Travels 210: The mountaintop bliss, Dahilayan Gardens and Resort

Going to Bukidnon, particularly to Dahilayan conjures adventure sports and those seeking thrill and the adrenalin rushing activities but there are far too many places I have had the chance to see other than the ziplines, the adventure and the pine trees.

Atop the mountaintop, I saw this white landmark associated with weddings and romance. I asked my habal-habal driver to bring me to the landmark. Manong Bibot (can be reached in his mobile 09162864637), who is a barangay kagawad of Dahilayan assured me I will get the nicest spot in all of Dahilayan which I seek. I told him that I am going to Dahilayan for the first time, to relax my mind, find my peace and be at peace with the world so chaotic, stressful and painful.

Nursing a wounded heart, I took off to Dahilayan Gardens and Resort to see the structure I associated with picture-perfect weddings on my lonesome. I went off, talked to the gracious staffs for me to be allowed access of the sprawling property and take Travey for a spin. We are never disappointed.

Even on a drizzle, I felt at peace with the Dahilayan Gardens and Resort. The manicured property is the best place for those nursing pains and wounds, both physically and emotionally. The fresh and crisp air gives you the best air for the weary lungs and the hearty walk promises a stress-free vista. The moment you come near the mountaintop where it is all in, you will leave all the worries behind, the stresses and the stressors.

Dahilayan Gardens and Resort is a sprawling property perfect for small parties and weddings, private weddings. The place is forever itched in my heart as the ultimate vista that reassured me that all will be well in me and that my journey will forever be one that leads me back to where I found my peace, in my heart.

And yes, I found my heart, my peace and my bliss.

Travels 134: Journeying Shrine of the Divine Mercy

One of the tourist and devotees attractions in El Salvador in Misamis Oriental is the gigantic statue of Jesus Christ standing over the blessed hills of the Divine Mercy overlooking the bay. As we journeyed back home from Surigao City, I am excited to try the Dahilayan Zipline however, due to our rather short travels and tiring one too, I have to decide to go home instead. Our EVP Troy offered to go to the Shrine of the Divine Mercy to me as he knew I am into travel blogging.

Not a Catholic myself, I am interested to see the Shrine and feel its purifying energy and peace. I admired the Shrine for it provides me the opportunity to pray and offer my humble supplication to Jesus Christ whom I considered to be my best companion, friend, comforter and Savior.

The Shrine of the Divine Mercy is one that devotees flock from all places in the country and overseas. One will have to climb up steps to be where the statue’s center is and its manifold presence will be felt.

I offered my prayer for the significant person in my life, Michelle who is overseas. I offer my life as a humble gift and a contrite spirit that seeks nothing but peace, forgiveness, holy presence and an enveloping God’s love.

One’s journey to the Divine Mercy Shrine will give you varied experiences. One of ours today was that my friend Allan June Molde was bringing his DSLR and tried to shot a focused facial shoot of the face of Jesus Christ however, even with so many attempts, he just cannot get a facial shoot and his SLR just going berserk every time he manually focuses the lens. I told him to just stop attempting as it sends him a message: privacy that is and a surrendering attitude.

I went home refreshed, renewed, and reborn as I had always been under my faith in Jesus Christ.

Journey 238: The Power of Humility

Just as when we are already accomplished in life that we forget, we tend to forget or to some, have even forgotten where we came from and from where our power comes from. It is the power of humility that sometimes are relegated to the shadows whenever we felt we are already secured financially, have great friends and families, properties and cars and sadly too, there are events in our lives that defines us as a person of which we will be misunderstood because we choose to forgo with our little humility.

In our journey through life, no matter what stature we enjoy or perhaps, no matter how we chase for that elusive dream, one must at least remain humble and flatfooted. I have had so many times, being stop on my way, while walking around the city to be asked by someone: Why did you walk? Where is your service vehicle? Why are you alone? For me, the reply will be just as simple as a wry smile for I do not base my life on what I have had materially but what I have made of myself and what impact I have had on other people who reads and understand me. I may be walking many times but I am also in deep soliloquy, one of the rare opportunities I can give myself to remind me of my own humanity, my own vulnerability and my own limitations.

It is just all too consuming for some people to base their lives on what they have, in comforts of their lives. One may have all the comforts one can get out of this world but are we happy? Truly happy? Can we be happier because we drive fancy cars, live in the fabulous mansion and take travel First Class? I say the way we obtain happiness is relative to how we see our lives while we live it each day. To others, they will be happy with what I had just mentioned but a good percentage too is just happy with nothing but themselves. The poverty one sees in others is one great pride of another who lives with it ergo one can never be too condescending and too encompassing in seeing another. While we obtain happiness in material things on this earth, what else can one get when he only got to live meagrely on a daily basis? While one can be happiest to be philandering around, what else can one wife feel when her family broke down and her children are scattered away? While one can be happiest chasing fools in the universe of wanton and destructive living, what else can one family feel when their children’s lives are destroyed because of drugs?

In all, the power of humility demands that we be contend wherever we are and may be in this lifetime. It also reminds us to exact more our understanding on others who have not had what you have. After all, in this life, we only got to enjoy a handful because when our time is up, neither the car you drive nor the house you lived in is usually being used to carry you through from passing from one life to the next, not even to the company and coldness of the tombs.