Thank you Lord for your blessings

Matthew 13:12 "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

5 years na ang blog na ito

Yes 5 years na pala ang blog na ito. Saan ka pa? Thank you to the Universe for this space. Thank you for the inspiration. Iba talaga pag ginagalit ka ano marami kang masusulat--hehehehe

Sabi nga ng isang housemate, ikaw ang bida ng istorya ng buhay mo. :)

Dahil wala na nagbabasa ng blog na ito, OK na ulit magsulat ng mag sulat dahil lahat sila nasa facebook na. mwahahahahha.

create your own happiness

"Oftentimes you give others the opportunity to create your happiness, and many times they fail to create it the way you want it. Why? Because only one person can be in charge of your joy, of your bliss, and that's you. So even your parent, your child, your spouse---they do not have the control to create your happiness. They simply have the opportunity to share in your happiness. Your joy lies within you." --Lisa Nichols

Dinner with good old friends :)

Last night I had a good dinner with an old friend and her teenage daughter. Just to let you know how long we have been friends, I knew the kid since she was 2 years old and now she is 3rd year high school.

It was a great dinner. Had my favorite stuffed mushrooms on top of a creamy bed of three kinds of cheese. There is always a first as I tasted my first ever artichoke dip. When we ordered it I thought I would she the whole artichoke hehehehe... anyway I did enjoy the dinner.

Thank you for good friends indeed.

words

"The central fact of my life has been the existence of words and the possibility of weaving those words into poetry..." Jorge Luis Borjes

Love

You cannot give love unless you have love.

Now I understand and felt this at its core.

You cannot get water from an empty well.

life in letters

Today we sent a letter to Ate Rose in Sweden for her coming birthday on the 21st ...we traced Isay's hand on the card and sent our love in words... and pictures.

I remember when I was younger I love receiving letters. I kept them all in the province at the old ancestral house where I grew up. Eventually they were thrown away while I was away... well to purge the house of trash. But anyway, that was a good memory keeping those letters and re-reading it when I was in grade school.

Funny how we easily forget of good memories. Try as I may, I cannot remember the details of those letters that gave so much joy. I guess that is the beauty of writing in a journal. You can remember those memories. Exactly how things happened... those words will transport you to the time that you were excited, elated or even scared. Sigh.

It is good to write.

Sad that people do not write anymore.

It is always a choice to be happy

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all it's sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

-- Max Ehrmann


When I was a young girl I received this poem from Inay. I am thankful that I am reminded today.

Happiness is a choice.

Purge

It felt good to purge the things that you do not need anymore. Old magazines, old files, old books, and all that trash that is piled up in the cabinet. Now I can make more space for the new books. Just getting rid of all that clutter made me feel good. I felt the cleaning exercise is good for my soul. Purge. Purge. Purge. One should take the time to throw away the garbage that has accumulated through the years. Let go of that junk. When you haven't missed it in a year, have not used it for a year, have not looked at it for sometime... you know it is time to throw it away.

Where do I get this inspiration, you might ask? Well from Clean House! We really need to un-clutter our place to make that space for the things that really matter.

Create that space.

Make something new.

Liberating.

Ito pala hinahanap ko na word to describe it e.

Liberating.

Trees do not strain to grow

I remember the peach tree in Kung Fu Panda when I received this message. We cannot tell the tree to grow. It just grows.

Isay's purple blouse

When I go to the office, I usually wear my nuetral colors, black, brown, white-- as a sort of uniform colors for me and my wardrobe. Occasionally I wear my red blouse-- but it is a bit old now. The color is a bit faded (kupas na ika nga). Then there was this day I got a chance to buy this purple a bit shiny purple blouse. I loved it when I saw it. I tried it on and it fits. Very well I thought.

Then after that shopping spree, the blouse just hang in my clothes rack. I saw it everyday as I choose my usual black and browns. In my mind oh no i might not be able to wear this ah... well... but Isay love it. She will grab it and wear it like a robe and walk around the house. She claimed it to be her blouse.

