Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
It was a Saturday and I still had to finish some stuffs in the newly renovated LLOYDLUNA Corporate Center. But I had to leave immediately right after my last meeting for the day with Byron of Creative Events. I was scheduled to attend a debut party in Bulacan.
Rain showers and a feeling of tiredness but I had to make it to a commitment. Bella Nicolas, my fisrt bookshoppe franchisee-on hold invited me a month ago and I thought it would be great to appear in that special occasion.
I arrived late but still managed to see the last couple of group dances which the debutant and the group tried hard to put together. I’ve heard there were a lot of practice that went on.
I had my dinner. The monther borrowed my Blackberry phone to accommodate a call from the United States. Thank God my phone was fully charged. It was a clear phone patch.
A couple of minutes after, I found myself holding a glass of red wine. I was called to give a wish. I must admit that I didn’t expect it. I was just a guest and I thought I would just sit there and watch. But there came my turn and there was nothing I can do but to speak.
It was a challenge though because I usually speak in no less than an hour. It was a struggle to give a very very short speech. 
But I did one.
The thing is I can’t help but to continue my piece of advice even if I realized that I just gave a very few words. I took the wine and that was it. When I came back to my seat, I picked up my Blackberry phone and started to continue what could have been another best-selling speech.
I started to write. And this is what I was supposed to say as written.
I am a stranger. I don’t know if you’re listening to one but let me give you an unsolicited advice. It’s my regular job to talk to people I hardly know but a couple of weeks ago, I was briefed about you and your family by no less than your mom.
Don’t grow up too fast. People who did just that often stumbled and fell apart. They thought life is about finishing fast. In the process they forget to enjoy some tiny details about their being young. They miss the opportunity to live a day that’s free of worry and pain.
There’s always a time a space for everything. In God’s perfect timing, you will find your self happy and grateful for whatever it is that you became patient about.
Womanhood isn’t about being 18. I’ve net a lot of women in their 30s and yet they still act like a high school loser not knowing what to do or how to fix their broken love and career life. It’s when you learn to take responsibility to your own decision and action. When you learn to understand that life is about choices, it is when you become a woman.
Womanhood, therefore, isn’t growing up fast. It’s about growing up knowing that you will forever be in the process of growing.
After tonight, you will never feel as strong, as happy, as thankful, as you are now. In a couple of hours, the lights will turn off, the party will be over, we will no longer be here, and you will never be a princess that was once seated over there. But always remember that you will always be the very princess that you’ve been looking for. That you are your own Cinderella, Snow White, and Princess Jasmin.
After tonight, it will only be between you and the world. We can only go as far and as close as here. Your mom will never be there; your father can only watch you from up-there. It will be between you and the people who will try to steal the realization of your dreams. It will be between you and the people who will say you can’t make it. It will be between you and the people who will hurt you and the people who will be happy about your pains, suffering, and failure.
That being said, please realize that you are the owner of your own life and the driver of your own destiny. When your father died, you. along with your brother and sisters became an extension of your father to your mom. She can only express how happy and complete she is when you are together. But soon, we will be gone and you will be left with no one but your self.
I’m saying this not because I want to scare you about the road that you’re going to travel from here. I’m saying this because I know this is the only thing I can give you. I didn’t bring any material gift and I wanted you to remember me with these pieces of wisdom.
The truth is you will face the world alone. The the nightly regular board meeting with your family can only work as far as you are together. Time will come that you will be separated and you wouldn’t want that to happen, I am sure.
But reality will bring you there. And you will have no other choice but to cooperate with it or suffer the consequences of what could have been your inability to accept the truth and prepare for it.
Stumble. Cry. Dance. Laugh. Whatever happens, you will always be who you are. So be careful about the label that you put to your self. Your identity shapes your very destiny. Whatever you believe that you are, you eventually become one.
