CREATING YOUR OWN FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

I just read an article by Miniong Ordonez, one of the pillars of Philippine Advertising and Chairman of Publicis, an advertising group. He's 69 years old but when you see him in person he really does not look it.

He attributes this to attitude. He remarked that as one ages one must take pride in aging, but also do something to maintain one's zest for life. For him one of his latest sources of youthful attitude is a Suzuki Motorbike. It makes him feel like the rebellious Marlon Brando when he's on it!

His message is clear... if we just settle for being sedentary when we grow old then we really age.

There is a fountain of youth but it is within us!

DREAMING AND DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE

Our CEO has been exhorting us to aim for "no unhappy customers." I can understand the skeptical looks on the faces of our managers whenever he says we should do this...after all, this seems to be an impossible goal to achieve.

But what I like about it is that it's something worth going for. I'm sure that if we just get close to achieveing it we will not only have set a benchmark for our sister companies..we will have improved ourselves along the way.

Who would think that Jollibee would beat McDonald's at it's own game? It seemed impossible then...but if one convinces many to believe it can be done...it happens.

MINDSET: THE BIG DIFFERENCE

I watched the second part of National Geographic's INSIDE 9/11 last night, and although I couldn't help think it was US propaganda versus Al Qaida (after all the story was being told from an American's point of view,) still I believed it was wrong to take away lives indiscriminately, whether for revenge or whether in the name of Allah. ( So I would also not approve of the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition for that matter.)

The episode ended with a striking parallel between the US mindset and the mujaheddin's, and it somehow explained why they weren't afraid of blowing themselves up (and others with them.) There was a shot of Osama Bin Laden making his way up a hill with another Al Qaida member. Tha narrator said that against the background of US artillery bombings, Osama Bin Laden was supposed to have quoted that:"We (the Al Qaida) love death. The US love life. There lies the big difference."

Some of the so-called "expert" commentators interviewed remarked that the success of 9/11 galvanized the Muslim extremists to carry on their jihad not only against the US but against the world. The movement would continue even if Osama were captured or killed because as they showed from footages of bombings in Spain and London, the movement has already spread worldwide.

THE TREMENDOUS POWER OF FAITH

I watched a documentary the other night on the inside story of 9/11. It revealed that as early as 8 years before the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, there were already indicators that radical Muslims were already plotting something against the USA in the belief that they were launching a jihad against the devil.

What really struck me was what the power of commitment to a cause or even one's faith could do. The men who carried out their suicidal mission believed they were doing something right and were willing to give up their lives for it. Except for one, the three others who flew the planes to their destruction went to the extent of learning how to fly planes. They found ways to get things done in spite of difficulties it involved and the danger of getting caught.

Because of commitment they got it done!

Another documentary I saw this time featured how the early Christians, by their faith in Jesus and his teaching on loving even those who persecute you,eventually shut down the Colosseum, the center of gladiatorial fights and Christian executions.

The story goes that because of the admirable faith the Christians had in rising again with Christ, the Emperor converted and did away with the games.

GIVING HAS ITS OWN REWARDS

Read from Late Lifer's blog about how he's been mentoring a 29 year old guy named Marcos set up his business and how it's taken off. Prescott revealed how he felt fulfilled about this experience and suggested to late lifers like him to engage themselves in mentoring.

I was rather inspired by this and resurrected the thought of teaching in College when the opportunity presents itself...or maybe I ought to start pursuing it. But I know what Prescott meant when he said he felt a sense of gratification. Seeing his mentee succeed most likely gave him a strong sense of usefulness at his age!