Be Careful, What You Believe In Might Come True

By: Atty. Edmund S.J. Lopez

When I was starting to pilot test my Seminar/Workshop, “Yes, YOU Can … DESIGN YOUR FUTURE” in 2007 at Rizal High School, Pasig City, about 30 km. east of Manila, I experienced something unusual happening to my right eye. I was seeing translucent small dancing globules and a somewhat black colored thread. I just dismissed this phenomenon, claiming to myself that this might just be a temporary eye problem.

Later on, however, my eye sight was being blocked by a circular dark green colored globule. Moreover, I noticed that the size of the image being seen by my left eye is larger than the sight of the same image I was seeing in my right eye. I had no other recourse but to look for experienced optalmologists at the Medical City, a hospital located in our city with advance medical facilities and world class doctors.

Visiting a highly recommended lady eye doctor, who was referred to by the first optalmologist who conducted the initial test on my eyes, I was really surprised when she said: “What you are experiencing Atty. Lopez is a kind of blindness caused by an age-related macular degenerative disease or AMD for short. The dark globules you are seeing were caused by blood gushing out of the small blood vessel in your right eye.”

I then asked the doctor, “Is there a cure for this kind of disease?”

As if expecting my question, the doctor nonchalantly informed me that so far there is no known medical cure for this kind of disease. She mentioned the possibility of a laser eye operation which costs dearly but the probability of being cured by it is not that attractive and she therefore did not recommend it for me to take. I was thinking that even if the price is quite high but the probability of being cured is high, I would take that chance.

Nonetheless, she prescribed two medicines for me. One is a capsule which contains Vitamin A and Zinc and the other is a cerebral oxygenator tablet.

I took these prescribed medicines as I knew them at that time for several months with a hope that it would cure my eye disease. Months passed and yet my eye condition did not improve but continued to deteriorate.

Without any cure in the horizon, I asked the wife of my brother-in-law who is a general practitioner of medicine and at the same time a professor at the College of Medicine of the U.E. Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital, Manila. Outright, she discouraged me to be operated on to cure my eye disease. In fact, she told me that her own father has that same disease and she has already accepted the medical findings that there is no known cure for the “age related macular degenerative disease” or AMD.

I have to admit that upon receiving the same medical advice from two doctors my feeling went down on a spiraling downward free fall.

“With my right eye getting blind, what will now happen to my mission to propagate my Seminar/Workshop?”, I asked myself.

Even with my eye glasses, I could no longer read much and had to content myself in viewing my favorite television documentary and news reports for only a short while as my eye sight was adversely affected by prolonged use. I was also having a problem in parking my car since I could not gauge the correct distance of my parking space and the vehicle parked at the back of my car. I had to stop my vehicle for a while and then mentally asses carefully the correct distance and space before I could safely park my car. Fortunately, I did not encounter any vehicular accident.

Without any known professional medical relief to rely on, I asked myself, “Do I have to believe on what the doctors told me that I will eventually lose my eyesight because of this age-related macular degenerative disease?”

With those negative medical findings, I just blurted out, “I will not be controlled by the doctors’ belief that it is impossible to cure my eye disease. Their beliefs are just opinions.” Having been a practicing lawyer for quite sometime, I know very well that by approaching several lawyers for an opinion one can also get several differing opinions.

A memory of a movie, “Lorenzo’s Oil”, I viewed several years back from HBO flashed into my mind. I distinctly remember vividly the lead actor, Nick Nolte, who was very passionate in his acting. The movie was based on a true story of two parents, Dr. Augusto and Michaela Odone, who were involved in a relentless search for a cure of a rare disease of their son, Lorenzo. I came to know that the Odones clashed with doctors and scientists who believed that there was no cure for their son’s disease known as “adrenoleukodystrophy” commonly known as ALD. They persisted in their own research and tests until they finally found a therapy that halted the progression of the disease and in addition, Lorenzo’s eyesight were restored.

Just like the Odones, I did not accept that my degenerative eye disease is an incurable one and this belief prodded me to make a thorough research on the nature of my eye disease with the unbending hope that my normal eyesight will eventually be restored.

I added, “I believe that I will recover from this debilitating disease, for with God helping me, nothing is impossible.”

I remember the Bible verse spoken by Jesus that I have always shared with my seminar participants: “Whatever things you ask for when you pray, believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” The operative word here is the word “believe”. That means I have to believe that I am already cured of my degenerative eye disease for my expected reality to come into fruition. For us lawyers, we refer to this requirement as an indispensable condition “sine qua non”.

