How you are at anything is how you are at everything.

The good news is that Canada is so huge that every person there can own and live on a property the size of Luneta and the bad news is that if you need a can of sardines from the neighboring sari-sari store, you WILL have to take a bus.

Guest Robert Gregory Forbes, on his first ever visit to his Filipino in-laws was awestruck by the sheer number of his newly found relatives. Being a Canadian ‘probinsyano,’ the last time he had seen so many people at one single time on TV was during the inauguration of President Ronal Reagan.

What he most appreciated about the Philippines is the strength of Family Values and love and respect for each. He found that only in certain rural parts of Canada. He also appreciated very much the fact that the Filipinos are spiritual in nature and have a lot of simple faith towards things. This, he claimed, keeps them happy and going even during hard times and through lack of basic resources. It makes then resilient and peaceful at the same time.

He shared one good idea, “the Philippines as a country can emulate from Canada is giving a certain amount of autonomy to every region and placing optimal control and power in the central government.” That he said works for well for Canada and there are lessons to be learned from that.

The kind-hearted Canadian Coach and Trainer has two adopted kids of Filipino ethnicity, he is the regional director of Chalice International where they are currently looking after the growing needs of 1,600 Filipino kids and in his 30 year stay in the Philippines, he has been able to touch and shape the lives of nearly 40,000 Filipinos through his seminars called “People Synergistically Involved,” or PSI.

What was most insightful about the interview was a principle he quoted from the PSI philosophy, “How you are at anything is how you are at everything.” He was, of course, talking about our perspectives and attitudes towards life rather than our looks and skills at work.