2014 Insights

This is a super late post.  It was supposed to be a summary of my 2014, but while I was finishing this article, I got the news that my mom passed away and all these were buried in my drafts section.

Since it's mid year, might as well share it to the world, and hopefully things would be much brighter this remaining half of 2015.  It's a long read but hopefully you learn something from it.  Please read on:


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So it was a crazy roller coaster ride for 2014… a mix of super happy and ugly sad moments this year.  In fact, it’s just now that I’m able to write again after my last article, considering there’s my wedding anniversary, Amanda’s great job on her school Christmas party and of course the long Christmas celebration (which by the way, I missed all of the major parties due to my chickenpox).

Just would like to start my first blog this 2015 by remembering  my top insights for the year:

It all boils down to the essentials.
When my good friend Bong passed away, I’m reminded that the important things in life are not things but people.  When he worked, he didn’t just complete his tasks but rather created lasting relationships not only with the bosses but also with the clients and staff.

As a rookie dad, last 2014 I realised that I spent 2/3 of my time in work and business and just left 1/3 to my family, service and health. I often read that we should give quality time to our family.  But I believe that if my family is my essentials, then I should be giving both quality and quantity time.  No one goes in his deathbed and asks about his work items.  Rather, he looks for the one dearest to him… his family. 


Learn from your mistakes.
I’m sure everyone read this in another book, article or blog, but too often when we’re busy, we forget this. I remember during Amanda’s UN Celebration, I was too excited in having her lines captured in video.  When it was her turn, I focused the camera, pressed the record button and watched her say these lines “Konichiwa, I’m Amanda… from the land of the rising sun, Japan.” (complete with the hand gesture ala Miss Universe) then followed by these lines “Gu me na sai, that’s how you say sorry in Japanese.  Thank you.”  Why did I type all her lines, simply because I wasn’t able to record it :)  I thought I pressed the red button but I didn’t.  Big mistake.

So on her Christmas party, since I think they saw her potential in public speaking, she was given a much longer line.  And this time I made sure I’ll be able to capture it.  So here it is:

What I learned was not to be too excited and focus on what I’m doing.  


Five years is a milestone
Last December 2014 we celebrated our fifth year wedding anniversary.  There was no big celebration.  Just a simple breakfast at mini stop and a good lunch date in the weekend after.  Sure both of us were hoping for a good and nice weekend escape out of town or even out of the country.  But circumstances lead us to stay and make it simple.  I believe it wasn’t an accident that we had a simple celebration.  It was God’s way of reminding us as a couple that what is more important is the love we have for each other. 

I would just like to honour my wife for her great sacrifice of being a mom and a wife.  Since we’re an advocate of exclusive breastfeeding, she wakes up more in the odd hours of the day to provide milk for Cassandra.  When I was sick, she took the challenge of both being the dad and mom to the kids and always prepared my meals to speed up my recovery.

Baby number two
I noticed that when we ask couples about why are they not having another baby, they always say, “Naku, magastos!” (It’s expensive)… Well it’s true, but at the back of my mind, why are we so worried about the expenses but tend to forget how to think long term.  Imagine a better nation if we duplicate ourselves for the future.  There would be two, three or more of us who’ll continue our legacy.  Being a part of a CFC household where all of their kids are grown up, I could see the beauty of having more children.  Sure it’s about a decade or two to prepare them for life.  The diapers and milk, tuition fees, toys, teen mood swings (which I have to prepare to about 10 years from now)… But isn’t this the mission we have embraced when we got married?