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Studying Under Nobel Winner Edmund Phelps
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Jan 1, 1970
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Seeing the Stars at the US OPEN 2006
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Jan 1, 1970
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Jessica Agra: Tennis Champ at Fourteen
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Jan 1, 1970
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Travelers, We All Are
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Jan 1, 1970
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Kamsamida Kim
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Jan 1, 1970
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Confused state of MY religion
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Jan 1, 1970
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A Leap of Faith
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Jan 1, 1970
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Buon Giorno! The Start of a European Adventure
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Jan 1, 1970
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Inspired by Leaders, Bill Clinton Included
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Jan 1, 1970
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Leaving my Heart in Shanghai
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Jan 1, 1970
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On Finding the Right Words to Describe Greece
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Jan 1, 1970
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The Chronicle of Human Life
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Jan 1, 1970
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The Kiss of Eternity: A Fairytale
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Jan 1, 1970
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Til When Do We Continue to Care
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Jan 1, 1970
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Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
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Jan 1, 1970
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A League of Their Own
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Jan 1, 1970
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Dean Rudy Ang: Educating Future Men for Others
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Jan 1, 1970
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A Teacher’s Voice
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Jan 1, 1970
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Ithaca
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Jan 1, 1970
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Nicole Lim: Life at Harvard
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Jan 1, 1970
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The Lord of the Rings: Beyond the movie
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Jan 1, 1970
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The Sound of Music
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Jan 1, 1970
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The Game: Popet Lizardo on Tennis
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Jan 1, 1970
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Filipino Wisdom in Foreign Shores
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Jan 1, 1970
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Victor Calanog: Flying High
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Jan 1, 1970
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Wilson Lee Flores: The Passions of a Writer
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Jan 1, 1970
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A Greater Scheme of Things
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Remembering Our Grandfather
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The Kiss of Eternity: A Fairytale
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Thursday, January 1, 1970
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This is a tale about a certain Elesar and Princess that has been told and retold, in which the original meaning has all but been lost in the retelling. This is a story of a great love that many of us, young and old, live to hear. Thus, as it has been passed on to me, so I attempt to share it with you.
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In that world of in-between; that mythical land of Zanlithea linking heaven and earth, dream and reality, there exist Elesars. Elesars are right-hand men and helpers of the Angels who dwell among the gods, and distant relatives of the Fairies who live among earthlings. Elesars, adorned with majestic wings on their backs and golden halos on top of their heads, possess features gentler than angels, but stronger than those of fairies. Their kisses are bittersweet, for though these possess the greatest of healing powers, spell doom when in contact with foreign beings.
Elesars are young creatures; they never grow old in age nor in spirit. Though Elesars are of a more mischievous and rebellious race than their Angel cousins, they are pure of soul and were thus given the entitlement to eternal life.
Zanlithea has been long argued to be the embodiment of a place idyllic enough to rival any image of paradise one can ever think of. It is a land free from anguish, surrounded by clear waters, sapphire skies, multi-colored rainbows, rolling hills, and dazzling sunshine all-year round. Right at the center of Zanlithea lies the great occulux, life-source of the Elesar race. The occulux enables communication with the gods and allows Gabriel, Master Elesar to bear witness to the goings-on of mankind.
Only the Master Elesar Gabriel in all of history has been granted access to the occulux; interaction in any form by other Elesars was strictly forbidden for fear of a growing attachment to distant worlds. There had long been whisperings that an attachment to distant worlds – that of mankind most especially, had in store for Elesars a fate worse than any they could ever imagine. A fate tied to their right to live in Zanlithea.
The story begins on that fateful day when Elesar Nicholai was asked to deliver a message to Master Elesar Gabriel. Master Elesar Gabriel lived in a magnificent palace with walls encircling the great occulux. Elesar Nicholai was flying over the palace walls when he saw the faintest of glows lighting up the occulux. It just so happened that of all Elesars, Nicholai was the most inquisitive of all, and was unable to quell the stirrings of curiosity. Elesar Nicholai closed off his mind to the warnings of the Master and with a great whoosh, landed on the ground next to the occulux.
Human souls are glorious things, as seen from the occulux. The purer the soul and closer it is to that of which Elesars possess, the lighter the color emitted by the occulux. Then and there, while Elesar Nicholai was scrutinizing the occulux in an attempt to determine the origin of the light calling out to him, Princess Sophia back in earthly land was sitting by her window, drawing a portrait of heaven – a place she aspired for and hoped to meet when her time on earth was done.
Princess Sophia was at the age of fifteen a young girl in possession of a broken body and yearning mind. Her mother, the Queen Elena, had given birth at the age of 52, far beyond the normal accepted range even in today’s world. Since she was a baby, Princess Sophia possessed the weakest of lungs and failed to develop full use of her legs. In a constant state of distress, Queen Elena called on all he finest doctors in the land, but all these good men recommended was that the Princess stay indoors and get as much rest as possible, as was the common nature of advice given during that period in time.
