Dear Diary: Moments

Like millions of Pacman fans out there, I was hurt when he lost his 60th fight, against Timothy Bradley. This article helped me completely moved on and embrace reality --- there will be times when losing is more like winning.

An article by Cito Beltran (The Philippine Star) Updated June 13, 2012

No one likes to see a popular champion go down, more so in the case of Manny Pacquiao who has become the modern day icon of the little guy making it big, an underdog becoming world champion and more recently, the icon of redemption.

Unfortunately we can all analyze the controversial decision of the “3 blind mice” to death but it won’t change a thing. But being the humans that we are, we all need to make sense of the “unbelievable,” or justify the unacceptable. What I noticed is that most people have focused on the controversy, or the small picture, rather than on the “Big picture.”

Right after the split decision was announced a heckler-friend of mine quipped that Pacquiao lost because he had become born-again. In fact prior to the fight, practically all local newscasters and commentators had mused or speculated that Manny Pacquiao’s redemption or embrace of God and Bible might soften him as fighter.

As I watched the newscasts and endless replays, I also needed to make sense of Pacquiao’s loss. I was initially tempted to go the way of most critics and focus on the fight, but my heckler-friend led me to ponder about Pacquiao’s loss in the big picture. What sort of impression will the world get seeing Pacquiao lose in spite of his new found faith?

Considering Pacman’s recent redemption and embrace of God and the Bible, the proverbial question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” comes to mind. Because of our religious culture based on reward or punishment, most people would assume that Pacman should have won because he had already turned from naughty to nice, from sinner to saint. So how could such a bum deal go the Pacman’s way?

To see the big picture, we should recall how a string of victories and 8 division titles turned Manny Pacquiao into the poster boy of materialism, promiscuity, and self-indulgence. Even when he was being more than naughty, he was the people’s champ and as far as everyone was concerned, he earned the right to live the life he chose. Yes, Manny Pacquiao “gained the whole world but (was about) to lose his soul.” Not only did he almost lose his soul, he nearly lost what was most important in his life, his wife and children.
In that tumultuous season, Pacquiao also almost, or may have in fact lost his last fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, but he won by way of a controversial decision. Yes he won, but it was what we would call an empty victory. Back then in the midst of doubt, and the threat of a serious marital separation, winning must have felt more like losing.

By God’s grace, Manny Pacquiao encountered people who were used by God to shed light on the Pacman’s real state of affairs and draw him towards the Bible. What people scoffed at as the desperate struggles of a man drowning in his success, turned out to be the true repentance of a sinner. Unfortunately the world and media at large are uncomfortable talking about God and living by the Bible especially in America.
The big picture is about how God gets into the picture.

After Manny Pacquiao’s redemption, both local and international media was suddenly full of Biblical sound bytes that could not be edited out, because a world champion and an ex-champion sinner was talking and all he wanted to talk about was God and the Bible. Pacman sang words of praise and the cameras could not edit it out. He had become an official spokesperson for God and an icon of unification between Catholics and Christians. Suddenly Manny Pacquiao was living out what the apostle John spoke of when he said, “He (God) must be greater and I must be less” (John 3:30).

So why did Manny get such a “raw” deal? I surmise that in God’s divine plan, people had to see just how far or how deep Manny Pacquiao had changed. If Manny simply won as many expected, people would have taken his redemption for granted. Without any challenge to his character and his faith, how would people fully realize that the people’s Champ had truly changed? It would have been all about boxing and not about faith.

Manny Pacquiao’s unceremonious and unexpected defeat had put him to the test not only as a warrior in the ring, or a world champion for that matter. In that defining moment, he stood before the eyes of millions eager to see and hear his reaction. His loss and his response revealed exactly where he was with the Lord. If Pacquiao’s redemption were momentary and planted on shallow soil, he would have buckled, perhaps howled in protest and raised up a storm in anger.

Instead he humbly accepted the decision and dismissed any suggestion of filing a protest. Manny Pacquiao’s PDA or Public Display of Affection for God moments after such a stinging defeat was the best preaching any priest or pastor could have made that day. Watching Manny Pacquiao holding hands with his wife and children, quoting Bible verses and putting up strong faces was the best reminder for all the rich and famous around the world, that in the end, even in defeat, the two things that will remain of great value to you are your Family and your God.

With $25 million in the bank, your loving family at your side praising God and hundreds of global celebrities on your side, I’m sure that this was one time when losing felt a lot like winning.

It will take approximately 315,552,442 Krispy Kreme doughnuts to encircle the Earth - Krispy Kreme Fun Facts But hey! We can never accumulate that much because people are crazy eating krispy kremes while they are hot! And to us, people of South (and to those passing Alabang area) Krispy Kreme Philippines gave us an awesome gift! Their newest branch is now serving the yummiest doughnuts in the world – Krispy Kreme Festival Mall!

"Krispy Kreme is a brand that Filipinos know well and love. We are very happy to finally open our first store in the South with the intent of sharing the delectable Krispy Kreme experience across the nation" - Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines.

Photos taken during Krispy Kreme Alabang VIP night, September 02, 2011 -- a very successful event where I witnessed how Filipinos truly love Krispy Kreme doughnuts.That night, I became a big fan!