Soly Paraiso

Priceless Moments

Posted: 02/11/2010

There are moments in one's life that you can call priceless.  Moments you spend with your loved ones, your family, your friends. They are so unforgettable, so wonderful, so heartwarming that you wish you could relive them over and over again.  Like the fragrant petals of a rose, you wish you could tuck them away in every fiber of your being. Such moments occurred to me not very long ago.  In fact, only late last month during my birthday. Three of my nieces who live in San Francisco, surprised me that day.  I didn't know they were coming.  I overheard Jovilu Verma, the youngest one, talking to my daughter Cindy  over the phone.  She gave Cindy their itinerary: the flight number of their plane, the arrival time here in San Diego Airport and Cindy told her that my son-in-law Steve would pick them up at the airport.  So it was no longer a surprise  to  me! That week, from Monday. Jan. 18 up to Thursday, Jan. 21, it was raining so hard that we thought they might not come after all.  It was also raining hard in San Francisco when they left. But surprise!  On that day, Friday, Jan. 22, the rain had stopped.  (As if the heavens knew it was my birthday and my nieces were coming!  Thank God!) That day, it was Cindy's day off from her work at Walmart. She woke  up early.  She began preparing all the food that we would serve for dinner.  She cooked pochero, pancit, Shanghai egg rolls, jumbo shrimps,  two big milk fish with diced tomatoes and onions as  fillings which she baked in the oven.  Roy, our friend from upstairs, came down and took care of the marinated pork for barbecue.  He also cooked "bulanglang" (stewed vegetables  stewed with shrimps and pork seasoned with bagoong alamang),  a favorite of Venus. Steve dropped  his wife Venus and  son Chris here in our place before he went to pick up my nieces- Liza with her husband Willlie, Ruby and Verma at the airport.  Venus brought a big birthday cake, sodas and beer for the guys. Venus helped Cindy set the table.  My daughters Cindy and Venus have this artistic way of arranging the table and in an instant, the table laden with foods looked so gorgeous you could enter it in a Food Preparation Contest! Finally, here came our guests from San Francisco.  Verma was the first to hug and kissed me. Then Liza and Ruby followed.  We all hugged and kissed each other with tears flowing down our  faces.  We haven't seen one another in years, although Verma and I are emailing each other frequently.  Willie also hugged me and said" It's good to see you, Tia, after all these years." Liza is the comedian among the three. Whenever she opens her mouth, we laugh so much we end up holding our stomachs.  Ruby is the quiet one.  She would just smile and take out the gifts they brought for me.  Each of them has  different gifts for me.  Verma, the youngest is a Beautician. They are all beautiful, my nieces! One by one, my other children came with their families.  Ben, Gemma and Jason came first, followed by Jeffrey, Ella and their baby boy, Nathan.  Next to come were Jessica with her boyfriend Taylor. Then Eden and Boyet came followed by  their daughter Pam with her boyfriend Jonar.  Later, Nheneng, the daughter of my nephew Jun who lives in Guam, came too with her husband Aaron and their kids, Alyssa and Daniel.  Nheng brought a big box of delicious bread.  Jun couldn't attend my party but he sent me a message with his gift. They all  brought gifts for me. I was so overwhelmed with happiness that my whole family here in the States gathered together to celebrate my birthday.  Amidst fun and laughter, our guests enjoyed the  delicious foods after I delivered my prayer of Thanksgiving.  Our American friends, Carol and Rose who live in our compound also came and joined us, giving me an envelope with gift certificates. After the dinner, we had this singing session with our Karaoke.  Steve, as usual, was the first to belt out his Elvis Presley songs.  But unfortunately, the magic mike didn't work so well that we had to stop singing.  So  we decided that we gather around the table once more so we could enjoy the birthday cake. They sang the Birthday song and as I blew the candles (please don't ask how many!) and made a wish, peals of laughter reverberated around the room. Then Eden sliced the cake and gave each one  their share, with ice cream.  Our merriment lasted until past midnight and then my children and their families left.  Carol and Rose left earlier. It was agreed that the following day we'd continue our celebration in Chula Vista at Venus' and Steve's place.  So the next day, we went to Chula Vista. When we arrived there, we found Ben and his family already there, helping Venus and Steve prepare the foods that Venus cooked.  She had spaghetti,  chicken afritada ,vegetable casserole, and her specialty, pink salad for dessert.  She had lots of garlic bread to go with the spaghetti.  Steve and Jason took care of the barbecues  in the backyard where Steve has a big barbecue stand. Eden brought some green mangoes, and eggplants which Jason roasted on the barbecue grill.  Cindy cooked "binagoongan" sliced pork sauted with onions and tomatoes and" bagoong alamang". Again, amidst much fun and laughter, food and music, our family had, as my dear niece Verma said, "priceless moments" which can never be forgotten. The next day, Sunday, was the day they had to go back to San Francisco. This time, it was Eden's turn to hold a party, a continuation of my birthday and as Despedida for them. Eden ordered a lot of food (again!) like kare-kare, lechon, bopis, fried chicken, barbecues and lots of desserts. (There goes our New Year's resolutions to  eat less  and exercise more!)  After enjoying the food, Boyet played some music.  We danced until my legs and back ached that I had to sit down.    Verma, Liza, Ruby, Eden and Cindy are great dancers and I couldn't keep up with them! ( Talk about growing old!) After the dance, we reminisced our days in the old country when we lived right next door to each other.  We couldn't stop laughing as they talked about their antics when they were still kids, their experiences in school, our "get-togethers " during the holidays.  But there were moments when we talked about members of our family who have passed away, that brought tears in our eyes.  How we wished they were also with us!  And of course we missed our son, Sonny who lives in Oak Harbor, Washington with his wife, Helen, their two boys, Raymond and Julian, and my youngest daughter who is still in the Philippines, with her husband Ramon and their two boys, Lee Raemon and Lee Robin.  Also my niece, Lagrimas, who was here last year on my birthday, who lives in Virginia.  Our happiness would  have been complete had they  been  here with us. Then came the moment that they had to leave.  After all the fun, the joy and laughter, we hugged, kissed one another and wept for "parting is such sweet sorrow".  Verma almost didn't want to let go as she kissed and hugged me.  She said as she sobbed, "Tia, these are priceless moments which we will never forget. These three days we spent with you are so unforgettable. We love you so much and we thank you all for your warm welcome."  I was speechless with wet eyes as they all hugged and kissed me.  I don't know when we will be able to get together again.  They had to go back to their homes and their children and their jobs.  Life must go on. Boyet took them to the Airport.  With promises that they will come back again someday, they left with heavy hearts and left us sad, with lingering  memories of those unforgettable three days of "priceless moments".