Thus Princess Sophia was shut from the world – from both the beauty and treachery of mankind. But as they say, pain serves to make the heart stronger, and for this reason or due to the greatest of miracles, the Princess managed to retain the most innocent spirit of all. She was no stranger to desolation but her kind nature would not even imagine enforcing undue suffering on others. She endured her burden in dignified silence, and not once did she complain about the injustice of it all. Her soul was free of evil in any form and emitted a whiteness unlike any other the Elesar Nicholai had ever seen.
And so it was that Elesar Nicholai sat beside the Occulux, entranced by the picture the young Princess presented. All the fears of the Master came to fruition as Elesar Nicholai decided that just that once, a rule was meant to be broken. He set himself up for a journey down to Earth to help ease Princess Sophia’s torment.
Princess Sophia was smiling gently at the sight of a sparrow nesting on top of her window when a flutter of wings caught her gaze. At first the Princess thought she was asleep, for the vision right before her eyes was only before seen in her dreams. The prettiest boy she had ever seen was standing right in front of her.
“Did you just fall from the heavens?” the Princess finally blurted, after a long silence.
“No,” the Elesar replied. And he was not lying, for as we all know he did not come from that place. After a second’s thought, he added, “I’m a Pilgrim.”
The Princess squinted and after a moment asked tentatively, “What is that, kind sir?”
Elesar Nicholai pondered over the question then said, “A person in search for something.”
“Oh.” The Princess’ young mind tried to absorb it all. “Then I’m a Pilgrim too.”
And as simple as that, this common aspiration became the foothold for the blossoming of a beautiful friendship.
When the Elesar Nicholai, in a moment of insanity and rash decision making, decided to fly down to Earth, he never intended to stay for more than a few hours. However, days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Before he knew it, the Elesar had been in the company of the Princess for a year. Each day, Elesar Nicholai would fly down to earthly land without fail and spend entire afternoons in the company of the Princess. He found himself waking up each morning, lifted by the thought of being greeted by the Princess’ smile, but feeling more and more detached from the daily matters in Zanlithea.
Slowly, sunlight came pouring into the Princess Sophia’s world of darkness. No longer did her mind sit in cold isolation. The Princess sat enchanted, listening to tales weaved by the Elesar’s imagination. Never had anyone attempted to sit in patience through her coughing spells and teach her all that she hungered to know. The Princess’ mind began to spin faster than any wheel ever could; fascinated by the unfolding of history that was happening before her eyes. Nameless faces and faceless names of conquerors and emperors of old began to take root in her young mind. But even as the Princess delighted in the new knowledge being imparted onto her, the Elesar could sense that something was still bothering her.
And thus as they were in the midst of a discussion one day, the Elesar tentatively inquired, “Dear Princess, am I boring you with too much of my rambling? Just give me the word, and I shall stop.”
The Princess cried out, “No, of course not; your voice sings sweet melodies to my ears. It would pain me deeply if you stop. I just feel uncomfortable knowing not of the workings of nature or the origins of man. I sorely regret missing out on so much when I was alone in my corner, watching days pass me by.”
Elesar Nicholai felt a tug at his chest when he heard the Princess say this, for his sympathetic heart could not bear seeing the Princess unhappy. Without giving it any thought, he bent down and kissed Princess Sophia’s forehead. And just as he did, the Princess gasped, for it felt like someone had reached into her mind and poured stardust which started to sparkle across her eyes.
Elesar Nicholai wobbled on his feet for an instant, for a searing pain was running through his head. And for the first time, the Elesar finally understood to some degree all the warnings that had been passed onto him by the Master. Unknowingly, his kiss had passed onto the Princess infinite wisdom – no stranger to Elesars but yet unseen in man.
Shaken back to reality, Princess Sophia stared at Elesar Nicholai as the halo which had long adorned his head suddenly flickered and after a few moments faded entirely. The Princess began to cry, for she understood its significance. She had been granted the gift of enlightenment, but the Elesar had paid the price for this. Slowly the Princess began to realize that the Elesar came from a higher place; that he was no ordinary pilgrim that chanced to pass her way.
“Dear Princess, do not cry. The halo was merely a symbol of no use to me. I am a thousand times overjoyed that your mind has been filled with riches no one can ever take from you. From this day forth you will have access to information from sea to sea, to the furthest edges of the earth and this will enable you to dream and construct to your heart’s desire.” The Elesar said earnestly.
And thus the days went on. The Princess’ newfound knowledge heightened her curiosity, and before long she was yearning to go on adventures of her own. She dared not speak of her desire to the Elesar, for she knew that he would be deeply troubled by it. But as was the case, they had grown so close that Elesar Nicholai could once again sense this new burden dragging the Princess down.
“Dear Princess, I can sense your distress; please tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Kind Elesar, you have done too much. I’m merely being selfish, wanting more than what my body can provide. The imagination’s a wonderful thing, but how I wish my body was whole and I could go out to explore and have adventures of my own.” The Princess hesitantly replied.
Without warning, Elesar Nicholai bent down and kissed the Princess’ cheek. And just as he did, Princess Sophia felt a tremor shake her body. Her eyes widened as she stared at her usually pale fingers and toes – they were turning the most beautiful shade of pink. Her breathing, usually coming in short and drawn-out gasps, suddenly quieted to a steady rhythm. A flood of fresh air came pouring into her body.
