If there is one person who can inspire me to get out of my comfort zone and shift careers, it is Mr. Mon Peñalosa of Victorias City, Negros Occidental. I visited his farm recently together with a group of bloggers. As always, Sir Mon doesn’t cease to amaze me. From the first moment that he talked about his farm, he had the group at the palm of his hand. I’m willing to bet (though I’m not a betting person), that after his talk, majority of the group (composed of young urbanites from Metro Manila) are convinced that farming is the key to riches.

Trials in all walks of life are essential to test how we would react, but most especially on how these trials would mold us on how to be a better individual. We may not be perfect, but as they say our imperfections make us really perfect. And for an effective teamwork to happen, the members must complement what their fellow members can do for the group, for a specific goal, more so for the successful implementation of a program / project.

Life begins at 40 or so they say. But lately, it seems to me that life ends at 40.

It was a cloudy morning of May 30, 2013 when we left for Bongabong and Roxas for our final orientation of the School on the Air Program for the Second District of Oriental Mindoro. Midway through our journey, rain poured and thunders rolled as if a storm was brewing. The situation made me contemplate backup plans since we cannot cancel the scheduled orientation, knowing that the start of airing will be on next Tuesday. In my silence, I prayed to GOD to give me wisdom and let me trust HIM for whatever HIS plan for us that time.

Recently I assisted the Regional Farm Family Forum (RFFF) in Calbayog City on May 22-23, 2013. Since ATI started conducting RFFF, orientation on e-Extension has always been a part of the affair. This year's orientation, just like in the last three (3) years, was doing well with the usual queries from the audience. However, I was taken aback when a 4-H'er from Biliran province asked, "In your own perception, do you think the e-Extension Program made significant impact in the lives of the farmers?" That was hard. While thinking for an answer, I saw Sir Mike raised his hand to my relief.

There are graduations and then there are Farmer Field School (FFS) graduations. Obing Macario, in her Balm to the Spirit post, gives us a quick and succinct description of what goes on in a FFS graduation. She tells us how, even after attending so many FFS graduations, each one always evokes that unique feeling of fullfilment only an extensionist can discern.