THE SONG OF THE HEART

“I love you so much!”…“Promise, I really mean it, cross my heart…”

lines Familiar? Before and even up to the present we associate the heart with our emotions. Maybe because the heart beats faster when we are frightened and thrilled, when in fact, the brain in its real sense tells the heart to speed up. And with its constant contraction and continuous rhythmic beating, it started chanting a song least heard over the radio. Yet it is the sweetest music life could ever take noticed of. Yes, it sings the lyrics of the greatest opera called LIFE.

The heart being the muscle of vim and vigor is vital because of what it does. Its parts, working as a team, when it is filled with blood, it squeezed, pumped, refilled and produced a contraction that provides the body with oxygen and nutrients it needed and even eliminated wastes. The heart is the rhythm of life itself. Its incessant and musical beating ensures circulation of the blood throughout the entire body. The heart does this, all day, all night, all the time…

I might not be hearing what each youthful heart inside this auditorium is singing, but as I see each eyes staring at me, I deem to hear a chorus that I believe would make life even more beautiful. If all of us would heed towards maintaining the vitality of our heart, we can make it work better and prevent it from chanting murmurs.

Most of us are born with a healthy heart. Keeping it in good shape is indeed our lifelong task; a responsibility that would make each of us a keeper of the temple of God. We cannot afford to stain and destroy a very important muscle that makes man truly a covenant of Love. Each beat of our heart reminds us of this responsibility.

Remember that the heart is a muscle. If we want it to be strong; we need to exercise it and take care of it. But how do we do it? We just have to be active everyday. Being active would mean participation in activities like outdoor sports or just simply brisk walking. We should never smoke as it becomes a creeping paralysis that destroys the heart and the blood vessels. Our diet greatly affects in the disruption of blood flow as more and more accumulation of unhealthy fats in the vessels would impair circulation. In addition, keeping a healthy heart is making oneself happy and managing stress properly. Reports show that anger has been shown to narrow blood vessels as it increases blood pressure as well as heart beat rates and adrenalin levels. It causes the blood cells that form clots to get sticky and clump which can cause a blockage and eventually a heart attack.

Friends, it is inspiring to note that if all of us would put high regards with taking care of our heart, we can love more, serve more, and become an instrument of change. Indeed, we the youth can leave a permanent imprint, a legacy, and be a good influence to others. By practicing what we know is RIGHT. Certainly, when all of us aim towards a common goal for our nation, our hearts would beat as one. Embracing our purpose would help make this nation a place full of LIFE and VIGOR.

From the inspirational words of Og Mandino which says: “We are not on this earth by chance, we are here for a purpose, and that purpose is – to grow into a mountain and not to shrink into a grain of sand. Henceforth, will I put all my efforts to be the greatest mountain of all. And I will strain my potentials until they cry for mercy. But my skills, my heart, my body, my mind shall rot and die lest I put them into good use. I have unlimited potentials. Only a small portion of my brain do I employ, only a paltry of nerve do I flex. A hundredfold or more shall I increase my accomplishments of yest. And this I would do beginning today.”

Let us educate ourselves to become a caretaker of God’s kingdom by taking care of our hearts. Let us not forget that the education of the heart still is the heart of education.

Friends, put your hand over your chest. Feel the heart as it beats, close your eyes and try listening to what it sings. Lub…dub…lub...dub…. lub…dub…Mere sounds that produce music of life and purpose; a melody that sings the spirit of our existence; the song of the heart. And if we all together maintain that healthy sound, making the heart stronger, we can then be a masterpiece towards making this nation a better place to live in.