Summer is finally here. This year’s summer is even delayed, as last year’s started early. Last year, February was already hot. Our sales in Carrier air conditioning and Selecta ice cream definitely benefitted from that. With El Niño last year, we also saw hydroelectric power companies having great difficulty in making sure power was continuously supplied, especially in Mindanao.

We could feel the heat already as we move around the country. Two weeks ago, I went to Cebu to give a talk to Avon operators and entrepreneurs (who are expectedly mostly women). We had a very good session with their entrepreneurs as we encouraged them to be more enterprising and to keep the winning attitude. They adopted a theme “Believe to Succeed” which is very much aligned with the mantra that Go Negosyo is sharing around.

Anyway, in that trip, we felt the warm humid weather that was starting then. Then, in an effort to keep the family bonding, we had to bring our youngest daughter Isabella to Baguio. She kept bugging me to take her to horseback riding. She rode the horse for five hours a day and I felt sorry for the guide who had to walk that long to assist her… Well, these are what parents do once in a while for their kids.

We got to attend our Palm Sunday mass in John Hay. It was already packed with people so early, since Baguio weather was surprisingly still very cold. That Palm Sunday mass was the longest I attended in years. I think it went on for an hour and a half. The priest gave one of the best sermons I have heard in a long time. He mentioned how holy week these days are not so holy anymore, with all families going to the beach and just having fun. This is very true. Most people nowadays see Holy Week as a time for vacation and time to party instead of a time for reflection and spirituality. Some tend to forget what we are supposed to observe during these days.

When we were growing up, our Holy Weeks were spent in Baguio. Back then, Baguio’s population was maybe a third of what it is now. There was no pollution and the surroundings had more green. People lived simple lives. There were no cell phones, internet, play stations, etc. There were just the Channel 4 and government-owned stations, since those were martial law years. We used to live in our house in Legarda Road. I remember that we would visit seven churches during Holy Week. We did not have all these gadgets today that easily distract people. Silence and having some reflections were easy to do during Holy Week back then. When the sirens from the Baguio City Hall called out every 6 p.m., all cars stopped and people prayed. Today, I don’t see that in Baguio anymore. As my wife reminded me to go to confession and complete the Stations of the Cross, I remembered back then that these traditions also came naturally.

The modern life today somehow made most of us materialistic in a sense. Being busy is a common word we entrepreneurs use. The challenge for many entrepreneurs is to set spiritual priorities, as most of us are obsessed with finishing more work. Sometimes, we tend to forget that there is a greater Power above us giving us the blessings we receive. And we should remember the ultimate sacrifice

He did to save all of us.

The priest went on and said that being holy is not just applicable on Sundays when we attend mass. We are supposed to live it out in the other days of the week as well. He defined holy as: H for Humility; O for Obedience and Openness; L for Life of Fidelity and Life of Faithfulness; and Y for Yearn to do good. The mass brought back many memories on how we spent our growing up years in Baguio during Holy Week with my very religious parents. Those were great memories.

I guess today, we need to find time to have silence. We need to go on a retreat, away from all the noise around us. Just perhaps, we may hear a different sound that will enlighten us to be better persons, as holy as God wants us to be in this world.

This holy week, let us spend time to reflect on what we have done this past year and what we should do to amend our ways. Let us reflect on how we can further improve our relationship with God. I believe it is a continuing process and each of us should always strive to live the way He lived, the way He treated others with love and compassion. It’s hard but we should never give up. With all our blessings, it is only right to think of ways on how to pay it forward, even to share our time, talent, and treasure in helping others help themselves. Sacrifice is also a practice called upon these days. For entrepreneurs, it is also like having discipline and pain before gratification, which is important to prepare for the future. Let us observe the Lenten Season and welcome Easter with enlightened hearts and minds.

We welcome all aspiring and starting entrepreneurs to attend our M.B.A. (Magandang Business Advice) Program. It is a series of “next level” output-based entrepreneurial workshops that will teach you how to start your own business. Catch the first run of the M.B.A. Lecture part on May 6 and the Mentoring part on May 12 at the Asian Institute of Management, Makati. For inquiries on the program and registration, visit our website (www.gonegosyo.net) or call the PCE Secretariat at 6379229 or 6379347.

Contact me: feedback@gonegosyo.net or Joey Concepcion Facebook account. Visit www.gonegosyo.net. Watch the top rating entrep show GO NEGOSYO: Kaya Mo! on GMA News TV, Saturday and Sunday 8-8:30am. Get daily Go Negosyo Text Tips in your mobile phone by sending GONEGO to 2910.