Forgive and forget… this is a popular line used by lots of people especially when giving advice, but it’s not one that is easily followed.

Forgiving someone who has done something hurtful and bad to us is not easy. But it usually can be done, though it may require some time. Even though we’ve forgiven someone for the wrong they’ve done, we can never really forget, at least not completely. Our mind can be sharp when it comes to these things. Especially if someone has hurt us BIG time. We can never really forget the pain and the fact that it has happened to us.

What’s the difference between forgiving and forgetting, anyway? If you’ve forgiven someone, doesn’t it automatically mean that you’re willing to forget everything that happened? What does forgiveness entail? Forgiveness is a process and it may take a long time, some even take forever before the resentment and the anger subsides. Forgiveness means that you choose not to punish that person because of what that person has done to you. But giving forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to forget.

It’s not a matter of holding a grudge, it’s just that once the damage has been done, it can never be undone. It can be improved and healed, yes, but it can never be undone. In other words, you can forgive the person, but you can’t forget what they did. It will stay with you forever, but what changes is how you deal with your emotions. Over time, the pain, disappointment and anger may diminish. It will come to a point wherein it becomes just a distant thought with no more emotional impact. Nevertheless, it will enter your mind… someday, you’ll look back… especially during the times in your life when you’re forced to recall it. But then you’re in control. Because it doesn’t affect you like it used to. And this is when you can say that you’re stronger, because of what you’ve been through and because of what you had to endure.

That’s why I can say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with remembering. “Forgive, but never forget“. Now, that’s more like it. Wouldn’t you agree?

Do you find it easy to forgive?

Copyright©2008angel

My brother gave me a YouTube link this morning, saying I have to watch it because it’s the best video he’s ever seen. I was intrigued by his intro, so I watched the clip. Guess what, it sent goosebumps all over my body! This story has become so popular and is all over the Internet so I’m sure most of you might have come across this months ago, but it only just reached me now, and I felt compelled to post it here to share it with those who haven’t seen it yet.

It’s a story about an exceptional lion raised by two young Australian men, John Rendall and Ace Berg. They bought the lion cub from a store, they saw it was cramped and lonely in his cage, so they decided to bring the poor little guy home. They raised him as a pet, named him Christian, and it was the start of an amazing friendship and loyalty among the three. But when Christian grew bigger, they didn’t have a choice but to release him back into the wild. So they enlisted the help of George Adamson, the known “Father Of Lions“ and after some time, though it wasn’t easy, they were able to release Christian successfully into the wild.

After a year, Christian got accustomed to life in the wild and was even leader of their pride. John and Ace decided to visit him again, and despite warnings from George, that Christian might not recognize them anymore, they went ahead and sought their beloved lion. So what happened, you ask? Well, if you don’t know… you go find out for yourself by watching the video.

It’s such a heartwarming story about friendship, and how even a vicious animal like a lion is capable of love and affection. I have to admit, I was nearly moved to tears when I watched the video. If you haven’t heard of Christian, The Lion… you have to watch the video, and while you’re at it, you can watch the whole documentary dedicated to him too. It’s definitely worth the watch.

Copyright©2008angel

Nowadays, the world has become so advanced in technology… we have cellphones, Internet, e-mails, chat… so many technological inventions are being made. Don’t get me wrong, these are great things and they bring so much convenience to us, but apart from the wonderful benefits that we get from these technological advances, there are certain disadvantages as well. Like for instance, cellphones can be great tools of communication with our loved ones, right? That’s a good thing. But they can also be used for “not-so-wonderful acts” like cheating.

I know a lot of people who are victims of this. A friend of mine cried when she found in her boyfriend’s cellphone a text message from a girl saying “I love you”. She found lots of sweet messages in the guy’s inbox and that’s where she knew that he’s been cheating on her the whole time. Another friend of mine is complaining that when she’s with her man, she gets frustrated because he’s always on his mobile phone, texting… and when she asks who it is he’s talking to, he becomes evasive. Also, he gets furious when she wants to see his cellphone and he gives her a hard time about it, saying that he needs his privacy. Yet another friend of mine found out that her long time boyfriend was cheating on her when she browsed through his chat archives. Yeah… OUCH, right? If this has happened to you too, you’d know how much it hurts.

The thing is, technology has now become another “creative” means to flirt with other people or start and nurture an affair. Many people admit to using technology to fool around and become unfaithful. In other words, it definitely makes cheating a lot easier. With this reality, how are we supposed to trust each other anymore? It’s sad because this trend is becoming predominant in our society today. It’s scary, really.

