Unexpected, indeed: Thanks to Reddit

I was not expecting hundreds would  join me in treading on unfamiliar terrain.  A day after my post, I was amazed by the twist in viewership of my blog as gleaned from the built- in stat counter. It was unexpected. So I checked my dashboard to see what happened. This message  greeted me.

Opening the stat site,  I discovered that the number one referrer was Reddit.

Then, I remember that after my post, I tried to use all the services made available by the WordPress. In fact, when I registered to some services, admittedly I was not completely aware of the benefits I would get. There were times, Reddit would reprimand me for neglecting some rules in submission. When I was about  to choose the subreddit, I tried to encode unfamiliar. But I could not find the word. Instead unexpected was one of those which appeared.

Thus, I click it without expecting something unexpected twist would happen. And it did happen. Thanks for Reddit.

Wikipedia  has described Reddit  as  a social news and entertainment website where registered users submit content in the form of links or text posts. Users then vote each submission “up” or “down” to rank the post and determine its position on the site’s pages. Content entries are organized by areas of interest called “subreddits”. A blogger named Micah has made a good discussion on how Reddit works and how to use it to grow your business.

In retrospection, the phenomenal growth of  this blog is unexpected, too. It has overtaken my other  blogs. As of this writing, the Alexa rank is 346,546 with 2,830 views. Even its creation was unexpected. Would you ever believe that at my age and status in life, I  venture to blog on love and romance? I have never done this before as shown in the niche of my other blogs. Better still, would you ever believe that I would fall in love with a woman other than my wife. But things happened unexpectedly.

But isn’t this an endearing reality in life? Significant things happened unexpectedly. The birth of Jesus whom Christians believe to be the incarnated God, the prophesied King  and Savior of  the world took place in an unexpected setting- a manger in a little town of Bethlehem. Mind you, the unlikely witness to such glorious event were the shepherds, considered as the lowest and most despised social groups at that time. But it was just the start of controversies unexpected of  long awaited king and messiah. Later, he surrounded himself with disciples who were unschooled and ordinary, disdained  tax collectors and revolutionaries. Some of his associates were dregs  and outcast of  the  society. 

Indeed, as blogger Rachel Held Evans describes, it is unexpected to find God in

     Jesus, who was born as an oppressed minority in an occupied land,
     Jesus who was an immigrant,
     Jesus, who surrounded himself with the poor, the sick, the marginalized and the “untouchables,”
     Jesus who was criticized by the religious for hanging out with sinners,
     Jesus who treated women with dignity and respect,
     Jesus who taught his disciples to love their enemies, to give without expecting anything in return, to overcome evil with love,
     Jesus who suffered,
     Jesus who wept,
     Jesus who – while hanging on a Roman cross – said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Oh what an endearing reality in life. Many things happen the way we never expect them to be.  For as St. Paul was quoted in the Holy Book saying:   God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.make foolish wise.

Keep on following this blog for more unexpected but endearing realities  in life.

Unconditional love

What makes this year’s yuletide celebration significant to me?

I made my endearing lady happy with my Christmas present. Oh, my gift was not extravagance. Neither was it extra ordinary. I did not even personally handed her the token. I sent her a text message – the essence of which makes her feel good, relieve, and of course happy by the way she appreciated it in her reply.

The content?

Taken from: abhilashakatoch.blogspot.com

Nothing sophisticated. A simple appreciation of my wonderful experience with her, the lessons she has taught me in so short a time we got acquainted with, and a promise to disturb her no more. Instead, I will continue loving her the way she wants it to be, unconditional, without expectations.

Its significance?

Some months ago, I got acquainted with this endearing lady I have learned to love. Her charms, wits, charisma came at a time when I was unconsciously longing for such. By accepting me just as I am, she made me feel at ease and comfortable in our relationship.

Taken from: mapenzinandoa.wordpress.com

She seemed to have no reservation on what and where I had been. Rather than questioning or trying to find explanation or meaning, at all times, she taught me to just appreciate and enjoy things more than understand them. In so short time, she has gained my trust and confidence by just allowing me to express myself without fear and reservation. I almost forget my foes and woes, my fears and tears, wearies and worries, my plaints and pains in life.

She has entertained me with her jokes, charmed me with smiles or frown, and puzzled me by her seemingly mysterious ways. The extent of inspiration and challenge she has given me, as well as the gentle, albeit imposing or domineering approach makes the distinction. Likewise, her trustworthiness and simplicity of lifestyle that seems to take offense on lavish ways and even praises.

What’s the problem then?

Lovable and loving, yet she is less appreciative of the admiration and value I give her. The more I love her, the nil my chances to score , as she deliberately shuts the door and curtails any attempt to woo her. For ours is somewhat a forbidden love.

