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In
1995, I had the opportunity of attending the World Youth Day held in
Manila. I was one of the 3 million
people who attended the mass at Luneta Park.
Just before mass, people were already crowding the park.There were just too many
people around. We could not move freely. It was
hot and very inconvenient. Many were
already in the park the night before forcing us to stay very far away from the main
stage.
However,
I had a rare opportunity when the pope's vehicle passed near the road where we were
staying. I was around 15 meters away
from the road but when I saw Pope John Paul II for maybe 10 seconds I felt
something very different. The pope had a very powerful aura. Just seeing him as if I was seeing Jesus. By the way, after 8 years I saw him twice in
Rome, at the St. Peter’s Basilica and at Castelo Gandulfo. The same experience. On these three occasions, the pope triggered the positive receptors in
me.
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What
do I mean by receptors? It seems that we
hear this word and is connected with electronics.
That’s how I first heard this word. In Physiology, they refer to a specialized or group of nerve endings that responds to sensory stimuli. In Biochemistry, they refer to a molecular structure or site on the surface or interior of a cell that binds with substances such as hormones, antigens, drugs, or neurotransmitters (
My operational definition to this word is about a thing in our mind that receive stimuli through our brain. It depends what the receptors receive that the brain can interpret. If the receptors are positive, they will send positive information to the brain. If the receptors are negative, they will send negative information.
Human beings have receptors. Let’s take this example. Sisters Ann and Weng
were born a year apart.
Ann has a very positive aura making her the favourite among family
members, relatives and neighbours. Weng
is the complete opposite. Ann would
smile every time she receives praise and accolades. Weng doesn’t.
Both have receptors but differ in kinds.
Two
different sisters, two different receptors.
Two
different attitudes, two different receptors
As
a teacher, I also experience having students with different kinds of
attitudes. Like sisters Ann and Weng,
there are students who react differently to stimuli.
Even
in doing classroom activities, students differ in terms of their reaction and
performance.
Reason? They have different kinds of receptors.
Receptors
are in our mind who filter our thoughts or stimuli from the outside.
Receptors
can lead our brain which processes and influences our thinking, words and
actions.
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In order to have positive receptors, here are few suggestions:
1. Know yourself and your past. What were your healthy and unhealthy past experieces? Awareness would lead to understanding yourself, and later on loving yourself.
2. Learn about your receptors. Be aware what are those things that can easily
trigger yourself both positively and negatively.
3. Activate your positive receptors. If Pope John
Paul II helped trigger my positive receptors, then I should be mindful and
develop these receptors (not the person of the pope). It is like asking, "What makes me happy or what inspires me?" It's good to know these.
4. Reject negative receptors. By knowing your receptors developed by your bad past
experiences, you need to be aware of not welcoming them or allowing them to
influence your life.
5. Enhance your receptors with the Word
of God and Prayer. One
of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of the adulterous
woman. The Jews brought the adulterous
woman to Jesus with sarcastic and demeaning words. It was a very intense moment. Just by seeing this sinful woman, I’m sure
those people are pissed off. Jesus saw
all these things but he has positive receptors.
He saw goodness more than the sinfulness of the woman. He saw the opportunity of educating the
people instead of allowing them to be enslaved by their own sinfulness.
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Negative
receptors are created because of our bad past experiences. If you have painful, unjust and terrible past, you developed these
receptors. Every time similar experience
occurs, receptors are triggered and produced signals to the brain. On the opposite, positive receptors are
developed if you have a loving and healthy past.
Our goal is to develop positive receptors in order to live a positive life.
Jesus is our model. He can also cleanse our brain and wash away negative receptors.
Jesus as model can help us produce millions of positive receptors.
May your dreams be blessed.
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