Even a prominent cognitive psychologist, George Kelley, supported this statement of Jesus mentioned in the Bible when he stated, “entertain novel possibilities for construing it another way, and then test out these new possibilities by acting "as if" these new constructions are true”. In fact, I have also mentioned in my seminars the Bible verse that states, “we have to be thankful in our prayer even though we have not yet received what we have prayed for” to encourage students to always say a thanksgiving prayer.

I could feel deep within me that my belief in Jesus and in the power of prayer is undergoing a reality test. Just like what I have learned earlier in tapping the greater miracle circle, I just prayerfully thanked God for the test that was being given to me.

My solitary journey to find a cure for my debilitating eye disease started with a premise “nothing is impossible to those who believe” that I got from the Bible.

With that premise and my passion for research, I rushed head on to gather all the information I can get about my affliction and its possible cure. But before I proceeded with my research, I said to myself that “I will seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to test my faith in God”.

Actually, my research was a hudge pudge of browsing the internet, readings of alternative medicinal books and books about vitamins and minerals available at booksale and my accidental viewing of a television advertising clip about lutein in a milk product which was being claimed to help in the development of a baby’s eyesight. I could sense that accidental tv ad viewing was a leading from the Holy Spirit telling me that I was on the right track.

From all the information I gathered, I started to test the efficacy and the proper dosage of each of the dietary or food supplements which I learned will help in curing my eye disease.

I also tested successfully in a curative way the recent medical research finding reported in Google News that the regular use of folic acid and Vitamin B Complex can prevent the onset of what they call now “age-related macular degeneration”. I just assumed that if folic acid and Vitamin B-Complex can prevent the onset of AMD, they may also be of help in curing the dreaded eye disease. I also found out from my research that folic acid helps in cell regeneration and Vitamin B-Complex also helps in repairing damaged nerve cell. I just thanked God for the information I gathered about folic acid and Vitamin B-Complex. What is very revealing is that all the dietary supplements that helped restore my eyesight were all anti-oxidants. I then concluded that these anti-oxidants are the ones fighting the free radicals that are damaging my eyesight as mentioned in one of those articles about Dr. Demhan Harman’s study on his Free Radical Theory of Aging which I read during my internet browsing.

My exposure to the “Bayes’ Theorem” in the latter part of 2008 about subjective probability of uncertainties was also a revelation to me. My research in the Internet revealed that this theorem was formulated in the 18th century by a British mathematician named, Rev. Thomas Bayes, but it is only now with the support of super computers that this scientific formulation is being applied. What is perplexing with this theorem is that the “probable outcome of an expected event is influenced by the strength or degree of belief”. I was elated with what I just found out about this theorem since this supports my concept of “Management of Probabilities” which I am promoting in my seminar.

Just like the time when I stumbled upon “Casey’s Law”, I also believe that God led me to stumble upon “Bayes’ Theorem” which confirmed in a scientific way the importance of strengthening my belief in achieving my goal. The theorem was of great help in egging me on to find a cure for my eye disease.

With the strengthening of my belief that turned into complete faith in God who would help me find a cure for my supposedly incurable age- related macular degenerative disease, my dogged determination and persistent research and trials finally achieved a remarkable result. Thank God, my right eye is no longer blocked by a circular dark green colored globule and I can now see things normally like before. Of course, there is a slight deformity that was left in my right eye as shown in the eye test I undertook. There are times that my right eye dims when I forget to take my regular dietary supplements or when I overuse my eyes due to a lot of reading but I consider these very negligible.

I knew very well that my eye doctor could not help me since she does not have time to conduct research and test the effectivity of dietary supplements I have taken for almost 2 years. Like the Odones in the true-to-life tv show, I just persisted in my own research and tests until I finally found the right combinations and correct dosage of supplements that halted the progression of my age-related macular degenerative disease. Like Lorenzo’s eyesight, my eyesight was also restored.

Now, I am continuing with confidence and greater faith in God to give my free “Seeds of Dreams” seminars to the 1st year students belonging to the lower sections at Rizal High School. I also started giving free seminars to grade 6 students belonging to the lower sections at the public elementary school which is located just near our house in Pasig City. It is really a great feeling doing community service to the underprivileged youth in my senior years. And with awe, I can now say, “To God be the glory”.

Murphy’s Law: Is it Right Or Is It Wrong?