Andrea Louise Nicolas is more than what I am seeing right now. Behind the beautiful, fancy, expensive dresses, you are the miracle that’s waiting to happen. Years from now you will look back and see one of thwo things: a life that you’re able to live best or a life that has gone to its worst.
As you celebrate your 18th birthday, let me pray that you get all the possible wisdom that you can get from what happens every day of your life. Let me pray for your health and good heart that touches other people. Let me pray that your life become a blessing not only to your family but to all of us who are just watching you grow up.
Again, don’t grow up too fast. Happy birthday.
To all the debutants out-there, this could have been the same message that I gave you only if you invited me to attend your debut.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
I call January 14 a day not only because I felt to be complete and very happy—two
feelings that I haven’t felt for the longest time. It was a my first
date of the year and I think it’s going to change myself for the better.
Last year, I wished to understand how and what love stories are
really made of. Is it just a plain “mutual feeling” toward each other?
Or maybe it’s just about two people of the same perspective in life,
same likes and dislikes, same food preferences, same beliefs. In my
quest to answer the question, I tried to look around and see for myself
what the secret recipe is.
While I was looking around, I found myself looking at my self at the
Secret Recipe sitting beside the woman I asked God to be with—the same and only woman I’d hoped to be with for the rest of my life—holding her hands, giving the warmest hug, leaning to each one’s shoulders, eating together.
It’s been more than two years since decided to fully open my heart to
someone. This time however, she’s someone who’s totally stranger to me.
The first time time we saw each other was quite long after we fell in
love. Of course, that is totally strange and weird. To fall in love
with someone you haven’t met in person yet is a great risk. But to me,
feelings and emotions can deceive us as our eyes and ears do, too.
Either way, we have to take the risk with it.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Excerpt from the book Break Me Up (What to do when you’re sick and tired of being tired and sick) by Lloyd A. Luna, 2007 Edition:
When someone pushed you to the brink and you fell, do you blame the person for pushing you or you blame yourself for letting it happen?
Sometimes, we are forced to love other person not because we want that person for us but because in one region of our mind we know we can’t have that someone we love.
Truly, heart has its own tendency to escape from the wound and the pain it created on itself. Such escape is one reason why not all relationships end happily ever after…
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
_uacct = “UA-725227-3″;
urchinTracker();
For more information about the LLOYDLUNA Bookshoppe, Live Seminars, and Events, please contact us.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Before 2007 is over, I decided to
tell you one story that could have made my life different. I’m not sure
though if it would have been better. I would assume it would have been
great though. I would really love to see it that way, work it out in
the most genius way I can, and just continue to make it grow. But the
turnout seems to be the other way around. There was no Ma. Rowena.
It was a long-lost past. I would recall how young I was–maybe aware
but not really mature enough–to handle my little love story. I was an
ordinary guy in college, just arrived in the city one year ago and life
was totally different compared with that of the province. I have had
several relationships before my tertiary education and I can only count
only one out of them to be die-hard serious. Meet Reichelle.
But meeting this young lady unexpectedly in an office in PUP, I
thought wow life could be better. I had no commitment that time for I
think a little over two years and I thought of opening my heart again.
It was a casual kidding session and I had to make her the subject of my
joke. I was an engineering guy, known as a student leader and an
editor. With all that in my head, I knew I was somebody and I can make
a joke out of almost anyone I would choose to.
I was absolutely successful. Out of one simple joke “mukha kang high
school–high school principal” (you look like a high school–high school
principal) started a story that could have been made my life different.
It was a story that’s worth reminiscing especially when I look at
myself now. In so many ways, it has a major contribution in my life. I
have seen sacrifices, tears, joys. For the first time, I’ve seen a
women who had never fallen in love but there she was opening his heart
to someone.
Call it love-at-first-sight if you will but to me it was just an
unexpected blessing. I found someone without really looking around. She
came into my life in an unlikely moment when I was to enjoy my
bachelorship. Nonetheless, I got attracted to her and a friendship was
created out of it. Thank God I already have a mobile phone at that
time, a Nokia 3310. The technology was there to tie us and take us
somewhere.
