"In the Hands of the Youths, Our Future Lies" by Ritolyn Paller (A COKE ESSAY ENTRY)

Upon getting a paper and a pen, I cannot think of anything beautiful to write down, but then I suddenly thought for awhile and realize that I don't need to sound good just to persuade my readers to like what I have had written, all I need is to be true and be who I am when writing. When I was walking through the side of the road upon going home from work, I saw a lot of street children asking and begging for money to buy some foods to eat. I was moved to tears because they had touched the deepest part of my inner self, my conscience. I felt sad because I cannot do anything for them aside from giving them the bread that I just bought from a store. I thought all about these young people who had just inspired me with their own little ways when I was given the chance to think of a certain plan, a plan that could make a difference for the change of our country.

"The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. And the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.” This quotation triggers the sphere of my soul and this is the main reason why I really wanted the young people to be involved with this commotion because I, myself believed that we cannot change the world in one snap but rather, we can be that little difference that could create a change when we work hand in hand.

I couldn't forget the story that my mother told me when she was still alive, that one of her dreams when she was still a child was to drink a coca-cola for she couldn't afford to buy one at that time because her money was enough for her daily expenditure for school. My parents were business related people and had their big breaks in their lives when they had managed a small sari-sari store until they became wholesalers of softdrinks and beers and later, stop the business for my mother had a breast cancer stage 3, at the same time, our family encountered a financial crisis and unfortunately, she died last May 2011. At first, my mother's dream sounded so funny to me but I was overwhelmed with that very simple dream and this is why I am always motivated in life. Coke became an instrument for the progress of my family and I thought, without Coke, my mother's dream will not be possible at all.

This is my way to give Coke my thanksgiving to them for they had given us their service for so many years of giving joy, happiness and inspiration through their advertisements and of course, through their products as well. In connection with the plan that I wanted to make possible, I wanted to invite all the young people from Cebu to be a part of a once a year event that will give them the chance to show what they got. All young people will be grouped accordingly by registering their names first. Through this, they will have the chance to know each other and will develop their sense of being sociable to others. There will be a lot of competitions like slogan making contest, MAYHABA contest (which means, 'MAy HAlaga sa BAsura' using Coke products only for their recycle materials) ,recreational games, Ms. Coke, 'JAM TA BAI' (a group of young people who will be invited to play some music in related to the event) and most importantly, speakers will be invited to give some inspirational message for the youths for them to have something to bring with to the rest of their lives that will help them to grow as a person and be encouraged to keep going in life.

The most wonderful feeling in the world is when you are given the chance to live another day not just for the sake of living but because you wanted to become an inspiration to others and their lives are changed because of those little kind words that you had shared to them which echoes endlessly. In partnership of Coca-Cola Company, all these are possible. Young people of today, believe on what you believe and let us all soar high.

Be the change that you wanted to be.

Five Months of Waiting by Ritolyn Paller

"I had found the paradox of life and that is to love so much until it hurts, but then there is no hurt at all, it's loving more."

When the most precious woman in my life had passed away, there is this someone who added me in a network site wherein, I accepted him to be my friend. His words intrigued me so much and he's the kind of man that every woman yearned and hoped for. He appreciated every words that I posted until sometime later, we became close friends. My dreams will be easier to fulfill if I will have him, I thought. I never expected that we will face each day knowing each other in a 'microscopic' sense. He knew a lot of me, a part of me and he told me about himself where I felt that this man is the man in my dreams, the man of my life. He had promised me things and I believed in those hopeful words from him. He knew about my brother through that site too and became good friends. He is a wonderful man, an exciting man. I thought, men who get jealous are romantic men. They became selfish to their women because they became too much protective I say, or too much possessive in some means, but then again, men who felt like that are wonderful men. They just love their women so much that they don't want them to be hurt by anybody or became somebody else's women. All these attributes were all infested in him, in his humanity and I found it very attractive. He is wonderful just the way he is and each day that I yearned for him made me fell in love with him. I promised not to find someone else until the day will come that we will see each other and be in the arms of each other. All my hopes for him and to be with him were vanished. He hurt me. All his words hurt me and caused me too much pain. When his words gave me joy before, it was all the opposite now. I talked to him and he ignored me for so many times. I didn't know why he was acting like that. I was surprised when he said that he don't trust me anymore without even saying and explaning why. Men do always have this special trick with them, telling us (women) that we are too good for them but the truth is, they had found much better than us. I was sad and disappointed. He had broke his promises at the same time, broke my heart. Five months of waiting was waiting for nothing at all. How I hope that he made the right decision and was happy for letting me go.

''It Takes Two to be With You by Ritolyn Paller''

I don't know if love has an expiration date.
Is love truly a choice or fate?
I was young and didn't know much about things.
Perhaps, it pulls and drives me at least.
I don't know if love could be forever
But its you, a lifetime promise giver.
And everytime your lips close to mine,
It takes me two things to be with you.
First, half of my heart to love you
And the other heart to love you more.