By: Atty. Edmund S.J. Lopez

It was in the early ‘80s and I could still vividly recall when I eagerly picked up and bought a book entitled “Murphy’s Law”. Holding the pocket book securely in my hand, I then asked myself, “What is in this book that made it an international best seller?

Actually, I heard about this book from my friends who were praising to high heavens the truth that was being spread around by the author. I didn’t know who Murphy was and what I read from the book was that Murphy was a keen observer of life and he came out with a set of practical rules that governed his life. His famous dictum was: “If Anything Can Go Wrong, It Will.”

Like a siren call in the book “Odyssey”, I was mesmerized by the message that Murphy was conveying and I just accepted it, hook, line and sinker. Who would not be swayed with the convincing examples that Murphy gave? In fact, I could even experience the truth of the message and they were happening around me in my daily life. That message was even supported by an oft mentioned adage: “Expect the best but be prepared for the worst.”

For quite a while, I had been talking and spreading the truth of Murphy’s Law and I even lent my book to some of my friends who had not read it. Then I noticed that the message was already spreading like wildfire and that books stores were even selling poster frames of Murphy’s Law. People were proud and eagerly hanging these frames in their offices. Even the world media was hooked by the message, telling people that the end of the world is coming by way of a nuclear holocaust. This dire forecast was supported by the threatening evidence of the increasing nuclear arsenals of the East and West, embroiled in a never ending Cold War of attrition.

With the ever growing tension that was developing around the world at that time, the answer to the question of why Murphy’s book became an international best seller suddenly dawned on me. “We, the citizens of this planet, knowingly or unknowingly, are the ones feeding on this reality.”

“There must be something wrong with Murphy’s Law,” I said glumly, “Although couched in a very subtle way, it actually leads people to think that negativity is their inevitable destiny.

Thereafter, a thought swayed in my mind, telling me, “That is what is wrong with people. They think that they are thinking but actually they are not. They are just so focused on their negativity and the fear that comes with it, that it becomes a reality to them.”

I didn’t know how that answer came to my mind. But it started my search for what really lies behind the message of Murphy’s Law.

In my search, the adage that was sketched in my poster frame, “The pursuit of truth shall set you free, even if you never catch up with it”, has always guided me and given me energy to push on.

One morning, a stirring just came into my mind. It came on repeating itself, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” I started to search for its meaning. Then I blurted out, “If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then ugliness is also in the eye of the beholder.” “How could that be?”, I said, “Ugliness is self evident and not dependent on the perceiver. Everybody knows whether a person is ugly or not.” Right away, an answer emerged from my mind, “You’re missing the point.” “What point?”, I asked. There was silence from then on.

Years passed by and my search went on and on.

It was while I was reading a book one evening that my eyes were riveted on the statement, which says, “You are what you believe you are.” I then asked my self, “Is this the answer I’m looking for?” Suddenly, a thought emerged from my mind, telling me, “If you see the glass of water as half empty, you are right. If you see the glass as half full, you are right.”

I was then led to a second hand book being sold at “Book Sale”. Following my ritual when buying a book, I declared, “If you really belong to me, I will leave you for a while and return again to find out whether you are really for me to read or not.”

I returned to the book store two days later and the book was still there. It was entitled “Casey’s Law”, written by Al Casey. When I opened the book on the first chapter, my eyes were readily focused on the opening paragraph:

“For decades, if not for centuries, the inevitability of failure has been associated with a mysterious, no doubt depressive, Irishman named Murphy, who has steadfastly maintained that if anything can go wrong, it will.” I never set out specifically to disprove Murphy. Instead, during nearly fifty years in business, including stints as the head of the Times Mirror Company and American Airlines, and several years in government service, I discovered what I have come to call Casey’s Law: “If Something Can Go Right, It Should.”

I was so thrilled in buying the book that I just said, “At last, somebody came out with a law that goes against Murphy’s Law. There is no contest between a depressive Irishman who was preaching the “inevitability of failure”, and a highly successful Irish-American business executive who is now preaching the “inevitability of success.” But then who can argue against the successful record of Murphy’s Law, as an international best seller. The book “Casey’s Law” did not even succeed to become a national best seller. Maybe the reason for this is that, "Bad news sells."

Much as I was thrilled with the publication of the Casey’s Law, I was faced with the question of probabilities that the future holds either for Murphy’s Law or for Casey’s Law. Both of these laws refer to future happenings. One of them refers to the inevitability of failure and the other refers to the inevitability of success in the future. But then, how can either of them refer to the inevitability that failure or success will happen when the future has not yet happened? The philosophy behind each of these two laws led me to design a program module for a creative seminar/workshop based on “Management of Probabilities” and entitled, “Yes YOU Can … Design Your Future.”

