I WILL. ♥

The Ghettos had their retreat at Don Bosco, Batulao on October 1-3 '07.
It was a success. :)

My Bernadette Family became closer. :) Thank God. ♥

Let me just share the things I've learned from that retreat.

Day 1 with Fr. Chris

On our first day, we talked about happiness.

who can be happy
what can make you happy
why do you have to be happy
how can you be happy

all those questions about happiness.

Happiness-- it happens when you're doing something else. You attain it if you work for them; if you do something just to be happy. It will not come to you unless you ask and work hard for it. As for our age, we cannot have this 'true' happiness because we are still exploring things; we are still growing; we are still gaining experiences.

Fr. Chris left us with the 10 keys to happiness:
1. We have to accept ourselves as we are. [self-acceptance]
2. Assume full responsibility for our lives-- 'this is my life. It is my own. I am responsible of how it will turn out to be. I am the one who's going to run my OWN life. Nobody cares and will care.'

Having full responsibility is connected with choosing. We all have our choices.
You may choose to live by yourself or live with someone; you may choose to drown yourself with alcohol and smoke or keep yourself busy shopping. Everything depends on you because this is your life.

Choices haves elements: self awareness, imagination, formed conscience and independent will.
"I AM FREE TO MAKE A CHOICE."

3. Look after our needs.
4. Make our lives an act of love--in other words, 'we must love.' Love is a verb. It is a 'doing'. You have to love to live and to be truly happy.
"The measure of love is the love without measure."
5.Stretch by moving our of our comfort zones--in reality, we cannot just stay in our house, we have to experience different things. We cannot just have 'pasarap' in life. We should get out of our cages and try new things. We do not have to feel comfortable in one thing. We have to let our bodies cry, laugh and weep. [gets niyo ba? haha.]
6. Learn to communicate effectively--speak with sense. talk in a nice way. be sensitive. :)
7. Enjoy the good things in life--thank God for all the beautiful things that happens in His gift.
8. Be good finders--be positive.
9. Seek growth not perfection--GROW. People commit mistakes and you just have to learn from it. Don't be stuck on what you've done in the past. Move forward and live a new life.
10. Make prayer a part of your daily life--to be truly happy, you need the help of God. Ask and thank Him for everything.

*do not give up easily in life.
*move on.
*don't be afraid of making mistakes. What's important is that you learn from them.
**"life asks for every individual a contribution and it is up to that individual to discover what it should be"--Viktor Frankl
*take risks.
*"Growth begins when blaming ends."
*"I AM IN-CHARGE."

--"Listen to what I'm not saying."

4 elements in Listening:
= open ear
= open heart
= integrity- "I bring my whole self to the situation."
= commitment

I may not have stated here everything but these points inspired me a lot. :) I hope it'd inspire you too or perhaps help you. :D

Day 2 with Fr. Ding

DECISION
== self-others-God
"Love is always to give."
== Freedom-- it is not to do the right thing or the bad thing but to do what is right and good.

Sessions with Fr. Ding was more on reflections. I was able to realise a lot of things; people come and go but I still have a life to live. Cherish the people around you while they're still here. :)

Day 3 with Fr. Chris and Fr. Ding-- last activity, songs, pictorial, Holy Mass, goodbye's. Thank you, Fathers. :) I'll never forget you. :D