Once Again

ONCE AGAIN

When you look at me it's then I really see

That sparkling smile in your eyes

When you pout your lips, it's when I really taste

The sweet, sweet honey from your lips

O girl, won't you tease me once again

Lay your head just next to mine

As we watch the stars pass by

O girl, won't you take my hand once more

Let me feel that beating heart

As we sing ourselves to sleep

When the morning comes and the night spent away

You'll be waking in my embrace

Whisper in my ear and hold me so dear

And everything's gonna be alright

-o0o-

Lyrics and Music: Bro. Keith J. Amodia, SDB

In Video

Interpreter: Bro. Keith J. Amodia, SDB

Guitar: Bro. John Paul Rasay, SDB

Beatbox: Bro. Vince Michael Sabal, SDB

Video Production: Bro. John Paul Rasay, SDB


-o0o-

This song was written because of the influence of my great and jolly friend, Bro. JP. JP has always been into the reggae genre, and he wished we could play some reggae song together as a band. I took the challenge to write a song. It ended up as a love song when I started thinking about the wonders of young love which is as light and happy as reggae. I was imagining two lovers under the star-studded velvet sky enjoying each other's company. The boy couldn't help himself but feel so attached to his beloved he can't stop himself from singing his song.

Little By Little

"Little by little we take it in and we get used to it," this was how Fr. Dixie pointed to us brothers in his homily how we can slowly absorb and integrate changes, good or bad. He was discussing how a religious could become used to a life that isn't so religious, leading to the betrayal of his religious vows.

This had me thinking this morning because it reminds me of my theory of the little-by-little devil. There seems to be a devil in us that keeps urging us to sin little by little. So subtle is the transgression we don't notice how we are falling steadily until we finally wake up to the fact that we have already come a long way down. The danger of saying "it's just this time" or "it's a small thing" isn't so small after all.

On the other hand, this brings to mind the Japanese concept of Kaizen, the principle of incremental improvement, which I believe we should practice. Little by little we take upon ourselves the task of self-improvement, in matters of everyday life and of our spirituality, day by day. What little effort we put in will slowly gain and build up towards perfection.

Changes can be little by little. What matters is the direction of the change.

Pride Kills

Of all the many deadly things that exist in this world, there is no other more potent lethal weapon than the primordial pride. In a sharing among friends some time ago, I have witnessed so hearts break because of pride. Why do we keep our walls up to keep others away? What is with our selves that makes us think we are more than every single thing outside of ourselves? Am I really so important, beautiful, indispensable, powerful, and invincible as I believe?

People bear pride in many ways. Show-offs wear it on their foreheads. The passive ones wear it hidden, dormant like a volcano but cataclysmic when in pressure. But either way, it is dangerous and so toxic it kills relationships. No one is exempted, not even us Religious. In fact, most of those who have it are those who are in the positions of power.

A very good and holy priest told me the secret to defeat pride. "Look at the cross, and tell me what you see." There on the cross is the God-made-Man, the epic symbol of humility. From the highest heavens, he came to suffer the humiliation of the cross. Who is man to brag before this selfless act of the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Yet we are still so stiff-necked and cold-hearted to accept our own littleness before the infinite greatness of our God.