Since the situations I was previously referring to speak not of a quantifiable measurement of statistical probability, I guessed that the inevitability of something to happen, either as success or failure, would now depend on the subjective degree of belief that one has under any situation. And that degree of belief is also dependent on the degree of focus and desire that one has on his objective or target.

My guess was right but I was dead wrong with its non-measureability. I was fully surprised to know that a renowned Swiss mathematician named Daniel Bernoulli formulated the measurement of probabilities on something that could not be measured or counted. This was achieved when he established his basic thesis that “people ascribe different values to risk.” Mr. Bernoulli’s idea was cited by Peter L. Bernstein in his worldwide bestseller book “Against the Gods, The Remarkable Story of Risk.”

I really admire the intellectual and historical tapestry that Mr. Bernstein weaved into his book, especially when he wrote the following:

“Gut rules measurement. . . . . And that is a very good thing. If everyone valued risk in precisely the same way, many risky opportunities will be passed up. Venturesome people place high utility on the small probability of huge gains and low utility on the larger probability of loss. Others place utility on the probability of gain because their paramount goal is to preserve their capital. Where one sees sunshine, the other sees thunderstorm. Without the venturesome, the world will turn a lot more slowly. Think of what life would be like if everyone were phobic about lightning, flying in airplanes, or investing in start-up companies. We are indeed fortunate that humans differ in their appetite for risks.”

My long search for a scientific basis to support my premise of subjective degree belief was rewarded later on when I stumbled upon a scientific formulation known as the “Bayesian Theorem”. This was formulated by Thomas Bayes, an 18th century British Mathematician, on the basis of subjective probability which in turn is based on the degree of belief of the perceiver.

Now, I can understand the point of the message “If you see the glass of water as half empty, you are right. And if you see the glass as half full, you are right,” because, “Where one sees sunshine, the other sees thunderstorm.”

From a greater scheme of things, however, it can be said that “ It is not a question of who is right or who is wrong: Murphy’s Law or Casey’s Law. Each side of the equation is just a side of a coin that can be flipped to give a 50/50 percent probability of happening.” The only question left to be asked is, which side will you choose? Of course, a negative choice will, more or less, lead to a negative result. A positive choice will, more or less, lead to a positive result.

But then a paradox of life will come into play and that is, “There is a lesson to be learned from everything that is happening under the sun, whether you think they are good or bad, right or wrong.” And this is the very reason why I wept when I meditated on the Bible verse, “Thank God for everything.”

What Is The Key To Tapping The Greater Miracle Circle?

By: Edmund S.J. Lopez

I began writing this article yesterday which is known as Resurrection Sunday and also popularly known as Easter Sunday. As part of my plan to let other people know how I learned to tap the Greater Miracle Circle, I decided to share with you my unusual experience about the resurrected Christ in my life.

After reflecting on the topic about the resurrection of Christ, I realized that it is not only the resurrection that I should be writing about but also my experience of trials and sacrifices that led to my experience of resurrection. In other words, there will never be resurrection if there were no crucifixion or figurative death through trials and sacrifices. One thing leads to the other.

These two stages of the process are part of our life experience. Some people may just give up on the first stage of the process (which I call the “trial and tribulation phase”) and others adopt escape mechanisms like “suicide”, “drug addiction”, “alcoholism” and other means of escape. I want to share with you my resolve not to stop at this phase. Never quit inspite of the disappointments and failures. Go on to the next phase (resurrection) and achieve the triumph of the spirit.

In this light, I would like to share with you the beautiful words of an American author, Sarah Ban Breathnach, from her book, “Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self.” And I quote:

“Everyday we experience death. The death of dreams, misconceptions, illusions. The death of vibrancy and enthusiasm. The death of hope. The death of courage. The death of confidence. The death of faith. The death of trust. More often than any of us ever expect, life stuns us with the sudden wrenching away of a loved one or a devastating diagnosis. We feel as if life is over, and we are right. Life as we knew it is over. But in each instance, we notice that when we regain our bearings days or months later, we feel as if we are someone else. We died to our selves and a stronger and wiser person has resurrected in our place.”

In 1978, my former boss, Atty. Camilo C. Quiason, then a senior partner of Makalintal, Quiason, de Guzman & Barot Law Office and eventually, a Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, assigned to me a legal research work. My research work would serve as a basis of our legal opinion for our client’s query. I thought it would be an easy job since I was really good in research. After researching for four days at the U.P. Law Library, I found myself, at a dead end. I finally asked my boss and the other partners and associates of our law firm for any lead. No one could provide any answer.