Many weeks later. About last week, I finally decided to wear it to work. Isay was furious saying "blouse ko yan!" ( that's my blouse). I just explained that nanay will just wear it to work this time and borrow it.

When I got to the office, true enough, I was showered with compliments and up till I got home tatay and even manang approved my wearing this new color.

Haay...

I just realized now that indeed, we should not be afraid to wear our colors.

Happy.

grateful

I am once again reminded that the greatest power in the Universe is to express your gratitude.

Indeed I am thankful for all the blessings that I continue to receive in life. I will continue the reason why I made this blog in the first place... that this will serve as the record of the many good things in life that I am blessed with.

My cup continues to overflow with blessings. I am amazed that once a few moons ago some of the things that are manifesting in my life right now are just thoughts. But now they are reality. There is wisdom indeed that when you pray you need to be specific for what you pray for. But we all know that God is not a vending machine. He really wants to bless us. We just need to ask. if there is one prayer that we can pray many many times over in the course of the day-- that is to say "Thank You".

1. Thank you for my family who continually gives me unconditional love and my source of inspiration
2. Thank you for Isay. Who often reminds me "it's OK Nanay". She has said this to many times over at the most appropriate time. She is such an old soul.
3. Thank you for my hubby who is the most wonderful friend, lover, companion, and everything in between.
4. Thank you for friends far and wide who inspires me to increase our achievement quotient every time.
5. Thank you for good health of my family. There was a time a week or two ago that I had sore throat and I cannot drink water--- that was the ultimate reminder that even the smallest things can give you happiness. I am so happy now that I am able to drink water with my usual globglobglob sound ehehehe.

6. The list will continue on...

mga araw sa tag ulan

ultimately supposedly our reflections will lead to the re-discovery of our true passions in life.

me gusta vacaciones

This week we finished Spanish class for the year. Next year I hope to continue on with my intermediate classes. The classes are so fun and funny. The last memory of the words that are still ringing in my ear is I want to go on a vacation.

I just want to go.

Bumangon ka

We were watching Go negosyo about Balaw balaw. The owner is sharing about the business. He said: darating ang mga araw na parang ayaw mo na, wag mo lang pansinin, tapos bumangon ka.

simple napaka simple. bumangon ka.

His Team

It has been a while since I wrote in this blog. I think it came to pass that I've been to the desert in my writing and sharing. Life went on and the world kept turning. It felt like I was dead yet I was alive. Many things happened the past months. Big things small things. sometimes the smallest things are the ones that give me such inspiration.

I felt today that I received a message. He told me. I heard from someone He sent His word. "Whatever you do, wherever you are God wants you in His Team".

I was struck.

And was moved to write


and now share again.

Photos by

Among the photos I recently took, these are one of my most favorite. The two are the Ninong and Ninang of our daughter. We have been witness to their love story and we are very happy for them. On this day, I am once again reaffirmed that love really finds a way.

Congratulations!!! We love you both.

Relationships

It has been a while since I shared my thoughts in this blog. Many things has happened in the past months that has changed the immediate direction of my life and have in a way changed the course of our lives in general. But despite the many changes and the inner emotional landscapes that I had to tread, my compass remains to be my family and friends, my relationships that keep me grounded.

I was very happy to receive this invitation from our artist Ninang sa Kasal Susan. We have visited them in HK last 2007 and hopefully will be visiting them soon. We may not be able to visit in the next couple of days but we want to extend our love by sending this small note.

Here I want honor Susan as she has been one of my most inspiring mentors in life.

Sending my love to you Susan and Mike.

This is one of my most favorite pictures from the hundreds I took when I was in the Netherlands. It reminds me of the cold weather that I love to hate. The novelty of landscape calling me take a walk despite the cold. And I did! Yes I did! I love those paths which I followed while staring at the moat. That is a true blue moat just like the ones you hear from fairytale. My time there was short but sweet and in hindsight bittersweet.

weekend warrioring in Europe

Overwhelmed is an understatement. It was a dream come true indeed.

I am still here in Wageningen Netherlands. I will write more about my trip to Paris and Milan in future post. I just want to share that it was a fantastic weekend.