I want to dedicate this week’s post for my childhood best friend who just left us to heaven some months ago because I want to remind him that we loved him very much and we miss his company this Christmas especially with my Birthday too. I wrote this short essay for him to recollect about something we’ll mourn to and somehow regrets for us not to have him for long.

“Life is what we make it… and death is what will end it.”

“I nid rst…” was the last text message sent by my best friend Elmer to his famiily via his mobile phone. Little did they know that he had this deep remorse and depression kept to himself that made him decide to commit suicide. Imagine how young he was to die in this world, he is my childhood best friend.

I still have no idea what was bugging him the past few says. Neither his family have no specification of his sufferings. The happy and jolly type Elmer was long gone and never gave us the hint of his dilemmas. Should we gave him the last inspiration and motivation to go on with his life was to no avail because we’re too busy about ourselves. I realized, we are somehow to be blamed of his choosing for this terrible wrong decision.

This post is for the Memory of Elmer Bernarte, a best friend, brother and son.

by Jay Baratilla

All rights reserved. December 13, 2008
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I’m now back to posting after a week of hectic events. The holiday trends of Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day kept me shut as what would I go as a topic. But since Jay’s Weekly Insights would go randomly to those events I would just sum it up just for the time being.

I actually planned to just let the holiday pass since I was only anticipating with the coming US Election. But after I saw those colorful yet scary outfits, well, I might just go malling and join some. It also hit me that I might be going childish again wondering around the mall’s corner appreciating the scary stuffs which would be fun as I always like to be a kid sometimes.

If you just go online, you can still sort of “join” the holiday fun since most of forums and online social groups were well updated with the Halloween Season Craze. My favorite forum, Spirit Charms, for example, gave me most of the great ideas about how to celebrate a memorable Halloween as they told me the common cultures about the spirit celebration. Even some webmaster forums I always visit has their own thread for the Halloween craze.

The following two days were just for family bonds so I visited my nearest relatives here in the city since mine is far from here and quite not practical if I go there just for a day. We commemorate and pray for the souls of our past kins.

The following week is what I was waiting for and I was quite busy making debates and prediction who’s gonna be with the US presidentiables. Though my true bet is Obama, I still find McCain’s programs “healthy” for the US economy. I found out that racists are coming out of their bin as Obama take on the seat after a seven-hour counting poll. Their common reason is that Obama is a Kenyan born and not viable for a “white” country.

Even so, there are still smart and intelligent citizens that accepted the facts that Obama’s personalities and programs would drive their crisis out. Though, I’m still gathering some information about US politics after Obama’s winning, I’m sure more people will cooperate with Obama’s presidency. My congratulation to the Americans as they again prove their best portrayal of democracy to the world. May your choice lead you all to wellness.

by Jay Baratilla
All rights reserved. November 8, 2008
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