It was aired in the US in March this year; I have no idea if it was shown in the Philippines as well. Too bad I missed it. Still, the documentary was a great way to show what goes on during a baby's pre-birth life inside the mother's womb!

---------------------------------------

Reality TV's Newest Sensation: Womb With a View

I have to admit I am not a big fan of so-called "reality television." I might have to change my mind on reality TV after viewing a new National Geographic documentary airing this Sunday at 8PM EST on the National Geographic Channel. The documentary, called "In the Womb," explores the life of a child growing from a single cell to a full grown baby girl. We are allowed to witness this phenomenon through relatively new science called 4-D ultrasound. Ultrasound is a safe and non-invasive way for doctors to see inside a pregnant woman's body. Traditional ultrasound images are two-dimensional, forcing doctors to create three-dimensional images in their minds. 4D Ultrasound with real-time motion is a new, powerful tool that can aid our physicians in studying the baby's motion and behavior.

Pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood see this remarkable machine as a "weapon." If it truly is a weapon, it is a "weapon of mass creation" combating the "weapon of mass destruction" called abortion. Many women who undergo this "weapon" of 4-D ultrasound decide to keep their child. It has also been determined that pregnant women have stopped smoking, drinking, and taking drugs after seeing their developing baby. In Congress, Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) has introduced the Informed Choice Act (H.R. 216), which would allow grants to place 4-D ultrasound equipment in pregnancy resource centers. In the private sector, Focus on the Family has a similar program you can read about on their website. I encourage you to watch "In the Womb" this Sunday and thank National Geographic for airing this documentary.

--------------------------------------------------

I got this news article from the Family Research Council's Center for Human Life and Bioethics site, which I've added to the list of links on this blog.

posted by sunnyday at 12:34 AM

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"RETIRED."

I have no idea how it feels to be retired, but I used to associate "retirement" with old age and more time on one's hands. I still do, except that now I've come to realize that some people who do stop working after reaching a certain age also tend to feel that it's "the end of life."

A little boy drives home an important point about this stage in life:

A new position in a great company

Jake was in the second grade when his parents told him his grandpa would be retiring after working at the same company for forty years. With a look of amazement on his face, Jake said, "I'm only seven, so that means Grandpa has been there . . ." He thought for a second and finally exclaimed, "A really long time!"

His parents chuckled and said, "Yes, Grandpa has worked there a long time, and that's why we are throwing him a surprise party."

Jake loved his grandpa very much and wanted to do something special for the occasion. He offered to help with the party plans but was told that all the arrangements had been made. Undaunted, Jake knew there must be some way he could show his grandpa how much he was appreciated and congratulate him on his retirement.

Jake remembered the business card his grandpa had given him a couple of years earlier. It was wedged within the mirror's wooden frame in his bedroom, between a two-dollar bill and a picture of him and his dad on the Ferris wheel at the church carnival. He scrambled up the stairs and into his room. Taking the tattered card in his hand, he realized that his grandpa would no longer have that position. Positions are good, he thought, so he decided to create a new one for his grandpa. Jake told his parents about the idea, and they said it was wonderful.

When the big day came, Jake was ready.

A collection of different-size boxes, all beautifully wrapped, were placed on a gift table-that is, all except for Jake's. He didn't want to include his gift with the others, so he carried it around with him the entire evening.

He watched his grandpa open the other gifts, "oohing" and "aahing" at each one. He wanted his gift to be the last one Grandpa opened, so as the evening drew to a close, he took his grandpa's hand and ushered him over to a chair in the corner, away from the crowd.

"I've got something for you, Grandpa," Jake stated with pride, offering up the gift.

With that, his grandpa propped Jake up on his left knee and declared, "Well, this sure is a beautifully wrapped present. Did you do this all by yourself?"

"Kind of," Jake replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Mom helped me a little." Grandpa smiled. "Well, it looks wonderful. May I open it now?"

Jake enthusiastically nodded his head.

As Grandpa unwrapped the package, his cheeks grew moist with tears. Jake had given him the greatest gift he could have ever asked for: official business cards with his new title: FULL-TIME GRANDPA. There were no phone or fax numbers because now his time was his own. There was no business address because his new position didn't require one. Jake gazed lovingly into his grandpa's eyes and said, "Congratulations on your retirement. Now your full-time job is just being my grandpa!"

