Childhood stress causes illness

The American Psychological Association says that early experiences "cast a long shadow" on health. In a study held by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, it has been proven that those children from worst-off families has stiffer arteries and higher blood pressure. Unpredictable and stressful environments, as researched by the same team, causes children to be anxious.

Another study showed that children who experienced abuse or loss of a parent are more vulnerable to the effects of stress in later life of even during their teenage years.

Telomeres - protective caps on the ends of chromosomes which have been linked to age-related diseases, of children who faced sexual abuse or any kind of abuse and such adversities are shorter than the norm. Also, they have increased levels of inflammation even after controlling for age, care-giving status, gender, body mass index, exercise and sleep.

Long before, it has already been established that childhood stress can affect on mental health and now, it shows that it also has an effect on one's physical health.

This is truly alarming because in the Philippines, there are more children who lives in a poor community. In a poor community, it isn't just about not having enough to eat or not being able to study in a prestigious school. A lot happens behind closed doors. Who knows, maybe half of the children who lives in a poor community are also enduring abuse.

In our General Psychology class, we've discussed that one's regressed emotions or experiences can affect one's thinking and feeling unconsciously. I completely agree with this because I am a living proof to that. During my childhood, I've seen countless acts of violence, and now that I'm older, I tend to reenact those actions without my awareness. Yes, it is truly alarming but I believe that one can control his/her action; although one cannot change the past, one can absolutely change his/her present by not duplicating and imitating what one has seen in the past. Our future and destiny is in our own hands.

A Skyless Earth

Have you ever imagined the earth without the sky? What if the sky was just avoid?

Dark, cloudless, starless, and moonless--that is how our sky would be if it would just be a void. No sun will come up in the morning to wake everyone up, no rain will pour to nourish the plants and the soil, no moon will signal the onset of night time, no stars would shine for everyone. Have we even thought of these things? I bet not. We simply go about our daily lives, not minding the sky because we are already so used of waking up each morning and seeing the sun rise or seeing the beautiful hue of the morning sky. And at night, we await for the stars to come and shine for us.

Most of the time, we are not grateful of what we see simply because getting used to an idea sometimes makes us forget of God' s blessings like the sky and things which constitutes it: sun, clouds, stars, and the moon.

Take a deep breath for a second or two. Realize the ceaseless beauty of one of God's most inspiring creation: the sky.

Stars in the Sky

Stars--they come in two different colors; blue and yellow yet from afar, it looks like it emits the color of yellow. They seem like they are only dots way up in the sky, but in actuality, some stars are even bigger than the sun.

You see, sometimes, what we see is not what we always get. The seemingly little stars we see are not really little and their color are not of yellow. Sometimes, we have to look deeper; we cannot just stick to our usual paradigms because they aren't correct most of the time. Our perspective should not only be limited to what we already know. We, as individuals, need to listen and learn in order to grow and be better.

Take a look at the sky right now. Do you see the stars shining? Do you realize how bright they are? Don't be so fooled by their yellow bright color for what we perceive is not always correct.

The Blazing Fire

While on my way home, I noticed a commotion which I initially thought was caused by another motorcycle accident. But then I saw the sky lit up by a great fire. My initial reaction: amazed and disappointed. I am amazed how people can bear to talk for hours about such tragedy. I'm disappointed because it seemed like they have no plans of calling for help.

Although the fire was a tragic incident, I couldn't help but admire the astonishing contrasting colors of the fire and the deep dark sky. The almost blinding hue of the blazing fire illuminated the dark starless sky. Indeed, the fire was a tragic incident yet the light that it brought was astounding. In life, we sometimes experience a similar terrible yet enlightening tragedy. Like the sky, our minds are sometimes so clouded; we cannot think and decide straight, we sometimes get lost in our own disturbing thoughts. Then comes a seemingly plain terrible tragedy. We might not see what good it brings us but if we only step back a little, we can see the bigger picture; we can see the enlightenment that it intends to bring us.

So when there is a fire, let's take two steps back in order to see the bigger picture. And maybe, just maybe, we can see the light behind our clouded minds.

The Sky

There are some things in life which will forever interest us. It could be as little as a pen as long as
one finds profound meaning in it. One thing that continues to bewilder me is the celestial heaven--the sky.

