I believe I chose to come into this life to explore what it means to be made to the image and likeness of God. i am happy the ESM (Emotional Self Management) celebrates the idea of self help. It goes hand in hand with the reality of my divinity.

A Facebook post by Michael Beckwith recognizes the power we have in ourselves. This is Principle #6 in “Urban Shaman”.

The idea must have been the theme of my parenting of our only child- Julie Anne. My guiding thought was to provide her with an environment where she could succeed in whatever she set forth to undertake.

This was easy. at an early age, she had an inner direction. What to wear. What to eat. What to do. Sometimes it meant staying out of our apartment in the wee hours of the morning for her to jump over a broom stick! She must have been 3yrs old or even younger. Obviously she felt sleep was a waste of time. In JASMS, during her pre-school years, she considered it a kind of punishment to endure sleeping time. Her teacher must have needed a break!

Early on she showed love for books. Love for writing notes. Even with her limited vocabulary (Of course in English). She would send me notes when she was not pleased with me. She caught on too early. She saw my long notes to her dad on yellow pad!

Her early years at JASMS, Indiana fed her self-direction. I needed to provide presence, though!! Assured I was around, she would leave her distinctive mark on every and all school activities.

Fast forward. Julie has been living away from us since her college years but we have always been a pager, a cellphone, a Facebook chat away. When she worked in Sydney, her Dad complained about our huge PLDT bill and decided to send me to stay a month with her. But then it was horrible for him. He vowed never to allow me to go abroad without him.

Emil and I believe in the importance of both parents parenting the child even thru adulthood.
We are reaping the happy results!