here we go

this afternoon at work, the deputy chief of the bureau summoned a meeting - quite unexpectedly. he called five new officers and one senior officer. i was one of the five. another person present during the meeting was the president of the bureau's association in the two international airports.she was a new face to me, and i to her because she was based at the Terminal 1 and i at the Terminal 2.

after brief introductory remarks were made, we found out that we were chosen to conduct lectures and seminars -- it could be to new batches of officers, travel agencies, airline personnel or other related government agencies like the DOT or DFA.

I was like, HUWHAAAT????!!?

but after the initial shock, i must say i was flushed with amazement, excitement, and a little bit of anxiety. obviously, the meeting was very complimenting to us neophytes. but the meeting also posed as a challenge -- one that will test our aptitude and knowledge about the law, and one that will test our integrity (unfortunately due to some corrupt government workers).

i've always seen myself, alongside with my fellow officers, as one of the gatekeepers of the country. bouncers who decide who can get in and who can leave.ever since i started with the Bureau, i promised myself that i owe it to my dad and my God to try as hard as i could to remain grounded in the principles i have been taught, to apply Colossians 3:23 ("Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.")and to live a simple life. sure, i sound as idealistic as any new recruit could get. but i'm using this idealism to my advantage -- never mind the heartaches of learning that some of my colleagues who have become my dear friends have been swallowed up by the lure of money or power or wealth.what matters is what I do if and when i'm faced with the temptation to corrupt or to go along with what has been habitually done.

i'm just over a year old at the airport and i know there will be bigger temptations and greater seductions as i grow older.money is power, they say. you can do a lot with it.

but i force myself to think, if i was OK before knowing i could have this huge amount of money, then i know i can live without it. and money that doesn't belong to me is not worth keeping. easy money in, easy out.

i hope and pray to God that nuthin will and can sway, influence or compromise this conviction.

there's a secret i wanna share with you: i am trying to make a difference in my own little way. as i said earlier, i owe this to my dad and my God. ang laki ng nagagawa ng utang ng loob. it can simplify things. so if i am careful and faithful, i will carry this out till its completion.