Kidapawan Post No. 2: A pair

I found these two rather ordinary-looking, neglected poles many years ago in my walks around the backyard. I haven’t quite figured out what they’re for… but I was drawn to them because they look so peaceful and comfortable beside each other.

Quite a nice pair.

Humans like things in pairs. We are wired for symmetry. Whatever is on the left side of our bodies must have something alike on the right. Something to that effect. That’s why babies find perfectly symmetrical faces more appealing.

I’ve also come across some study saying that our bodies have naturally occurring “pheromones”… some kind of odorless smell which helps us find our pair. Although this claim has been much debated since, I still find it cool. Neat.

And, yes, that great biblical story on the great flood cannot overemphasize the importance of pairs.

The underlying message in both stories is this: people are not “designed” to be alone. People need or are bound to find someone, their best possible chemical or spiritual match. Two lives can have separate meandering journeys but will cross paths somewhere. Meant to be, as they say.

For those who have found theirs, natural and biblical truths must have worked for them at a much faster rate. For those who haven’t and for those who thought their search was over but were mistaken (a false positive, according to statisticians), that someone must be just a “sniff” away.

Isn’t that a relief?

…Just pray it doesn’t have to take another biblical event to find that right pair.

Fighting poverty one hug at a time

It was an ordinary day and I was catching up on some news at CNN. Then I was struck by their feature on India’s “hugging guru,” Mata Amritanandamayi. Everyday, Amma, as she is fondly called by her followers, has hordes of people from all over the world waiting in line to feel transformational love through her hug and motherly advice. Makes you wonder why a stranger has to give somebody else a hug... In an interview, she said:

"There are two types of poverty in the world, financial poverty and the poverty of love; the second is more important."

It is awe-inspiring that Amma has embraced so many lives not only in her own country… Proof of what sublime powers a simple hug can have. Know more about Amma and her philanthropic works here.

Have you had your dose of hugs today? Maybe you need to give some hug, too.

On a lighter note, if we are in a desperate need of a hug and nobody around us is willing to give us one, perhaps, we will have to be content with THIS… (Pls. click on the link to see how. Yeah, this copyright stuff can really spoil the fun.)