Holding one of the cards between his right thumb and index finger and wiping his tears with the back of his hand, Grandpa asked jokingly, "Well, how much do I get paid?"

With his bright blue eyes expressing total devotion, Jake responded, "As many hugs as you want each day."

Beaming with joy, Grandpa gave Jake an affectionate hug and buoyantly replied, "Well, I guess that means I'm a rich man."


--Inspired by Ben Stewart

posted by sunnyday at 9:06 PM

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I've come to know some people who seem to favor lines like "wala ka nang magagawa" ("there's nothing more you can do") and "bale wala 'yan," ("it doesn't matter") and the like. They didn't just say these things; they seemed to believe them as well.

I can understand how jaded and cynical people and those who have faced frustration many times can hold such sentiments. But then, there's the other option to continue living in reality while still hanging on to high ideals. Hence, there's always something that can be done to improve a situation, and every little thing certainly counts.

Whether you're talking about the efforts you make but which seem futile, or the question whether a 3-week old embryo is really a human being and is worth saving, keep in mind that everything counts.

Here's something that I draw much inspiration from. It's a constant reminder of how even the smallest thing can make a difference:

As the old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.

“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man. “How can your effort make any difference?”

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to the safety of the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said.

When you feel that your presence is worthless,
remember
that
one
can make
a difference.

posted by sunnyday at 7:15 PM

3 comments

After 21 years of marriage, I discovered a new way of keeping the spark of love alive. Some time ago I had started to go out with another woman. It was really my wife’s idea. “I know that you love her,” she said one day, taking me by surprise. “But I love you,” I protested. “I know, but you also love her.”

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to pass some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment then said, “I would like that very much.”

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s.

“I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,” she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.” We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After I sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Halfway through the entrée, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom starting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu to you when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded.

During the dinner we had an agreeable conversation. Nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.

A few days later my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I felt that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I was almost sure that I couldn’t be there for our next date but nevertheless, I paid for two plates—one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you.”

At that moment I understood the importance of saying “I love you” in time and giving our loved ones the time that they deserve, because these things should not be put off.

posted by sunnyday at 9:09 AM

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One day, an angel was picking gold nuggets scattered around Heaven. God was watching the angel, and decided he wanted to share the gold with human beings. Out of sheer love for his creatures, he commanded the angel to get on a cloud and hurl the gold nuggets toward earth, where they made their way into the homes of families God had personally chosen. The nuggets came into the possession of mothers, but not in the form that glittered. God transformed each piece of gold into a human life, one that was more special, one that was to be cared for with more effort, and one through which the vocation of motherhood was to be realized even more.

The story of the gold nuggets, of course, is pure fiction, and has no scriptural basis whatsoever. However, it does provide another perspective to the matter of having mentally or physically handicapped babies born into the world, or of some people developing anomalous conditions. Caring for a special child is just like caring for any other child, but with the consideration that the child will remain one for the rest of his life.

For Lourdes Ramos, a full-time homemaker, it was the anticipation of her son’s future that helped her overcome the initial regret of bearing a child that displayed signs of retardation. Rainier Andre, the youngest of three and now seven years old, didn’t learn to walk until he reached the age of three.

“At home he would just sit up and drag himself backwards. Sometimes I had to carry him. And he couldn’t talk either,” recalls Mrs. Ramos from one of the classrooms of the Bridges Foundation, a school for special children where her son is currently enrolled in a speech development class. The thirtysomething mother hopes the training will soon improve Rainier’s conversation beyond his present monosyllabic utterances.

The idea of raising a special child daunted her at first, but concern for her son’s future eventually took over the ill feelings she was starting to have. A pediatrician, diagnosing Rainier with a “Global Delayed” condition, advised Mrs. Ramos to enroll her son in school, which would help hone mental and psychomotor skills—which Rainier needs to develop—as well as other potentials the child had, at a faster pace.

“You know, there are positive and negative sides to having a special child, but if you’re going to dwell on the negative, a special child is going to feel like a burden,” the mother muses as Rainier and his sister are engrossed in some giant Lego blocks.

