If you have never gone completely insane because of love, you haven’t yet reached the most intense corner of your soul. If you haven’t swallowed the bitterness of loss, of loneliness, of the total annihilation of self for your beloved, you know not the true meaning of loving: The surrender of self to make true the union of hearts that can never be destroyed by death. If your heart remains intact after your beloved dies, your soul is incurably diseased. Give love its due. Dare to face the loneliness. Because this is the end of the measure of love that will not fade, not even when you have returned to dust and all that exists has ended.
Alma Anonas-Carpio, 2015
If there was a silkscreen through which your whole life is passed through, would it have love curdles? Or would it be like a drop of water, without anyone noticing? Have you live a life that matters to a person, a community or an institution?
In Parker J. Palmer’s Let your Life Speak, he wrote of Rumi’s observation, “If you are here unfaithfully with us, you’re causing terrible damage.” Palmer continues, “If we are unfaithful to true self, we will extract a price from others. We will make promises we cannot keep, build houses from flimsy stuff, conjure dreams that devolve into nightmares, and other people will suffer—if we are unfaithful to true self.”
Faithful to one’s self as a teacher
Each time an organization or an institution succeeds, it is primarily because the leadership at the top is mission-driven, compelling others to service, before self.
I have witnessed this sterling example at Cal State University Northridge, from a full-time professor who lives frugally, saves, then donates a significant endowment to his institution, to support the needs of future students.
When the Glenn Omatsu house was dedicated at CSUN on April 30, 2014, Professor Rashitta Brown-Elize, a former EOP student (Equal Opportunity Program at CSUN, for low-income and underperforming students) and now EOP and AAS (Asian American Studies) Professor gave a moving account about almost dropping out of CSUN in her first year. She worked two jobs then just to support her biological family, while going to college.
When she was hospitalized, she realized her family could still go on, even without her support. That lesson was not lost to her. She now has a Bachelor’s, a Master’s and a doctorate from the University of Southern California. She credits Prof. Omatsu’s perseverance in making her realize her potential, underappreciated by her at that time.
When she got married two years ago, she asked Prof. Omatsu to walk her down the aisle, a fitting tribute to “being my surrogate dad who saw the goodness in me.” She gave him a framed wedding picture, an endearing gesture of “microaffections,” popularized by Presley Kann, and mentioned by Prof. Omatsu, during his lecture.
She paid tribute to Prof. Omatsu’s selfless mentoring, without expecting anything in return.
It is quite inspiring to witness this tribute to a college professor by a former mentee, now a colleague at teaching at CSUN, affirming their common humanities to reach for our dreams.
Faithful to one’s self as a cellist
Matthew John Ignacio was 14 years old when the first door to his dream was opened by Bob Shroder, flutist and conductor of Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO). FASO was the brainchild of Roger and Cora Oriel and Lito Cruz. Matthew played for FASO for four years, facilitated by the sponsorship of the Asian Journal Foundation. Fast forward to now, Matthew is 20 years old and recently shared his gratitude as more Hollywood doors are opening up for him.
“Six months ago, Lem Balagot (a celebrity caterer for the Oscars and the Grammys) watched me play for the Binibining Pilipinas USA. He really believed that music could take me worldwide. He called me an ‘Artist’ and wanted to help me. When Lem catered the screening sessions for the 2015 Grammy nominees at the Village Studio, he showed my YouTube videos to the producers. Jeff Greenberg, Los Angeles chapter governor of the Grammys, asked to meet me at the Village (Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, B. B. King, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, John Mayer have recorded at this place). After playing for an intimate group, Mr. Greenberg offered his studio for my CD recording.”
Matthew’s gratitude continues: “Jamie Hartman, a British songwriter/producer then requested me to come to Electric Feel Studio in West Hollywood (this studio is known for collaborating with the likes of Lady GaGa, Bruno Mars, and Owl City). After I played for Jamie, he asked me to collaborate with Conrad Sewell, a singer currently number 5 in the world of Spotify Chart. His ep, where I played the cello, is coming out mid-2015. Andrea Morricone, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning composer of “Cinema Paradiso” watched my videos. I then got a call from him to play cello at his 2014 Christmas concert. God is calling and wants me to use His talent now!”
On Feb. 13, 2015, Matthew John Ignacio shared the stage with Andrea Morricone, along with Immaculate Heart of Mary Children’s Choir (mentored by Pete Avendaño) at the Santa Monica College’s Broad Stage.
Faithful to one’s self as Christian Catholic musicians
Joseph Cruz is a classical tenor graduate of UST Conservatory of Music, with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Major in Voice who taught in Assumption College, Makati for several years and then joined Mr. Ryan Cayabyab’s San Miguel Master Chorale in 2000. He migrated to the US in 2002 and taught at Montessori schools in Orange County. Even with a hectic schedule, he joined Irvine Valley College University Choir, St. John the Baptist Church Choir, Pacific Chorale and John Alexander Singers. He became part of the Philippine Chambers Singers Choir-Los Angeles, where he met Mike Zuñiga and Harana Men’s Chorus), travelling every weekend to LA, from Rancho Sta. Margarita, where he lived for seven years.
He went back to the Philippines in 2013 to care for his ailing mother and he now teaches music at Pasay City North High School-TRAMO campus.
Joseph shared how he created a band: “Pasay City, compared to other cities in Metro manila, is poor. Many families are in the low-income bracket, if not, below poverty. My school is located in Tramo, where I believe most of these poor families live. I was the only music teacher when I joined the faculty in June 2014. I handled 21 sections of 50 students per class. There is no music room and there are no music equipments at my school so I brought my own system. The principal wanted a school band, but no budget for the instruments. Yet, I accepted the challenge. I was so excited to handle the DRUM and LYRE Band and the school choir.
But, I got sick for a few months. Although I am happy with what I am doing, my body could not handle the teaching loads and ended giving up the school choir.” Harana Men’s Chorus (HMC) helps in actualizing his dreams of forming a band: “Thank you to HMC for making us the beneficiary of their latest concert. Your donation made thousands of students happy with [the] brand new classroom TV, portable keyboard, marching drums, and cymbals. You made our NEW YEAR [2015] happy and blessed. We will continue praying for your success, more concerts and to make more audience happy with your beautiful music.”
We all have dreams. Yet, we become more humane, as we help others reach theirs. Much like the selfless examples of the love speaking in the lives of FASO founders, Roger and Cora Oriel, Lito Cruz; Bob Shroder, Glenn Omatsu, Pete Avendaño, Lem Balagot, Harana Men’s Chorus and Joseph Cruz, many more students like Matthew John Ignacio in Los Angeles and Pasay City students in Manila, got their dreams to come true. Let love speak loudly in your common lives! Happy Valentine’s to all of you!
Published in Asian Journal.