🌿 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓾𝓭𝓮 & 𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓽𝓱 🌿

Life is a mix of highs and lows, joys and struggles. Today, I pause to reflect on the beauty of it all—the good moments that warm my soul and the challenges that test my spirit.

Every triumph teaches me gratitude.

Every setback builds my strength.

I am thankful for the lessons hidden in pain and the blessings wrapped in love. Both have shaped who I am and continue to guide me toward becoming better, stronger, and more resilient.

Let’s embrace every chapter, every twist, and every turn with a heart full of gratitude and unwavering strength. 💪

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?

A pocketful of sunshine and 

 

Dancing Through Life: Finding Success in Every Step

Life is a dance floor, and each of us has our own rhythm. Success? It’s not just a destination; it’s a collection of moves—some smooth, some clumsy, but all part of the dance.

Every step, every twist, and every turn adds to the melody of our lives. Stumbling isn’t failing; it’s just part of learning the beat. Embrace every misstep as an invitation to grow. Let your setbacks teach you, and let your triumphs remind you of the joy in the journey. Success comes not only from reaching goals but from the courage to keep moving forward, even when the music changes unexpectedly.

So, let go of the fear of getting it wrong. Dance with all you’ve got, savor every moment, and trust that success will follow the rhythm of joy you create. Life’s too short to sit out the song—get out there and dance!

A pocketful of sunshine and 

Life As It Is

 

Life as it is—a beautiful mess, a patchwork of sorrow, love, and rest.

A pocketful of sunshine and 

Finding Peace in Your Soul

In our fast-paced, ever-demanding world, finding peace within ourselves is often easier said than done. Yet, soul-deep peace is essential for true well-being and resilience. It’s more than a fleeting moment of calm; it’s a state of acceptance, a balance between what we’ve endured and where we are headed.

The journey to inner peace often begins with letting go—of expectations, regrets, and past hurts. It’s about accepting the things we cannot change and releasing the weight of past events that no longer serve us. This doesn’t mean forgetting; it means finding strength in what we’ve survived and recognizing that every challenge has shaped us.

Embracing the present is the next step. When we’re constantly thinking about what has been or what could be, we miss out on what is. Peace is rooted in this moment—the breath we take, the beauty we notice, the gratitude we feel. It’s in the small, simple joys that life offers every day.

Finally, trusting that things happen for a reason allows us to rest in a sense of purpose, even when things don’t make sense immediately. Peace isn’t the absence of pain or struggle; it’s the quiet assurance that, whatever comes, we have the strength to face it.

True peace is a journey, a choice we make daily. It’s a gift we give to ourselves and, ultimately, to those around us. Embrace the journey, find your peace, and let it shine through every part of your life.

A pocketful of sunshine and 

Embracing Life with Resilience

While we may not be able to control every event in life, we have the power to control how we respond. Our attitude—our perspective—is one of the most influential choices we make every day. It shapes our experience of joy, hardship, and everything in between.

Choosing a positive, resilient outlook doesn’t mean ignoring reality or glossing over pain. It’s about acknowledging those challenges while believing in our own strength to meet them. It’s finding gratitude in the small moments when the big ones feel overwhelming. 

When life presents its challenges, I try to focus not on what’s happening but on what I can do about it. I’m learning that the true richness of life isn’t determined by external events but by my inner landscape—how I choose to think, feel, and react. And that, ultimately, is where real freedom and peace lie.

A pocketful of sunshine and 

This Too Shall Pass

 

Life’s toughest moments may feel endless, but every shadow fades as light returns. Trust in the journey; change is already on its way.

We all face moments when life feels heavy, days when it seems like the weight of our burdens is too much to carry. I’ve had my share of those days, those seasons. There’s a phrase that’s carried me through some of the hardest times: This too shall pass. It’s simple, yet holds a profound truth about life’s impermanence.

When you’re in the midst of hardship, it can feel like the struggle will last forever. I know what it’s like to be in that space, wondering if the pain will ever ease. But slowly, with time, the hurt fades, and you find yourself in a new season — a little different, a little wiser. You realize that every challenge, no matter how difficult, has an end. Just as the joy and beauty of life are fleeting, so too are the hard times.