She goes on to relate Rainier’s unique traits (“malambing at maaalalahanin siya”) (“he is affectionate and thoughtful”) and fondly tells of how the child is particular about the cleanliness of the home. Finishing a meal, for instance, is instantly followed by bringing plates and utensils to the kitchen, which he dutifully does while urging siblings to follow suit.

Brown-eyed Rainier can be a little impatient sometimes at play, according to his mother, but not even that poses a problem.

“You have to have patience in caring for a child who’s different from others—that’s what I can tell other mothers in the same situation.”

There’s the need for both discipline and affection, too, as raising any child requires, to ensure proper development. One cannot do without the other.

Mrs. Ramos also stresses the need to help the child develop his personality. “To do that, you have to take time to educate the child, to train him.

“But of course, the best is love,” she continues. “After all, he’s a gift from God, so give him the affection and attention he needs. He’s just like any other child who needs these things.”

Since it’s summer, 11-year-old Francis is on vacation from school and thus has more time to spend at home and help his mother take care of his youngest sibling, a three-week-old infant. Otherwise, he plays around the house, sometimes on his own.

“Tatlo ang anak ko, puro lalaki, at si Francis ang pinakamatanda (“I have three children, all boys, and Francis is the eldest”),” says Mrs. Norma Romo, who accompanies Francis to school daily during the regular schoolyear. “Normal na anak naman ang trato ko sa kanya, normal ang childhood niya.” (“I treat him like a normal child, his childhood is normal”)

Francis was born with Down Syndrome, a condition characterized by mental and psychomotor impairment, short stature, large tongue, and Mongolian-like eyes. Right away, he demonstrates the openness and affectionate disposition that people with Down Syndrome tend to have. He listens with a gentle smile during the interview, coming over a couple of times to hug this writer from behind, borrowing pen and paper to scribble his name, and snuggling up to his mother.

“Masaya naman siyang nakikipaglaro sa ibang bata diyan (“He happily plays with the other children there”),” a soft-spoken Mrs. Romo says. “Ayoko nga siyang i-enroll sa special school dahil baka mas mabagal siyang matuto e.” (I don’t want to enroll him in a special school because he might learn at a slower pace”)

She enrolled Francis at the Legarda Elementary School when he was eight years old, and has been accompanying him everyday to his afternoon classes. He presently studies Math, Pilipino and English.

Francis is special in more ways than one. According to his mother, he has appeared on television several times after her sister brought him over to the studio for an audition. “Lumabas siya dati sa ‘E Kasi Bata!’ at sa isang TV series. Matagal na din siya doon, mga two years.” (“He appeared in ‘E Kasi Bata!’ and in a TV series. He’s been there for a long time, around two years”)

At this point, Francis shyly gets into the ubiquitous Macarena dance routine after some cajoling. His mother, 36, quietly watches with a smile, then says, “Gustong-gusto niyang manood ng TV. Sa umaga ‘yon ang ginagawa niya, kung minsan tinutulungan niya akong mag-alaga ng bata (He likes watching TV very much. In the mornings, that’s what he does, sometimes he helps me take care of the baby”),” and relates how Francis playfully teases his siblings and mimics his mother’s words to the babies.

She also allows her special child to go out on his own once in a while to buy softdrinks from a nearby sari-sari store. “Hindi ako nahihirapan sa kanya, madali siyang alagaan. Parang normal na bata ang trato ko sa kanya.” (“I don’t have a hard time with him, he’s easy to care for. I treat him like a normal child”).

When Cielo turned 20, Mrs. Tessie Yap intensified her petitions for her daughter, enjoining her family to do the same, knowing that Cielo’s affliction with cerebral palsy from going beyond 20 years old, according to the doctor. In August, Cielo will be celebrating her 32^nd birthday.

“I attribute it to the care given her,” says Mrs. Yap, a mother of six. “Cielo’s intellectual capacity is something like that of a two-year-old. She cannot talk and she cannot move on her own. She just lies there. She really needs somebody to take care of her on a 24-hour basis. And I’m so lucky to have a nice yaya (nanny) to help me.”

With five other children to rear, giving Cielo the special attention she needs was quite a task. Given our society’s endearment to household help, though, Mrs. Yap found valuable assistance in the reliable helpers she hired.

