch this film. Aside from it being inspiring, it could give him a glimpse of how one should face law school. The Socratic method which is the method used by almost all law professors in the conduct of the recitations is shown and explained in the film. The crucial point in the study of law is to analyze, and this is likewise depicted in the film. In fact, one student in the film (Brooks) who has a photographic memory dropped out a week before their final exams, because he just cannot excel and catch up with their courses.

Maybe being a law student all boils down to the words of Senator Chiz Escudero. Aim High, Shoot Low. When we chose to enter Law School, we started to aim high, and that is to be a lawyer. We may not be as brilliant as everyone else, but when we set our mind to our goal, we will reach the finish line.

So why am I posting this? I don't know, maybe I just want to inspire myself by my own words when I get to read this again, and try to think back when I first stepped law school and realize where I am right now, and hopefully resolve this confusion in my head. Oh!, I guess you get inspired too.

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Current LSS. Man in the mirror by Michael Jackson!
I am not a Michael Jackson fan but WTF! This song's amazing! So moving and very timely, well for me.. :)

Here's the lyrics:
I'm gonna make a change,
for once im my life
It's gonna feel real good,
gonna make a diference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on
my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the streets,
with not enought to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs

A summer disregard,a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(Washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
(Starting with me!)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change his ways - ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that..
(Take a look at yourself and then make that..)
CHANGE!

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror - Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)

Tax Benefit

Our professor in Tax 2 told us her own story of coping up with Law School. During the times when she's just starting she realized how hard law school is. So far from her expectation. She thought that after her bachelor's degree in the same university, law school will be easy. Aside from the pile of books and cases to be read, it's hard for a commuter like her to find enough time to study. And so after one semester or two (if I'm not mistaken) she took a leave of absence just to think if she really wants to be a lawyer.

Listening through her story, I pictured myself during those times when I was confused if I really wanted to be a lawyer. I remember those times when I am having a hard time focusing on my studies. Those times were really tough because I really do not know exactly what I want to do in my life. There are times when I want to get a job because I want to earn money to buy the things I want. It's just hard to see myself still living dependently with my parents. With my age, I felt I just need to move out.

Listening to her story, I got inspired. Well, aside from the constant inspiration she gives me everytime she holds class (hehe!!), her story was an inspiration to me. Sort of a tax benefit! :) I never believed a bar-topnotcher like her would experience the difficulty and confusion I've once experienced. I admired her strength in coping up with said confusion.

Reflecting on what she told in class last Monday, I can say that I really want to be a lawyer and I believe despite the failures I experienced or yet to experience, no one would hinder my dream, except myself. So from this moment on, I'll stop procrastinating, and FOCUS on my goal!

Quotes from a Thesis on Life..

Two days to go and its back to law books and cases, all-nighters, humiliating recitations arggh! And so before this happens I try to finish some of the books (not law books!) I am reading during this summer break. And I'd like to share some of the insights from "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom.

"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted." - THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES.

"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it."

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

"Sometimes you cannot believe what you see,you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too--even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling."

"Learn to detach. Don't cling to things because everything is impermanent. But detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. You let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it."

"If you hold back on the emotions--if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them--you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails."

"But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them full and completely. You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then you can say, 'All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach from that emotion for a moment.'"

"If you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down at you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone." -REALLY LIKE THIS ONE!

"How we think, what we value, those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone or any society detrmine those for you."

Tuesdays with Morrie E-book

Some words..

Recent quotes I like..

“Beggars cannot be choosers!”

“It’s good to be vocal with your feelings but there’s always the perfect timing.”

“Emotions shouldn’t eat you.”

“Don’t let someone let you feel uncomfortable.”