In fact, from the start, there is no illusion in me to seriously court her as we are no longer free to engage in such relationship. Neither is there any wild thought to dream that fate will eventually catch us together in most unlikely course of events or circumstances. For doing so is just like going against all odds.

But why can’t I let her go? Better still, why can’t I let go of my feelings?

Taken from: youareharmony.blogspot.com

Ironically, it is the odds that make me hold on. For I feel safe and secured in her. I know she will never allow our relationship to go beyond the limits. For she always insist on a clean and wholesome one.

In her, I can let go of all my inhibition (but not my feelings towards her). Yea, my reservations and find freedom in expressing what is inside me without fear of infidelity. I enjoy living my humanity and exposing my vulnerability, without fear or shame, in loving her.

Besides, I could no longer free myself from the emotional trap I willingly created and entangled. For how can I let go of my feelings towards her when she is the reason for the creation of this blog. It’s just like compelling myself to put an end to this blog and, as well, bid goodbye to the readers.

Where lies the lesson?

Throughout the process, I have learned how it is  to love unconditionally,  without expecting a return.Absurd? Not really. Isn’t it the essence of the First Christmas?

Taken from: pastorblog.cumcdebary.org

From the Holy Book, we learn  the gift of love of the Divine to humanity without condition through the incarnation: “When the  Divine became flesh and made his dwelling among us. ” From such precedence, we can develop a mindset that does not seek for our advantage but  the good of others, even at our expense.

Oh how I thank my endearing lady  for such experience. And in order  to make her Christmas happier, I promise no longer to disturb her with my irresistible innuendos  and sweet nothings messages.  Rather, I will continue loving her the way she wants our relationship to be, as friends, nothing more, nothing less.

With one condition, of course:  Allowing  me to love her forever  freely, without fear or  favor, without inhibition, restrictions and  conditions  through this blog. And let such feelings, freedom and even fantasies end here. Isn’t this an unconditional love?

Anyway, let me greet all the readers a Wonderful Christmas and Productive New Year.

Taken from: http://www.birdingphilippines.com

Letting go…

I almost gave up on you last week when you remained mum despite my barrage of text messages. Somehow, I have reached my limit. It was not the first time you did it to me. We were supposed to have our date on Saturday. You renamed it group meeting, insisting date is prohibited for us considering our status. I conceded. Yet , few hours before the schedule, you texted me you could not come because of some important matters. While I felt bad about it, I tried to understand your priority and console myself by focusing on the preparation in our relief operation and medical mission.

But you communicated with me late in the afternoon, kidding whether my day was complete without you. I was quite elated when you made the first move, again hopeful, expecting you to sound apologetic and send me consoling messages. But that was all the message I got from you for the day. You remained unresponsive even to my jokes and sarcasm. Your silence sent confusing signals. I took it to mean either you did not get the joke, or so guilt-ridden, or just insensitive to the feelings of others? Either way, I feel offended by your snub.

While licking the wound of an offended ego, I gradually realized the futility of keeping this seemingly one-sided affair. I decided to forget about you for a while, as I focused on my work and family. I succeeded to overcome my missing and longings for you for a day. Inspired by the development, I was on the verge of letting go of my feelings towards you, to free myself from the emotional trap I willingly created and entangled. But, again, you held back that feeling by breaking the silence and apologizing for the mess as it was too late you realized my text messages were all found in the spam of your new mobile phone.

Taken from: happyfoodhealthylife.com

Again, I seemed to forget all the nasty feelings and thoughts against you as we resumed our endearing exchanges of text messages. You were back to your charming, witty, naughty yet endearing self. However, unexpectedly, it was short lived. In few days, you became illusive. Your text messages became rare as raindrops during summer. Like a dip of water in a faucet during shortage, I could easily count it. To paraphrase the cry of Psalmist in the Holy Book, as the deer pants after the water brooks, I long for your text and start to lose my patience. More so, when I found out I have another rival for your attention apart from your dearly beloved, your work and family. Worse, when you confided to me about the identity of your new infatuation, nay your addiction.

I then remember three months ago when similar lag happened in our communication. When a feeling of concern had replaced my sigh of protest, impatience and rudeness. I was so worried on what might have happened to you that I almost became sleepless. Only to find out early in the morning that the real culprit was beyond my fear and imagination. You were so engrossed with, albeit entertained by watching the Kapamilya teleserye (ABSCBN television soap opera) that you fell asleep without knowing it.

Taken from: mommamonstersconfessions.blogspot.com

Lest more of these vanities continue to play with my emotion, I have decided to let go with my feelings towards you, no matter how painful it would seem. I am giving you all the freedom to be with your new crush that I want to crash, if given my way. Yes, letting go, for now, until you realize you need me more than anything else.