Especially when you think you know somebody so well, and you trust that person completely, just to discover him flirting with someone else in the chat room or through text messaging. See, even to the most faithful person, the ease of communication that technology brings can be a real temptation. Anyway, who would know right? Chatting is so easy, you can just flirt away when your partner is not around. Or texting can be done anytime anywhere, right? It’s a very tempting thing to do with someone, especially one that you’re strongly attracted to. And it can be instrumental in the conception of an affair that is capable of ruining most relationships.

I guess no matter what we do, we can’t ever really put a stop to this trend. It will always be present, and the only thing we can really do is be careful and just be a wonderful partner to the person in our life. If he cheats, then it’s his conscience that’s on the line, not yours.

Life and love is complicated, and we can never really explain it’s every intricacy. Life can be unfair too, so it’s up to us how we use every situation to our advantage. Technology can make cheating easier, but we all still have a choice. It all comes down to whether or not we will allow a certain device to ruin our principles, and yes, our lives too. It all comes down to our personal values… are we really inherently unfaithful? Or are we just turning to these technologies to make our lives a lot more exciting? If you’re tempted to cheat, will you give in, or will you try to resist? We all have a choice.

Have you ever been tempted to cheat using technology?

Copyright©2008angel

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Pimples and acne are pesky little things, aren’t they? People who say they’re harmless are largely mistaken. The truth is, acne and pimples can have a significant impact in a person’s self esteem. Even though they always say that beauty shouldn’t just be skin deep, the fact is, having pimples and acne is embarrassing especially if they’re all over your face! Those who have battled with acne for most of their lives could attest to that. Some people are blessed because they only have to deal with a pimple or two at certain points, but those that have them sprouting everywhere, these people can really say that acne is ruining their social lives. That’s why they try every single acne treatment out in the market today to get rid of these unsightly things. Some are effective, some aren’t. And some people are never really able to lead normal lives because of this. They say acne is caused by many factors… stress, diet, etc. But ultimately they’re caused by overactive hormones. Aargh, acne is such a pain in the butt, don’t you agree?

It’s amazing how wrong you can be about a person. You think you already know them so well, but you’ll just be surprised one day when they suddenly show certain qualities that you never even thought they had.

I learned this the hard way recently with someone important in my life. After years of knowing this person, I thought I already know him. I thought I knew his quirks, his whole personality. But boy, was I wrong. I didn’t even see it coming. To be honest, I have such a hard time dealing with this newly revealed side of his personality, we clashed… I thought I could find a way to adjust to this side of him, but it’s just so hard. I tried, believe me…. it’s definitely not for lack of trying. But no matter what I do, I couldn’t penetrate his defenses.

Although I didn’t see him less of a person because of what I discovered about him, things changed between us. It caused problems in our interactions. It became difficult to talk to him and we’re always fighting because of it. Many times I’m tempted to just give up, to just let him be, instead of trying to fix things, because I’m so fed up with his attitude towards me. But I’m still extending my patience… after all, we shared really good times together and he has become a huge part of my life.

Experiencing this in my life now, I realized that you can never really know a person well enough. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve known them a long time… for a year, 5 years, 10 years or more; even though you’ve known someone your whole life, always expect to be surprised when certain parts of their personality (that you didn’t know before) will be revealed to you. That’s why it’s important to continue getting to know a person even though you think you’ve already got him figured out. Create activities together which would allow you to get to know him more deeply.

Being with someone is a journey and a discovery each and every day. Even couples who have been together for so long can discover new things about each other. You will either be pleasantly surprised or you’ll be hopelessly frustrated. So brace yourself for it.

How well do you think you know your partner?

Copyright©2008angel

Many of my readers have written to me about forbidden love, and I thought to myself it’s sad that this is a prevailing situation among lovers. It’s hard enough to find someone in this crazy world, but to have that someone belong to someone else, that makes it even more heartbreaking.

“Why would I fall in love with this person when he’s not meant for me after all?” “Why would I cry and long for someone who can never be mine?” This is usually what people in forbidden relationships ask themselves. Unrequited love is hard enough, but what about if the one you love, DOES love you back but then you can never be together because he/she belongs to someone else… now that’s even more painful.

Some people continue living their lives just loving this one person even though they know there’s not a chance on earth that they’ll live happily ever after. But what are you supposed to do when you’re in love with someone who can never be yours? Just forget all about what you feel and move on? It’s easier said than done, obviously, but then what other choice do you have?

Forbidden love is wrong in the eyes of the world and of course, the Church. But is it wrong to love? Or it only becomes wrong when you hurt someone because of it? Can you really control your feelings for someone? Maybe your mind can override your heart and then you can force yourself to do what’s right, but can it really make the feelings of love go away? Maybe in time, yes… maybe in some way, but it’s not going to be easy and it will hurt like hell.

