The ICM Centennial

In Our 40s...

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk at least 3 times a week. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Get more sleep. Turn off the TV earlier.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement: "Today I will __________."
5. Live with Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, or prayer.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild salmon, broccoli, almonds and walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new energy flow into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum and the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out credit card.
17. Smile and laugh more.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past.
23. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is like.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. View every disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is here and now.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing.
36. Call, email or text your family often.
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statement: "I am thankful for __________."
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride as much as the destination.
40. Treat everyone with kindness. You will be amazed at the abundance that comes into your life.

Edited from various email messages.

Thank You!

As a thank you gift to all of those who supported our Pearl Jubilee Projects, here's a commemorative bookmark and keepsake. Download the image, laminate with contact paper, cut out, punch a hole on top, and tie a ribbon thru the hole.

Use, keep, and remember...

The Theresian for Life Project

As part of our Pearl Jubilee, we launched The Class of 1978 Theresian for Life Project. The goal is to make as many of our classmates Theresians for Life, thereby augmenting the funds of the STAA for their numerous projects, and ensuring that our Class stays connected with the STAA.

Utilizing the sponsorship funds raised during the January 26, 2008 Alumnae Homecoming, and based on the amounts contributed for our A Gift of Pearls Raffle, our classmates who solicited the sponsorship funds enrolled 21 of our classmates as Theresians for Life.

But that's not all. Our U.S classmates, augmenting the cash equivalent of the First Prize, which they won in our A Gift of Pearls Raffle, enrolled an additional 10 classmates. That brings our total for our Pearl Jubilee to 31 Theresians for Life. And contributing the total amount of P62,000.00 to the STAA!

To learn more about the STAA and its laudable projects, follow the links. To see our list of Theresians for Life, follow the links to The Class of 1978 Photo Album.

Pearl Gifts!

We did it! Not only did we reach our target, we exceeded it! Our total donation to SEFI for our Pearl Jubilee, in the amount of P143,000.00, was turned over to Sr. Josefina Nebres, ICM, during the January 26, 2008 Alumnae Homecoming. This amount, together with the amount contributed during our Silver Jubilee, now makes the Class of 1978 Benefactors of the SEFI program!

Thank you to all those who supported our A Gift of Pearls Raffle!
For more photographs of our Pearl Jubilee, follow the links to The Class of 1978 Photo Album.

Pearl Prizes!

Our A Gift of Pearls Raffle Draw was held during the January 26, 2008 Alumnae Homecoming. Fourth Prize, drawn by former STAA Chairman, Lulu Bacsal-Gonzalez, went to Jhonassis de Asis. Third Prizes, drawn by our balikbayan classmates Anna Atienza-Colina and Anzelle Guevarra-David, went to Cecilia Modolo and Susan Policarpio. Second Prize, drawn by prize donor, Delby Panaguiton-Bragais, went to Christina Marie Pangdao. And the First Prize, drawn by our former Chemistry teacher, Irene Navarro, went to our U.S. classmates represented by Anzelle Guevarra-David!

Congratulations to all!

First Bell

The bell would ring twice every morning when we attended High School at St. Theresa’s College, Quezon City. The “first bell” meant that we were to form 2 lines in the corridors outside our classrooms. The “second bell” meant that we were to march into our classrooms for the start of classes. We were teenagers then, and the first bell would normally go unnoticed. Not until Sister Gloria Ymson started patrolling the corridors. She would stand at the end of the corridor, barely five feet in height, although to us, she could very well have been seven feet tall. Her mere presence there, framed by the wooden doorway, made that first bell superfluous. The whispering would start, “Sr. Gloria’s there!” And we would stop whatever it was we were doing and would dutifully form our lines, without her having to say a word, without waiting for that first bell to ring.

Gloria Roque Ymson was born on March 29, 1932, in Navotas. At the age of 29, she joined the Immaculate Sisters of Mary (ICM). She was originally with the Elementary Department of the then ICM-administered St. Joseph’s School in Pandacan, becoming its Principal in 1968. Eventually, Sr. Gloria joined the High School Department of St. Theresa’s College, Quezon City.

That is where we met her, where she taught us, where we were trained by her. She was our nemesis in High School, always aware of what we had done, and what we were up to. But she would never be able to stay angry with us for long, and after much cajoling and apologizing, we would see the first glimpse of a smile, the first break in her stern face. When we were in our Senior Year, that smile came more quickly and easily.

I saw Sr. Gloria again, after 25 years, during our Silver Homecoming in January 2003. My first reaction was amazement - that such a tiny sweet woman could control so many adolescents, full of young energy, for so many years. I hugged her then, never having had the courage to do so before, and asked if she remembered me. She said yes and spoke my full maiden name. She did this for so many of us who attended that night.

On July 31, 2007, after a series of strokes that left her in a coma for several days, and surrounded by her immediate family, Sr. Gloria Ymson passed on to Our Creator. Her remains lay in state at the Queen of Peace Convent, shrouded by the prayers of generations of grateful students.

She was and is our First Bell, the soft tolling in our minds that tells us what to do, the quiet ringing in our hearts that reminds us of what is right, the gentle tinkling in our souls that whispers “all is well.” She kept us straight and true. Honor her memory.