Why I Write!

Posted: 06/04/2009

Ever since I can remember, I have longed to write.  Even as a little girl, when I was in Grade School, I would get a piece of paper and write whatever comes to mind.   My teacher would notice me and ask, "What are you doing? What are you writing?"  Embarrassed, I would answer, I don't know Ma'am, I just want to write."  "So you want to write. Good!  Make that your ambition and you will be a writer." There are all kinds of writers.  There are those who write because it is there passion to write. Some write for monetary reasons and some write to share their thoughts with anyone who would read their writings. But what I've learned from writers, is that they first read!  As Debbie Porter says, " To write without being a reader, is like gardening without loving plants, or being a chef and hating food."  So writers are great readers too.  Sometimes they get their ideas from the books they read and there's nothing wrong about that. I have a lot of books, the read and the unread.  Books that inspire and motivate me to write.  I don't write for the money.   I write for the pure and simple fun of it.  I write for the simple reason that I love writing so I can share my innermost thoughts with my readers.  I love to write so I can inspire and motivate them, just as I am motivated by what I read.  I want them to know that there is a spiritual solution to every  problem; that God created us for joy and not to suffer.  It is only when we forget that we are never separated from God that we succumb to our problems. But I digress. Here is something interesting I read about a writer.  "A writer is someone who has written today."  Not someone who writes for money.  Not someone who writes for publication or fame.  Not someone who talks about writing, or reads about writing, or thinks about writing or attends writing conference. Not someone who has writen in the past or will write in the future. A writer is someone who has written today and every day. The best reason to write is you can't  NOT write! As Jim Paredes of the APO fame says,  "Writing, aside from other rewards, is mostly a private joy. There is a secret pleasure even if one writes just for one's self, similar to the ultimate pleasure of being God.  Every writer wants to share one's soul with the rest of the world.   Even God, the Source of all Being was compelled to break the boredom of nothingness/darkness and thus  created everything." As Ken Wilber posited on why God did it, "Because no one wants to have dinner alone.">

