Thank You By Oprah Winfrey

I live in the space of thankfulness - and I have been rewarded a million times over for it. I started out giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased.

That's because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter
what happened in my life.

"Say thank you!" Those words from my friend and mentor Maya Angelou turned my life around. One day about ten years ago, I was sitting in my bathroom with the door closed and the toilet lid down, booing and
ahooing on the phone so uncontrollably that I was incoherent.

"Stop it! Stop it right now and say thank you!" Maya chided. "But - you don't understand," I sobbed. To this day, I can't remember what it was that had me so far gone, which only proves the point Maya was trying to make. "I do understand," she told me. "I want to hear you say it now. Out loud. 'Thank you.'"

Tentatively, I repeated it:
"Thank you - but what am I saying thank you for?"

"You're saying thank you," Maya said, "because your faith is so strong that you don't doubt that whatever the problem, you'll get through it.

You're saying thank you because you know that even in the eye of the storm, God has put a rainbow in the clouds. You're saying thank you because you know there's no problem created that can compare to the Creator of all things. Say thank you!"

So I did - and still do. Only now I do it every day.

I kept a gratitude journal, as Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests in Simple Abundance, listing at least five things that I'm grateful for. My list includes small pleasures: the feel of Kentucky bluegrass under my feet (like damp silk); a walk in the woods with all nine of my dogs and my cocker spaniel Sophie trying to keep up; cooking fried green tomatoes with Stedman and
eating them while they're hot; reading a good book and knowing another awaits.

My thank-you list also includes things too important to take for granted:
an "okay" mammogram, friends who love me, 15 years at the same job (and loving it more than the first day I started), a chance to share my vision for a better life, staying centered, having financial security. I won't kid you, having money for all the things I want is a blessing. But as I look back over my journals, which I've kept since I was 15 years old, 99 percent of what brought me real joy had nothing to do with money. (It had a lot to do with food, however.)

It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you:

PERSPECTIVE. Just knowing you have that daily list to complete allows you to look at your day differently, with an awareness of every sweet gesture and kind thought passed your way. When you learn to say thank you, you see the world anew. And as Meister Eckhart so eloquently stated:

"If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is 'Thank you', that would suffice."

Google Earth

A new discovery of ours and a favorite past time is going around the world via the Google Earth site. You can view satellite photos of the earth, the countries and zoom in to see certain cities and its famous landmarks, streets, mountains, volcanoes, etc.

I looked for places I know about or have been to and marked them. Specially, around Paris, I marked the places we went to while they are still fresh in my memory (we went in 2004) so that I will have a map I can always refer to and be able to remember all these places.

Since I am so forgetful already and have lapses in my memory (due to my most used excuse - chemobrain, heeheehee), I have to do all these things, like even this blog to be able to remember things for myself and also for Xandro.

A Day in the Country is Worth a Month in Town

Raffy, Xandro and I just spent the weekend in Tali Beach. We left at about 3PM Saturday afternoon, stopped by the gas station in SLEX and arrived in Tali at about 7:30 PM. Time seems slower and I finally was able to watch the DVD of Coach Carter after a month or so of buying the DVD. I immediately feel energized by the FRESH air, a priceless feeling, indeed.

As long as there is a long weekend, we try to go out-of-town. I also enjoy the drive to Tali or any long drive for that matter... being together in the car with my "two bulobuboys" using the time to make kuwento-kuwento without the distractions of TV, school work, etc.

Just being with my family, in the quiet, peaceful and restful Tali is pure joy for me. These are my simple joys talaga... Away from the "noise" of living in the city.

Thanks to the generosity of Shaho Mark and Mayan, we are able to get away for a few days and stay at their warm and cozy house in Tali.

The waves were once again strong just like the last time we were there. This time of the year, rainy season, the sea is most of the time rough. I enjoy just watching the waves move towards the shore and listening and feeling the splash of the waves plus the sea breeze gently blowing away the stresses/worries in my mind. All I can think of is how awesome God is and His creations.

We left Sunday afternoon, at about 3PM and got back just in time for the 7PM Mass at the church near our place.

I am always grateful for the chance to be able to go out-of-town, no matter how brief it may be.

I thank God for protecting us, providing for us and for being present in our lives!

Truly, a day in the country is worth a month in town.... 'till our next out-of-town trip....