Month: March 2017

It was March 2016 when I was introduced to the world of blogging. My journey in this modern writing platform had been nothing but exciting and fulfilling.  I consider it a “mission accomplished”  to be able to  write my life story for my children, grandchildren and my entire family’s future reference.  

To know that the memories of my life had been preserved is a great reward. The reward was multiplied when thousands of people around the world scattered in more than 40 countries enjoyed reading my story. I am truly amazed by the power of the social media. I am fortunate to have lived in the era of advanced communication technology.

I am still digging the past especially the period of my adolescence to the age of 18. That will be told in due time.

myJOURNEY is not just a story of my past. It had become a journal of my current life. It also became a vehicle for my other literary works such as my poetry and the aphoristic sayings that I so love to write. 

For this anniversary edition, I’d like to feature some of my favorite poetry and sayings. Thank you all very much from the bottom of my heart for joining myJOURNEY! 

Praying Together & for Each Other

I believe that I’m alive today because my cancer was detected early. Thanks to my wife who prodded me to undergo colonoscopy where a second stage cancerous mass was found. 

The case was not the same with my friend whose colon cancer was at the third stage when it was found out. It had metastasized in the liver and eventually spread to the lungs and brain. Extensive treatment which include surgery followed by the combination of chemo and radiation did not work. He was gone in eight months. 

Medical textbooks say that every men when they reached the age of 50 must have their colonoscopy done. And for those who have history of cancer in the family, colonoscopy procedure is recommended earlier- at the age forty of even younger. 

Colonoscopy is a medical test that allows the doctor to look at the inner lining of the large intestine (rectum and colon). The procedure uses a thin, flexible tube called colonoscope. It helps to find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation and bleeding. When polyps are found during the test, the doctors would remove them right there and then.

The test only takes fifteen minutes but the more dreaded part is the preparation which is done a day before the procedure. You need to clean out (empty) your colon because any residue may obscure the view of the lining during exam.

In my case, my doctor told me not to eat after midnight the night before the exam. I was told to use an over the counter enema kit the night before the exam to empty my colon. I had to finish drinking the one liter concoction and had be close to the bathroom the entire time. 

The next day at the colonoscopy clinic, I was sedated. They did the procedure while I was unconscious. When I woke up, I received one of the most disturbing news of my life. 

“Mr. Valenzuela, I found a mass in your colon. From the looks of it, it might be malignant. But I really don’t know for sure at this point. I took a sample and I will send it for biopsy. I will call you when the results are back.”

After a few days, I got a call from the doctor. “Mr. Valenzuela, you have colon cancer. You need to see a specialist.” 

It took me three months to decide to have the surgery. First, I looked for alternative treatment and asked for second opinion. Every doctor I talked to thought that surgical removal of the mass is my best option and I have to decide soon before the cancer spreads. 

The surgery took many hours to complete and I lost a lot of blood. Seven units of blood were needed to put my number to a normal range. 

That was almost six years ago! I thank God for providing me a second chance to life!

I would like to encourage all my friends reading this blog who are 50 or older to consider having colonoscopy. Don’t wait until symptoms appear. 

This simple procedure can save your life too!

Yesterday, I made a comment on a picture on Facebook. Nancy & Glenn Elwood, our dear friends from Kentucky were celebrating their anniversary and this is what I wrote on Nancy’s timeline:

“Stay sweet, stay strong.

The road ahead is long.

Trust the Lord all along.” 

This dedication has triggered an avalanche of words about anniversary greetings. I was simply inspired to write especially that my wife and I just celebrated our 33 years anniversary.

 I sat down and penned the following greetings in half an hour. Please feel free to use them. I’ll be honored if you do. I simply request that you don’t forget to acknowledge the author…your friend Gil Valenzuela.

A wife to her husband :

“I loved you and I love you still,

even if your hair becomes grey and thin.

Or nothing there is left but the shiny skin.”

A  husband to his wife

“Through the years your eyes still glow.The sparks really show.Your beauty within and without are your best assets, I fell about.I love you Dear!”

 

Husband and wife  to each other

“Yesterday it’s just you and me. We’re happy as can be. 

Today, it’s us, our kids and grandkids!Look how many now are we! 

Tomorrow,We may not be around. But gee! we’ve contributed some good to humankind!”

From a family member or a friend to the couple celebrating their anniversary.

“Your life together glows like a candle in the dark. Leaving in our hearts a very special mark.Your marriage is a champion that deserves every couple’s emulation”.

From a husband to his wife and vice versa

“As the years go bymy love for you is sky high.I still have the cloud-nine experience as we kiss and hold hands!”

From a husband to his wife

Through  the years, I thought I knew you enough.

