What Christmas means to ME

“Let’s sing Merry Christmas and happy holidays. This season may we never forget the love we had for Jesus? Let him be the one who guide us as another new year starts. And may the spirit of Christmas will always be in our hearts.” – Christmas in our Hearts.

 Just the cold breeze of the crisp December air, and the noisiness of our environment, we could already feel it’s Christmas. Christmas trees are being decorated with colorful paraphernalia, lanterns are being hanged, gifts are already wrapped, and the surrounding is brightened up with the Christmas lights. Belen and Santa Claus miniatures are also out and displayed at some corners of the house.

After 11 months and 24 days, here we are again to celebrate the day when they proclaimed Jesus was born. There are a lot of preparations to be done. And of course, we have to brace ourselves for the forthcoming day of our savior. I, myself, was excited, too, for that celebration. How I wish it’s now Noche Buena. I can’t wait for it!

One thing I just can’t forget is my first Misa de Gallo wherein I am aiming to complete the 9 days of novena. Supposed to be I’ll only attend the mass on the 24^th night of December but because my cousin forced me to accompany her, I agreed to be with her. The message of the priest was emblazoned in my mind and heart: "End of the world is getting near. No one knows what the exact date of judgment is. But let us ask ourselves. Have we done something worth our living here on earth? Did we do good things during the period of our existence? Yearly, we're celebrating Christmas and now, we will again prepare for it. There are two kinds of this celebration - CHRISTmas and Xmas. CHRISTmas is celebrated with the ones full of love in their hearts; Jesus is with them. On the other hand, Xmas - celebration for people who are only unto material things and hate the world. Did we spend a MEANINGFUL Christmas even once? Love. Share. Forgive. That's the true essence of Christmas. Do what you have not done before it’s too late. Who knows, maybe it’s your last Misa de Gallo you'll ever had? And in the end, we can say... "I did this all for you Jesus." Until now, the words are still reverberating on my head.

This message is so true. Christmas is far different from all other occasions we celebrate. We are not to have just a party instead a holy and solemn celebration. We are not on the gifts; we are on the hearts' content. The true essence of Christmas is about sharing what we had without thinking what we'll lose or gain. It's all about expressing your love to everyone especially to the needy. It's all about getting your family together and strengthening your bonds. It's all about forgiving and asking forgiveness to those who hurt you and those you've hurt. Your state in life doesn't matter. As long as you had an open heart and you are happy with the things around you, I can assure you'll have a perfect Christmas Eve.

Let's celebrate a MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS. Let its true essence prevail not only during December months but also the following days that come along. Happy Holidays :">

Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities

Having equal rights and equal opportunities is being mirrored in Mathematics. In our daily life as student, we always deal with Mathematical expressions. For the solution to be correct and for the problem to be solved, EQUALITY must exist – where both sides of the given are being BALANCED to each other.

If we have equal rights, we must also have equal opportunities. Since birth, we all have obtained the rights we must have. A "RIGHT" portrays what is JUST, LAWFUL, and PROPER. 

                                                    The General Assembly

proclaims
This Universal Declaration of Human Rights

as a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the people of Member States themselves and among the people of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offense, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.

Article 12

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

Article 16

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23

(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out-of-wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Article 27

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29

(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein. CREDITS TO: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/list-of-human-rights.html

While in the other hand, there must also be "OPPORTUNITIES". It pertains to the time or occasion that is right for doing something good . In short, GOOD CHANCES. Good chances rarely comes and if it dwells upon you, you grab it immediately. As they say, "Grab opportunities as they offer it to you, because maybe in the end, you'll regret for letting it go." Therefore, if people tend to be equal in this world, and no discrimination at all, doors for opportunities will be opened up.

FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS. GRAB OPPORTUNITIES. Equality between rights and opportunities must dominate in this century until the future generations to come.