That's What Friends Do

jack* tossed the papers on my desk -- his eyebrows knit into a straight line as he glared at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He jabbed a finger at the proposal. "Next time you want to change anything, ask me first," he said, turning on his heels and leaving me stewing in anger.

How he dare treat me like that, I thought. I had changed one long sentence, and corrected grammar -- something I thought I was paid to do.

It's not that I hadn't been warned. The other women, who had served in my place before me, called him names I couldn't repeat. One co-worker took me aside the first day. "He's personally responsible for two different secretaries leaving the firm," she whispered.

As the weeks went by, I grew to despise Jack. It was against everything I believed in -- turn the other cheek and love your enemies. But Jack quickly slapped a verbal insult on any cheek turned his way. I prayed about it, but to be honest, I wanted to put him in his place, not love him.

One day, another of his episodes left me in tears. I stormed into his office, prepared to lose my job if needed, but not before I let the man know how I felt. I opened the door and Jack glanced up.

"What?" he said abruptly.

Suddenly I knew what I had to do. After all, he deserved it.

I sat across from him. "Jack, the way you've been treating me is wrong. I've never had anyone speak to me that way. As a professional, it's wrong, and it's wrong for me to allow it to continue," I said. Jack snickered nervously and leaned back in his chair. I closed my eyes briefly. God help me, I prayed.

"I want to make you a promise. I will be a friend," I said. "I will treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect and kindness. You deserve that," I said. "Everybody does." I slipped out of the chair and closed the door behind me.

Jack avoided me the rest of the week. Proposals, specs, and letters appeared on my desk while I was at lunch, and the corrected versions were not seen again. I brought cookies to the office one day and left a batch on Jack's desk. Another day I left a note. "Hope your day is going great," it read.

Over the next few weeks, Jack reappeared. He was reserved, but there were no other episodes. Co-workers cornered me in the break room.

"Guess you got to Jack," they said. "You must have told him off good." I shook my head.

"Jack and I are becoming friends," I said in faith. I refused to talk about him. Every time I saw Jack in the hall, I smiled at him. After all, that's what friends do.

One year after our "talk", I discovered I had breast cancer. I was 32, the mother of three beautiful young children, and scared. The cancer had metastasized to my lymph nodes and the statistics were not great for long-term survival. After surgery, I visited with friends and loved ones who tried to find the right words to say. No one knew what to say. Many said the wrong things. Others wept, and I tried to encourage them. I clung to hope.

One day, the door darkened in my small hospital room and Jack stood awkwardly on the threshold. I waved him in with a smile and he walked over to my bed and, without a word, placed a bundle beside me. Inside lay several bulbs.

"Tulips," he said.

I smiled, not understanding.

He cleared his throat. "If you plant them when you get home, they'll come up next spring." He shuffled his feet. "I just wanted you to know that I think you'll be there to see them when they come up."

Tears clouded my eyes and I reached out my hand. "Thank you," I whispered.

Jack grasped my hand and gruffly replied, "You're welcome. You can't see it now, but next spring you'll see the colors I picked out for you." He turned and left without a word.

I have seen those red and white striped tulips push through the soil every spring for over ten years now. In fact, this past September the doctor declared me cured. I've seen my children graduate from high school and enter college. I've celebrated twenty-two years of marriage with my husband.

In a moment when I prayed for just the right word, a man with very few words said all the right things.

After all, that's what friends do.

the great life!

I've heard the saying, "The best gift parents can ever give to their children is to love each other."

I've had the pleasure of witnessing the truth of this statement for over 31 years. From as far back as I can remember my Mom and Dad were a team. A great partnership. They were more than just a partnership. It was as if they were one person.

Sure, they argued, but there was never any doubt in our minds that any disagreements would be worked through and resolved. Mom and Dad began their married life poor, but they worked hard and, over the years, they know their strengths and weaknesses, but the way they worked together, you never saw the weaknesses, just the strengths.

Dad was very strict and very industrious. Everyone knew Dad! Then, when they got to meet Mom, they felt the exact same way about her as well. Mom, what I can say the best mother in the whole world. Very loving and sacrificial mother. They both don’t have business. My father is a farmer and my mother is a plain housewife. We are eight sibling and im the seven from the eight siblings. I saw the hardship and struggle of my parents in order to send their children in school.

