Mindanao: From My Point of View

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Volunteerism: Is it still here?

Volunteerism.... What does it mean? They say this spirit is already gone. Has it truly gone. Are volunteers within reach?

For me the spirit of volunteerism is the one that ignited my passion to do things for others. I was truly amazed at my teachers in religion, called the catechists, who would endeavor to teach us things about God and His works, without being paid in return! They were the ones that inspired my young mind, thinking that when I am already at the right age, I will do the same for the next generation. Priests, nuns, missionaries and many others that I met in my growing up years in college and even in my young professional years, all the more enkindled that passion. How I admire them giving up personal ambitions just to teach young minds in preparing for their future.

How I love it surrounded by people who selflessly devouted themselves in service of others. I met many of them when I was still a student leader of Catholic Center Campus Ministry, a Chaplaincy founded by a very dear friend priest, Fr. Michel de Gigord, MEP. I met some of them while I was still in the Singles for Christ; I met them when I was once a catechist in Redemptorist Church in Iligan City; I met them when I was a volunteer of TULOY orphanage in Alabang. Thus, it is no surprise that volunteerism is a quality that moves me into making major decisions in life. It is deeply embedded in my soul.

And I am fortunate enough that even in my stay here in Iligan after my marriage, I got the chance to meet a lot of them getting involved in activities that I got myself into. I also had the chance to meet volunteers of Gawad Kalinga, from Global Exchange, both Filipinos and British nationals, who made themselves available for others and despite their potentials to seek personal vainglory in their young careers, opted to set it aside, by trying to make a difference.

How I truly admire them! And now that I am married, although things in my life have changed, it was quite a refreshing experience for me having the chance to speak with two British volunteers, all women at that, about their views in life. Plus the fact that last August 10, five of us all females made it as the first female team to join in the boat rowing competition using only bare hands in the Kilawan Festival in Kiwalan. Well, unfortunately it was our first time to practice when we are already on the actual competition. And good for me, I managed to fill the boat with waters, that made the boat sink. It was hilarious! But I truly,truly enjoyed it! I have missed a lot of true volunteers! And whenever I got the chance to meet them, I would certainly know who they are. They are people who transcends their culture. They are people who are oblivious to the world because they think that no matter how seemingly trivial their tasks are, they know they make a difference. They are people despite the absence of adulation and applause are willing to traverse the difficulty they encounter as a consequence of their decisions. They are people who amidst differences with people they work with continue to finish the goal. They are people who wants to accomplish the end but an inner peace and joy is likewise achieved.

Perhaps you too have the same aspirations at heart. And whether you have joined in an organization of volunteers or not, it doesnt matter for as long as you do things for others even of others do not recognize them, then you are already a volunteer! Find that volunteer in you! God made us all volunteers in various ways: for our spouse, for our family, for our friends, for our love ones and for various communities!

An Interesting Book on Personality!

It's been such a long time since I got a time to pick up a book and read it cover to cover, until a week ago and its refreshing to be transported back again to new learning.

Well, its not that the concepts are totally new to me since I am a graduate of BS Psychology, somehow many terms have been familiar to me especially the discipline and the field itself.

What interest me about this book is perhaps its relevance to my present status in life as a married person. Since the time I got married, I have been preoccupied with many peculiar adjustments about myself to the point that reading seems the last priority. After long years of continuous study, my mind seemed to explode in many things that I learn and I find emptiness if I am unable to apply them in practical situations of life. And so when I finally got the chance to take hold and read a book, I felt refreshed. And I am seeing it from the point of view of a married woman.

The book I am talking about is the "Personality Plus" written by Florence Littauer. In the book she discusses four basic types of personality. Although I have encountered more types in other psychological theories, I find her description simple and easy to remember.

Before I read the book, I took the Personality Profile Test related to it. Thus, prior to reading it thoroughly, I have already identified what type of personality I got. Somehow the results truly show basic characters of me. I got the combination of the two types. What inspires me more as I read through it is the fact that the author who is a woman, has the same combination of personality type that I got and the man she married is possessed with the same personality combination that my husband got. So I can truly relate to her experience.

She pointed out that the four basic types of personality are the following: Popular Sanguine, Perfect Melancholic, Powerful Choleric and Peaceful Phlegmatic. Each of these personality types has its own strengths and weaknesses and although she discusses only four types, she recognizes that at any rate, each individual remains unique, only that he has certain inclination and methods of understanding the world around him.

