Christmas Geometry

Gifts come in different shapes and sizes.

Some are square, while others are round.

Just like gifts, people have geometric patterns, too. There are well-rounded people. They are intellectually and physically active. They engaged in many activities like singing, dancing, sports, reading and the like.

Other people are square. They are the introvert or silent types. They enjoy being alone writing poetry or simply listening to music.

How many shapes and sizes can you form with lines? Infinite! Likewise, with people. Each person is a unique creature of God endowed with different personalities, talents and skills.

What is so special about all our differences?

The intersecting lines, the point of connection between lines are special! It means that despite our diversity, we can still form bonding relationships with others through love and understanding. That is the special message of Christmas!

Taken from Children's Story and Activity Book No. 26

Mysterious Atomos

The idea of atoms as the smallest particle always amazes and arouses the interest of the philosophers and scientists of all ages. The first idea of atoms came from Leucippus, a Greek philosopher, and Democritus, his student. They first called atoms atomos. Years later, an English scientist named John Dalton began the modern atomic theory. The first atomic model was characterized by Joseph John Thomson. His model was called Plum Pudding Model because of it's similarity to a plum pudding. After Thomson came Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander. He experimented a thin gold foil with a stream of alpha particles and came up with the idea of the nucleus. He called his model the Nuclear Model. In 1912-1913, a Danish Physicist called Niels Bohr came up with a new atomic model called the Planetary Model. It was called so because he picturized the electrons as planets revolving around the nucleus. The latest model was characterized by Erwin Schrodinger. He called his model the Electron Cloud Model. Because of these models, people had had idea of what atoms are. But until now, no one really is very sure of what atoms looked exactly in reality.

Among all these confusing models, what I believed to be the real appearance of an atom is the model of Rutherford. As you can observe, he made a model out of an experiment, not in a hypothesis. In his experiment, he noticed that most of the alpha particles just passed straight through the foil. This shows that most of the atom is empty space. He also noticed that only a few alpha particles were deflected. This means that the nucleus is very small. The other models show that the nucleus is big. This means that Rutherford described the atom as he observed, not pictured.

As shown in the above statements, one can conclude that I am quite rude in criticizing others works. But what can I do, that's what I am and that's what I noticed when I first encountered these models. I don't ask you to believe in what I already believed. I only wanted to express what is inside me. You, which of these models do you think is the true appearance of atoms?

The Litany of Life

Life is God's gift, be grateful for it.
Life is achievement, perform it.
Life is art, appreciate it.
Life is blessing, share it.
Life is challenge, dare it.
Life is conquest, win it.
Life is crown, wear it.
Life is excellence, attain it.
Life is faith, believe it.
Life is game, play it.
Life is hope, beam with it.
Life is legacy, enrich it.
Life is leisure, enjoy it.
Life is study, analyze it.
Life is superior, salute it.
Life is taste, savor it.
Life is touch, feel it.
Life is understanding, comprehend it.
Life is victory, earn it.
Life is wild, tame it.
Life is wisdom, utilize it.

Smile The While

If you fear your losing in life's hard race, smile!
Why trouble others with bootless cries?
How much better to cheer up and rise!
Will wishing for the moon suffice?

Though your heart is aching for something you've lost, smile!
Then joy to others you'll give,
People will love you while you live,
And give you back what they receive.

Though your soul is daily pining for things to be, smile!
For life isn't made for sighing,
Minutes not made for weeping,
But to raise someone from falling.

The Five Keys to Happiness

TO WORK HARD for not too many hours a day at some task that you enjoy for it's own sake; giving this task your best effort because of the joy that you feel in doing a thoroughly honest piece of work and the elation that follows succesful accomplishment

TO HAVE LEISURE HOURS during which you may read, enjoy music, talk of friends, or meditate--according to the fancy of the moment

TO DESIRE and to have the ability to broaden your horizon by reading widely, by listening to those whose acquaintance in certain fields is more extensive than your own, and by thinking deeply and constantly about the relationship of people, things, societies, and the universe

TO BE AWARE OF and to enjoy in all its various phases the beauty of music, pictures, and poetry; the beauty of trees and flowers; the sublimity of sea and lake and mountain streams; the gorgeous color of the sunset; the loveliness of the human face and form, the beauty of thoughtful courtesy, of ardent love, of sustained devotion; and sometimes to lose sight for a little while of the things that trouble you in your life or in the universe, during the contemplation of these various kinds of beauty

TO KNOW different men and women; to have a sympathetic understanding and a genuine friendly feeling toward all; and be utterly confident that at least a few are truly your friends and are as loyal to you when you are absent as when you are present

To posses these things is to have in one's hand the FIVE KEYS that will unlock the doors to as great HAPPINESS as may be achieved in this world.

Smile Test

There is a very simple test by which we can tell good people from bad. If a smile improves a man's face, he is a good man; if a smile disfigures his face, he is a bad man.

Blowing in the wind

How many times must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
How many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
How many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
How many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
How many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.