Finally, in sheer desperation, I turned to God. These were my words when I prayed fervently, “Dear God, I surrender my problem to you. I have no one to turn to but you. Tomorrow is the deadline for the submission of our legal opinion to our client’s inquiry but I can not find the solution. In the name of Jesus, please help me.” After that prayer, I readily experienced a light feeling as if I was relieved of my problem.

What transpired after that was, for me, really unbelieveable. After a while, I proceeded to our office library to read other reading materials in order to divert my attention from my problem. What happened was that the very first book that I got and the very first page that I opened contained the answer to our client’s query. I suddenly uttered “Yahoo. Thank you, dear God. Thank you.” Some people may consider this kind of experience as a mere coincidence. For me, it was a miracle I received when I asked for help in the name of Jesus. This galvanized my belief in the resurrected Christ who is right here with us in spirit, ready to help, guide and protect us.

Before proceeding further, I would like to point out the cyclical process of trials and tribulations, which is then followed by a miracle. For Jesus, his experience of a miracle is the resurrection. From my own trials and tribulations, I noticed that the connecting link or key that will open the door leading to a miracle is “prayer”. Using this link or key is a recognition that by myself alone, I can do nothing. I have to humble myself and set aside my pride and my ego in order for me to properly use this key. Christ humbled himself when he uttered these words in prayer, “Abba, Father! You can do all things. Take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.”

At this point, let me share with you another spiritual experience I went through. In 1984, I found myself in the throes of a national economic crisis spawned by Ninoy Aquino’s assassination (the archenemy of then Philippine President, Ferdinand Marcos). At that time, I had a paint contracting business while still employed as a legal associate of the Quiason, Makalintal Law Office. Suddenly, as a result of the dire economic crisis that gripped our country, I had to close down my business. My company had a lot of unpaid bills and even our biggest client could not pay us for our completed painting job.

I thought that closing my company was not that bad since I still had my law practice to support my family. But I was wrong. Our law firm streamlined its operations and pretty soon I was given 30 days to look for another job. I was devastated but kept my composure. This was really a big blow for me since I was the sole breadwinner with two small children. My wife, Nayda, who was about to give birth to our third child was unemployed. With no business and no job, I asked, “How can I support my family?”

It was understandable that I was ready to take the first good job that I could find. I was on the verge of being hired as a lawyer by one of the companies of the Ayala Group of Companies. However, before I could even start, I had second thoughts about the job offer. I prayed and uttered the words, “Dear Lord, I just took this job opportunity because of my fear that I could no longer support my family. You know me fully well, I don’t want to base my actions on fear. Even though this job opening is good enough, I will not accept this offer. Instead I will wait for a sign from you that will lead me to the job that you want for me.”

It was a leap of faith on my part as I relied on my feeling deep within me that a miracle would happen again. I said to myself, “I believe that God is not a God of coincidence. To prove my point, I have to adopt the scientific approach of repeatable results to prove that miracles do not just happen by chance or by coincidence.”

I kept my cool and waited. I did not tell my wife about my decision so as not to cause any worry or even anger on her part.

A week before the 30-day deadline was up, another lawyer from our law firm approached me. He was also looking for a job and he told me that the lawyer who interviewed him was looking for me. I knew then and there that God had answered my prayer.

It turned out that the interviewer who was looking for me was my classmate from U.P. College of Law. I visited my former classmate and he readily requested me to join his legal group. I felt that this was the sign I was looking for. I did not look for the job. The job found me. Moreover, the compensation and benefit package was a lot better than what I received in my former job and also much better than what was offered to me by the Ayala Group of Companies. I thanked God for this miracle and I considered this a resurrection experience after all the trials that I had undergone.

The important thing I had at that time was my belief in the power of prayer and my abiding faith in God. The following words of Jesus came to mind, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it shall be yours.”

Another trial came on June 10, 1995, five days before my birthday. I was then the Executive Director of the Philippine Cable TV Association, Inc.(PCTA) which I co-founded together with Mr. Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. (He was not yet a Philippine Senator at that time) After the election of a new set of PCTA officers, I suddenly found that my position as Executive Director was being phased out as a result of a hidden agenda of the newly elected President. As part of that man’s plan to make his move discreet, he offered me another position which in effect was a demotion. As he expected, I did not accept the offer. As a result, my income was reduced into half, as my only remaining source of income came from my position as Vice President of the Magsaysay Group of Cable TV Companies.