The mother, of course, trained them herself, teaching exercises and special feeding requirements that were a daily routine, explaining how Cielo’s occasional tantrums ought to be dealt with, and above all, demonstrating the patience that caring for a special child like her daughter required.

“I can understand how some yayas or even mothers can lose their patience once in a while,” she says. “That’s why I don’t stay away and travel for too long a time—just a few days at the most, and rarely—and leave Cielo to the care of her yaya. If I can become impatient with my own child, how much more somebody—no matter how endeared she has grown to Cielo—who is just assigned to do the work? It’s hard for the helper also.”

Cielo perks up at the sound of music, which she has grown accustomed to even during her waking hours (“she starts to cry when she wakes up and the radio’s off”). She is wheeled around the house everyday for a couple of hours, and doesn’t like it when the wheelchair halts for even a moment. And because she cannot consume solids, her meals pass through the blender. Needless to say, taking care of her has its special demands.

“Well, it’s a matter of attitude really,” Mrs. Yap offers. “Whatever God sends you, accept it with an open heart because he trusts you…and he will really help you.”

She relates having a chat with a priest years ago—one who displayed such cheerfulness and understanding for her circumstances—who helped transform her outlook into one of optimism regarding the demands of being a mother to Cielo.

“He told me this: ‘You are very lucky that God entrusted you with an angel. He knows you can take care of her.’ And that helped me see things differently.”

Despite the change of heart, Mrs. Yap is not about to say that she’s overjoyed with her child’s handicap. “I think people will call me ‘plastik’ (hypocritical) if I say that I’m happy because I have a special child,” she says with a smile, “but really, it’s in the attitude.”

This outlook apparently affected the rest of the family, for it has woven special ties that now bind them more closely. “I think Cielo drew us more closely to each other because everybody was responsible for her. Everybody took care of her in his own way.”

Just the way to treat gold nuggets that one would chance upon.

The Evening Paper, May 1996

posted by sunnyday at 8:44 PM

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R&B/rap artist and actor Nick Cannon

"Movie/Television/Rap Star Nick Cannon Shoots Pro-Life Music Video"

Nick who? I hadn't even heard of the name so off I went to google. Okay, a TV and movie actor who's also a rap artist...has worked with Will Smith etc...was in "Shall We Dance?" "Men in Black 2" and "Garfield" among other films. But he's crossed over to the music industry and is going against the grain by doing a song about giving unborn babies a chance to live. He even directed the video himself.

I caught snatches of his music in a couple of Nick Cannon sites. R&B-rap. Didn't blast my eardrums or make me dizzy. =)

Here's the lowdown on the artist's life-affirming music project, courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com:

Movie/Television/Rap Star Nick Cannon Shoots Pro-Life Music Video

HOLLYWOOD, CA, June 10, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Nick Cannon, an accomplished actor, comedian, songwriter and producer with a host of credentials to his name at the age of twenty-four, including his own television show, has released his debut solo album. The album marks Cannon's first all-out effort to cross from the film-making/television industry into the music industry, although he has been involved in the music scene for years, working closely with the likes of Will Smith.

The feature song entitled "Can I Live", on the album by the same name, is being praised by advocates of the culture of life for its powerfully pro-life statement. Cannon recently released the music video for the song, which is available for free online. The video has been consistently voted in the top ten at the music-video rating site, 106 Park & 10 for some weeks. (to vote go here: http://www.bet.com/Site+Management/Polls/106+and+Park+II.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished&Referrer=%7B29BD4505-32BF-4E4F-A434-1E7519949588%7D )

The video, skillfully directed by Cannon himself, beautifully dramatizes the torment and the uncertainty as Cannon's own mother arrives at a "Women's Health Clinic" (abortuary) in the late seventies with the obvious intention of ending the life of her child. Cannon himself appears in the video clad in white, symbolically portraying the person of the as-yet unborn child, and giving voice to his own implicit right and desire to live.

Throughout the video he tries to connect with his unheeding mother and to plead his own case, at one point crying out to her "300 Dollars that's the price of living what? / Mommy I don't like this clinic / hopefully you'll make the right decision / and don't go though with the Knife Decision."

In the second to last scene Cannon's mother rises from the operating table as her unborn son's silent arguments penetrate and she runs from the clinic into the sunshine. There she is greeted by several dozen children singing the chorus and wearing T-shirts with the words "Can I Live" printed on them.

