Gratitude For The Simple Joy of Being

Grateful for this moment, for the calm, for the beauty of simply being here.

In a world that often feels like it’s rushing by, it’s easy to overlook the quiet gift of simply existing. But when we pause, even for a moment, and let ourselves breathe in the present, we open our hearts to gratitude. There’s a gentle bliss in knowing that, right here, right now, we have enough.

Gratitude isn’t about waiting for extraordinary things to happen; it’s about recognizing the beauty in everyday moments. The warmth of the morning sun, the sound of leaves rustling, the comfort of a familiar smile—these simple things remind us of the richness of our lives.

When we focus on these small blessings, we find that gratitude transforms our outlook. It invites peace into our minds and reminds us that life’s greatest joys often come quietly. Embracing this gratitude lets us live with a softer, fuller heart, appreciating the magic of simply being.

A pocketful of sunshine and 

The Quest

Image by Helen Korpak on Flickr

an insatiable urge

this enigmatic quest 

a calling i cannot digest

profound yearning

gnaws at my core

until i can bear no more

yet this voice i hear

speaks softly like a song

whispering where i belong

a journey of sacred voyage

to the hills yonder and far beyond

i see no drifter nor vagabond

© Bing Yap [PinkLady] 2014

A pocketful of sunshine and 

Posted for Poets United Mid Week Motif ~ Hunger

Remembering James… 9 Years Later...

JAMES LAO YAP (JIMMY)

September 11, 1965 - January 25, 2005

I can’t believe how fast time flies. Today, we commemorate the 9th year of our loss. It all seems like yesterday- the panic, the frantic search, the grief, the anger and bitterness, the confusion, that excruciating inner pain… They are still clear in my mind. 

9 years ago, our world was covered in darkness. A dark nebula hovered above us- day by day, week by week, month by month that turned into years. 

But we (my kids and I) refused to live in murky existence. One day at a time, we took baby steps towards finding the Light again. We resolved that our own lives were not going to end miserably. We decided that having each other was more than enough blessing to keep us going. And so, our journey towards the path of gratitude began…

Yes, it’s true. Happiness is a choice. For us, it was a decision we had to make each day of our existence until such time that it became a habit. The last 9 years have opened our eyes even to the smallest manna from heaven. In everything, we learned to give thanks. Because now we know, everything that happens- whether good or bad- HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

December 2013

Back in 2007

A pocketful of sunshine and 

Peace Amid The Storm

Serenity is not freedom from the storm,

but peace amid the storm.

When you close your eyes, what do you see? Is it total darkness or is it light?

Whatever it is that you see, stay in that moment... savor that "space" for awhile.

Does your mind start to race? Does panic start to grip you?

Rid your mind of thoughts and be still. [Remember this: The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. -Eckhart Tolle]

This quiet solitude is where you commune with your inner self- a place of harmony and peace.

"It is in the stillness of your mind where you find help for your soul."

Stillness brings forth the voice from within. It is mental and silent listening. To some, it is prayer and worship. For me, it is my private conversation with God- He talks, I listen.

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else."



We spend too much time and effort worrying about things we have no control of in the first place. In fact, we even try to change things that we cannot change when the wiser course is just to accept the inevitable.

Like a roller coaster ride, life will take us up and down, scaring and thrilling the hell out of us. There are no brakes nor steering wheel and there is no way out. Don't you think it's best to just sit back and enjoy the experience because we won't get a second ride?

The Butterfly Story ~ A Lesson In Life... A Christmas Message

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it had and it could go no further.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.

This story has been retold so many times. But since it is Christmas season already, it pays to remind everyone that the only way to live a truly meaningful and satisfying life is by learning how to count your blessings despite the hardships, adversities and struggles that you are going through. Remember, no one is spared from them.

"I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet."

It is all a matter of attitude (the right one at that).

"If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul."

By looking at your challenges as blessings in disguise, you get to act positively and more objectively. However, if you continue to dwell on the hard knocks, wallow in self-pity and get on the blame game, not only would you NOT be able to get your act together but you will also end up with long-term deleterious effects on your mind and body.

So when the going gets rough, remember (and never forget!) that you are made of tougher stuff that can keep you going.

Think of what we have and NOT of what we don't have...

Have a Great Christmas!

Positive Day in the Blogging World

While I was blog surfing one night, I came across a beautiful badge at Mike's site, Rambling Stuff AKA Golch Central.