Books that can change your life

Posted: 10/30/2008

Ever since I can remember, I loved to read books. Since my Grade 1 days (the Primer book with the Little Red Hen) to my elementary days-history, geography books, to high school days-literature and science books, I was hooked on books.  Even when I was taking up Freelance Journalism and Authorship with the International Correspondence School in England, I enjoyed the English novels aand short stories that I studied.  Of course in my teen age years, I loved to read romantic love stories and other fiction. But as I grew older my preference in reading books changed.  I began to read non-fiction, biographies of great men and women, books in philosophy and psychology, self-development books, books on religion, inspirational and motivational books.  I began to realize that  "the books that help you are the books that make you think the most.  A book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty"-Theodore Parker. I love to read great quotations from great thinkers.  Even these great thinkers used to quote greater thinkers of the past.  I love to read not only books in print but e-books and listen to audio books by modern writers and motivators.  They are a source of inspiration to me. They make me think hard.  They make me wonder, what really is the meaning of life, why are we here.  What is our connection to the Universe. I have profound admiration for great philosophers and poets like Ralph Waldo Emerson, William James, Henry David Thoreau and others. These great thinkers and philosophers have left valuable lessons to us that are worth pondering: lessons on love, honesty, dignity, perseverance, faith in ourselves and most importantly, faith in God. We learn that there is a Univerasl Life Energy that permeates everrything in this great universe. That there is a thread that binds us  to all creation, that there is no separation.  That there is a divine energy within us all.  Even modern writers and thinkers are one in saying that our present existence will have its ultimate reality in the Source, the First Cause, God, Infinite Intelligence or whatever you may call It. Have you ever wondered what the world's great discovery is? I do. I often wonder, was it the airplane? The television? The computer? The cell phone? the I-Pod?  But because of the "Law of Attraction" I came to the conclusion that the greatest discovery of the modern age is the power of the mind!  Those inventions first exist in the minds of men as ideas. They imagined it, they visualized it, and through the Law of Attraction, they were able to manifest it.  And in the final analysis, it is the Mind that is connected to the Universal Energy or God.  Because Man is created in the image of God, then Man is a co-creator with God.  So Man can create whatever he thinks of. As Napoleon Hill says in his book, "Think and Grow Rich"-"what the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve." These great thinkers and philosophers put their ideas in books that they have written, which influenced countless human beings.  Great world leaders have depended on books that made them great. That is why we see presidents, past and present, who have built libraries full of all kinds of books.  They are all book lovers.  They derive their knowledge and wisdom from reading great books.  Such is the power of books. Let me share with you a list of books that really influenced me in my life: (1) First and foremost is the Holy Bible,  (2) the Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, (3) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, (4) The Master Key System by Charles Haanel, (5) The Self You Have To Live With by Winfred Rhoades And books by modern writers and thinkers: (6) Our Ultimate Reality by Adrian Cooper, (7) Books by Dr. Wayne Dyer: (a) Your Sacred Self, (b) Wisdom of the Ages, (c) Real Magic, (d) You'll See It When you Believe It, (e) There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem  (7) Books by Dr. Deepak Chopra: (a) Ageless Body, Timeless Mind,(b) the Happiness Prescription, (c) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,(d) Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment (e) the Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life and many more. How about you?  I hope you also have a list of inspirational and motivational books that help you much in discovering your true purpose in life, books that will change your life.