There’s something deeply comforting about knowing that everything is temporary. Even in moments of profound loss or injustice, we can trust that life has its rhythms, that sorrow and struggle eventually make way for healing and light. It doesn’t erase the difficulty of what we’re facing, but it gives us hope. Every storm runs out of rain, every night turns into dawn.

In moments of struggle, remind yourself: This too shall pass. It may not feel that way now, but hold onto the thought, breathe, and take it one day at a time. One day, you’ll look back, and what feels all-consuming now will be just a memory, a chapter you’ve lived through. And through it all, you’ll find a quiet strength you never knew you had.

A pocketful of sunshine and 

In Hindsight...

Image by Broquart Photography

It has been a beautiful life...

TRULY BEAUTIFUL!

It's not all about wealth.

It's not about what you have.

It's not about the size of your house.

Or the brand of your car.

It's not about the beautiful things you own.

It's not about your title or 

the brand of your clothes, bags and shoes.

Life is all about finding

PEACE OF MIND...

Learning to love unconditionally...

Giving without expecting anything in return...

Life is about finding your worth

and knowing you are ENOUGH...

Life is about the relationships you have formed,

the lives you have touched...

Life is about being content with what you have

and finding happiness in what you do...

Life is about KNOWING that you love what you do

and that you are where your heart is...

Life is about learning the lessons 

that each heartbreak taught you...

Life is about the people around you 

and knowing that you have served them well...

Life is about making the people you love HAPPY that you are in their lives...

Life is all about Faith, Hope, Strength, Courage and Wisdom...

It's all about Love... Contentment... Peace...

Life is finding meaning and making a difference in your own little way...

Life is all about Living and Loving and Coping...

Life is PERFECT the way things are...

And that is why LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!

☀️☀️☀️

Thank you, Lord, for everything. 

A pocketful of sunshine to you all! 

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 

Of Time and Pain... and Gratitude (A Birthday Reflection)

I once dreamed of a sweet and gentle life

Where bliss greeted me at the door

And soft rose petals covered my bed...

But dreams are just dreams

And reality brings more pain

Than one can ever imagine...

Sheltered all my life

I thought it would all be easy

After all, up until then, life was a breeze...

Imagine my surprise

When the life I knew was suddenly interrupted

By people who thought they knew better...

Not only was there pain but shame as well

The crowd that used to surround us

Slowly dissipated into thin air...

Thank God for family and TRUE friends

It took one misfortune to unmask these faces

I wouldn't have survived without them...

Then you get to realize that

There is no such thing as an easy life

Everyone has an ordeal to tell...

Mine is a story of LOST love, life and hope

Until I decided to take the reins again

And stand up on my own...

Mine is a story of independence and liberation

Not of war but of love for life

A quest for deeper meaning of my existence...

You see, seven years ago

I would have perished with James

And my three kids would have been orphaned...

But no, God had other plans

These kids are my mission

They are meant for greater things...

And I am here to guide and lead them

To the paths that the good Lord

Has paved for them...

God has been good to us

And I feel blessed to have everything we need

Enough lessons to teach us gratitude...

Now whenever I hear my kids say "thank you"

For every little nice thing done to them

I thank God for life lessons that were not wasted...

(Re-posted from A Birthday Reflection)

© Bing Yap [PinkLady] 2012

All Rights Reserved

Linked to The Poetry Pantry #120 
and dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: It's About Time

What Life Is All About

life is not about accumulating wealth

but about making one's own dreams come true and 

having a clean bill of health...

life is not about the mistakes you made

but the lessons you have learned along the way

and the strength you have gained...

life is not about disappointments

it's just that some things are not meant to be

and there is such a thing called patience...

life is not about the people who put you down,

wait for you to stumble or don't have anything nice to say 

neither is it about those who wish for you to drown ...  

life is about the relationships you have built

and the people who truly care 

and those who encourage you to live to the hilt... 

 life is about faith

when things go wrong and you've got nothing else left

you know that God is all you need...

life is about being free to live, love and laugh

anyone who tramples on that basic right

does not deserve to stay in your life...

life is about rising above any adversity,
picking up the pieces and moving on graciously
after all, you've got only one life to live...

life is about learning how to count your blessings
and the true meaning of contentment
gratitude is the key to happiness- one that's real and permanent...

