Despierta, alma mía, despierta
que larga es la noche soñolienta.
Fugaz es el tiempo
Si tarda la obra.
Ven de mañana a
saborear delicias,
trabajar tu viña.
Gozar de Mi amor.
Ven, amada ven.
No suspires con lo de ayer.
La noche es corta.
El alba se aproxima.
(written after taking a shower)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Coplas por la muerte de su padre
Nuestras vidas son los ríos
que van a dar en la mar,
que es el morir;
allí van los señoríos
derechos a se acabar
y consumir;
allí los ríos caudales,
allí los otros medianos
y más chicos,
y llegados, son iguales.
-Jorge Manrique (Siglo XIV)
que van a dar en la mar,
que es el morir;
allí van los señoríos
derechos a se acabar
y consumir;
allí los ríos caudales,
allí los otros medianos
y más chicos,
y llegados, son iguales.
-Jorge Manrique (Siglo XIV)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Psalms 102:1-2
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
I will strive for Him till the end!
Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
-------
I will strive for Him till the end!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Colossians 1:12-17
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Apropos of the Wet Snow
Dreams came to me with a particular sweetness and intensity after a little debauch, they came with repentance and tears, with curses and raptures. There were moments of such positive ecstasy, such happiness, that not even the slightest mockery could be felt in me, by God. There was faith, hope, love.
This was the point, that I blindly believed then that through some miracle, some external circumstance, all this would suddenly extend, expand; suddenly a horizon of appropriate activity would present itself, beneficient, beautiful, and above all, quite ready-made (precisely what, I never knew, but above all -quite ready made,) and thus I would suddenly step forth under God's heaven all but on a whine horse and wreathed in laurels.
-Notes from Underground
Fyodor Dostoevsky
This was the point, that I blindly believed then that through some miracle, some external circumstance, all this would suddenly extend, expand; suddenly a horizon of appropriate activity would present itself, beneficient, beautiful, and above all, quite ready-made (precisely what, I never knew, but above all -quite ready made,) and thus I would suddenly step forth under God's heaven all but on a whine horse and wreathed in laurels.
-Notes from Underground
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Monday, January 14, 2008
Proverbs 8:30
Then I was by Him,
as one brought up with Him:
and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing always before Him.
as one brought up with Him:
and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing always before Him.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Either/or
Do not interrupt the flight of your soul; do not distress what is best in you; do not enfeeble your spirit with half wishes and half thoughts.
Ask yourself and keep on asking until you find the answer, for one may have known something many times, acknowledged it; one may have willed something many times, attempted it” and yet, only the deep inner motion, only the heart's indescribable emotion, only that will convince you that what you have acknowledged belongs to you, that no power can take it from you” for only the truth that builds up is truth for you.
-Soren Kierkegaard.
Ask yourself and keep on asking until you find the answer, for one may have known something many times, acknowledged it; one may have willed something many times, attempted it” and yet, only the deep inner motion, only the heart's indescribable emotion, only that will convince you that what you have acknowledged belongs to you, that no power can take it from you” for only the truth that builds up is truth for you.
-Soren Kierkegaard.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into
the same image
from glory to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into
the same image
from glory to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Daddy's advice of the day
(spoken in Jiujiang dialect)
Daughter, don't be afraid of taking challenges.
Don't mind suffering.
Everything will pay off at the end.
Daughter, don't be afraid of taking challenges.
Don't mind suffering.
Everything will pay off at the end.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Poems
I was going through my old IB files (heck, I was bored) and I found some poems, written by me...that were ahem, actually good.
I haven't written poems for a long time. Maybe because I am not that sentimental anymore or just too lazy. Before, I would write and write, play with words, structure and sounds. I would write poems to my friends to encourage them.
I should retake this. I miss the old 'poetic' me.
Here is one of my spanish poems. This was written while we were studying Pablo Neruda. It's not one of my best, but I like it:
Vi volar tus sueños con la brisa del mar.
Infinita, como las estrellas, es la hermosura de tu paladar
En la llanura de tu cuerpo, azota y da aliento el viento del verano.
Navega mi alma en tu mar de dulzura
Tempestad, majestad, eternidad en tres besos.
Oye, el zumbido del viento que traspasa nuestros corazones,
como una melodía en el silencio…
I haven't written poems for a long time. Maybe because I am not that sentimental anymore or just too lazy. Before, I would write and write, play with words, structure and sounds. I would write poems to my friends to encourage them.
I should retake this. I miss the old 'poetic' me.
Here is one of my spanish poems. This was written while we were studying Pablo Neruda. It's not one of my best, but I like it:
Vi volar tus sueños con la brisa del mar.
Infinita, como las estrellas, es la hermosura de tu paladar
En la llanura de tu cuerpo, azota y da aliento el viento del verano.
Navega mi alma en tu mar de dulzura
Tempestad, majestad, eternidad en tres besos.
