Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Meeting

Today, my teacher heart is extra glad. On my way out of our college building, i met Nessy, a former student in three subjects. We often exchange text messages before and i could say she is one of the closest students to me.

I was not able to contain my happiness, when i saw her the only thing i was able to think was to hug her. No words can describe how much that hug means to me. I no longer cared about the reaction of the other students who had seen us, what mattered to me earlier is i saw a dear friend after some time.

The event somehow tells me, it is incidents like this that give extra special glow to teachers like me. Somehow it tells me, indeed it is always rewarding to be a teacher.

Monday, November 9, 2009

On Communication

Sometimes i wonder, what is the best way to talk to the man of your life? Is it keeping quiet even when you want to ask a lot of questions? Or it is waiting for him to talk?

Literature suggests a lot, but then does it apply to all kind of man-specie? Is it true to woman-specie as well? Can reading cope up with all that is going on in a person's brain? Can we really provide answers to all that we are looking for? Who's going to give us the answer?

Anyhow, moderation i think is the answer to all these swirling questions in my mind right now... Moderation and timing as well--- from both parties of course.

One just have to remember, no communication would ever happen if the both ends do not put their heart and mind on the matter.

On Faithfulness (Odyssey)

In the tumultuous years of modern life, we have always wanted someone who could stand by and for us. Someone who would respect and view us as partners and not just mere servants or the like. Most of us, if not all of us, look for that someone who would be true and faithful to us. But how do we define faithfulness? Is it the ability to resist any form of temptation? Or, it is the ability to bear in mind the existence of our significant other? Does the definition of the word change through time?

Odysseus is loyal as he puts it. He came to live with Circe and Kalypso. He had enjoyed his years of stay with these two women. Now, isn't loyalty and faithfulness tied with one another? If they are, can we then consider Odysseus to be faithful still to Penelope? If they are not, then what is the difference between loyalty and faithfulness?

Hector and Andromache (Iliad)

The love of Hector and Andromache is exemplary.It is a love that is both tested by time and space (the proximity of lovers who are very near each other yet thousand miles separated due to their duties in their country, Troy).It would have been so difficult to see a loved one fight for dear life and it might be so painful to fight for dear life while knowing your loved one is seeing your defeat. A haiku will be a good salutation to a love that is so true.

The Face who Lauched a Thousand Ships (Iliad)

Helen, the most beautiful of all women, has enjoyed the lavish attention of all powerful men of her time. She puts even the men of today caught in her enigmatic beauty. Even the women admire her stature and beauty--some have even wished they were Helen.

Once married, she is dearly loved by her husband Menelaus. But as the story goes, she left him for Paris, younger brother of Hector and the most beautiful of all the Trojan Princes. Now, aside from the promptings of the goddess, what else could have been Helen's reasons fro leaving Menelaus and deciding to be known as Helen of Troy?

Friday, November 6, 2009

On Women's Strength (Odyssey)

It is always a wonder, the strength of women, as exemplified by the different women characters of Iliad and Odyssey.
Andromache bravely watched her husband Hector fight for dear life from the battle wall. She even console Helen who was already blaming herself for the pain the Trojans are going through.
Penelope untiringly waited for 20 years for the return of her husband.
Helen stood her ground when she eloped with Paris, and in the end she accepted her fault and went back to Menelaus.
Circe fought her own self when she helped Odysseus.
Kalypso, though was told by Hermes, fought for her love even if she knows Odysseus would still live her.
Hecuba watched Hector die and helped Priam through her prayers to fight the horror of times.
Cassandra stood her ground on her allegations on Helen bringing curse to Troy even if no one believes her.
Polyxena fought for her star-crossed lover, Achilleus.
All women who were mentioned fought their battles in their own way, and maybe it is indeed a sign of strength knowing the task on hand requires a lot of self-control and wit. What they did is an example of how a woman staunchly handles life's challenges, it is a picture of how they cope up with their stressors. It is a a decision they heroically stand for, now it makes me think--- Can we consider what Antikleia did as display of bravery?

Faithfulness Defined (Iliad)

People who are in love and who are planning to be in love have different expectations regarding relationships. They imagine or come up with different sets of standard, but one thing certain all of them include FAITHFUL as one of the adjectives describing the man/woman they would love. Here are some quotations of faithfulness.

Confidentiality is a virtue of the loyal, as loyalty is the virtue of faithfulness.
Edwin Louis Cole
Marriage has a unique place because it speaks of an absolute faithfulness, a covenant between radically different persons, male and female; and so it echoes the absolute covenant of God with his chosen, a covenant between radically different partners.
Rowan D. Williams
Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.
Marcus Tullius Cicero

*** all three quotations were retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/faithfulness.html

If the above quoted statements are the idea of the quoted geniuses, i wonder what your personal definition of faithfulness is.

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