© Bing (PinkLady) 2010

“ Life is to be fortified by many friendships. To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.”

It is with great pleasure and honor that I accept the following poetry awards for week 27 and  friendship awards from Thursday Poets' Rally's host, Jingle-

The Most Considerate Poet Award

The Most Stylish Poet Award

The Most Mindful Poet Award

Talented Blogger Award
Happy Best Friend Day Award

Jingle, thank you so much for your continued support and appreciation of my blog!

Posted for Thursday Poets' Rally Week 28

A Bend In The Road

There once was a girl

She wanted to become a lawyer

And as she grew older

Each step she took got her closer

To her heart's sole desire.

As dreams do come true

So did hers,and she took her oath

She went on to fight in court

With fervent ardor

Wearing only the best of suits and stilettos.

Each time she walked into a courtroom

She stepped into a magical world of her own

For many years, the law's complexities

And intellectual challenges kept her

Spellbound and mesmerized to no end.

And then somewhere along the way

Something happened...

Suddenly the law that she faithfully

Served and loved

Seemed distant and impossible.

And so, she took on the road

That led her to another path

She took a turn that would lead her far, far away

From the world that she used to know

It all just seemed meaningless.

But not far into the new journey

She opened her eyes and saw

That she was in a strange world

Where nothing seemed right

No matter how hard she tried.

She felt so lost and alone

Her spark of life begun to flicker

Then it dawned on her

When she took that sudden turn

She left her heart behind.

 © Bing (PinkLady) 2010

In The Deep Recesses Of My Heart... Five Years Later

Though I have been tossed and turned in life's storms
I will surely see a brighter dawn
I'm no longer held back by my fears
I'm finally... Moving On
~Moving On by Alan Murray~

Much as I have moved on, I can't help but look back at where I have been.

That was a life of abundance... yet I wasn't happy. Lots of people surrounded me... yet there was not one I could truly identify as a real friend. I had everything yet I was empty.

And then tragedy struck. The abundance turned to scarcity. The people who offered sympathies and their shoulders to cry on even when I thought I didn't need them suddenly made me realize what real friendship meant. I lost everything yet I found all the reasons to be grateful. It started with the little gestures of kindness shown to us.

Funny but the people you expected the most to be there for you because you thought they shared the same grief were the same people who waited for you to give up, stumble and make a fool of yourself.

Funny that they cared more about their social standing and what other people would say rather than on how badly we were hurting. Funny that after FIVE long years, these are the same people who say it's still too soon for me to move on. Funny that, on my journey to NOW, they never even had the temerity back then to call and ask how the kids and I were coping. Funny that they were ready to believe the worst of us back then and until now. Funny how they sneak into my (as well as my kids') private albums just to find evidence on how crazy and frivolous I have led (and continue to lead) my life. Funny that they can't hide their disappointment as my kids and I soar high on our own.

And the people you didn't expect to be there for you were the ones who were ready to offer their lives to prove the others wrong. These were the same people who offered me strength when I had none left and was so weak to fight back. These were the people who didn't back off from shouting to the whole world that I am their friend. These are the people who do not hesitate to say or leave messages of "I am so happy for you" after seeing me finally smile from the heart again.

On Monday (January 25, 2010), it will be five years since we lost James. Five long years. And I have come a long way. As the header of my blog says, I have found myself again and built a new life.

The journey continues. Not just mine but my kids' as well. It has been a bumpy road for all of us but it made us realize how wonderful life is. These kids have learned to accept that everything happens for a reason. Each person that comes to our lives has a lesson to teach us. We greet each day with eyes and minds wide open so as not to miss anything. We have embraced life itself.

So on Monday, we are going to remember James' passing with a mass and a simple dinner. We will offer prayers, perhaps reminisce and share some memories about the past. But we know that we're no longer going back to that dark period in our lives. We will keep the sun shining on us.