Your mantra for the week: Miracles happen when I am happy.
I call IAMISM a Course in Happiness, but it will take understanding of a few concepts to bring about such happiness:
- God is invisible energy and intelligence that is everywhere, but most importantly, within each man, which is what Jesus meant in the Lord’s Prayer, “O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration.”
- Angels are divine ideas or intuitive flashes that come from one’s subliminal depth, in response to one’s desires and decrees.
- God the Son is every man, a child of the Cosmic Birther, which oftentimes is referred to as a “Father.”
- The devil refers to the negative in one’s consciousness, and when spelled backwards, it spells the word “lived,” referring to “life,” which is positive and not a physical, as religion has taught.
- Salvation means a solution to a problem; when you are hungry, food is your salvation. Health is your salvation from sickness; abundance is your deliverance from lack. The concept of a Savior outside of ourselves is an illusion.
- Sin only means “missing the mark.” Man is not a sinner; he makes mistakes but can make amends. The only sin one really commits is the failure to live a happy life.
- Listen to God. It is always speaking to you through people, events and circumstances, your inspired ideas, intuition, dreams, experiences, life, talents and abilities and yes, even your diseases and especially through the miracles that unfold in your life.
Study these concepts—they may bring you the happiness you have been desiring.
Viva Italia
Opera lovers, headed by Nedy Tantoco, gathered at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to enjoy the Philippine Italian Association’s presentation of “L’elisir d’amore,” a comic opera in two acts composed by Gaetano Donizetti, with libretto by Felice Romani, reputed to be the most frequently staged opera in Italy from 1838 to 1848, and still part of the global opera repertoire.
The secret of this opera’s success is in its capacity to create a balance between the humorous and the sorrowful. In this performance, the lyrical aria “Una Furtiva Lagrima” is as poignant as ever.
The main character Adina was adorably played by soprano Elena Monti, supported excellently by Costa Rican tenor David Astorga and Korean baritone Byeong In Park. Francisco Vultaggio provided many of the comic situations, and Rachelle Gerodias Park makes a special appearance.
Maestro Ruggero Barbieri conducted the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra with the singers of Coro Tomasino and dancers of the Philippine Ballet Theater. Special bow to the director Vincenzo Travaglini—a truly global presentation!
During intermission, we had a chat with Pinky del Rosario and husband Klaus Zeller; the constantly lovely Frannie Jacinto and George Yang, who are closely related through the Osorios; bosom friends Lourdes Montinola and Lorna Laurel. I finally met Lia Bernardo, who was with mother Conchitina.
A post reception was held at the Silangan Hall for the sponsors to meet the artists. Current CCP president Nick Lizaso helped Nedy welcome the guests with three former CCP heads in attendance: Bal Endriga with wife Tess, Nes Jardin and Raul Sunico, who joined us in the Hermès’ table headed by Mario Katigbak and friends like Peter Jentes, DJ Lopez, Marian Ong, Rupert and Tina Jacinto. We were happy to see Juancho Robles and Pinky Tobiano, Merle and Eddie Pineda.
A very private affair
I attended the most interesting party recently hosted by one who insists on remaining anonymous, and whose guests included many A-listers, A-minus (the minus for varying reasons), and the B-plus, meaning the “big-moneyed” ones who hardly have any listings found under their names.
From the reception area where we mingled with over a hundred invitees, champagne was the name of the game and the pass-arounds never stopped, with an added torch singer lending her talents to the occasion. People were dressed to the sevens, eights and nines.
At around 8:30 p.m., dinner was announced, and we were to move to the next space, which turned out to be a veritable garden of a hundred dramatically lit, lush trees where two long tables were laid out for 120 guests, with each place properly identified, bedecked with a variety of colorful flowers.
As we entered, there were two beautiful birds, a cockatoo and a macaw, which reminded me of a very funny old story about a religious lady who was given a gift of a female parrot who was taught to speak, “I am cheap and available.” This lady told her parish priest about this unusual gift and what she should do with this pretty bird and he answered, “That is not a problem—bring her to me and I will expose her to two male parrots who are very religious and are constantly praying.”
She followed the instruction and sent her bird to the parish priest. When the two male parrots met her, they were so delighted as she kept repeating her usual line. The parish priest, upset, confronted his pets and asked them, “Why are you so happy about your new friend and her unbecoming language?” The two male parrots bowed and simultaneously replied, “She is our answered prayer.”
But the host’s answered prayer was the perfection of the event—from the food prepared by a well-known Italian chef, to the female saxophonist who provided the dinner music and finally, to the spectacular showing of the host’s levata impareggiabile raffinatezza.
It was like a party of yesteryears, when press coverages were unnecessary and guests were assured of their treasured privacy.
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