Finding Nemo was our first movie together. Edsa-Boni Avenue was the
parting place. Jollibee as the foodshop before getting to respective
buses. Musical compositions were extra effort given. Choir was the
first to see her. Church was the place to meet. Hasmin Hostel was
another place to go. Mobile phone was active every once in a while.
There were letters here and there. There were fetching ups.
(I have to stop here. I needed to cry. I’ll resume later. Sorry.)
I’m back. It’s Christmas day and I have to make this fast. I have
some more special people to write about, at least five of them who
would have made my life different from what I have now, so let me
continue…
For a guy who just wanted to achieve something, that time without
realizing yet that achievement doesn’t mean fulfillment, there were
priorities to make as there were decisions to stand along with. Those
special moments I had with her, those happy, sometimes tear-jerking
memories became my treasure as I went through sailing on the sea of
what they call “real-life.” But I ask, is there such a thing as “not
real-life?”
Everything that happened to me, to us, for me was all but real
thing. I fell in love at the perfect time, I think in the right place,
with the right person. I should admit it was the best part of my
college life. I may forget some subjects that I failed, or some
subjects I got a flat 1.0 but my experience as a person who had someone
like her will never ever be forgotten.
And how would I forget all of those shared memories that reminded me
that I am a man and there was a woman who would be by my side to
support me, tell me stories, hold my then empty hand, comfort me when I
feel absolutely pissed off with all my extra curricular activities, eat
with me, ride with me, and so much more. There’s nothing that could
change the most perfect feeling I’ve got when I was with her–not even
what I have now.
But an even greater decision got us separated. It was one of the
lowest point in my life that if I have to think again, I could have
changed my decision. In a church where we were about to meet to maybe
put everything in finality, fear became real to me than it was mental.
Was I really ready to commit?
As I was afraid to hurt someone that I’ve loved, I decided not to
see her for the longest time. I had to go on hiding, no permanent
shelter, no guarantee that I was going somewhere else. She was
miserably hurt.
I won’t defend myself here. But it was one of the hardest decision I
had to make my entire life perhaps harder than every decision I made in
the business and in my career. I was wrong. I failed her so terribly
and I lose my guts to even explain. It was unmanly of me.
We took a far separate lives. No one was ever so sure where he or
she was going. My idea of moving on with someone special became a
fiction story and my plan to just sail with her became a history I
could have written as non-fiction. She would fail on her relationships
after the other as I had to fail mine as well.
Recently, I invited her out. This was not on my birthday as many of
you would think. But when we got out, I had to bring myself back to
what was once a perfect life. We went out for a movie, No Reservation,
and ate together. I’ve felt a life that I unintentionally lost way back
in college. It was something I wish I had.
But there would never be Ma. Rowena again–not because I wouldn’t
want her to be with me for the rest of my life–but because she would
have another priority and decision to stand along with, just as I had
before. I wish I can trade in all what I’ve got now just for me to have
her back–all the fame, honor, achievement, name, money, and all.
Unfortunately, it’s just not possible.
Ma. Rowena is such a lovely, sweet, understanding, submissive lady
I’ve met. She was different from the rest. And even if I know she can
never be back, I always knew I will forever be happy that for once, or
twice in my lifetime, I had the most unique experience of loving her
deeply and sharing our time together to create a dream that would fade
with the wind of tough decision-making and priority listing.
Given a chance to make a decision one more time, I could have made
the same decision–to leave her. But given another chance to love her
and make her feel how she’s making my life a life best-lived, I could
have asked her to be with me again. And this time, there’s no letting
go until she walks into the aisle, got her next to mine, hold her hands
that was once I held, until I say “I do.”
But there was no Ma. Rowena. And the fantasy stops here. Still, this
story had made me the person I am now. But even if I know she can’t be
mine again, I’m certain that she’ll always have a place in my heart,
forever.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
It was a blessed, overwhelming book launch.