A moment of reflection: Autumn

Posted: 10/05/2008

"The falling leaves, drift by my window,  "The autumn leaves of red and gold...." Nat  King Cole Yes, it's autumn!  The heat of summer is slowly fading away. Summer's green leaves are being transformed into red and gold.  As I walk around, I can almost smell the earth.  I can feel the wind stirs as it rustles the leaves which fall around me.  Everywhere I look I cannot help but wonder about the beauty all around.  God has created the seasons with  each own unique quality: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall!  How can we not appreciate the mystery of the changing of the seasons?As the season changes, so does our mood, it seems.  Do you not notice that during summer when it is really hot, there are those who are hot-tempered?  Is it because of the hot weather that some people fly off the handle at the slightest provocation? Some blame it on the weather, some say it depends on  what month one is born-like when you were born on August, (in the Philippines, that is,)you tend to be hot-tempered  because  August is a hot month.  And when you were born on January, a cool month, you have a cool temperament. Anyway, let's welcome the cool months of autumn.  Although global warming is now threatening the whole world as some scientists predict, it is best to enjoy the present weather, fall or autumn, as it is called here in the States.  What can be more exhilarating than to enjoy the beauty all around us in the Here and Now?  Never mind who will win as president of the United States; whether the bailout of the federal government of the present financial predicaments of giant corporations like the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Merill Lynch, AIG as suggested by Pres. Bush will push through or not.( Note: As of date, the bailout has been approved by both Houses Of Congress and has been signed by the President.)  This is not to say that we are not concerned on what's going on today here in the United States, but this is a matter which we have no control of.  As a famous philosopher said, " There's no sense in worrying about things we have no control of, and there's no sense in worrying about things we have control of."  In other words there is no sense in worrying about anything. Period. We have no control of what's going on outside us, but we have control of what's going on in our minds.  So let God fill our minds with good things so that  we will "remain young and strong as an eagle!"  Let us do whatever makes us happy this autumn season- maybe by lending a helping hand to those who need help, not only on autumn, but on winter summer or fall.  Let us "End the struggle, and dance with Life!" as Dr. Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.  advised. Forget all your problems and just enjoy the cool, beautiful months of autumn!

Are you a positive thinker?

Posted: 07/28/2008

There are two kinds of people in the world- the positive thinkers and the negative ones.  The positive thinkers are those who always see the sunshine and not afraid of the dark. They exude self-confidence.  They are not in the least perturbed when something goes wrong in their world.  If there is a problem, they do their best to find a solution. They do not blame others.  They know that they are responsible for their lives.  They know what they are experiencing is the result of  their own thinking.  They think positive, optimistic thoughts and are not distracted by the naysayers.  Even in the midst of turmoil, the positive thinkers remain calm, display a cheerful disposition and refused to be bothered by outside circumstances.  They are aware that they cannot control what's happening outside, but they can control what is happening inside them. There are problems in the world, the positive thinkers know that. But instead of complaining, whining and bemoaning what's happening around them, positive thinkers accept the fact that they cannot change the world by themselves.  What they do is find ways to do their part to help solve those multifarious problems that affect everyone.  Positive thinkers create their own happiness by thinking positive thoughts. They know the powers of the mind.  "Thoughts held in mind, produce after their kind."  So if there are times when circumstances  go against their expectations they do not fret.  They recognize  that it is time fo a paradigm shift.  As James Allen says in his book, "As a man thinketh": "All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the result of his own thoughts."  Positive thinkers expect the best and they get the best. Negative thinkers, on the other hand, always find something to complain about. They seem to see only the dark clouds and do not see the silver lining behind those clouds.  Instead of expecting the best, the always expect the worst of any situation.  Instead of taking responsibility for their own lives, they blame others for their predicaments.  Instead of striving to improve themselves,they criticize others.  Even if they attain some degree of success in their lives, they are never satisfied.  They want more, more, more.  If they see others more successful than they are, owning a bigger house, driving a better car, making more money than they do, they begrudge that fact. A negative thinker always wants to be ahead of everybody else. Positive thinkers are optimistic, while negative thinkers are pessimistic.  Positive thinkers believe this is a wonderful, beautiful world created by God for the enjoyment of His creatures.  They know that they are created in the image of God, so they are co-creators wilth God.  So they strive to create a wonderful, beautiful world for themselves and for their fellowmen. The Prayer of St. Francis of Assissi is worth pondering:  "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.  Oh, divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.  It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life." And here is the Serenity Prayer:  "Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Let us all be positive thinkers so we may live a happy, wonderul and exciting life.  Let me share with you yet another piece which I read every morning to start my day right:                        THE OPTIMIST'S CREED Promise yourself: --To be strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind; --To talk about health, happiness and prosperity with every one you meet; --To make all your friends feel that there is something good and important in them; --To look at the sunny side of everything  and make your optimism come true; --To think only the best, work to accomplish only the best, and expect only the best for you deserve only the best; --To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own (Celebrate your friends' joy with fervor you put on to comforting them in their sorrows); --To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. (Shut the door on yesterday and work positively through today and anticipate the joys of tomorrow.); --To consciously look friendly all the time and give a big smile to every little creature you meet; --To spend so much time in improving yourself that  you have no more time left to criticize others; --To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.                      SO, ARE YOU A POSITIVE  THINKER?

