Whisperings Under The Maple Tree

  Coffee Musings Under the Maple Tree (Part 22) Reflections of Dharmazeus   That time you walked away after a long silence that I never understood why, I started to fly on my own with no particular destination in sight. Wondering where you’d been, thinking if I’d see you again. Tired and lonesome, I paused on my flight then I realized the pointlessness of the chase. If you did not want to be found nor be reached out to, no matter how I tried, I will never catch up to you nor find you. In my heart I heard a loud whisper: GOODBYE!   It is very painful to realize that I was not really as important to you as I thought I was because you used to say so more than once. Was I lied to? Or were you just being kind during those times? When honesty is blanketed by a lie, then a game is certainly played. And you played the game so well.   In sleep and in my waking hours, you alone keep my heartbeat with so much love and compassion. Sleep well and know that I love you very dearly. Th

  Coffee Musings Under the Maple Tree (Part 21) Reflections of Dharmazeus   A beautiful dawn is here. An awesome morning has come. Arise, my beloved, let us jointly thank God for the gift of a new day, to renew our love to him and to one another. Forever I will love you.   Today I will value every little thing that comes to my life. Some things might be insignificant yet later I might discover that is the one that matters most. Share a smile and a short “hello” to anyone and everyone you meet. It might be the answer to a life question that they had been feeling burdened with.   Mahal, I value you so much that I will never want to lose you. We may not be together all the time and see each other only occasionally. But we make sure that those times were spent with so much fondness and love. Stories about anything under the sun are enjoyed as we dine with our favorite pizza and a cucumber cold drink. Simple joys filled with love.   One thing I love about you, Mahal, is

  The Transfiguration: A Call to Listen to Jesus (February 21, 2024)   The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor (Mark 9:2-10) is one of the two narratives in the life of Jesus that I personally refer to as “mystical.” The other being the Baptism of the Lord. They are both mystical for me because the two scenarios present a dynamic revelation of the Holy Trinity being spiritually inspiring and awesome. If presented on stage as a play, I picture a very moving, even jaw-dropping, experience. I imagine it to be a New Testament version of what we refer to now as a “Light and Sound” show. With both narratives, I see a bright light emanating from the heavens (the Transfiguration) and the clouds opening to make way for the descent of a dove (the Baptism of Jesus). Then the voice echoing through the auditorium: “this is my beloved Son …” and maybe some rumbling sounds after plus more dazzling lights and glowing white robe (the Transfiguration) of Jesus. It’s very theatrica

  Coffee Musings Under the Maple Tree (Part 20) Reflections of Dharmazeus   Some memories are simply very hard to let go. Especially those with whom you have spent quite a lot of loving experiences with so much care and affection. Those are a few of what we could never let go.   Let no one dictate who we should love. We are free to love who our heart receives the vibe of loving and be reciprocated with full embrace and longing. We are free to love.   Every morning when I wake up, it’s you I always thing of. I whisper a prayer for your safety. I ask the Lord to protect you. Nothing else I always hope for but your well-being and goodness all the days of your life. Loving you from a distance.   As the water keeps on rushing to the shore, so shall my love for you. Through high tide or low tide, through stormy nights or calm days, I will forever be coming back to love you more than ever. Forever loving you.   There are times when it is better to allow ourselves to be

  A Reflection on Valentine-Birthday Ash Wednesday: Channel of God’s Love (February 14, 2024)   Three important occasions happen today, February 14, 2024. They are Valentine’s Day, my 64 th birthday, and Ash Wednesday. This is a rare opportunity to have all three events celebrated on the same day of the year. I could not recall when Ash Wednesday fell on my Valentine-Birthday. As it is now, as I was hearing mass at the Sta. Ana Church in Manila (a childhood birthday tradition), I thought this day being all three celebrated is not only a special day but a significantly challenging day for the rest of my twilight years.   A dear friend of mine messaged me and said, among other things, that the world is celebrating my birthday. He was referring to my birthday being on Valentine’s Day. The world celebrates February 14 as Valentine’s Day. I will not discuss why it’s called Valentine’s Day nor why almost everyone in the world celebrates it. My focus would be February 14 as a heart

  Coffee Musings Under the Maple Tree (Part 19) Reflections by Dharmazeus   Twin flames and deep connection are for real only if the parties concerned are true to themselves. Such that separation becomes only temporary and is meant to understand their individuality better so that when the right time comes to reunite, they’ll be more accepting of each other. Their love for one another becomes deeper and more sublime.   Live the now. Tomorrow never comes, but it offers hope an new beginnings. Yesterday is over, let the memories remain all but reminders of lessons learned.   If one truly loves, silence couldn’t last too long. For a heart who cares and loves dearly will always reach out to the beloved even if the heart still bleeds from the wounds of yesterday.   The heart reaches out and continues to love.   If you feel tired of loving someone, take a pause. Sometimes you might need to walk away. Or distance yourself. Like the waves off the shore, come back and rea