The video closes with Cannon hugging his present-day mother saying "I am just telling ya'll my story/ I love my life / I love my mother for giving me life / We all need to appreciate life/ A strong women that had to make a sacrifice / Thanks for listening… / Mama thanks for listening."

Cannon has received a slew of support from his fans on the message board of his official fan page, with many confessing that they wept the first time they viewed the video. One woman recounted how his video confirmed her in her last minute decision not to have an abortion.

Most remarkable of all is the message Cannon himself posted on the message board which runs as follows:

"This record is extremely important to me and to our community. There are a lot of young mothers in need and have had to struggle to raise their children. I just wanted to recognize all the strong women who are raising children on their own like my mother had to do. Myself and my foundation really want to help these young women. If any of you out there know a single mother between the ages of 15-25 who may be having a difficult time I would love to hear the story. Please write to me and explain the condition and how I could possibly help. I will check the website and respond accordingly."

Subsequent posts by the board administrator assured his fans that Nick had received all the requests for assistance and was deliberating how to best assist each woman.

See the "Can I Live" video:
http://www.nickcannonmusic.com/index_main.html

Thank Nick Cannon for his work by leaving a message on the message board at his official fan site:
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/dpc123

posted by sunnyday at 10:29 AM

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Just as joints stiffen, an ageing man’s attitude becomes more rigid. Indeed, old habits die hard. And although he looks forward to retirement, when it comes he finds that he has to make difficult adjustments. With no office to go to and no job that requires his attention, he may suddenly be at a loss, feel unneeded or insecure, and the thought of no longer being able to contribute may result in depression and lowered self-esteem.

Families and friends who take time to be just that—family and friends—can help alleviate these emotional disturbances common among the elderly. By being caring enough to do some little things that show a sense of gratitude, each of us—children and grandchildren—can do something to remind our elders that they are loved.

Here are some pointers to keep in mind to help our aging relatives and friends cope with the adjustments:

COMPLIMENTS. The simple things we can do mean a lot to them. For anyone, receiving a compliment goes a long way; what more ageing persons who may be experiencing doubts about their self-worth? Little compliments, then, will let them know that they have value in our sight (an elderly woman afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease showed a remarkable improvement when the people in the special institution she was staying in made efforts to comment on her smart dressing).

GETTING INVOLVED. Encourage old folks to get involved in social gatherings, refreshing outings or skills development activities, which may help them continue friendly association with other people and bring about a more enjoyable life for them. Many countries, including the Philippines, emphasize the importance of the senior citizens of their society and thus enjoy the active participation of senior citizen groups in public life. There’s even an Office of Senior Citizens Affairs!Why not look it up yourself and tell your elderly relatives about it?

THE JOY OF PLAY. There’s also playing, fantasizing and imagining—key powers innate in the human person, young or old. These lead to the ability to laugh, which best heals the human spirit. Hence, play remains as important in old age as it does any age, for it provides expression of creativity, freedom and the capacity to wonder and to dream. When you watch a lolo and lola surrounded by their grandchildren, don’t you see the delight in them as they play or even simply enjoy the sight of young ones having fun?

posted by sunnyday at 11:31 PM

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Does it ever occur to you
that there is also a deep need for beauty
in the ageing heart,
as there is in all of us?

Old people find beauty in many things
that the rest of us easily take for granted,
like the voices and warmth
of their children and grandchildren
who care for them.

We can let them experience this beauty even more through the gifts that we give them. If an elderly member of your family is having a birthday soon, here are some gift suggestions that are bound to delight him/her in some way:

• a flowering plant – buds and blooms are a wonderful reminder of life “in motion” and can let them feel the radiance of nature
• a pet like a small dog, birds or fish – there’s nothing like a pet to keep them company; keep it low-maintenance or be sure someone is there to help them care for the animal
• a picture that lights up a bare wall – could be a painting or blown-up photograph that gives the wall more color and/or the room a more cheerful atmosphere
• a brightly colored bedspread

These are fine gifts that will no doubt bring older persons some joy. But here’s something else you will want to consider: accompanying them outdoors to catch some sun or spend time in a park or by the sea if that is accessible can be truly life-giving!

posted by sunnyday at 7:30 PM

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