THE CROSS WE ALL BEAR
Two emails were received by the lion from two brothers last November 5. One was an article titled “The Three Trees” that was sent by WB Rommel S. J. Corral of Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147 while the other was sent by a brother as a reply to a previous mail, the identity of whom the lion chose to withheld by replacing some words with xxxxx’s
. The contents appears unrelated but on closer look, is. The better advise therefore, is just to read the contents yourself.
Bro. Jun
THE THREE TREES
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carvings and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said , "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woods men came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him in to a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,” and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Please keep this moving...,so He may inspire more people on the way. May your day be blessed.
WB Rommel S.J. Corral, P.M.
Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147
VW Sir:
Thank you for the response. I still owe you a dinner that I have promised a decade ago and I assure you that I do not forget my promises. Maybe I can fulfill that promise during the Ancom in Tagaytay.
I was a late bloomer and started a family when my knees can no longer play singles in tennis. So now that even I am already in my golden years, I am still struggling to send my young kids to school. That is why I envy you because you have all the time writing.
Short story-writing is one of my favorite past times but I just do not have enough time to do it nowadays.
I have suppliers from Xxxx and Xxxxxxxxxx bugging me every week that I have not submitted my articles for the past 9 months already since I opened this xxxx xxxxx distribution center here in Xxxxxx. I am going back to Xxxx on the 25th of this month and hopefully, I will be able to do it again on a regular basis. MW Locsin made me Free Press distributor for Xxxxxxxxxx in addition to being his Foreign Correspondent.
I hope to see you soon, Very Worshipful Sir, Idol!!!
Warmest fraternal regards,
bro xxxxxxx xxxxs
VW Xxxxxxxx:
Your story reminds me of Tommy Romulo (real name is Romulo Tomada), the pugilist who gallantly fought Flash Elorde several times at the ring in the middle part of the last century. Tommy is the father of my good friend, Jun, who was my accounting supervisor when I was still working at a multinational.
In his own words, Tommy said that when he was active in the ring, he tried to convince his wife to go with him to Manila but being a teacher and with two kids, she wouldn’t. Consequently, he had an affair with their accountant and in fine forgot about his family at Butuan.
Time passed and Tommy and his new bedmate migrated to Guam where they established frozen food business and also raised their family that consisted of three children. But he also managed to maintain contacts with the family that he left behind, especially Jun, his eldest son.
In 1988, he went home, attempted to establish a local office and at the same time, renew kinship with his two adult children. By this time, he was already in his late fifties.
But his virility was still strong and while in the country, met a beautiful eighteen year old girl. The obvious happened and in no time sired two other sons. It was at this time that he and the lion met. In fine, Tommy also decided to permanently stay in the country and raised his third set of family leaving the second set in Guam.
The next time he and the lion met was during the 2002 Christmas and there talked about life, and learning of the lion’s easy-going movement commented: “Jun, how I envy you! Your three children are now on their own, and consequently your worry now is only your spouse, or is the other way around,. while I, already aged seventy and with two sons still in their teens, cannot help but wonder what will happen should I die. The fact that I have a house at Ayala-Alabang (beside Fidel. Ramos’ residence) does not make me any comfortable. Your friend Jun said that I should not worry as he will take care of his two brothers just in case but one can never tell.”
The lion was amazed and could not reply. What he said was true. Had he opened his mouth the words that would have come out would in essence be: “Each of us picks the size, dimension and weight of the cross we carry, mine was smaller because I chose it to be so. But come to think of it, you enjoyed the company of three bedmates, while I only had my lion tamer for a partner and she effectively shackled me to a leash!”
Your promise of a dinner may have to wait a few more years; ANCOM at Tagaytay is not in the lion’s trestleboard.
And please don’t use the word “idol” in your mail as adjective, it is the root of the word “idolatry” which the ancients forbid!
With my kindest fraternal regards!
Bro. Jun
Two emails were received by the lion from two brothers last November 5. One was an article titled “The Three Trees” that was sent by WB Rommel S. J. Corral of Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147 while the other was sent by a brother as a reply to a previous mail, the identity of whom the lion chose to withheld by replacing some words with xxxxx’s
. The contents appears unrelated but on closer look, is. The better advise therefore, is just to read the contents yourself.
Bro. Jun
THE THREE TREES
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carvings and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said , "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woods men came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him in to a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,” and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped . At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Please keep this moving...,so He may inspire more people on the way. May your day be blessed.
WB Rommel S.J. Corral, P.M.
Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147
VW Sir:
Thank you for the response. I still owe you a dinner that I have promised a decade ago and I assure you that I do not forget my promises. Maybe I can fulfill that promise during the Ancom in Tagaytay.
I was a late bloomer and started a family when my knees can no longer play singles in tennis. So now that even I am already in my golden years, I am still struggling to send my young kids to school. That is why I envy you because you have all the time writing.
Short story-writing is one of my favorite past times but I just do not have enough time to do it nowadays.
I have suppliers from Xxxx and Xxxxxxxxxx bugging me every week that I have not submitted my articles for the past 9 months already since I opened this xxxx xxxxx distribution center here in Xxxxxx. I am going back to Xxxx on the 25th of this month and hopefully, I will be able to do it again on a regular basis. MW Locsin made me Free Press distributor for Xxxxxxxxxx in addition to being his Foreign Correspondent.
I hope to see you soon, Very Worshipful Sir, Idol!!!
Warmest fraternal regards,
bro xxxxxxx xxxxs
VW Xxxxxxxx:
Your story reminds me of Tommy Romulo (real name is Romulo Tomada), the pugilist who gallantly fought Flash Elorde several times at the ring in the middle part of the last century. Tommy is the father of my good friend, Jun, who was my accounting supervisor when I was still working at a multinational.
In his own words, Tommy said that when he was active in the ring, he tried to convince his wife to go with him to Manila but being a teacher and with two kids, she wouldn’t. Consequently, he had an affair with their accountant and in fine forgot about his family at Butuan.
Time passed and Tommy and his new bedmate migrated to Guam where they established frozen food business and also raised their family that consisted of three children. But he also managed to maintain contacts with the family that he left behind, especially Jun, his eldest son.
In 1988, he went home, attempted to establish a local office and at the same time, renew kinship with his two adult children. By this time, he was already in his late fifties.
But his virility was still strong and while in the country, met a beautiful eighteen year old girl. The obvious happened and in no time sired two other sons. It was at this time that he and the lion met. In fine, Tommy also decided to permanently stay in the country and raised his third set of family leaving the second set in Guam.
The next time he and the lion met was during the 2002 Christmas and there talked about life, and learning of the lion’s easy-going movement commented: “Jun, how I envy you! Your three children are now on their own, and consequently your worry now is only your spouse, or is the other way around,. while I, already aged seventy and with two sons still in their teens, cannot help but wonder what will happen should I die. The fact that I have a house at Ayala-Alabang (beside Fidel. Ramos’ residence) does not make me any comfortable. Your friend Jun said that I should not worry as he will take care of his two brothers just in case but one can never tell.”
The lion was amazed and could not reply. What he said was true. Had he opened his mouth the words that would have come out would in essence be: “Each of us picks the size, dimension and weight of the cross we carry, mine was smaller because I chose it to be so. But come to think of it, you enjoyed the company of three bedmates, while I only had my lion tamer for a partner and she effectively shackled me to a leash!”
Your promise of a dinner may have to wait a few more years; ANCOM at Tagaytay is not in the lion’s trestleboard.
And please don’t use the word “idol” in your mail as adjective, it is the root of the word “idolatry” which the ancients forbid!
With my kindest fraternal regards!
Bro. Jun
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