A Psalm of Life

Posted: 06/22/2008

When I was in Grade 7 (yes, there was a Grade 7 in my elementary school days), our School Principal  picked me to deliver a poem on one of our monthly programs. The title of the poem was " A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Being young then, I didn't understand, nor did I care to understand what the poem was all about.  I just followed my Principal's instructions.  I memorized the poem and I was sure I could recite it the way I was taught.  But when the occasion came, I fell ill and couldn't attend the program.  I was so sad that I disapponted my Principal and my English teacher.  But they understood what happened to me and excused me. Years passed and one day I came across that poem, "A Psalm of Life" in a book called Treasury of Poems.  (I love poems and I even wrote a few).  I began to read it and memories of my elementary school days flashed like a bolt of lightning in my mind.  I read and reread it and only at that time  did I  come to understand the messages of that beloved poem. There are great lessons we can derive from that poem.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had written a lot of poems but the one that left an indelible mark in my mind was this poem, "A Psalm of Life." It's a long poem, but let me quote a few stanzas which really  left  an unforgettable imprint in my mind. "Tell me, not in mournful numbers, lIfe is but an empty dream, For the soul is dead that slumbers, and life  is not what it seems."                                       xxx Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; "Dust thou art, to dust returneth" was not spoken of thy soul.                                      xxx Trust no Future howe'er pleasant!  Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, act in the living Present, Heart within and God o'erhead.                                     xxx Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of Time.                                    xxx Footprints that perhaps another, Sailling o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.                                    xxx Let us then,  be up and doing, With a heart for any fate, Still achieving, still pursuing, learn to labor and to wait. Isn't that beautiful?  what awe-inspiring messages! What lovely lessons!  Let's tackle the second stanza first: "...Dust thou art, to dust returneth was not spoken of thy soul."   This reinforces my belief  that we are not just physical bodies, made up of bones, muscles and blood.  As many philosophers and visionaries tried to teach us, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  Many people work hard to accumulate a big bank account, big houses, latest model of cars, beautiful furniture, and fill their houses with so many unnecessary junks just to show off and to keep up with the Jones'es. Some even go to the extent of maximizing their credit cards just to buy a lot of stuffs which they do not really need, and then would have sleepless nights thinking how they could pull themselves out of debt. Some work day  and night so that they would be able to pay off their debts, and could not enjoy their beautiful homes and all the things in it because they are already tired.They sacrifice their health and well being in the name of so called "prosperity". They think that possessing an abundance of material things will make them happy, but are they?  Really happy? Think about it. Now,  don't get me wrong.  Of course we all need money to buy the things we need as we live on this earth. That's a given. But to think that acquiring all those material things are the be-all and end-all of life is quite erroneous.  When we leave this earth, (as sooner or later we will) we will not be able to take all these possessions with us. When I think about the life of Jesus christ, of Buddha, of Mahatma Ghandi, of Henry David Thoreau, and  of the Dalai Lama, I come to realize that simple living is more desirable than a life of opulence.  Jesus Christ said, " Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust doeth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal...Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust doeth not corrupt...and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also... what doeth a man profiteth if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?" Buddha gave up all his wealth, his ostentatious life and devoted the rest of it in teaching his students the cause of man's sufferings.  Mahatma Ghandi had no possessions, garbed only in loin cloth, but was able to free his nation from the shackles of British domination.  Henry David Thoreau retreated to Walden Pond to live a life of simplicity.  The Dalai Lama says, " I believe that if someone really wants a happy life, then it is very important to pursue both internal and external development.  One could also say "spiritual development", but when i say "spiritual development", I do not necessarly mean any kind of religious faith. When I use the word "spiritual" i mean basic human good qualities. These are human affection, a sense of involvement, honesty, discipline and human intelligence guided by good motivation." Now  to the next stanza:  "Trust no future, howe'er pleasant, Let the dead Past bury its dead.  Act, act in the living Present, Heart within and God o'erhead." This is a most interesting postulate. It means to live and enjoy the present moment, the Here and  Now because in the meantime, as human beings, this is the only time that we live on this earth.  As it is said, the Present is a gift, that is why it's called the Present. The past is gone, the future is yet to come.  We might have committed some mistakes in the past (who hasn't?) but to dwell on them is pointless.  Let's forget the past and strive hard not to commit the same mistakes, and move on.  "Act, act in the living Present, Heart within and God o'erhead."  Act to help our fellow beings who need help in every way possible, give from our hearts, with love, aware that God above sees and knows that we give unselfishly, thus following Jesus Christ's commandment to love one another.  1st Corinthians 13:13...."And so  abideth these three: Faith, Hope and Love.  But the greatest of these is Love." And for the future, here's what Jesus Christ has to say: Do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Enough said. The next stanza:  "Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of Time.  Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Life on this earth is ephemeral.  As I said, sooner or later we will leave this earth.  When we leave, what legacy will we leave to our loved ones and to the world in general?  Have we made our lives "'sublime and leave behind us footprints on the sands of  TIM? Have lived our lives in such a way that our children will emulate us, that we have taught them virtues that they in turn will teach their children?  Virtues that will sustain them as they travel their journey in this topsy-turvy world?  Will someone, a "forlorn and shipwrecked brother" who knew that as we lived, we have been courageous to face all adversities, that we have overcome all difficulties and pushed on till we have attained victory, be brave enough to "take heart again"? Finally the last stanza: "Let us then, be up and doing, with a heart for any fate; Still achieving, till pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." Not all the money in the world, not fame or forutne can give us that peace of mind that we all yearn for.  Let us press on, let us labor and wait, until we attain that "peace of God which passeth all understanding."