Sometimes, there are people involved in forbidden love who can fight for their feelings. They can choose to end their relationships with their current partners and be with another person. But most people are not able to fight for their love. And this is something that they both have to live with for the rest of their lives. There are so many factors involved, it’s not always a “you and me against the world” type of attitude. The reality of life is far different from the world of dreams or fantasies, after all.

So it all comes down to this: do you pursue a forbidden relationship, or walk away from it? Will you go through with it even though it’s wrong, or will you do the right thing and sacrifice your feelings? Either way, forbidden love is painful. And so many people are victims of this. If only we can be with the person we love and who loves us back, the world would be a safer place and there will be less heartaches. But it’s not as easy as we would want it to be, and I guess we all just have to live with these realities.

What’s your stand on forbidden love?

Copyright©2008angel

I love movies, and I’m always on the lookout for good films, those that are not only entertaining but have substance as well. I love movies that make me think, those that leave something for the mind to ponder on. I also love movies that have a romantic feel to it, not necessarily movies about love, but has accents of love that go straight to the heart and ring with truth… because they make me think about life in general. I’m a romantic comedy type of girl, but I also love other genres, like drama, suspense… a well written plot.

We get quotes from movies all the time and we even use some of them in our own lives… here are a few love quotes from romantic movies:

City Of Angels
I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it. One.

When Harry Met Sally
I love that after I spend day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Alex and Emma
Some things are not meant to last, they just take a place in your heart and make you smarter the next time.

Runaway Bride
I guarantee that we’ll have tough times, and I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life cause I know in my heart you’re the only one for me.

The Hot Chick
You are the only person that can make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time.

The Princess Bride
Death cannot stop true love; it can only delay it for a little while.

Moulin Rouge
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

My Best Friend’s Wedding
If you love someone you say it, you say it right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just… passes you by.

Fried Green Tomatoes
I wonder how many people never get the one they want, but end up with the one they’re supposed to have.

Good Will Hunting
Sometimes I wish I had never met you. Because then I could go to sleep at night not knowing there was someone like you out there.

Forces of Nature
I always thought that there was this one perfect person for everybody in the world, you know, and when you found that person the rest of the world kind of magically faded away, and, you know, the two of you would just be inside this kind of protective bubble, but there is no bubble, I mean if there is you have to make it, I just think life is more than a series of moments, you know, we can make choices, and we can choose to protect the people we love, and that’s what makes us who we are and those are the real memories.

What’s your favorite movie love quote?

Do you believe in fate?

What exactly is fate anyway? Does it mean that our life is prewritten in the stars and no matter what we do in this world, there’s already a fixed destination for us? Are the things we do and the people we meet in this world dictated by fate?

Is it fate when we fall in love? Is it fate when we get a job or lose something dear to us, or experience something profound in our lives? Does each and every action we take or decision we make, everyday of our lives, affect the outcome of our fate, or does it even matter?

I guess I can say that I believe in fate, or destiny, as some would call it. But I view it differently. I think our lives are prewritten alright, and we all have fixed destinations, which is with God when we die and our lives on earth ends. But our decisions and actions while we’re still alive will determine our life on earth. Will it be easy or hard… will it be fun or dull… will it be worthwhile or worthless?

Some people would reason that fate brought them to a certain point in their lives. I think it’s true, but the WAY leading to that point in our lives… we are the ones hugely responsible for that. Did we learn something along the way? Did we even enjoy the ride? Our life is one big journey after all, and the trip is just as important as the destination.

So if you know this, will you make the ride worthwhile? Or will you just let fate run its course and go along passively? It’s your choice.

Copyright©2008angel

Are you one of those people who like to pamper themselves? Are you the kind of person who loves going to spas? Me, I love spas and the one service that I get there more often than others is their massage. It’s just so relaxing and stress relieving. Have you ever had a massage? If you haven’t experienced it, I urge you to try it. There’s nothing more relaxing than to lie down in a room, forget all your worries for a little while, and have your muscles relieved of their pent up tension. The first time I had a massage, I loved it so much that I had to include it as part of my monthly routine. I’ve had massages that are great, but I’ve also had ones that weren’t so great. It depends on the massage therapist that works on you. Nowadays, massage is becoming so popular that there are lots of massage therapy schools cropping up around the world. See, beauty is no longer just limited to having a haircut or a facial, people are now recognizing the benefits of massage in our overall health. Massage releases toxins and makes us feel good. It’s no wonder so many people are going to school just to learn how to do a massage. It’s such a great skill to hone.

Do you think that everyone should own a handgun? What do you think are the repercussions if the government issued everyone aged 21 and above a handgun? Take this survey.

Just a hodgepodge of random things of interest…

Let’s talk about fuel and gas prices…