A Heart full of Gratitude!!!

I received this Email from a very good friend Lourdes. Truly, Words are very powerful tool in every situation. I am sharing this to all of you.

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.



A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"






The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?


you have 1000 reasons to smile Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling… And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!! Enjoy your day with a heart full of gratitude!!!

God's amazing given talent to a 3 year old kid Zach

Christmas 2009 & 2010 New Year Celebrations

I smiled as I looked at these pictures taken during New Year 2009. Reminiscing the pasts,my father showed the biggest smile beside my mother and me hugging my brother Paul.Beside that smile on our faces was a hope that my two sisters Tes and Rhia were with us. Of course they are with their respective families.


I did a good laughed upon seeing this wacky picture of my parents with their grandson Anjo and granddaughters Niña,Ana & Karmela.
Celebrating Christmas and New Year with your family will always be special.

Well,celebrating Christmas 2009 and New Year 2010 had a little difference.....


My sister in law Baby decorated this time their Christmas tree. She is a florist and this time ribbons in gold are the only ornaments she did. Although I missed the Christmas balls, the other ornaments and of course the manger....I still admired its simplicity.


And here it was looked like at night when the Christmas lights were on. That was me underneath the Christmas tree.We had a simple Noche Buena on the eve of Christmas day and opened our respective gifts after the dinner.In the morning the whole family attended the Mass at the chapel 10 or 15 steps away from the house.


On New years eve. I took some memorable shots that how we greeted the new year 2010

























The Media Noche meals that we had prepared.






Niña the eldest among the children of my brother Paul said a new year prayer.
She also read the letter written by Anjo for all of us because hes not with us.
He is on duty in a call center that time.The letter was touching & made us teary eyed knowing the reality that there will be a time that we will not be complete as we celebrate Christmas and New Year but it bring us hope that the love and caring to each other is already planted and rooted in our hearts. So wherever we may go....we are still one family.

76th Birthday of Papa

December 23, 2009. Me and my sister Ria arrived in Canlubang, Laguna at exactly 3pm.We had to ride a jeepney and a tricycle before we reach the house of my brother Paul where my parents staying. I spent my long Christmas Vacation with them. It's my father's birthday too. Celebrating his 76 years of his life.

As we approached the front gate.There our father silently sitting in a little chair, maybe half asleep. I called him up "Papa!" His eyes wide open upon seeing me and my sister and a big smile suddenly appeared on his face.We hugged, kissed and greeted him "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!". He wanted to speak aloud but he can't speak clearly. Papa has Parkinson syndrome. Although he has this syndrome he can still manage to take good care of himself. Only his speech and muscle movement are affected. He can still walk but too slow.

My mother went out and excitedly hugged and kissed us. We went inside and we learned that my parents are the only one in the house. The family of my brother was not around till midnight.I asked my mother what did she cooked for Papa's birthday. Mama shooked her head and told me that my father doesnt want to celebrate his birthday because were very few and no budget for that. I talked to my mother to buy at least "pancit and chiffon cake" to be eaten by the four of us.

Papa showed me a big smile upon seeing the food that we were eating to celebrate his 76th Birthday.He kissed and thanked me as he joyfully ate the food we prepared for him.

Wondering why I am not in the picture? Of course, I am capturing the unforgettable moments that we have. Yes only the four of us were present, celebrating Papa's 76th years of his life.

Here is my favorite one....I captured the caring of my parents to each other through the years.What a lovely sight! Mama...Papa...I LOVE YOU. Thank you for bringing me in this world.

There are no perfect parents but we can try to be good parents to our children.

Greeting Cards....With Love

This year,I am blessed to received one of the kind greeting cards who came from a new friend....from a very dear good old friend...and from a teen-age girl whom I saw her growing up from childhood till now.

Tired from work as I went in to my room, I saw this greeting card on the top of my bed. I excitedly look at the senders name."Ah! from Marie", a friend from D4D (Dating 4 Disabled.) I remembered we asked each others address and agreed to send greeting cards this coming holiday season.In a short span of time I get to know her and through her blog writings at D4D I can say she's a wonderful, great, strong woman and a loving mom to her kids.Marie, you just dont know how you continually inspires and motivates me in my journey with your comments and messages on my blog entries. Thank you so much for the friendship you have extended to me.Keep the fire burning my friend.

Ruth a very dear old friend. We called each other "IROG" means dear. Our friendship counted years already.She's working abroad as a nurse in UK. She never miss sending me greeting cards since we got to know each other. Her family is wonderful specially her mom who is very supportive. Her mother is very proud of her. A loving daughter and a very good friend. "Irog, may God continually bless you, keep you safe and good health. I am so proud of you.HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I was resting when Lyka gave this little note to me. She said, Merry Christmas Ate! I read the notes she had written and each words she said warmed my heart.Lyka is Josie's daughter. We used to live in one house before. Lyka was only 7years old when I have my first encounter with her. Her big eyes widened when she saw me and observed my walking in crutch. She whispered to her mother "Mama, why is she like that?" Since then I had been a part of her growing years.From being timid and shy little girl somehow I had my share of encouraging her to be out on that shell. Every words she had written in that special letter mirrored everything how I influenced her. Lyka is a young lady now. Witty, kind and of course very pretty.The things we shared together will remain in our hearts.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all

THE RED ROSE AND THE CACTUS

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there. As the rose looked around,
a pine tree nearby said, What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely. Another tree said, Dear pine, do not be sad, we can not have everything.
The rose turned its head and remarked, It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest. A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, Why do you say that In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them. The red rose replied, I see everyone looking at me and admiring me.


Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, Look at that ugly plant full of thorns! The pine tree said, Red rose, what kind of talk is this Who can say what beauty is You have thorns too.

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You can not compare my thorns to that of the cactus.

What a proud flower, thought the trees. The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like This plant is useless How sorry I am to be his neighbor.

The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying, We weren't created without a purpose. Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest, as the plants and animals needed water and no rain fall. The red rose began to wilt. One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed. This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. Does it not hurt when they make holes asked the rose.


Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer, replied the pine. The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, The cactus has water Yes you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help.

The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behavior to ask for water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help. The cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose's roots. Thus the rose learned a lesson and never judged anyone by their appearance again.

Moral: We should always be willing to learn rather than carry our egos.


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WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?

A friend let me borrowed a book for me to read. I love reading books specially inspirational ones. That seminarian friend of mine generously share his collection of inspirational books because he knows that I have the passion on reading those kind of books.

As I started to read one of his book collection....there is one little thing inside it that struck my attention. A book mark. A simple book mark and there was a handwritten message.The message was carefully....beautifully and neatly written. As I read it, I smiled and made some lingering thoughts on my mind. I will share it to you my friends to be inspired and be guided for the reality of the message.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?

"taking the pain", said the nails.





"keeping the cool"
said the ice.





"driving hard"
said the hammer.



"being up to date"
said the calendar.








"being sharp" said the knife.




"making light around you"
said the fire.







"sticking to it" said the glue.





"being bright"
said the lamp.






"being on time" said the clock.






"saving a drop"
said the faucet.

and best of all...

"learning from it "

said the mistake.

Wisdom can only attain from God through our experiences. We are like diamonds that it takes time to be perfected before its true beauty will come out. We may do or commit mistakes as we go on our lifes journey, whats important is the learning and the capacity to make right decisions from that mistakes.