Look To This Day!

Posted: 03/27/2008

Spring is here!  Winter is gone.  So how do you feel?  Are you still caught in the grips of the cold of winter?  Do you miss the chill of the morning fog that blanketed the atmosphere as  you drive along the road  on your way to work? Of course here in San Diego, we rarely experience the snow which is found in most of the East Coast and in the Northwest.  Although a week or so ago, we had hail and sleet that fell in our yards.  I remember my son, Ruben, called me one morning and yelled out,  "Look here, Ma, see the hail out in our backyard!"  And when I hurriedly came out of my room, how surprised I was to see hail falling down the ground!  But as fast as it came, it melted  and became water.  Seldom do we see hail and snow here in San Diego that when it occurs, we are amazed, as if it is the first time we  see this happening here. Now spring has sprung.  Isn't it a wonderful time?  We can say that spring is a time of renewal and rebirth.  As the sun rises in the East, we can rejoice in new opportunities that spring brings.  Just as summer turns to fall and fall into winter, there will always be a time for spring.  For the young and the young at heart, spring always gives us that wonderful feeling that it's great to be alive!  That in spite of some "winter of discontent" that we have experienced, spring gives us hope for a bright future.  Everyday is a day to experience anew the blessings of God, a day to rediscover the wonder of life. So let us greet each morning with a smile on our lips, thanking God for every little miracle that we find around us- the green grass under our feet still wet with dew; the rosebush that will soon burst with beautiful blossoms in myriad colors, spreading it's fragranc; the little birds chirping up the trees, heralding the birth of a new day!  Soon friends and families will get together, and in the midst of laughter and joy, we share the bounties of God that we are blessed with. Of course as we enjoy those moments, we must not forget those unfortunate souls who have experienced and still are experiencing some hardships in their lives.  We must do our part to help alleviate the suffering of our dear fellowmen- maybe a kind word her, a smile there, send some donations to the victims of tragedies and be and inspiration to those who have lost their enthusiasm for life. Let us remember that like the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can look to this day to realize how blessed we are, given another chance to transform our lives to be the best that we can be.                    Look to this day! Look to this day! For it is life, the very Life of Life; In its brief course lie all the Verities and Realities of your existence; The bliss of Growth; The glory of Action; The splendor of Beauty; For Yesterday is ; And tomorrow is but a Vision; But Today well lived makes every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness, And every tomorrow a vision of Hope. Look well, therefore, to this Day!        (From the Sanskrit)