Yet I still discover a diamond on the rough.You never cease to amaze mewith your graceful, wonderful act of  

kindness,

tenderness, 

silliness,

and 

loveliness. 

I won’t stop loving and discovering you my dear!”


Would you give me a shout out if you like these greetings!

God bless us all. May we all have more anniversaries to celebrate!



Pride is deadly

God says: “I am the only way, come follow me.”

That prideful person says: “Excuse me? I know other ways, and the best was made by me!”

Envy is deadly

Looking at his neighbor while riding his lawn mower he said; I want that house, I want that car, I want a greener lawn. The riding mower struck a tree. It overturned and underneath was he!

Anger is deadly 

Murder and homicide are done out of anger.

“I felt the knife in my hands and she laughed no more.” Says Delilah’s jealous, angry  and murderous lover. 

Gluttony is deadly 

“Super size this, double that, extra toppings, three servings of that, and one more doughnut”. All the added calories, sugar, carbs and fat make the liver and pancreas work really hard. Result; hypertension, diabetes, overweight, high cholesterol, arthritis and gout; All kinds of chronic illnesses sprout, because people eat their hearts out.

Lust is deadly

If you are a one woman man-no extra marital affair, and no pornography, you sure will be happy and so is your wifey and the whole family. But if you are a cheater, you better beware, you’d kill her heart, you’d hurt her soul, you’d hurt your kids, and before you know it they become estranged and she’d love you no more.

Greed is deadly

When money and material things become the focus of your life, no time for spiritual things, just things and things and stuff, real happiness is absent and joy is never felt. Instead you feel remised for material things are all there is. 

Sloth is deadly 

both flesh and spirit.

You don’t work; You don’t eat.

You don’t pray; You don’t breathe.

I was 13 years old when I was introduced to the fascinating world of photography. The year was 1970 when the hype were the black and white and sepia photography. It was still the hey day  of professional photographers, for they were the only ones who owned cameras –very different from today’s technological boom when everyone has their own gadgets equipped with cameras. 

Consequently, there seems to be lesser need for professional shooters anymore, for anyone can take pictures of themselves. Hence, the selfie!
I learned the rudiments of photography from a man named Jose Escuadro who I fondly called “Kuya Lugo”. He taught me how to shoot, develop negatives and pictures the organic way–in the dark room. 
Business was brisk at Golden Art Studio, Cabatuan City, Philippines. Rush ID and passport pictures were the daily cash generators and Kuya Lugo needed help. Our studio was the official photographer of the Governor’s office and therefore my boss had to attend to his shooting assignments. So, I was entrusted to man the studio. But I need to be trained to do the job. 
After teaching me the process-from loading films,shooting, developing negatives to enlarging/printing on photo paper, Kuya Lugo made me do a lot of practice. He gave me several rolls of 35 mm films and stacks of photo printing papers to practice with. The studio was all mine and I took the liberty to experiment. 

The Aha Moment!

That was when I discovered that I could shoot myself! I mounted the 35mm camera on a tripod and set it on a timer, I ran in front of the camera and sat for a pose ….5-4-3-2-1 and the shutter came off…..voila. 

I took my own picture. 

I did it all by myself,

just me and me alone. 

No help from anyone!

Isn’t that what you call selfie? 
On this self portrait, I was experimenting with lighting. I wanted to see how I look with one side of my face lit and the other shadowed like the photo of the then teen idol Tirso Cruz III I saw on the cover of Song Hits. I was quite happy with the result and my boss gave me two thumbs up for my work.

I was also Kuya Lugo’s photography assistant. He tagged me along in his shooting projects. We took pictures of graduation, capping ceremonies, ROTC programs, beauty pageants, school programs, government projects like the Pantabangan Dam, weddings, baptisms, funerals and many more. 
He said I was a fast learner. 

Once we had a wedding shoot. He gave me the camera to shoot the wedding ceremony. I was doing well until the groom who looked visibly worried came to my boss to inquire why in the world, a young tot is covering the most important event of his life-his wedding. 
My boss assured him that I was doing a good job. I was very elated by that gesture. I felt like a mature man for the first time.

I sat with Kuya Lugo many nights a week in the dark room developing negatives and pictures. I got used to the strong chemical odor of acetic acid and sulfates. In no time I mastered the use of the three-basin baths- developer, stop bath and fixer. 

Although photography did not become my profession, I grew up as an enthusiast. But there was a time I had a stint as a portrait photographer at Walmart studio. And while working there, I practiced what I discovered as a young photographer-shoot my self- aka selfie.

In Retrospect

I am very thankful that I’ve acquired a professional skill at a very young age of 13. I thought then that I was just playing alone…selfieying.