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?

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.