The biggest lesson about love and marriage that my mom and dad taught us kids was how to talk "about" your spouse. Have you ever heard husbands and wives, when speaking to others, make unkind remarks about their spouses? It's one of those things people just seem to do. Sure, they're "only kidding," or maybe they are not. But words matter. And words teach, whether positively or negatively.

Now, finally the eight sibling they had is already all professional. They are both happy what they have and done to their children.And very proud parents.

Thnxs ma,tay

mindanao best!

mindanao best!ito ang sabi ng brother in law ko sa akin. mindanao is the best for me and to his brother. 3 month and 23 days from now. im home na sa mindanao. the "general santos city". very exciting for my new family. new home and new life as a housewife. very challenging life.
leaving and give up everything what i have now. as of now wala akong ibang iniisip kundi paano magsimula ang family ko. masaya ako sa naging desisyon ko. although marami na marami ang nagtaas kilay sa mga desisyon ko. pero i know sa kabilang daku ako ay kanilang naunawaan. i know marami na naging happy sa naging desisyon ko lalong lalo na ang puppy ko. i love my hubby much. he's everything for me. my desicion to leave my job is for him...im very excited to have a baby soon.

In the early part of the 19th century, the island town of now Pres. Carlos P. Garcia was only indicated in the map as Lapinig Grande with six regular barrios: Pitogo, Aguining, Basiao, Bonbonon, Gaus and Tugas as part of Ubay town.

Late Cong. Teodoro Galagar of the 3rd Congressional District of the province of Bohol, initiated the created of Lapining Grande into a town. Aguining, Pitogo and Bonbonon were the barangays bidding for township. Pitogo has more of the ideal features of a safe port and nearer Ubay and Cebu.

On June 21, 1969, RA 5864 was approved creating Pitogo as the 46th town of the province of Bohol with 23 regular barangays existing. Eight years later on November 4, 1997, its name was changed to Pres. P. Garcia by virtue of Presidential Decree 2828.

Now palawan pawnshop is soon rise in this island. another success for palawan pawnshop. last april 1 me and my co officer had time to visit in the said island.
Sa kadahilan na ang palawan pawnshop ay on going pa ang expansion patuloy pa kami nag hahanap ng pwesto sa bohol. and luckly hindi nasayang ang amin oras. meron kaming nakitang pwesto.shall i say closed deal na!yes! close deal na. ibig sabihin wala na atrasan sa nasabing island.

anyways pres. garcia island also known pitogo island composed of 23 bgry. 1 hr. na byahe via pump boat going to island na may pamasahe na 50 pesos.
ang PITOGO island ang isang matahimik na lugar at simpleng pamumuhay ng mga tao dito. mababait at magalang. actually di kami nahirapan sa pag hanap ng pwesto to the fact na kami ay pawang baguhan sa nasabing isla. they are very accomodating..

sa PPS family welcome to PITOGO island soon to rise..
The business start stop start to die.. Gogogogo palawan pawnshop

mabini branch

mabini branch is now open to serve. last april 6 opening po ng mabini branch. now bohol
area has 28 branches to serve you. the cheapest and the quikest, fastest way to send money and the lowest interest to pawn..mabini branch is located at mabini public market.
the event in our opening was 10 am blessing. at katuwa kasi marami ang nag attend ng blessing namin. naubos yon foods namin gin prepare..ito ay nag papakita lamang na unti unti ang palawan pawnshop sa bohol ay tinatangkilik na rin ng mga boholanos at boholanas. at sa darating na panahon maging no.# na kami sa bohol.
sa lahat na mga kasamahan ko maraming salamat sa suporta at sa opening natin.
mabuhay tayong lahat. AJA!!! BOHOL!

very soon to mindanao best!

parang kailan pero kay bilis ng panahon malapit na ako umuwi sa gensan. sa lugar ng aking hubby.. excited but on the other hand meron takot kasi hindi ako sanay na walang trabaho at humihingi o naghihintay lang ng sahod ng hubby ko.. i hardly earned for my family and my needs everyday...everything i give up for my family. i give up my carreer and i choose my family for good and i think this is the best decision i did. on my part as family oriented i rather choose my family sa lahat na meron ako ngaun. especially my success on my carreer.. i love my hubby much and i want to build my own family and become a mother someday. im 3 years married but until now wala pa kami anak ng hubby ko because sa trabaho ko na magkalayo kami. maybe its time na bigyan ko naman pansin ang family ko.

soooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn