🌿 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 

 

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 

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! 

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

The Looming Karma (Haiku)

Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”

This week’s theme is:  

Karma

there is no escape

according to what you did

thus shall you repay

like a hungry wolf

it tracks you down, haunting you

'til justice is served

so run if you must 

sadly though you won't go far

sins of yore loom near

Thanks to Jenn of You know... that Blog?  

for hosting Sensational Haiku Wednesday.

Next week’s theme: Ego

And speaking of Karma, a psychic friend of mine once told me that the easiest way to earn good karma in this lifetime is through your parents. Treat them well and life will treat you better, she said. 

The Dalai Lama himself has this to say about how to earn good karma points...

Instructions for Life

by The Dalai Lama

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve Great Risk.
2. When you Lose, don’t lose the Lesson.  
3. Follow the three R’s:
   -  Respect for self,
   -  Respect for others and
   -  Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful Stroke of Luck.
5. Learn the Rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time Alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your Values.
10. Remember that Silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, Honorable Life. Then when you get older and
    think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a Second Time.
12. A Loving Atmosphere in your Home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the Current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your Knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the Best Relationship is one in which Your Love For Each Other Exceeds Your Need for each other.
18. Judge your Success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. If you want others to be happy, practice Compassion.
20. If you want to be happy, practice Compassion.

 Source: Spiritual Now

Of Gratitude and Happiness...

THE PARK BENCH

Poet Unknown
 

Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.
Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,
For the world was intent on dragging me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,
A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.
He stood right before me with his head tilted down
And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight,
With its petals all worn - not enough rain, or too little light.
Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play,
I faked a smile and then shifted away.
But instead of retreating he sat next to my side
And placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise,
"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful too.
That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead.
Not vibrant of colors: orange, yellow or red.
But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.
So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."
But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,
He held it mid-air without reason or plan.
It was then that I noticed for the first time
That weed-toting boy could not see, he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun
As I thanked him for picking the very best one.
"You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play,
Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.
I sat there and wondered how he managed to see
A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.
How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see
The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.
And for all of those times I myself had been blind,
I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that's mine.
And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose
And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose
And smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in hand,
About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man. 

Happiness is a Journey... 

~by Father Alfred D'Souza~

 

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin -- real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.
At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.
So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your heart.

Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
-Carl Jung-

It was in Cebu City where I found this gem of a book. There must have been more than a thousand books in Fully Booked but I had no intention of buying anything because it has been ages since I last finished a book.

As always, I looked for the "inspirational" section and found it on the second floor. Then I saw a book that had a funny but interesting title - "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams And Reaching Your Destiny" by Robin S. Sharma.

It wasn't the beautiful cover that caught my attention but my favorite author's comment: "A captivating story that teaches as it delights.- Paulo Coelho"

So I checked the synopsis on the back cover, which read:

"Here is the story of Julian Mantle, a superstar lawyer whose out-of-balance lifestyle leads him to a near-fatal heart attack in a packed courtroom. His physical collapse brings him into a spiritual crisis that forces him to confront the condition of his life. Hoping to find happiness and fulfillment, he embarks upon an extraordinary odyssey to an ancient culture, where he discovers a powerful system to release the potential of his mind, body and soul and learns to live with passion, purpose and peace..."

That did it. With no second thoughts, I went straight to the cashier.

This is the story of a man whose old life mirrored mine (my old life, that is). I can perfectly relate to these words in describing that existence:

"My many years in the conservative legal world, doing the same things every day with the same people who thought the same thoughts every day had filled my cup to the brim..."

"I couldn't remember the last time I had read a book that didn't deal with law. The profession was my life. I began to realize that the sterile world I had grown accustomed to had dulled my creativity and limited my vision."

"To be really honest with you, most days I wish I could just stay under the covers. It would be so much better than facing the traffic, the angry clients, the aggressive opponents and the ceaseless flow of negative influences. It all makes me feel so tired."

This was exactly the same realization that led me to leave the only world I have known in my entire professional life. I am no superstar lawyer with a flamboyant lifestyle and exaggerated courtroom theatrics, like this book's protagonist. But then, I would still have easily ended up just like him - "He collapsed right in the middle of a packed courtroom" - as the spark of life in me started to flicker.

No new principles were taught in this book. In fact, they would all be familiar to you if you have read books on self-help and spirituality in the past. But what made it unique was the way Robin S. Sharma crafted his tale, weaving therein the age-old teachings on living a simple life with greater balance, strength, courage and abundance of joy, and making that story linger in the minds of his readers.

Here are some of my favorite quotes (lessons) from this book:


"It is only when you have mastered the art of loving yourself that you can truly love others. It's only when you have opened your own heart that you can touch the hearts of others."


"We might not be able to control the weather or the traffic or the moods of all those around us. But, we most certainly can control our attitude towards these events. We all have the power to determine what we will think about in any given moment. This ability is part of what makes us human."


"An event that appears to be a tragedy to one might reveal the seeds of unlimited opportunity to another. What really separates people who are habitually upbeat and optimistic from those who are consistently miserable is how the circumstances of life are interpreted and processed."


"No matter what happens to you in your life, you alone have the capacity to choose your response to it. When you form the habit of searching for the positive in every circumstance, your life will move into its highest dimensions."


"There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. There is no such thing as a negative experience, only opportunities to grow, learn and advance along the road of self-mastery. From struggle comes strength. Even pain can be a wonderful teacher."

"How can you really know the joy of being on the summit of the mountain unless you have first visited the lowest valley?"

Happiness From Within

"Happiness will never come
to those who fail to appreciate what they already have."

A good friend of mine sent me this text message yesterday:

"I never search my happiness in others... it will make me feel alone when they are not around. I search it in myself... then I will be happy even if I am alone."

Indeed, true happiness comes from within. Easier said than done, right?

If only people would stop whining about what they do NOT have and start counting what they have...

If only people would see the goodness in every person instead of looking at his/her flaws...

If only people made good of what they have right now instead of pining for a better deal which might never come anyway...

If only...

After all, happiness is a state of mind... it's a matter of choice. But why is it easier to choose misery? Why is it an effort to break into a smile?

If you find yourself unhappy and miserable, remember this: look at the people around you and you will see that you have attracted the same negativity in your life. It's true that misery loves company.

So next time you catch yourself feeling so negative about everything, try asking yourself where your discontentment is coming from... Is it something you can't live without? Is it going to kill you? Is it even worth wasting your time on?

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.