Tuesday, March 16, 2010

When A Daughter Runs Away


She just left.
No explanations, no trace.
Perhaps so afraid of consequences, of failed expectations.

A deeply sorrowful mother weary from much crying,
yearning
for a relationship that could have been far less distant.

A very young sister so confused,
praying, hoping, wishing,
for that important part of her to come back.

A distressed father
who traveled all the way north in search for her.
And failing. 

A family now deeply longs
for that joy found only in that embrace
from the daughter who ran away.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Obliterate The Competition

A few weeks ago I had to retrieve a phone at a shop after its failed repair attempt. Since it was Cecille who turned it in and little information was on the claim stub about the store, I had to ask for directions.

An outlet store of a very popular Finnish brand was the first one I saw. Huge and very prominent, I had this impression they had “the” presence and will most probably know the ins and outs of anything that is cellular phone in this their territory. Was I so wrong.

It has instantly become apparent that they have “Obliterate The Competition” as their mission statement. They could have just told me off instead of giving me a litany of how crap the model of phone I was using, of why the its manufacturer has left the Philippines, etc.... I was there to retrieve a phone, not to solicit bad news.

Crap is already a given otherwise I would not have this phone repaired on the first place. But is it necessary to make it look like I was the lousy one for having this lousy phone? Do I have to be embarrassed openly for my choices?

I can see two things happening now. First, I will not buy a phone at this particular outlet even if they have the best deal in town or even the whole country for that matter.

Secondly, I will seriously consider Korean before even thinking Finnish. Perhaps I would have instantly replaced this American model with a Finnish brand if I hadn't been turned off by bad salesmanship.

I believe that the most effective come-on does not hinge itself on animosity but rather on how we are willing to walk the extra mile. It is good manners that always bring people back.

Sadly, so many I know are focused on “Obliterating the Competition” not only in their business but in their private lives and relationships. And so their own sadness and anxiety flows out in conversations that stress those they talk with.

Oh yes, that “lousy” phone did get repaired eventually, by a friend who insisted on not looking at “lousy” but on just making it work. And it now works great.

No wonder then why his business keeps growing by the day. PHONETHICS is his shop and I can see the emphasis on Ethics. Truly, here is one who would gladly walk that extra mile.

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk @ Flickr

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Relaxation And The Evening News

I just do not get it.

Most people I know, after a stressful day at work, would still turn on the local evening news. More stress to get over the initial stress?

Here in the Philppines, evening news is synonymous to bad news. For some unexplained reason, news will not be news if it isn't bad. Is it because bad is enlightening?

And the evening news will always be followed by soap operas dwelling on more bad news: intrigues, oppression, victimization, corruption, rape, scandal and all other negatives one can think of. Is it because bad sells?

Still people stay tuned.

Does all this suggest that seeing people worse off than ourselves makes for a relaxing situation? That they are the one in a fix and not us should make us feel better? That the resounding misery around us qualifies for entertainment?

So what does all this make of us?

Anne Murray once did a song titled "A Little Good News". Utopian? Maybe.

But all this bad news on TV sure makes for more wishing.

Photo Credit: CarbonNYC@Flickr