"A Letter Poem From A Daughter With Love by Ritolyn Paller"

Between the sky and the earth is life.
Nine falls had passed by
A small seed covered with love glanced the light.

A year in your arms, you had witnessed my first walk.
You molded and shaped me like a clay,
Gave me roots to stand still and two beautiful wings to fly.
In your walls I had reached the sky.
Yet, you taught me to bend down and let my feet stay on the ground.
In every battle that I am into,
You taught me to fight not with my swords
But with the stream of knowledge that life is not winning after all.
It is how you stand after you fall.

You gave up everything for us.
You taught me not to let my
fears and the expectations of others
to set the frontiers of my dreams.

You had painted my empty canvass
with beautiful colors and placed wonderful
notes into my empty music sheet.

Life might be too short for you
but I gasped your whole life that
I could bring through the years of my journey.
In your eyes, I saw the patient in all things.
I saw the courage that was never been lost
in considering my own imperfections and set
about them to make the greatest expression of art in me.

I can feel that you're here
Smiling within
I love you Mama
And it will be forever...

My Photostory Link

http://www.4shared.com/video/rLpNZ_CY/My_Photostory.html?

"Happiness is..."

Happiness—simple but broad. If you will ask me what true happiness is, I will probably give you the biggest smile in my face. Human as we are, we have different views and perceptions about what true happiness is. For children, happiness is when they have a lot of chocolates and candy bars in their rain boots. For students, happiness is when they have a surprise test the next day and still have good scores. For businessmen, it is when they doubled up their sales. For teachers, is it when they can see that their students are learning from them. For parents, happiness is when they can see that their children are all stable and progressing. For me, happiness is when I wake up each morning and knowing that I am given another chance, another opportunity, another day to make other people happy and inspired because of me. 

Happiness is an honest feeling that you truly feel without any doubts and questions. It is something that you truly feel inside that you already wanted to explode and just share this feeling to anybody you like. You may think that I am just a shallow person, but I am happy because this shallowness in me made me the true and the real person that I am right now. I smile without any reason. How much more if there is? This is not because I am insane, but I just can’t believe how brilliant our Creator is in making everything perfect according to His plan and will. I am happy every time I watch the sun rising up again which reminds me that every day is a new beginning for me. I feel happy to see my loved ones tapping back my shoulder because they just made me realize that even though the whole world is against me, I still have them to bring out the best in me. I feel happy every time I harvest a lot of good grains after every hardwork that I made. I feel happy every time I can see people around me because they are just a manifestation that I am not carrying the whole world and I don’t need to condemn myself whenever I fail because everybody deserves a second chance to correct our flaws and imperfections. I am happy to think that I have problems because in that way, I can guarantee that I am still living in a normal way. Funny isn’t it? These simple things made me happy because happiness is something that you should feel by heart. True happiness freely comes out and your smile says it all. I write as if I don’t have any boundaries and limitations, as if I don’t have any fears and worries, but candidly, I know what life is when it strikes you hard in your face. I know how it feels when my knees are shaking whenever I’m afraid. I am not molded perfectly but instead, I was shaped to improve and become better. Happiness for me is when I feel every pain that is inside me because in that way, I never missed anything about myself and I will never take criticisms from others negatively because I know myself better than them. Happiness is when you are not crossing your hands to avoid any misfortunes but instead, opening your hands wide to receive both bad and good things in life. Happiness is when I am closer to my dreams and goals in life that I can almost taste its sweetness and when that time comes, I will prove to you that being happy is not just about acquiring material things, it is beyond that and it is beyond measure. Nobody can buy real happiness because genuine happiness is priceless. Yes, being happy might be a choice to others, but I tell you, it is more sincere and beautiful if you’ll make it an attitude, something which is real, something true and honest. Happiness is when I get lost and find myself back again. Happiness is when I love and be loved. Happiness is when I made you smile in reading this one and I am happy for giving me your time.

You and I might differ in so many things. I might have different things which I believe is true and yours are the very opposite one. We might differ on the things that will make us happy but still, I truly believe that we have the same destination—we feel happy because we let ourselves indulge to that happiness.

"When the One You Loved so Much Said Goodbye to You"

According to the book, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, God chose the two right people with the perfect genes to create us, His children. I am so blessed to have parents like my mom and dad. I am fortunate that God gave me such hardworking, supportive and loving parents. Both of them gave me the most important things in life, roots to stand still in the midst of pains and wings to fly high. I was born provided everything that I needed and wanted. They supported me all through out my growth and progress. They instilled me with so much learning and values. They taught me to appreciate things though how small or big it is. They formed and shaped me to be the person that I am right now. They are the most wonderful people in my life that will always be there for me no matter what will happen and one thing for sure, they will be the first people whom I'll going to see in my side if ever everybody will reject and neglect me.

If God will give me a chance to choose my own parents, I will still choose them and not even a single moment in my past will I change. Every single moment that I am with them is like heaven on earth.

You're amazing mom, just the way you are.

