70 years

would you believe that an eagle can live up to 70 years! yes, 70 long years. but for the eagle to achieve that, he must undergo a very painful process of rebirth. you see, when an eagle reaches the age of about 40 years, he must decide whether to go on living or just die. when he grows old, his beak and the talons on his two feet curl up thus making hunting for food an impossibility, his feathers, because of his age, becomes sticky and makes flying very difficult. he is so dependent on these 3 parts of his body for his sustenance. and with this predicaments, the eagle must decide on a very radical and very painful decision, one that could challenge his very existence and his desire to go on living until he dies of old age. and if he does decide to go on living, he must undergo this very painful process: he will repeatedly strike his beak on a hard object, a rock for example, until his beak falls off. once it falls off, a new one will grow in its place. he then will have to pluck up his old, curled up talons so new ones can grow and finally, pluck his sticky feathers as these will be replaced also with new ones. imagine, how painful that is! when all this is done and his new feathers, beak and talons grow back, he then goes on this very famous flight of rebirth. i really can't believe an eagle has to go through all these to achieve rebirth, but he does...

this was the gist of a recollection given to us by our community's (CFC-FFL) young and very dynamic spiritual director, Fr. Lando Gabutera. I was deeply touched by this story and had come to reflect on all the changes and struggles my life has undergone. now, i am inclined to believe that all these are but painful processes of rebirth. i have come to accept that i may not have been a good steward of the many blessings that our good Lord has bestowed on me, especially on the aspect of my family because i have opted for the easy way out... one that could scar my children for life. in short, i regret all this has to happen to "our" lives but then, i tend to believe that our Lord makes things happen for a reason, a reason that He alone knows, that He alone comprehends. i cannot call this "the" radical change of my life but can call it as one that may lead to "my" radical decision to achieve a very painful rebirth. in the spirit of lent, i would like to enjoin you my dear friends and readers to reflect on what that radical decision was in your life? and what struggles have you undergone to achieve that painful rebirth.

thanks to Fr. Lando for finding the time amidst his very busy schedule, on a palm sunday at that to be with us all. big thanks likewise goes to tito paolo and tita tess for providing the community the space for yesterday's recollection. may this lenten season give us reason to reflect on the life, the hardship's and eventual death of our Lord for all our sins. ciao y'all!!!