Moments To Remember

Posted: 01/29/2008

There are times in our life that we want to retain in our memories, moments that gave us utter joy.  Moments with our loved ones, for example.  The first time we heard our baby giggle and laugh, or utter words Mama or Papa.  Or when a child came home with his/her Report Card from school, proudly showed it to you and say: "Ma, I got the highest honor in class!"  The day your husband appeared at your doorstep with a bouquet of fragrant roses in one arm, and a box of your favorite chocolates in the other, happily yelling, "Honey, I'm home!"  Suddenly you remembered, it's your birthday! There are also times when in the quietness of our room, in our solitude, we remember little things that happened during the day.  When out of the blue, someone said or did something which you didn't like, you were offended, and you thought, "How could he/she do this to me?"  After all I've done for him/her, how could he/she?"  Your mind in turmoil, you decide right then and there, "I'll show him/her.  I'll not take this sitting down."  And the thought of it keeps haunting you, makes your adrenaline go haywire, you want to retaliate in the most virulent way you can think of. Then you wonder, can I be able to forgive and forget? Sometimes it occcurs to us that there are really beautiful moments to remember.  Yet often times we were more inclined to remember the unhappy, the difficult, the undesirable.  Suppose intead of remembering the unpleasant, we focused our thoughts on some lovely moments in our life, moments of blessings, aren't these more worthy of remembrance? In the course of our daily life, we cannot predict what event or instance we will come across.  In our relationship with people, we may sometimes encounter difficult situations which we cannot avoid.  Instead of taking things in stride, we tend to act in a negatvie way. Of course it is a matter of choice.  As some philosophers say, what we think often, expands.  If we think beautiful, happy thoughts, if we relive lovely moments to remember, it will even affect our health.  Sick thoughts make people sick. Happy people are healthy people.  Healthy people are happy people.  More often we can see people who, despite their disabilities, can rise above their physical  disturbances. With faith in their hearts, they overcome their difficulties by trusting in a Higher Power. Instead of dwelling on their affliction, they muster enough courage and confidence, never losing hope that God will never forsake them. So they remain positive thinkers. They look at the world with rose-colored glasses; they sing, or listen to inspiring songs like "What a wonderful world" by Louie Armstrong.  They gather unforgettable moments, moments of bliss and keep them in their hearts. They call to mind the words in the Bible: "He fills my mind with good things, so that I remain young and strong as an eagle." So think of lovely moments to remember and let God fill your minds with good things  "so that you will remain young and strong as an eagle."                    "What a wonderul  world"                       by Louie  Armstrong I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom, for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world! I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world! The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, Are also on the faces of people going by, I see friends shaking hands, saying "How do you do?" They're really saying "I love you." I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, They'll learn much more than I'll ever know, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world, Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

Affirmations

Posted: 01/18/2008

Affirmations Do you believe in affirmations?  I do.  Affirmations help me start the day right.  Every morning, when I wake up, I say my morning prayer.  After saying "Thank you God for this beautiful morning", I say to myself, "This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."  Followed by "Day by day, through the grace of God, I'm becoming better and better."  And another one:  "I feel healthy!  I feel happy! I feel terrific!" Affirmations set my mind in the direction I wish to guide myself.  No matter what I am going through, be it health problems, emotional or otherwise, when I recite my affirmations, I become energized and ready to tackle whatever it is I have to confront in my daily living.  I have a new confidence that I can meet, face and overcome whatever needs to be met, faced and overcome. Here are two recent  affirmations I came across which I would love to share with you: "This is the year that my dreams come true!"  These words from a beloved poem invite me to eagerly welcome the New Year.  "This is the year that my dreams come true as I am blessed with life-celebrating opportunities. Some may appear happenstance, yet I know that they have come to me by divine appointment.  This is the year that expectations flow from my vision of good.  I am an active participant in the joy-filled life of me.  This is the year that I move forward with zeal and enthusiasm, giving and receiving, committing to purposeful rewarding goals. This is the year that brings happiness, a year that I will bless.  Wonderful, wonderful, fortunate me, for this is the year that my dreams come true!"  ("Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?" Gen. 18:24) Here is the second:  "I am moving forward in fresh, new beginnings.  The New Year brings fresh beginnings.  Not just on calendar pages of new months and days, but within me, new beginnings rise up,  I have the attiltude of mind and body that I can begin anew.  I do not begin to do it over again, but begin with a freshness, an outlook and knowingness that propel me forward.  Releasing any doubts, maybe's, or I can'ts, I have moved from replaying discouraging messages in my mind to participating in a new beginning.  With attitudes of overflowing faith, trust and confidence, I reach new heights of spiritual expression.  I do not circle repetitively.  I spiral higher!  With renewed attlitude of mind and heart, I affirm: "The radiant light of newness illumines my way, and I move forward in fresh, new beginnings."  ("You have been born anew, not of perishable but unperishable seed, through the loving and enduring word of God." Try them.  They work!

Comments	Posted: 01/07/2008
Some of my friends and readers have called me and wanted to give some comments about my  initial book, "Random Thoughts: The Power Of Thoughts."   Here is my email address in case you want me to post your comments here on my website and thanks in advance. I do appreciate whatever your comments will be: solyprs@yahoo.com Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!