Hope and Gratitude -- My Mind's Version of a "HAPPY MEAL"

When we are too scared of losing something, we end up really losing them because of the fear that we feel inside. Don't you notice that when you embrace the thought of a possibility, it suddenly turns into reality?

Breathing in day-in and day-out having that constant fear and doubt inside your chest won’t bring you any good. Instead, the presentiment of losing something spoils the beauty of having it. So instead of going about with your daily life trying to get a tight grip on something, try living a life filled with gratitude. Keep your arms wide open so you can embrace more possibilities and better things that might come your way.

If you fill your heart with love, high-hopes, and requital for what you currently have, there will be no more space left for fear and doubt to pervade. And since the mind has the power to make into reality all that it seizes, always fill it with good and positive thoughts. Have it encompassed with the notions of great possibilities. It's about time that you let your spirit soak in light-heartedness and the positive attitude of knowing your life will get better at any point in time.

Loss and disappointments are truly disheartening and the fact that they do exist does not help a bit in keeping your hopes up. But you should not let those things interfere with the good things that you will soon encounter. Never let negativity define your character. Instead, you can dote on each lesson learned and value each scruple that you picked up during every incident.

Sure, it is easier to let your selfdom wear the crown. You can do so and sulk in bleakness and hopelessness, or you can simply live in gratitude and let your spunk take charge.

Hoping you let gratitude fill your mind today,

Rain, I love thee!

Whenever I start hearing the rain pour down, I instantly feel glued to my bed. It seems as though the heavens poured down tons of magnets designed to keep me cling like ivy to my bed. It is such a painful experience having to peel myself off the cushion I laid my back on last night. I used to be cheery when when I wake up but when the clock ticked 6 this morning, I felt like I was dragging myself to eat, bathe, and get dressed. The cold weather didn’t help a bit in my efforts of pulling my energy up to its usual level. I used to hate the rain when I was in college. Living and studying in an area that can instantly turn from a busy road to an island, I must say that rain is not really sought-after.

Well, Im a fan of rain and every good feeling that pours down once it starts gushing from the heavens. It’s just that feeling the coldness from the outside makes me realize that I still have warmth inside me; that I still knew how to recognize coldness because I experience what warmth is.

There’s definitely something about the rain. Maybe it’s the negative ions that linger on the air after a heavy downpour that makes me feel good inside. When it pours, I want to just close my eyes for a little while. Doing so just feels right; it’s like having an instant dose of anti-depressant. Well, maybe the coldness of the weather is capable of bringing out my warmest emotions and sentiments.

Happy rainy days! :-)

Thinking that the rain is another gift that God sent for me today,

PS Perhaps I just had one of the best rainy mornings here at the office. The breakfast I had is like the cherry on top of my happy rainy day! ToSiLog for the win! :-)

Let the Beam of Love Shine Right Through You

Don't you just love the feeling of knowing you actually started the day right? Making amends with everything that concerns you for the full 24-hour is really frustrating but somehow, you know you've gone halfway through it just by simply starting your day right.

Just this morning, I came across someone I'm not totally in good terms with. I don't think we really argued in the fullest sense of the word "argue" but I just know we're not riding the same boat. I saw him this morning and it just felt right to come right up to him and greet him. I was hesitant to do it at first, probably because my pride was acting up. But I realized that if I can give a stranger a kind smile, how can I not give the same to someone who used to be my friend?

It's crazy that I always thought smiling can brighten up the day of that person I smiled at. But then I came to realize that it too is a perfect example of a win-win situation. At one moment today, I felt better and I felt (modesty aside) kind. It simply seemed unreasonable not to give out genuine smiles and affection to people who deserve it when you have too much in your backpocket.

It's really a minute thing to revolutionize my day, but maybe I'm weird that way. It totally turned my day upside down -- I left home feeling grumpy but then I arrived at the office somewhat relieved and light-hearted.

Grateful that I have too much love to give,

My Take On Relationships and Its Impact On My Life

I myself can attest that relationships are of the highest eminence in our lives.

Even before I stick my head out to get a good view of the world, I have established a special bond with my mother – inside her womb. And during the extent of my toddler years, I have learned to bet bottom dollar on the affinity I built with my parents and guardians. As time goes by and I get to interact with a multitude of people, I got to experience a great deal of things -- all of which were helpful in learning how to socialize well with other people including former schoolmates and neighbours. It didn’t occur to me at first but I realized that I was able to put up with life’s events and changes the moment I learned the basics of co-existence.

If there’s something that was a tad too hard to cope with, it’s that I have to embrace the verity that the world no longer revolves around me – that there’s a whole lot of different things in the universe that does not involve me. But with that thought, I have learned to generously share my “personal space” with others. Hence, I share a relationship even with those I barely know. Relationships are indeed INEVITABLE. However, not all relationships were built to last a lifetime. Yet it does not mean we’re not supposed to exert our efforts, spend some time, and pour out our love. This simply means that all our actions lead to further nourishing or unlikely destruction of these relationships.

All throughout my entire lifespan, I was able to encounter and be involved with relationships of varying depth, sizes, shapes, and colours. No matter how seemingly insignificant one is, or how influencing it was, it all made a mark in my life. It may come ambiguously evident but still, each made a significant impact in my life - an impact that widely affects who I am right now.

So if you were to ask me if I regret any relationship I pursued, then it's a NO. If all those relationships led me to where I am right now, then I’d gladly go through them all over again. I’d like to think that each and every relationship I had is like a puzzle piece that makes up my life’s picture. Every bit of the picture perfectly represents the infinite pastiche of relationships and the bond that sticks each piece together is life’s occurrences that I went through. Despite each piece having different qualities, vividness, and colour palette, they all seem to fit together flawlessly.

I’m just extremely grateful for everyone with whom I shared my life and formed relationships with –my families, neighbours, former schoolmates, and colleagues. Thank you for being an important piece of my life’s puzzle.


Still in awe of the beauty of love, growth, and companionship,

Walking With a Pocketful of Faith

There are times when we get all caught up with the fallacy that all things in this life is hopeless. Such deceit can snatch us away from our faith, especially when the enemy starts to imbue in us the spirit of fear, hopelesness, and self-pity.

If we truly believe in the Lord, then there is no reason for us to feel dejected and afraid because the moment we started believing in Him, we already received His inimitable love and favor.

In Corinthians 2:9, God has just laid out on us how perfect and unimaginable His plans for our lives are. We may not understand it now and we may fear it once its presented right before our very eyes but there's no reason to be doubtful. We just have to acknowledge and trust His ways for He knows best. He is perfect in every possible way.

If I were to revise that old saying that a journey starts with a single step, I'd take it this way:

"The journey towards a happy life and a successful future starts with a single step with God."

You can choose to walk with Him hand in hand or you can follow His ways, but never should you go before Him. Let God lead the way. While you're on that journey, you can be calmed by the fact that nothing and no one can harm you so long as you make the pilgrimage with the Lord.

Hoping you walk around with faith in your heart,