“I can feel my legs; I can!” exclaimed the Princess.
Elesar Nicholai smiled.
Wondering why there seemed to be a lack of reaction from the usually exuberant Elesar, the Princess averted her gaze from her newly restored body and turned to look at Elesar Nicholai.
Princess Sophia gasped in horror. The handsome wings which had so proudly adorned the back of the Elesar had broken off and fallen onto the ground. There was no doubt about it; the Elesar was slowly losing signs of belonging to his own race and was coming to adopt the human form.
“Shush, I don’t want to talk about it,” the Elesar calmly stated.
The Princess understood, nodded, and clasped the Elesar’s outstretched hand. She was deeply touched by this selfless and noble act, for she knew that there would now be no turning back for the Elesar. Without his wings, Elesar Nicholai had no way of making the journey back to Zanlithea. The Elesar was finally experiencing true pain and loss, qualities not too long ago were foreign to him.
And so the two of them went, having the grandest of adventures while sailing in the sparkling waters of the Aegean, riding through the densest forests, running across the prettiest flowerbeds. Just as the Elesar had lost his home, the Princess was finally getting a glimpse of what Zanlithea was like. Elesar Nicholai gloried at the joy that radiated from Princess Sophia’s being, no different from a child’s unbridled enthusiasm.
The Princess had all her heart’s desire, for with her mind and body restored, she was finally able to start living her life to the fullest.
“I could live this way with you forever and ever.” The Princess sighed with glee, and to no surprise realized that she was falling in love with the Elesar.
Elesar Nicholai was coming to the same conclusion of his own, and though he was at that moment rejoicing in this love, he could feel a tingling in his bones. The tide was shifting and the Elesar feared that this happiness would be marred in an instant. And he was not mistaken in this assumption.
The change wrought in the Princess did not go unnoticed. The Queen was overjoyed that her only child and heir had undergone such a miraculous transformation. She began to set the stages for the Princess to be reintroduced to society and learn the duties she had to her people. For the Kingdom of Queen Elena was one of great influence over the rest of the world, and for it to go without a ruler would be a tragedy for many people near and far.
Princess Sophia loved her mother dearly, but mourned over time lost with her beloved Elesar each time she was dragged to functions and ceremonies which then seemed trivial to her. She once tried to bring Elesar Nicholai with her, but massive human contact seemed to weaken the Elesar greatly. Thus the Princess resolved not to err in the matter again.
“I don’t want to become a queen,” was the repeated line of her prayers.
Elesar Nicholai was sad, for though he knew that he had fallen deeply in love with the Princess, and so she with him, this was a love not meant to come to fruition. It was time for the Princess to go back to reality and live the life she was meant to lead. For the changes he had wrought would all be for naught were she not to fulfill her duty to her people.
And thus the Elesar brought the Princess out for one last time, across a valley to an enchanting island where time seemed to stand still and where hope seemed to reign freely. The Princess reveled in the moment, her mind unwelcoming to even the slightest conception of goodbye. As the sun started to set, the Elesar gazed into the Princess’ eyes and kissed her deeply on the lips. Their bodies stood perfectly together, entwined under the illumination of silver stars streaking across the moonless sky. That would be the third and final kiss the two were ever to share.
The world spun. Faintly, one could hear the bells clanging in the Church across the mountain, as if in unison to the event happening.
That next morning, the Princess woke up early to the sound of a sparrow chirping. She groggily walked over to the window, feeling as if she had just awakened from a deep slumber of unconsciousness. There was a queer feeling at the pit of her stomach. She had no clear recollection of the events of the previous days, but her spirit felt light and refreshed.
As she got closer to the windowsill, she rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn’t seeing things. For in the center of the garden stood the most magnificent statue she had ever seen of a young boy kissing a Princess that eerily looked like herself.
For better of for worse, together with the gift of inner strength, the Elesar’s kiss had bestowed upon the Princess a rewriting of history. Images from the Princess’ memory that had any connection with the Elesar were erased, but emotions attached to these experiences had somehow lingered.
And so it was the Elesar Nicholai learned; Elesars are granted the power of three and only three kisses to be bestowed on humankind – the final kiss being a kiss of eternity. Elesar Nicholai had given his soul to the Princess – and in the process lost his own being. Whether his body had crystallized into the marble statue, turned into ash as bodies of mortals do, or faded into oblivion, no one knows for sure.
The Princess continued to live the rest of her days, unwalled by tears or shadows, forever happy and content. But deep in her soul she continued to feel a yearning to ease the pain of any child that she chanced to meet. Princess Sophia eventually found love once again, passed on her traits of compassion and benevolence to her children, and so they to their children. This went on until a child was born in the line of Princess Sophia who made it his life long goal to enrich the lives of children worldwide. He is known today as St. Nicholas, or rather, Father Christmas.
Thus the Elesar’s sacrifice may not have been in vain, for the world is a happier place today because of him. As long as there are children believing in the spirit of purity of soul, Elesar Nicholai and his love will forever continue to dwell in our hearts.
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