Popular Sanguine are extrovert, talker and optimist. They have appealing personality, life of the party, sincere at heart, always a child, cheerful and bubbling over, wide-eyed and innocent, physically holds on to listener, good sense of humor, good on stage, changeable disposition, lives in the present. These are basic emotions of a popular Sanguine. At work, a popular sanguine volunteers for jobs, thinks up new activities, looks great on the surface, creative and colorful, has energy and enthusiasm, inspires other to join, charms others to work and starts in a flashy way. As a friend a popular sanguine makes friend easily, loves people, thrives on compliments, seems exciting, envied by others, doesnt hold grudges, apologizes quickly, prevents dull moments and like spontaneous activities. These are basic strengths of a Popular Sanguine.

Then Littauer also described the second type of personality, the Perfect Melancholic.Emotionally, Perfect Melancholic are deep and thoughtful, analytical, serious and purposeful, genius prone, talented and creative, artistic, philosophical and poetic, appreciative of beauty, sensitive to others, self-sacrificing, conscientious and idealistic. At work, a Perfect Melancholic is schedule-oriented, perfectionist, high standard, detail conscious, persistent and thorough, orderly and organized, neat and tidy, economical, sees the problems, finds creative solutions, needs to finish what is started and likes chart, graphs,figures,lists. As a friend, a Perfect Melancholy makes friend cautiously, content to stay in the background, avoids causing attention, faithful and devoted, will listen to complaints, can solve other's problems, deep concern for other people, seeks ideal mate and moved to tears with compassion.

The third type as Littauer discussed is the Powerful Choleric. On emotion, he is born leader, dynamic and active, compulsive need for change,must correct wrongs, strong willed and decisive, unemotional, not easily discouraged, independent and self-sufficient, exudes confidence and can run anything. At work, a Powerful Choleric is goal oriented, sees the whole picture, organizes well, seeks practical solutions, moves quickly to action, delegates work, insists on production, makes the goal, stimulates activity and thrives on opposition. He has little need for friends, will work for group activity, will lead and organize, is usually right and excels in emergencies.

The last type is the Peaceful Phlegmatic. The Peaceful Phlegmatic are introvert. They are low-key personality, easygoing and relaxed, calm, cool and collected, patient, well balanced, consistent life, quite but witty, sympathetic and kind, keeps emotion hidden, happily reconciled to life and all purpose person. As a worker, he is competent and steady, peaceful and agreeable, has adminsitrative abilit, mediates problems, avoids conflicts, good under pressure, finds the easy way. And as a friend, Peaceful Phlegmatic is easy to get along with, pleasant and enjoyable, inoffensive, good listener, dry sense of humor, enjoys watching people, has many friends and has compassion and concern.

Those are just the basics of each personlity type. If you are able to read the book in its entirety, you will see how we can improve and complement in each other. After reading it, one will realize that God after all created us with our own strengths and weaknesses. We are indeed unique. All of us has something to give and must be willing to receive.

And if you are to know how did I score in the self-examination test: I scored in almost same figures of a Popular Sanguine and a Powerful Choleric. And I suppose that my husband is a Melancholic and a Powerful Choleric. You can only imagine how both of us struggled in our marriage. I would like to achieve in things but I want to do it in a fun way, not serious. But my husband would also like to accomplish things but he does it very seriously. And since we both want are ways done, we ended up imposing on each other what we think is the best approach.

When I was done reading the book, it somehow enlightened me. And instead of suffering for my husband's melancholic character, I try to understand that its how he is made by God. In that fashion, I would be able to minimize the duel in our household. (By the way, he is starting to read the book now. I am hopeful it would help him understand my nature too. :-)

In all these, I have come to realize that truly all of us is essential for each other. Sometimes, we find it hard to understand our own brothers or sisters or mother or parents or siblings or children or friends, relatives, people in the communtity we got ourselves involved into but if we also take a look at their basic profile, we shall also unburden ourselves for the pain they have caused in us which in truth and in fact, they do not mean to cause. It is just their nature.

And indeed the journey to personality improvement is a constant effort and having read such a book at this point in my life, have greatly aided me.

But then again, we must always connect all this to One Who made us. Human understanding is a mere tool. Understanding God Himself and listening to Him remains to be the solid foundation as to how we look at other people and how we understand ourselves.