Curious about it, I tried to learn more and found myself at Jennifer's site, Dust Bunny Hostage, where she explained how her little Diva Daughter, 12 years of age, dreams of declaring a Positive Day when she becomes President in 2032. One commenter suggested that instead of waiting for 2032, Diva Daughter should pick a date now for all of the Bloggosphere to celebrate. In her blog, Jennifer wrote:

On July 31, 2009, I would be humbled and blessed if you would participate in the day envisioned by Diva Daughter. It would be an opportunity to show that young people do indeed have a voice and that they can make a difference... Then on July 31, share the things in your life that are positive. Count your blessings. Tell us why you are thankful. CHOOSE to "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative."

I thought this was awesome so here I am participating in this momentous event... the Bloggosphere's Positive Day!

July has really been a turbulent month for me. For weeks, I was a nervous wreck and total darkness covered me again. It was one of the hardest struggles I had to hurdle. It's been so long since the last time I have been in a very dark place.

Ending the month on a positive note is indeed the best way to cope. I need to remind myself that my blessings far outweigh and outnumber the setbacks I have encountered.


1. In my post "Let Light Shine Out of Darkness...", I wrote about the wonders of gratitude at a time when you can't see anything but darkness. My heart is filled with joy now at the thought of my 3 children who have shown me what it is like to love, hope and trust again.

"We have learned to count our blessings. At first, it was just the beautiful yellow butterfly... the food on our table... until we were able to see the greater blessings again. Each day was a miracle in itself.

And when my youngest daughter led a prayer before our meal one night by saying: "Thank you Lord for not allowing Mommy to go out with Daddy that evening... Thank you for letting her stay with us..." and the two gave a resounding "AMEN", I was dumbfounded. I couldn't help but smile and think that I must have done something right to deserve these three amazing children.

Ours is a story of hope and faith. Everything happens for a reason. You just have to trust that things always get better. After all, being happy (again) is a matter of choice."

2. In my post "Sunshine In My Heart", no setback is ever too daunting. I counted the most important people who make my life worth living everyday.

"Each morning, I wake up to the sound of my kids' busy banters as they prepare for another day in school. I don't even have to bother waking them up. They need no prodding to do what they have to do.

I have my parents who, despite their frail health and other serious concerns, never fail to check on me and my kids. I guess in their eyes I never stopped being their little girl.

I should not forget my bro ('tol) and sis (li'l sis) who, despite the distance between us, have remained close to me. Waking up to their messages in my inbox or cellphone saying "Sis, what do the kids need?" or "Sis, musta na?" ("how are you doing?") always warm my heart.

I have a job that people dream of (if only for the glamor of it) - in a workplace where each one is treated like family .

I have friends (the BFFs) who have stayed with me through thick and thin, rain or shine, come hell or high water. Isn't it amazing that, instead of drifting apart, we (including husbands and kids now) were able to create a much stronger bond through all those 20 years of friendship?

And yes, after a big storm in my life, the sun found its way back and is finally here to stay. Little did I know back then that sunshine would warm my soul again."

3. Yes, I may have lost one important person (James) in my life but I still have many who love me just as much. In "Endings Always Bring New Beginnings", learning to love myself again is the best gift I gave to myself.

"Moving on does not mean that I have not loved him enough. It was a decision not to get stuck in the past. When James entered my life, there was no guarantee at all how long he would stay. So instead of wallowing in self pity, I focused on how fortunate I was to have experienced James' unconditional and unfailing love in all of 22 years of my life.

Now I am able to laugh again. I have rebuilt my life and my strength. The blessings have taken a new meaning simply because I have learned to fully appreciate, enjoy and share them with others. And best of all, I have learned to love myself again."

4. In the blogging world, I found friends who truly matter.

They are people who have taught me that distance is not a hindrance to any friendship. These are friends whom I may not even have the chance in this lifetime to meet personally but have managed to touch my life (and my heart) just the same. They believed in me and have motivated me to continue doing what I have started here. Their blogs (and advices) have inspired me and fostered my own personal/spiritual growth. Thank you so much Kat, Janet, Susan, Mother Maitri and Kara. Thanks to Sandee and Mike for their regular comments in both of my blogs. OMG, how can I forget? Thank you Bingkee for your special friendship.


On this note, let me end this long post with a quote from Og Mandino:

"Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward to the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage and confidence."

a pocketful of sunshine to everyone!!!

Blessings to all,