It’s amazing I found a word to describe my feeling last night:
mixed—happy, nervous, excited. And why not? I’ve had the best people in
the audience to witness my book launching! And, it was a big party!
I
must admit that the PowerBooks launch of Is There A Job Waiting For
You? put some pressure on us. I have only two staff and one apprentice
who have prepared for an event the brought together my entire family,
mentors, business associates, choir mates, oh students, fans, and
friends. It was as if I was getting married!
The event went
seamlessly. Almost all confirmed visitors showed up. We ran out of
chairs. Some just took the floor just to listen. We’ve got a great
program, only enough food and drinks. PowerBooks has sold I think
around 10 books with 20 more people falling in line for my book signing!
In
my opening statement I said, “It seems like I know now the feeling of a
person getting married. I have an entourage of godparents and guests. I
have a choir to sing. I have visitors. There’s only one problem. I
don’t have the woman yet.” Everyone laughed.
But really, this
was the most exciting and most memorable event for me so far. Not to
mention that this reminded me how far I’ve gone through since I
registered my business in 2005. I recalled the old, struggling days I
can hardly set appointment with entrepreneurs and business owners. Last
night was a dream-come-true. And all it meant was a bountiful blessing
from Someone-up-there.
I was lucky enough to have my mentors and
idols in my audience as guests and supporters. I can’t still believe it
that I was able to gather them altogether in one simple venue: Victor
Tan, Chairman and CEO of Bobson Jeans, who did a very kind
introduction; Johnlu Koa, Founder and CEO of The French Baker; Bob
Claudio, Chairman and CEO of Toby’s Sports and wife; JV Calleja, Senior
Country Manager of Leo Pharma; Henry Yap, VP of Innovative Business
Concept; Alvin Tan, President of Technominds, Inc.; Earl Beja,
President and CEO of One Media; John Calub, President of John Calub
Training; Josephine Jusay of Chromedia, Inc.; Jesi Ledesma of Kwentong
Negosyo; the officers of World CARP; Raffy Ortega, Asst. Executive
Director of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, among others.
I got 93 visitors!
In
our program, we simply had to give each sponsor and special guests a
certificate of gratitude. Right after the awarding, I was introduced
and I talked about the lessons we learned before and after making the
book plus some parts and stories inside it. I talked for around one
hour and nobody noticed it was that long!
But the most memorable
part when I was leaving the stage. I got a standing ovation starting
from Johnlu Koa, followed by Victor Tan, Bob Caludio, Earl Beja and
everyone else followed.
I shook hands with them and I was thanking them with teary eyes. It was a very touching moment I will never forget.
The
launching, as I reiterated in my talk, isn’t about me or not even about
my book. I said it’s about each and every one of them for without them
I wouldn’t be what and where I am now. It was a simple version of
Thanksgiving for me. While Americans were celebrating their
Thanksgiving, I was saying words of gratitude to the people whom I owe
so much.
I never did everything alone. I’ve had so
many people who backed me up in their own unique capacity. That for me
is more than enough to be grateful about.
To all of
my guests who’ve shared one of the best moments in my life, I thank you
all for being at the perfect time and place where I’ve launched a book
that’s main purpose and reason isn’t to make other people see the
answer to their question but instead to make each and every one of us
find the reason that will automatically give us the answer.
Special
thanks to my sponsors: RFM Foods, Sunkist, My Own Space, Reyes
Haircutters, Potato Corner, Bobson Jeans, Innovative Business Concept,
and Go Negosyo.
Did you enjoy the event? Send your
testimonials and feedbacks to support@lloydluna.com or text 09065563777
or call our office at (632) 383.2961 or fax (632) 882.4251.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Here.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
After the salon getaway in a Friday
and a badminton fever in a Saturday, I decided to taste streetfoods
again after the Sunday mass and ate together, as in a food trip, with
the choir. We had a great time practicing some musical pieces for the
mass next week and we had a great dinner.
