As I look back where I was born and raised, my heart feels the nostalgia of unending sweet memories of yesteryears of my childhood life. Just like the rising sun in the early dawn of day, I begin to travel the course of day, reach the high noon of my life but after discerning the direction of where I am headed to, I finally realized that I can never be suspended always at high noon of my life. Then, I look towards west for I feel deep in my heart that I can't beat the odds of time to accomplish all what I dream of and plan for but to be contented to finish what I can and will keep traveling the course of day until my feet are laid to rest in time with the battle to make life worth living so that at the end of the day, I can sit down on my rocking chair to reflect on the "path I have traversed" and maybe, then, I shall begin to wonder whether I have spent my life as "worth living" as it should be. But, who can tell me the essence of life that is worth living? Is there a measure on the essence of life that is worth living? This, to me, begs the question and tells me that I am, just like you or anyone else, in search for a meaning that "man, in his search for meaning in life, has to develop his potentiality to the fullest so that he could enjoy the very essence of his existence; and only then, he could become fully human capable of transcending the realities of his life, enabling him to become socially responsible". Is there such a thing as "in search for meaning in life?" Indeed, there is! Only you can answer this quest in your search for meaning in life. For some, their quest is of this world (secularism). For others, it is by discovering that the world, being created to serve a "higher purpose", gives them the venue to find the true meaning in life. The world is created for man (secularization) to lead him closer to the greatest Value that man has ever known and not man, for the world (secularism). For Christians, this is the meaning of their search for meaning in life, being able to respond to the calling and be able to put into action to benefit those who need Love the most. At the comfort of my rocking chair, I realized that my clock is ticking and tells me that I am abaut to reach the end of the day, I can still see the world moving around so I keep my struggle and try to finish as much as I can and all what I can, so that those who come after me shall be able to see the light and understand the message glowing in the altar of life. it is time to go home and the sun is about to set for a night's rest. And yet as I reflect through the day, I begin to ask "What have I done to make my life worth living?" Have I done something that will make me feel good about? It seems to me that this can only be addressed if I dig deeper to understand the difference between secularism and secularization. Once I am able to distinguish their difference, then I have found the answer to the question on the "meaning of life" (I think!). I believe that the search for meaning in life depends on how I set my values and find time to translate them into action! Nobody can say that I did not do my best to make my life worth living. The ultimate question may be asked then: "Do I feel good about of what I have been so far?" Only me can answer that! It is between me and the voice of my conscience. And the answer may be seen against the light of "what I value and how I put them into practice affecting my day-to-day life in relation to my neighbors and my community". If I make a conscious and conscientious effort to become "other-centered" as I travel the course of day, then I have found the venue to lead me find the worth and meaning I am seeking for. My life is worth living, then, because I have finally understood that the true search for meaning in life can be found when I become involved in the service of those who need my "love" the most. Realizing that I don't have all day to do whatever I plan to accomplish, I content myself and come to grip into making a plan of retiring home, going back home where I was born and raised. Suddenly I missed the "yesteryears of my life". I long to touch, to feel and to smell the aroma of the very same place I once left for good looking for a better opportunity in life. I didn't really leave for good! I only have left because the place where I was born and raised could not provide me even the basic necessities of life. My heart is left in the land of my birth and the community where I grew up with. Wherever I go, wherever I am, whatever I do... deep inside me, I long to be where I was born. This is what I call "home". Home is a place where I feel good about being anchored for good. I like the smell of the air and love to touch its aroma. I feel relax and can sleep soundly just like a baby in the crib. Life is full of enigma that I can't help but look back and come to