Confused with this sudden turn of events, Nayda and I went on a retreat, seeking guidance regarding God’s plan for us. It was a painful experience and we found solace in our reading of the Scriptures. I noticed though that I had no vengeful feeling. I knew that God would always provide something good for us.

After praying, we opened our Bible and the following words were shown to us: “They will be ensnared by their own traps while you escape to safety.” I firmly believe that this promise became a reality after a year. The one who instigated the phasing out of my position was not re-elected as President and his hidden agenda regarding the cable tv industry did not prosper in Congress. God really works in mysterious ways.

Right after our retreat and just a week after the phasing out of my position as PCTA Executive Director, I experienced another miracle. I believe that this was God’s belated birthday gift to me. I readily thanked God for that blessing.

My sister-in-law, Cherry and her husband Engr. Jojo Pabiton came to us and surprised us with a proposal for a joint venture to develop several townhouse units on a parcel of land owned by my mother. Instead of getting a loan from the bank, we were able to acquire some funds from my father-in-law who was willing to help us. We were able to build and sell a few townhouse units until the Asian economic crisis that started in 1997 affected us. Nonetheless, we were able to fully pay our loan and earned a modest income. We used the funds to support my mom and my family during the economic crisis that lasted for several years. It was only after that crisis that we were able to sell the remaining units. In view of the earnings that supported us during those hard times, I thanked God for his abundant blessings.

I have just shared with you three(3) of the stories about my spiritual experience. Thankfully I’m still experiencing God’s great power up to now. In fact, when I shared this important lesson with all our children, Larisa, Jay and Angel, they were also amazed by the power of God’s Miracles. I developed this firm conviction that God is not a God of coincidence. I know that my family and I can tap into God’s Greater Miracle Circle thru the power of prayer and abiding faith.

Jesus mentioned in the Scriptures that the key to an answered prayer is belief and “for those who believe, nothing is impossible”.

Belief for me is like a software hidden unconsciously inside our computer like human mind. The strength of our belief becomes greater with the rising intensity of our feeling for a certain belief. Our behavior, our action and whatever events that may happen to us will always be influenced greatly by the strength of belief.

Nonetheless, before we rush into action, we have to understand the paradox of belief. If we believe that God is non-existent, our reality will be so. If we believe intensely that God is an impersonal God has nothing to do with our personal lives, then our reality will reflect such belief. Nonetheless, if we believe with intense faith that God exists as our savior and has the power to bless us with miracles, then we will experience his miraculous power in our lives.

The effect of this paradox of belief is similar to the effect of the paradox of perception manifesting as a phenomenon known as the "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy". I have no problem with my own belief and conviction that God can manifest impersonally and/or personally, since I am convinced that "nothing is impossible to God". I feel that confining God to only one aspect of manifestation is somehow limiting the great power of an all powerful God.

I finally decided to share this proven miracle-tapping technique with other people, young and old alike. Actually, this was the prime reason why I designed several modules for my Seminar/Workshop entitled, “Yes, YOU Can… DESIGN YOUR FUTURE.”

Following the words of God that serving the least of our brethren is a great service to him, I decided, together with my wife, to give free Seminars to first year public high school students who belong to the lower sections of my “alma mater”, Rizal High School. (You can read my previous blog article entitled, “Planting Seeds of Dreams” to know more about this educational enhancement project.)

I thank God that the principal of the school and the values education teachers have fully supported this pioneering Seminar/Workshop for the underprivileged youth since 2007 up to the present. I’m also glad that the student participants responded positively to the lessons of life that I shared with them as a facilitator. To God be the glory!

Life Is Not Just A Bunch Of Rubber Bands

By: Edmund S.J. Lopez

The murky waters of the river down below cast a dark and foreboding shadow that gripped my feelings. I blurted out to myself, “What is the use of my life when I have already lost all of my prized possessions? I could feel the beating of my heart slowly increasing in tempo. I was starting to say, “I have to end this ….”, when suddenly, I heard the voice of my mom, telling me, “Edmund, merienda (snack time).” That loud and booming voice of my mother was enough to shake me up and stop me from taking a leap of death into the murky waters of the Marikina River which was just at the back of our house in Rosario, Pasig City, about 17 km. from the City of Manila. I was 8 years old then and I had just lost all my rubber bands in a game with my neighborhood playmates. After eating my merienda, I realized that, there is more to life than a bunch of rubber bands.