The menu: pansit bihon, sotanghon and sardines, and bottles of RC
cola. It was an experience. Still, we have to hit anxiety wisely.
Like any other sports, badminton requires a not only a great
strength and stamina but also strategies and techniques. Hitting hard
doesn’t always make a winner. Players must not only be physically
strong, they must be mentally alert as well.
This is the same thing that happens in our lives. Every circumstance
is a game where we most often think that strength is all there is to
win. Unfortunately, it’s just one.
My friends didn’t know at first that I was a varsity player in my
school and that I trained very hard to learn that sports that I love.
And they were surprised why on Earth with my size and body-built, I’m
able to smash hard, calculate placing, bring shuttle cock to a safe
place, get back the shuttle cock to their court, and so on.
Well, strategies work. That’s what I’ve mastered more than the hard
hitting stuffs. And way back in high school, I can clearly picture out
how I got my first silver medal on the Southern Tagalog Regional
Athletic Meet (STRAA). It was a team effort and I really had to play
more as a thinker.
With what’s happening with me now, still the turbulence syndrome
right after the could-be (or should-have-been), I think the same advice
is what I need myself to hear.
Hit the anxiety and pains wisely. It doesn’t have to be hard. It just have to be enough.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Let’s have the first question today: Can we erase memories? I found an answer.
As I wrote yesterday, I had a great 6-hour sadness getaway in MOS in Timog Avenue. I had a great time having a shampoo, face cleaning, haircut (again), manicure, hands spa, and foot massage, with two glasses of white wine served while I was there. It was not a reward for myself. It was just a way for me to forget the anxiety, fear, negative stress, confusion, disappointments, anger, hatred, and sadness.
There are negative emotions that I needed to eliminate or they will dominate my positive thoughts of love, courage, positive stress, clear thinking, delight, calmness, affection, and joy.
Last night, I resolved to just continue to live, as in continue to breathe air (I need space), look at the birds flying earnestly (I need freedom), taste the best foods in the streets (I need something in my stomach), experience heavy traffic (I need traffic lights to remind myself when to stop, slow down, and go), smash the shuttle cock (I need to make an expression).
At 4PM I prepared myself to experience those resolves. I arrived at SM Centerpoint at 6PM and started to wait for my friends. At around 9PM we started to blaze the badminton court.
We were eight and it was the best badminton experience we had as a group so far. Edith and Sy was there. Michael (just arrived from sea faring), Ice, Jonas, Tonette, Rocky were there too. It was fun.
After the game, I treat them to dinner in "Pares" in San Juan. I loved the food and that’s one thing I missed doing for the longest time. Hanging out with dear friends, investing time with them, sharing stories and fun.
I made another memories.
I really think there’s more to life than pains, or anxiety, or hatred, or anger, or even fear. In everything that we do in all the time that we have, we can always choose the feeling that we want to feel. Sometimes many people tell me I’m a bit weird when I do that but I think it should be the way to do it.
I must admit though that it’s not so easy to do. It took me several years to practice emotion control. In fact, until now, sometimes I fail to exercise it. There are times when I still fail to just do that. I still become affected but I always make sure that it will dominate that way I have lived the best times in my life.
It has been my belief to let the dramas of my life touch me, but for them not to kill me. Suicide is one choice, but it has never been the best choice. All the dead will trade everything they’ve got to change places with you just for them to live again. They will exchange places with all your agonies and pains, sorrows and disappointments.
Well, memories can’t be erased no matter how hard we try to pull them out from our deepest mind. They are there to remind us of our past and the lessons life taught us at that particular moment.
I tried to forget the sad memories but I think they are bundled with happy moments we’ve experienced along the way. When we bought happiness, we also bought sadness. When we bought success, we also bought with it the possibility to fail. When we bought love, we bought the possibility to hate.
But hate the circumstances if you must, but never have the opportunity of creating new circumstances you’ve always wanted to have.
I will miss you.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