grip to myself and say, "ah! my beloved land! my country of birth! I want to touch you, to feel and smell your aroma for I feel that I really didn't leave you behind because wherever I am, wherever I go, whatever I do..."You're always in my heart! In the course of time, I realized that I am not alone with my "longing to be in-touch with the land of my birth". The search for a deeper meaning in life is universal and is part of man's nature. The challenge remains on how we individually and collectively respond to express our feeling of wanting to share and empower those whom we have left back home that there is hope, that there is future...only, we need to bond ourselves together for a common cause to make a difference in the lives of our youths living in abject poverty and who will someday follow our footsteps in trekking the path that we, once, had trailed upon and build the path to empowerment of community growth and development in Philippine rural areas like Calantas and Nabuclod. It is the love and devotion for our country that we, the Calantas Folks, bond ourselves and take the mission of the Calantas Young Dreamers Foundation, Inc. (CYDFI Philippines) to respond in our own little way to the ideals, aspirations and dreams in "life" of our youths living in abject poverty found in Philippine rural areas like Barrio Calantas and Nabuclod Aeta Community through a Scholarship Program Model with a methodology called "SWREM Theory In Action", designed to help them help themselves so they can help incoming scholars leading to breaking their cycle of poverty as they learn to become socially responsible, with implications not only to personal but community growth and development, as well. In response, we find ourselves with a common voice in the formation of CYDFI USA,that is: CYDFI Philippines as CYDFI USA in the USA. This is our way of telling our folks back "home" that we are thinking of you and trying to pull our hearts and minds together into something that will effect positive change in the "life" of our youths. For we believe that the future belongs to the youth and the youth holds the light of the future with ardent passion to make a difference and to effect change in his life for the better and those around him as he learns to become socially responsible. In the same manner, we encourage our folks wherever you may be now, either back home or abroad, still "unsure" of yourselves, that now is the time to join us in this crusade to help make a difference in the "life" of our indigent but deserving talented youths in Philippine rural areas like Calantas and Nabuclod for they shall, one day, continue to walk the same path of empowerment that we once trailed towards growth and development in our community. |
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| SARAH JANE A. CAPUNO *Phase1: 2nd APPDHSSG Awardee of the CYDFISP, SY: 2004 - 2008 Phase2: BS IN NURSING *APA Scholarship Grant Awardee AUF College of Nursing Main Sponsors: *Sol & Roel Banal Family SY: 2008-2013 (5 Yr Course) 1st Yr College, 2008-2009 |
| SARAH JANE M. CAMULLO 4th APPDHSSG Awardee of the CYDFISP, SY: 2006 - 2010 3rd Yr HS (08-09) |
| CHERRY ANN G. ESTRADA *Phase1: 1st APPDHSSG Awardee of the CYDFISP, SY: 2003-2007 Phase2: BS IN ACCOUNTANCY *Academic Scholarship Grant Awardee Far Eastern University, Manila Main Sponsors: *Dr. & Mrs. Herminio Mercado of the Teodoro-Fausta Mercado College Scholarship Grant 1st Awardee SY: 2007-2012 (5 Yr Course) 2nd Yr College, 2008-2009 |
| DARWIN C. TALA 5th APPDHSSG Awardee of the CYDFISP, SY: 2007 - 2011 |
| LYKA M. QUERUBIM 1st BVMHSSG Awardee of the CYDFI-Benedicto Satellite Scholarship Program SY: 2007 - 2011 2nd Yr HS (08-09) |
| Community- Based Scholarship Project Model of the Calantas Young Dreamers Foundation, Inc. (CYDFI) |
| CYDFI-BENEDICTO Satellite Scholarship Project Model Cycle 1, Phase 1 Sponsor Vicky Manlulu-Hilario & Family of the Benjamin-Victoria Manlulu |
| CYDFISP Cycle 2, Phase 1 HS Scholarship Grant TimeFrame (SY: 2007-2011) |
| CYDFISP Cycle 1, Phase 1 HS Scholarship Grant TimeFrame (SY: 2003-2010) |
| CYDFISP Cycle 1, Phase 2 College Scholarship Project TimeFrame (SY: 2007-2014) |
| The future belongs to the youth and the youth holds the light of the future with ardent passion to make a difference and to effect positive change in his life for the better and those around him as he learns to become more socially responsible, enabling him to become the best of what he is capable of being and becoming in the service of those who need his love the most. |
| 2nd BVMHSSG Awardee of the CYDFI-Benedicto Satellite Scholarship Program SY: 2008 - 2012 1st Yr HS (08-09) |
| Thinking About You, The Future Of My Motherland... |
| The future belongs to the youth and the youth holds the light of the future... |
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