Oye, el zumbido del viento que traspasa nuestros corazones,
como una melodía en el silencio…
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Family
I decided to publish this sort of "anecdote" or whatever it is...written by my brother Miguel after my visit to Costa Rica.
My apologies to all English speakers. This is only available in Spanish.
My brother should update his old blog or open a new one.
-----
Aca te mando un detalle para q no te resintas de mis explosiones masivas en el trafico imposible de San Jose. Jajajajajjaa
Había una vez leí esta frase de un autor anónimo “uno nunca sabe que tan especial y preciado es algo hasta que ya no esta presente” Esta pequeña frase estuvo girando en mi cabeza durante unas dos horas después de despedirme de una visita que mi madre y hermana realizaron. La visita fue todo un fracaso en el aspecto turístico, sin embargo el estar con la familia y queridos fue todo un éxito.
Aunque no pudimos ver las imponentes cataratas que fluían en la región del Poas y no poder pescar una trucha saltante con nuestras propias manos, pudimos entender que es en verdad tener una familia. El ver a mi mama limpiar y cuidar con detalle y esmero mi apartamento, fue todo un símbolo de amor que ella tiene hacia mi. El ver a mi hermana traer desde las congeladas tierras de Canada deliciosos truffles y un exquisito Salmon de maple me hizo ver que en este mundo uno nunca esta ni solo ni sin que nadie lo ame.
Cada día que despierto anhelo poder vivir lo que viví estos tres días. Tener a mi mama prepararme un apetitoso desayuno y una hermana en el cual uno pelea por usar el baño, la televisión o computadora es un sentimiento que uno nunca aprecia hasta que no lo tiene presente todos los días. Uno no tiene que esperar hasta el día de cumpleaños o el show marketing de día de las madres y el padre para hacerlos sentir especial. Debería ser cada día que debemos hacer sentir a estas personas especiales.
La palabra “especial” hoy en día tiene muy poco significado. A nadie le importa como se sienten la gente que los rodean y menos de hacerlos sentir “especial”. Especial solo aparece en los combos de hamburguesas del Mac Donalds o Burger King, o en los anuncios de oferta que ofrece taca cada temporada baja. Claramente el mundo cambiaria si un día todos los humanos detuviéran todas sus rutinas diarias y se pusieran a pensar porque estan en este mundo y quienes los rodean.
Más jóvenes atestados de alcohol en sus hígados y perdidos en las discotecas entenderían porque a media noche tienen a su madre esperando en el comedor con una cena fría. O tal vez mas gente le podrían menos importancias a sus amistades mundanas y fijarse en el regalo que sus hermanitas les preparo con esmero en el Kinder. Estas personas entenderían que vivir es para amar y para amar hay que entender quienes nos rodea y que tantos nos aman.
En el nombre de Jesús Cristo oro que todos en este mundo entiendan que es el amor familiar el cual emana de El.
My apologies to all English speakers. This is only available in Spanish.
My brother should update his old blog or open a new one.
-----
Aca te mando un detalle para q no te resintas de mis explosiones masivas en el trafico imposible de San Jose. Jajajajajjaa
Había una vez leí esta frase de un autor anónimo “uno nunca sabe que tan especial y preciado es algo hasta que ya no esta presente” Esta pequeña frase estuvo girando en mi cabeza durante unas dos horas después de despedirme de una visita que mi madre y hermana realizaron. La visita fue todo un fracaso en el aspecto turístico, sin embargo el estar con la familia y queridos fue todo un éxito.
Aunque no pudimos ver las imponentes cataratas que fluían en la región del Poas y no poder pescar una trucha saltante con nuestras propias manos, pudimos entender que es en verdad tener una familia. El ver a mi mama limpiar y cuidar con detalle y esmero mi apartamento, fue todo un símbolo de amor que ella tiene hacia mi. El ver a mi hermana traer desde las congeladas tierras de Canada deliciosos truffles y un exquisito Salmon de maple me hizo ver que en este mundo uno nunca esta ni solo ni sin que nadie lo ame.
Cada día que despierto anhelo poder vivir lo que viví estos tres días. Tener a mi mama prepararme un apetitoso desayuno y una hermana en el cual uno pelea por usar el baño, la televisión o computadora es un sentimiento que uno nunca aprecia hasta que no lo tiene presente todos los días. Uno no tiene que esperar hasta el día de cumpleaños o el show marketing de día de las madres y el padre para hacerlos sentir especial. Debería ser cada día que debemos hacer sentir a estas personas especiales.
La palabra “especial” hoy en día tiene muy poco significado. A nadie le importa como se sienten la gente que los rodean y menos de hacerlos sentir “especial”. Especial solo aparece en los combos de hamburguesas del Mac Donalds o Burger King, o en los anuncios de oferta que ofrece taca cada temporada baja. Claramente el mundo cambiaria si un día todos los humanos detuviéran todas sus rutinas diarias y se pusieran a pensar porque estan en este mundo y quienes los rodean.
