Two (2) years after leaving the academe (when I was only 37 years old then), my usual activities include: reading, writing, believing and living. I simply follow the slogan we formulated when Judy and I were assigned in the Book Ministry of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Mactan Chapter, “Read, write, believe and live”. I document or synthesize what I read reflecting and connecting lessons learned/relearned with my past experiences to assess my present allowing me to redesign my future. I believe what I read, journal significant feelings eventually living or applying the insights discovered/rediscovered. I have the Holy Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and a variety of inspirational and self-help books to guide me as I collate my thoughts.
Two (2) days after the Guinhulngan, Negros Oriental 6.9 magnitude earthquake (6 Feb 2012), I was attracted to the 25 Books Every Christian Must Read, a must-read book indeed. However, its price is beyond my budget. Suffice it to say that I was able to connect with www.renovare.us indicated in the back cover. “Renovare USA. . . encourages us towards a renewed, sustainable and enriched life with God.”
Searching for an alternative and enriching one among the “books on sale”, I picked up and bought Cellular Wisdom: Decoding the Body’s Secret Language by Dr. Joan C. King. After reading Part I, I am excited and activated to share what I discovered. I easily relate with the author because both of us came from the academia. Being a neuroscientist, she explains or decodes the cellular basis of human responses to internal and external stimuli comparing the trillion of cells of our body to the community of people. She reveals that “the fundamental truths for living an authentic, fulfilling life are decoded in the elegantly complex dance of chemicals and energetic interactions within and between our cells”. She believes that “the principles that operate in the body can be meaningful guides to constructing authentic and self-fulfilling lives”. I admire her career being the chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine before she becomes a professional certified coach (PCC).
Although my professional attainment cannot match with hers but there is some degree of parallelism. My master’s thesis dealt with Growth and Fiber Morphology of Abaca (Musa textilis Nee) Ratoons as Influenced by Plant Density and N Level. I measured the fiber cellular dimension of individual abaca fiber cells to determine their contribution towards tensile strength of individual fiber bundles. They were tedious microscopic activities that paid off reading the book of Dr.King. Looking beyond the technical significance or relevance of my thesis, I see a moral fiber that needs fertilization, rejuvenation and strengthening in our society.
Anyway, back to the present scary and fearful earthquake and false alarm tsunami aftershock that shook the Visayas Region, tonic immobility is a new striking phrase I encounter in cellular wisdom. Dr. King states, “tonic immobility is a physiological response to having one’s world turned upside down that give us permission to relax” (see p. 9 of her book).
The night before the scheduled national elections several years ago, I experienced a very shocking, most fearful and life-threatening experience. I was on my way to conduct Julio (July) Magallanes, a wedding god-son to Pier 3 in Cebu City bound for Baybay, Leyte. Responding to a stop light, four (4) armed men approached us, 2 in front and 2 at the back of the pick-up I was driving. I felt what is now known as tonic immobility because we stood still and in my mind, I silently trembled with, “Lordddd…!” which could have been specified, “My refuge and fortress, my God in Whom I trust”… with His merciful response, “I will be with them in distress..” (Ps 91:2 & 5).
Fortunately and with God’s Grace and Mercy, one of our would-be assailants in the driver’s seat (my side) verified and claimed, “Dili mao!!” meaning we were not their target. With the sigh of relief, we decided to go back home in Mandaue City cancelling July’s boat trip moving it to the following day.
Reading and understanding cellular wisdom as Dr. King decodes the body’s secret language provide me a micro and macroscopic view of life and living. While waiting for the synthesis of the whole book, visit or open www.cellular-wisdom.com. nmg