To this day, I can still vividly remember the harrowing experience I went through that dreary afternoon. I wondered what really triggered me to make a decision to end my young life for just a bunch of rubber bands. Fortunately, my mother unknowingly saved my life. “Was it a just coincidence?”, I asked my self. At such an early age, I learned my lesson about the possibility of death.

I can also distinctly recall another incident that exposed me again to the possibility of death and that happened after I graduated from the College of Law of the University of the Philippines and it occurred during an “All Saints Day” celebration. I remember that I parked my car in an empty parking space near the cemetery when suddenly a uniformed policeman approached me and brazenly told me that I could not park my car in that place and I had to move out from that parking space. I reasoned out that the place was a public parking area and that other cars were also parked beside my car. The police officer stuck to his demand. And knowing my legal rights, I also stuck to my position. The officer suddenly reached for his gun belt and I just said, “Sigue (Go ahead).” What I could not understand about myself at that critical moment was why I did not feel any fear in my confrontation with that policeman.

Fortunately, one of the police officer’s companions talked to him and whispered something. I didn’t know what they talked about but they just went away. I just said to myself, “Most probably, the angry police officer was convinced by his fellow officer that I was not worth the bullet in his gun.” Maybe, his companion knew me or my deceased father, whose tomb I was about to visit at that time. My father, during his lifetime, was a retired Army Lt. Colonel and then became a Provincial Jail Warden stationed in Pasig, when it was the capital town of the Province of Rizal. I have to admit that I was puzzled why the police officer just walked away.

These life-threatening incidents led me to develop a theory that, “GIVEN A CHANCE TO THINK OR REFLECT, A PERSON WILL NOT TAKE ACTION THAT WILL ENDANGER HIS OR HER LIFE OR EVEN OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES.”

Several years after that incident, I found myself in a similar situation where I was able to test my theory. This time I was not the actor but an observer of the situation.

During this untoward incident, I accompanied my wife, Nayda, to the Pasig Public Market to buy linoleum for our son’s room. Our maid, Adeling, who also went with us, was trailing my wife when we stopped in front of a market stall selling linoleum. I found myself positioned beside a man who was also buying linoleum. My wife talked to our maid about the measurement of the linoleum. Meanwhile I was watching the man beside me who asked the young stall holder to measure again the linoleum he ordered.

Somewhat irked by this unexpected request of the buyer, the young man said that they were not itinerant peddlers so they were there not to fool buyers.

I was surprised with that kind of answer coming from a vendor of goods. I knew from my reading of sales materials that the customer is always right. But I did not interject any suggestion at this point. I just observed the exchange of words between the two.

The man who was sporting a cropped hair and wearing an untucked white polo shirt asked again the young stall holder to measure the roll of cut linoleum that was about to be tied up. The young seller spoke unpalatable words to the buyer and suddenly with out any announcement, the buyer whipped out his gun from his gun belt hidden behind his untucked polo shirt.

With the unfolding drama in front of us, people around us scampered around like rats and hid in other stalls in the area. My wife, together with our maid, also scampered away from the scene.

I was left by myself with these two combative actors beside me. I just said to myself that this might be an opportune time to test the applicability of my theory that, “GIVEN A CHANCE TO THINK OR REFLECT, A PERSON WILL NOT TAKE ACTION THAT WILL ENDANGER HIS OR HER LIFE OR EVEN LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE.”

Well, at any rate, I just watched and observed the buyer, who lost his cool, pointing his gun, a .45 caliber pistol, on the face of the young man. It just entered my mind that the buyer might be a police officer in view of his cropped hair. Without any hesitation on my part but not facing the buyer, I just told him that the young man was really crazy since he was not afraid even with a gun pointed at him. I continued, “it might be better just to let go of this untoward situation.” Somehow, the man heeded my suggestion and slowly brought down his gun to its holster.

Unfortunately, the young man somehow thought that the action of the buyer was a sign of weakness and continued to harangue the guy and even taunt and shouted at him. The buyer was really roused to anger and pointed his gun again on the young stall holder. This time he cocked the gun as I distinctly heard a click.

Without facing him, I simply asked the man to think about the possible consequences of his probable actions. I then told him that if he would shoot the young man, it was highly possible that he might go to jail. And if he goes to jail he might lose his job and then finally, I asked him, “if you lose your job, who would support your family?”

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind that there was no consummated sale yet. I took this chance to tell the man that since he has not yet paid for the linoleum, it might as well be better for him to just leave the place. Thank God, the potential buyer heeded again my suggestion and hurriedly left the place. Somehow we were not able to introduce ourselves to one another after that incident.