If there is one person who will ask me if how am I doing every after class, that would be my mom. She never failed to give us the love and care that we needed from her. She is my first educator who made our house not just a home but also a school of discipleship. She's the most beautiful woman for my dad and an amazing mom for me and for my younger brother. She will never be tired of serving us heartily to the extent that she can't sleep if ever one of us is not yet at home. She is a model of a good mother. She's always the one to attend our meetings, seminars, and affairs in our school. She's the one who will knock right in my door and ask me whether to review for my test or memorize my speech for that day if we have some events in school. She knows when I'm down and feels bad when I'm disappointed. She's the one who gave me advices and will tap my shoulder to keep up the good work. She's the one who prepares our breakfast and the only person whom I can rely my problems with. She's always in my side during my theater play and I can't forget that she cried after the play because of so much happiness. Mothers are always like that. They had this special trick to encourage their children in all aspects of their lives. I miss those days, those days with her.

The most beautiful woman in the whole world, my mom.

Last two years ago, my mom was diagnosed that she had a breast cancer, stage 3 already it was a malignant tumor. I, as her eldest and only daughter couldn't say how painful it was for me to hear something like that from the doctor but I needed to be strong and showed to her that there is still hope and we can surpass this trial. I was with her during her operation and the only powerful weapon that I have that time were prayers. She had survived the operation and thought that she will live long. She was so strong and optimistic even she already knew that sometime later, she will say goodbye. After two years since her operation, she cannot bare the sufferings anymore and let us be prepared for the possibilities that will going to happen. We did everything that we could possibly do but life was really too short for my mom. I talked to her and hugged her so tight the night before she died. I know that she knows how much I love her and how thankful I am to have her as my mother.

There's no word that could explain how painful it was. Yet, I needed to be strong for the sake of my dad and brother. I need to accept the reality that dying is part of life's cycle. I know for sure that my mom is already happy right now. She's living one of those mansions that Jesus Christ had promised us and feasting with Him in a banquet of satisfaction. The most painful in our life is when the one you truly love so much says goodbye to you and the only thing that you can do is to accept and let go. Parents, take good care of your children because they will someday grow and have their own lives too. For the children- value, respect and love your parents because they will not be with you forever.

"I CAN, I WILL, I'LL CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD"

  "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

"Success is that old ABC-Ability, Breaks and Courage."

Did you ever feel that other people will set the destiny for you? Did you ever feel that the whole world is against you? That you don't have any choice but to follow what was set for you? You're not alone. Many people felt the same way too. Good people are those who would follow the things that was told by them to do. But the best people are those who are not afraid to take risks for their happiness, a genuine happiness that entails your lifetime satisfaction. Who will break their walls and go out within their doors to follow their dreams. Human as we are, we walk life with so much pains and worries. We let our problems dominate over us. We let our insecurities control us. We let the expectations of others to set the frontiers of our destiny. We are afraid to commit mistakes because others might laugh at us. Leave and let them be. We are afraid of trying because we might fall. We are afraid and scared about many things that we forget that we have hands to catch both the good and bad things in life.


A famous quote said, "The beauty of their dreams belong to those who believe in it." I am pretty sure naive that this quote was not only made to make us feel awe but to make us realize that someone had written such inspirational quote because he/she had personally experienced how beautiful is it to believe in the power of your dreams. The first thing that you should be able to know is, "I CAN" We should believe in our capabilities and with ourselves that we can do things according to what we really wanted to happen. I am thrilled to know that there are really people who are willing to try and try for so many times and stop trying unless there is nothing left to take away. Believing with your skills that you can do such thing and having the confidence to show and express it to everybody will make you qualified for step two, the "I WILL" There is no harm in trying and there's nothing wrong to do things your way as long as you haven't step anyone's pride and ego. Sometimes, we cannot avoid this. In some cases, we're often too insensitive for the feelings of others without even knowing that we hurt them already. We are always given the chance to correct our mistakes. We can say sorry for so many times but the important thing here is, how sincere we are with all the apologies that we had made. "I WILL" is the attitude that you must have in order for you to be accountable with all the goals and aspirations that you can do, can reach and can achieve. As a person, you have this freewill to choose what will make you happy and satisfied. There are so many things which I believe is real and there are are a lot of things that made me hard to understand. With so many conventions in life, I am not a philosopher or the goddess of wisdom but my lips would always tell you that if you wanted to be successful, FOLLOW YOUR HEART. The third step is, "I'LL KEEP MOVING FORWARD" Do not be stable for betterment but always seek for the BEST. The last step don't have any ending because it is a continuous process until we get better and better until we become the best person that we could ever be. We will never stop believing, learning and experiencing things that will make you the person that you really wanted to be. If you doubt to believe to make impossible things possible, then this will be the right time to look back with all the efforts that you had exerted when the time you feel that life was hitting you so hard. On your way to your dreams, always be reminded that when you're at the top, there's no other way but going down. Do not be afraid. You might fall for so many times but there's always a reason for you to stand up and move forward again. Prove to those who belittled you that YOU CAN, YOU WILL and YOU'LL KEEP GOING. Always knock for the best and offer everything for HIS greater glory.