I especially love the sky when it is in the shade of light blue. Its brightness makes me feel hopeful. When the clouds way up high are fluffy and cotton candy-like, I feel relaxed and at ease. It's vastness, for me, is a daily indication of God's greatness. It is almost like God or at least one of His angels is coming down from the heavens whenever the sunlight beams cinematic-ally through the clouds.

The sky will eternally be exhilarating for me; its hue, clouds, and vastness will never fail to amaze me.

My first week back in school

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday; my first week back to school all began and ended with no lasting memories made in between. It has been, by far, the gloomiest week of my college life. I can't help but ask: Is there something wrong with me? Am I unhappy primarily because I don't want to be here? The questions go on and on.

Every waking moment of the past week seemed very difficult to face. Have you ever woken up just to find yourself looking for something to keep you going? Well, I have. It sure wasn't fun. Unenthusiastic, unmotivated, and undetermined. Those three words accompanied me on my first week of school. Sure, my first week certainly has no significant impact on the course of my life but I guess.. what I can do now is to continue being hopeful; hopeful for a brighter day. I know exactly what I need: motivation, determination, and focus. But where do I find motivation? What can push me to be determined? How can I focus and detract myself from my own disturbing thoughts of despair? I am fairly certain that I cannot answer these questions overnight. Maybe I just have to keep on going and maybe, just maybe, somewhere in the middle I'll find the answers. But for now, as days go by and fades into nights, I will continue being hopeful.

Most people say that education begins at home; does this saying also apply to education regarding sex? Does education have to begin at home? What about those families who simply taboo’s the subject of intercourse?

Sex education, as defined by Wikipedia, is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. Recently, the Department of Education in the Philippines discussed the need of implementing sex education in our country. But according to an article in The Manila Times Online and Print copy, dated June 22, 2010, DepEd decided to “hold in abeyance” integration of sex education in the basic curriculum due to misunderstandings and debates surfacing,. DepEd, however, will implement the program after they consult the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Phillipines (CBCP) and others who obstruct the plan.

The Department of Education’s secretary, Mona Valisno said that DepEd is open to revising contents the sex education modules if such modules go against Christian Values. According to DepEd, the increasing number of teenage pregnancies is truly alarming. Most teenagers who are pregnant are mostly from the lowest class of society. However, the church completely contradicts the plan of actualizing sex education in the Philippines because they firmly believe that education regarding intercourse should be taught at home; parents should take full responsibility of educating their children about this delicate matter. In the same article, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) executive secretary, Lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong explained that sex education violates certain laws such as: the primary right of parents to the development of the moral character of their children, right of families or family associations to participate in planning and implementing policies affecting them, right of spouses to find an institution according to their religious beliefs, sanctity and protection of family life, violation of marriage as an inviolable social institution and as the foundation of the family that merits the protection of the state. According to her, sex education even in developed countries does not even show progress in educating young children on safe sex. She also added that the fact that more contraceptives are aimed at the young, the more pregnancies, abortions, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases will result.

I completely side with the Department of Education; the need for sex education in our country is becoming more and more evident. The way I see it, the Church is completely closing their minds regarding the idea of implementing sex education in our country. Apparently, sex is a huge taboo to them. I agree that parents should take full responsibility in educating their children concerning sex; I firmly believe that it should be talked about at home. Yet, I still side with the Department of Education because I am completely aware that we have such a conservative culture and that most parents chose not to discuss intercourse with their children. What about the great number of homes where sex is a forbidden subject? Where and how can the children living in these homes learn how to properly manage their sexual well-being if they can’t talk about it at home and in school? Indeed, sex is delicate matter which is why we have to face and give importance to these subject; we cannot just ignore it. As previously discussed, Imbong stated that implementing sex education violates the primary right of the parents in their child’s development. Literacy regarding sex is also a part of a child’s development whether the parents want it or not. It is a fact of life. How can they asses the proper development of their children regarding this matter when they only neglect this part of their child’s development? It is also believed that sex education violates the right to sanctity and protection of family life. How can a parent protect his family especially his children if he keeps them oblivious of reality?

We cannot just let young children go out to the real world, assuming that they will somehow figure out how they are going to properly deal with sex. Sex is a relevant matter, we should affront it. Ignorance can never save young children, or anyone for that matter, from getting pregnant or having sexual diseases.