With the potential buyer gone, the other stall holders in the area returned and exchanged their own opinions. Several of the stall holders milling around were even blaming the buyer for losing his cool. My wife and our maid also returned to where I was standing. But this time, I was being castigated by my wife and she even pinched me for taking too much risk. She sounded like a broken record as she kept on repeating my foolishness to engage myself and participate in such a dangerous and risky situation. She was so concerned that the buyer could have pointed the gun at me for my uncalled for interference. I just laughed at myself and exclaimed, “I just can’t win them all.”

Responding To A Crisis: A Question Of Probability

By: Atty. Edmund S.J. Lopez

A Chinese business trader I happened to meet late last year was copiously complaining about the bad business climate that was pervading my country, the Philippines. I met this businessman while I was purchasing an external hard drive for my computer to save my files from being corrupted by a new virus attack.

He was also complaining of other things that really painted a bad picture of the business landscape. One could not blame the hapless man since there was a prevailing political and economic turmoil at that time, coupled by rising oil prices amid street protests.

While scanning for the right brand of external hard drive from the trader’s inventory, I continued to listen to his diatribes. "Befriending him might be a good idea since he might be willing to give me a good discount", I hastened to conclude.

Finally, the trader paused for a moment, probably waiting for me to agree with his complaints. It was like a situation where defeated men console themselves with each other’s complaints.

With that pause, I blurted out, “Would you like to listen to a different idea as a response to a crisis or a negative situation?”

“Sure, why not," he answered, “especially, if your idea will also help me and my business.”

“I’m sure of it, as it has helped me through these trying times.” I quipped.

“Go on, I’m really interested.” He added.

“Ok, if you insist.” I said. “But allow me first to start with the definition of the word “crisis" as it may apply to our country’s present situation.”

I continued, “Actually, I became fascinated with the old Chinese definition of “crisis” as both a “risk” and as an “opportunity”. This kind of definition has made a profound change in my paradigm or view of things or situations.”

I could now sense the Chinese trader’s eyes flickering with heightened interest. “Please go on, it is very interesting,” I said.

I then asked, “How do you assess the future?”

Without flinching, he said, “Bad!”

“Maybe you have misunderstood me,” I retorted. “Let me rephrase my question,” I continued.

Somewhat annoyed, the Chinese just asked me to explain what I meant by my use of the word “future.”

“Ok, if you say so,” I said. Then, I just said to my self, “How can I explain to him in simple language that future events or situations are all probabilities and that no one can really be 100% sure of what will happen in the future?”

Recovering my composure, I asked him, “What do you really want to happen to your business?”

Readily, the Chinese trader answered, “Of course, I want my business to prosper.”

“That’s it,” I said, “if you want your business to prosper, you have to focus intently on opportunities instead of “risks” or I may say “problems” or even fears” or “worries.”
In much the same way, you must focus a magnifying glass for it to burn a piece of paper under the sun. Without focus, opportunities will simply fade away."

Sensing the businessman's intention to learn more, I told him, "Adding enthusiasm to what you are focusing on will increase the probability of making it come true.”

I then added, “I hope you will understand that I equate all possible future events as probabilities or chances. People usually think in pictures. So, if you focus intently on something that you fear or listen to rumors, and let your negative imagination run riot in your mind, you would most probably turn away from opportunities.”

“I realize now that I was focusing too much on what was wrong,” said the Chinese. “From now on, I will focus on opportunities.”

“Let me be clear, my friend,” I added, “that a businessman also has to be aware of the problems or potential problems of his business so as to be grounded on reality. Nonetheless he must not dwell so much on his problems. Instead, a businessman must focus intently on solutions and opportunities using his imagination. This approach is what I call well grounded optimism.”

I continued, “To avoid wasting your precious energy on potential problems, you can seek the advice of your lawyer, accountant or even trusted friends on how to deal with them. But who knows, they may actually be blessings in disguise and may even strengthen one’s character. But just the same, be a tenacious optimist even in a bad situation. You can accomplish more if you adopt that kind of attitude.”

My heart was pleased when the Chinese businessman told me that he was really impressed with my ideas.

At that moment, I asked my friend how much was the particular brand of external hard drive I just pointed to him. In answer, he told me that he was giving me a good price for the gadget.

When I left the computer store, I knew in my heart that I had again enriched another man’s spirit. Thank God, it was a win-win situation for the two of us.