LETTERS TO KARA

Who is Kara?
Kara is my journal of 14 years, named after the heroine of Scott O' Dell's book, the Island of the Blue Dolphins. In 1998, parts of my journal were published in my first book, Kara: Letters and Stories. Four years ago, Kara, which also means face in Filipino was published online here.The journal, like my life, is undergoing change. This is only a continuum.
Just Yesterday
Long Long Ago
Inspiration
Desperation
Kindred Spirits
Gratitude

Blogspot Template

Text and photos by Shelley Jo Rojas Saracin, unless otherwise specified. The reader may lift poems, essays, or quotes (in part on whole) from this journal for personal use, provided that he or she give due credit to the author whenever and wherever said text may be used.
29 January 2009
Praise God for Mornings!

Dear Kara,

It is early yet. I rode the van with Dad today, saved some transportation money, and had a nice early drive with him, all in this cool, post-Christmas Metro Manila weather.

Upon arriving at the parking lot at work (the school we both teach at) I looked up just in time to marvel at the sky.

It was filled with cummulus (the puffy ones, I think) clouds, interspered across the horizon just above one of the school buildings. Light was being filtered through this collection of clouds, and I couldn't help but smile, and take a picture. It was such a happy sight, perfect for such a beautiful morning.

Praise God for mornings. They flush out all the fears of the day before, they give you a chance to meet new people, to help out friends again, to laugh about yesterdays mishaps, to make new choices, to choose to smile, to just live, to just love.

Praise God for mornings!

Labels: , , , ,

posted by shing @ 7:04 AM   0 comments
26 January 2009
I Will Forget You
I will forget you.
I will forget you.

But I regret not
the times we spent
taking silly photographs
in the sunshine
or playing horseback rides
like old childhood friends
laughing
by the light of the full silver moon.

I regret not
the cookies dunked in milk
or the conversations over thick milkshake
as we learned each others' dreams;
the chocolates for Valentines'
the private jokes we shared
before we each went to bed,
tired, but happy
happy to have quenched our fears.

I regret not the poetry
of sunset and princes
over coffee
or dinner or fish
or the way we watched movies
over rootbeer.

I regret not
the way you made Indian curry
for me
for my family
or praying in tandem
to the God we both serve
or the comfort
of having you hand hold mine
as we crossed busy streets.

I regret not
all the little things that made me smile.

I regret not
Knowing you.

But I will forget you.
I will forget you.

(Started as I was walking over the bridge near the mall at home today, revised at work in my class, and finalized at home, before dinner.)

Labels: , , ,

posted by shing @ 7:59 PM   2 comments
Waking up to Adonai
Dear Kara,

I woke up today to the gentle rousing of my Lord, my Adonai.

I have been a Christian quite a while (got saved in 1988), and I have been studying and reading the Bible (although I still have been unable to finish it cover to cover) even before then, but it still doesn't fail to amaze me that even though a passage is all-too-familiar, that I have read it a hundred times, the Lord still finds a way to reveal Himself anew.

Today, it was a revelation of just how great, and deep, and wide the lordship of my God is! Yes, I know Him as my Lord and Saviour, but today, the greatness of the word Lord, and the extent of His Kingdom was just so revealing.

He is Adonai of the heavens and the earth (Psalm 8:1, 6-8) and all creation, even the ground that I walk on (Psalm 114:7) trembles at His feet, even the mountains of Makiling that have mesmerized me and have been my prayer refuge for many years (Psalm 97:5) actually serve Him and His purposes; He is Lord of both the wicked and the righteous (Psalm 37:12-13), and is Lord above all gods (Psalm 135:5). He is even Lord over suffering and death (1 Kings 2:26)!

Can you imagine how wonderful this revelation is Kara, and what it means to me?

I am His servant, and as such, will receive His utmost protection and covering (Psalm 119:125), His hand will be with me in righteous battle (Judges 6:14-16), and I am privy to His inheritance (Deuteronomy 9:26)!

Ooh! I need only acknowledge His sovereignty (Genesis 17:1), to serve Him, and I will receive all these. and what wonderful inheritances await me, I wonder? I only know that He has promised me more than I can ever imagine (forgot the verse).

Isn't this a place of comfort and excitement as well, Kara? I ask that the Lord, my Adonai will always remember His servant and His servant's heart.

Labels: , ,

posted by shing @ 7:18 AM   0 comments
02 January 2009
A Period of Nostalgia
Dear Kara,

My period came yesterday! Well, I'm actually a "regular" but it just seemed like my body really wanted in on the New Year's festivities, hence my period came on New Year's Day too, a few days too early I believe.

I cleaned out my drawers today, threw away some old receipts, organized some collected recipes, and basically went puttering about my things. I could not help but remember a few things, a few people...and a wave of nostalgia assailed me. It passed quickly and I stood to rearrange my stuff again.

Nostalgia will always assail us, because memories, especially ones that have a made a mark on us, remain lodged in the brain until newer, more poignant ones are built. But always, we can reflect on TS Eliot's wise and wonderful words, truly fit for a new beginning:

"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice...and to make an end is to make a beginning."
 -T.S. Eliot

Labels: , , , ,

posted by shing @ 2:19 PM   0 comments
01 January 2009
I Hope We ALL Dance
As a tribute to this, the first day of 2009, I would like to share a simply, funny, yet marvelously inspiring poem shared with me by PinoyPanDeSal more than a couple of years ago:
I HOPE YOU DANCE



I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat

But always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small

When you stand by the ocean

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens

Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance



And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance



I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Living might mean taking chances

But they're worth taking

Lovin' might be a mistake

But it's worth making

Don't let some hell bent heart

Leave you bitter

When you come close to selling out

Reconsider

Give the heavens above

More than just a passing glance



And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

(Time is a real and constant motion always)

I hope you dance

(Rolling us along)

I hope you dance

(Tell me who)

I hope you dance

(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)

(Where those years have gone)



I hope you still feel small

When you stand by the ocean

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens

Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance



And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Time is a real and constant motion always)

I hope you dance

(Rolling us along)

I hope you dance

(Tell me who)

(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)

I hope you dance

(Where those years have gone)



(Tell me who)

I hope you dance

(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)

(Where those years have gone)


I hope you dance. I know I will.

Labels: , , , , , ,

posted by shing @ 11:04 AM   0 comments