Más jóvenes atestados de alcohol en sus hígados y perdidos en las discotecas entenderían porque a media noche tienen a su madre esperando en el comedor con una cena fría. O tal vez mas gente le podrían menos importancias a sus amistades mundanas y fijarse en el regalo que sus hermanitas les preparo con esmero en el Kinder. Estas personas entenderían que vivir es para amar y para amar hay que entender quienes nos rodea y que tantos nos aman.
En el nombre de Jesús Cristo oro que todos en este mundo entiendan que es el amor familiar el cual emana de El.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
John Steinbeck
I read this passage last night and it completely blew my mind.
My question about Free Will were answered.
------
From John Steinbeck’s East of Eden (Penguin, 1992, pages 301–303):
[Lee said,] “The King James version [of the Bible] says this — it is when Jehovah has asked Cain why he is angry. Jehovah says, ‘If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.’ It was the ‘thou shalt’ that struck me, because it was a promise that Cain would conquer sin.”
Samuel nodded. “And his children didn’t do it entirely,” he said.
Lee sipped his coffee. “Then I got a copy of the American Standard Bible. It was very new then. And it was different in this passage. It says, ‘Do thou rule over him.’ Now this is very different. This is not a promise, it is an order. And I began to stew about it. I wondered what the original word of the original writer had been that these very different translations could be made ...
“My [elders] felt that these words were very important too — ‘Thou shalt’ and ‘Do thou.’ And this was the gold from our mining: ‘Thou mayest.’ ‘Thou mayest rule over sin.’ ...
“The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel — ‘Thou mayest’ — that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’ — it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’ ...
“Now, there are millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, ‘Do thou,’ and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in ‘Thou shalt.’ Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But ‘Thou mayest’! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win.”
My question about Free Will were answered.
------
From John Steinbeck’s East of Eden (Penguin, 1992, pages 301–303):
[Lee said,] “The King James version [of the Bible] says this — it is when Jehovah has asked Cain why he is angry. Jehovah says, ‘If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.’ It was the ‘thou shalt’ that struck me, because it was a promise that Cain would conquer sin.”
Samuel nodded. “And his children didn’t do it entirely,” he said.
Lee sipped his coffee. “Then I got a copy of the American Standard Bible. It was very new then. And it was different in this passage. It says, ‘Do thou rule over him.’ Now this is very different. This is not a promise, it is an order. And I began to stew about it. I wondered what the original word of the original writer had been that these very different translations could be made ...
“My [elders] felt that these words were very important too — ‘Thou shalt’ and ‘Do thou.’ And this was the gold from our mining: ‘Thou mayest.’ ‘Thou mayest rule over sin.’ ...
“The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel — ‘Thou mayest’ — that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’ — it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’ ...
“Now, there are millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, ‘Do thou,’ and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in ‘Thou shalt.’ Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But ‘Thou mayest’! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win.”
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
A Dream within a Dream
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
---Edgar Allan Poe
Never has a poem made me cry so much. It's so beautiful.
I should stop being so sentimental these days!
Monday, July 2, 2007
To the Fountain Of the Palace Of the Bakchisarai
And only dreamed imagination
Had drowned in the empty dark
Its flitting visions' pale reflections,
The soul fancy's easy mark?
---Alexander Pushkin
Had drowned in the empty dark
Its flitting visions' pale reflections,
The soul fancy's easy mark?
---Alexander Pushkin
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Juan 17: 20-21
Mas no ruego solamente por éstos, sino también por los que han de creer en Mí por la palabra de ellos, para que todos sean uno; como Tú, oh Padre, en Mí, y Yo en Ti, que también ellos sean uno en Nosotros; para que el mundo crea que Tú me enviaste.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
NO MORE IB!!
English A1 Higher Paper 1
English A1 Higher Paper 2
Math Standard Paper 1
Math Standard Paper 2
History Standard Paper 1
History Standard Paper 2
History Higher Paper 3
Biology Standard Paper 1
Biology Standard Paper 2
Biology Standard Paper 3
Psychology Standard Paper 1
Psychology Higher Paper 2
Psychology Higher Paper 3
Spanish A2 Standard Paper 1
Spanish A2 Standard Paper 2
I'M DONE!!!
English A1 Higher Paper 2
Math Standard Paper 1
Math Standard Paper 2
History Standard Paper 1
History Standard Paper 2
History Higher Paper 3
Biology Standard Paper 1
Biology Standard Paper 2
Biology Standard Paper 3
Psychology Standard Paper 1
Psychology Higher Paper 2
Psychology Higher Paper 3
Spanish A2 Standard Paper 1
Spanish A2 Standard Paper 2
I'M DONE!!!
This is the piece of music that played inside my head when I exited the exam room.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
East of Eden
And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction its wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this, and I had it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost.
---John Steinbeck
---John Steinbeck