Thanksgiving day reminds me of the word “gratitude”

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Thanksgiving day being the most celebrated holiday in the states reminds me of the word “gratitude”.


A few years ago, I was planning to bake Pumpkin Pie because I remembered just how delicious it was during my visit in Missouri a few years ago.

My daughter said “we’re not Americans, mom so why should we celebrate Thanksgiving Day”. (But did you know that, for several decades, Thanksgiving had also been celebrated in the Philippines?)

I protested “but I love Pumpkin Pie” and I want to bake it to feel like I am celebrating with my brother and sisters in the states. My siblings often wished I’d visit them during Thanksgiving day but I just tell them that I will be with them in spirit. So I thought baking the Pumpkin pie was a great idea

But…

Nope, my daughters refused to acknowledge Thanksgiving day the American way.

As a compromise, I agreed to bake Pumpkin Pie on Christmas day and thought that was the end of the discussion.

Then, I gleefully announced “let’s honor and reflect on your paternal great-great American grandfather who arrived in the Philippines in 1921 from Iowa. He was quite an adventurer just like you, Lauren.”

Photo: Great great grandfather of my husband
I think that settled the issue.

I love looking back to the past and knowing the roots of my family. I like knowing their way of life, their personalities and quirks to see if these were passed on to my children.

I am grateful for the life and the traditions that have been passed on through the years.

Thanksgiving day being the most celebrated holiday in the states reminds me of the word “gratitude”. I can affirm my gratitude any day I want to but I want to dedicate this entry especially for my siblings who will celebrate Thanksgiving day. I want to share my gratitude to them.

In honor of Thanksgiving Day, I have a lot to be thankful for today and everyday of my life.

gratitude
1. I am thankful for second chances and a new normal.

2. I am thankful for the laughter that rings true in my home. There’s nothing like a family who laughs together.

3. I am thankful for financial challenges because it taught us discipline that money can be budgeted wisely for basic necessities.

4. I am thankful for a loving husband that never gave up on me.

5. I am thankful for the excruciating pain brought about by my son’s death because it transformed me into a more compassionate person.

6. I am thankful for my two girls, that despite the turbulent teen years due to their sibling’s death, they never resorted to drugs or alcohol.

7. I am thankful of new and old friendships ,a comfortable place to be myself.

8. I am thankful for negative feedback as I can make an honest assessment of myself without jeopardizing my identity.

9. I am thankful for the internet, blogging and all of YOU, twitter followers, the lurkers and readers of my blog as you help me fulfill my mission in life.

10. I am thankful to God who I thought abandoned me but never really left me after all.

gratitude Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. I have learned the magical lesson that making the most of what I have turns it into more. I have learned an important concept to get me through this stressful time and that is gratitude. I learn to say thank you, for all these problems and feelings. I am full of gratitude because today’s pain could be tomorrow’s joy.

What are you thankful for?

10 reasons I am thankful for today and everyday of my life #WhatImThankfulFor

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My three siblings in the US once sent me a Thanksgiving prayer citing our parents for the gifts we continue to receive even after their deaths. There will be one Thanksgiving day that I will surely join in their celebration. In honor of Thanksgiving Day, I have a lot to be thankful for today and everyday of my life.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. I have learned the magical lesson that making the most of what I have turns it into more.

1. I am thankful for the lessons on pain due to my son’s death because it transformed me into a more compassionate person.

2. I am thankful for the marital rift because it has brought me and my husband together for a second wind in marriage. Love is lovelier the second time around, indeed.

3. I am thankful for financial challenges because it taught us discipline that money can be budgeted wisely for basic necessities.

4. I am thankful for loving husband that never gave up on me.

5. I am thankful for my two girls, that despite the turbulent teen years due to their sibling’s death, they never resorted to drugs or alcohol.

6. I am thankful for in-law’s differences because it made me more appreciative of myself without any pretenses.

7. I am thankful for the internet and all my visitors as it is one way of fulfilling my mission in life.

8. I am thankful of negative feedback as I can make an honest assessment of myself without jeopardizing my identity.

9. I am thankful of new and old friendships, a comfortable place to be myself.

10. I am thankful to God who I thought abandoned me but never really left me after all.

gratitudeSometimes in life, things just happen too fast. We barely solve one problem then another problem crops up. We feel great in the morning but by nightfall we could be wallowing in misery. Everyday , I face interruptions, delays, changes and challenges. I have learned an important concept to get me through this stressful time and that is gratitude. I learn to say thank you, for all these problems and feelings. I don’t like this experience but Thank You anyway. I had to force gratitude until it became second nature to me. Gratitude helped me stop trying to control outcomes. Gratitude makes things right. It is the key that unlocked positive energy in my life.

I am full of gratitude because today’s pain could be tomorrow’s joy.

The gift of giving #GivingTuesday #GlobalTeam200

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The smallest good deed is worth a thousand grand intentions.

My three siblings who are based in the US will celebrate Thanksgiving day next week. Hopefully one day I get to join them in their celebration. One thing I know is a lot of sales are happening such as Black Friday, and even Cyber Monday. Take note , for the first time, there is another celebration happening… the first day of its kind – #GivingTuesday!

There is a day of giving thanks and two days are meant for getting deals. This year #GivingTuesdayâ„¢ is the giving season’s opening day.

While the Philippines does not celebrate Thanksgiving day, the idea of a day of giving applies to anyone around the world.

What is Giving Tuesday?

GivingTuesday.org states the mission statement of #GivingTuesdayâ„¢ as a “campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.” On Tuesday November 27, 2012 charities, families, businesses and individuals in America are coming together to transform the way people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season.

It’s a simple idea. Find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to join in acts of giving. Tell everyone you can about what you are doing and why it matters. Join a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.

““As a society, we’re more connected than ever before. With digital tools and resources, we are better positioned to effect real world change as a community. I got involved with #GivingTuesday because I saw the amazing potential for a powerful social good movement during the holiday season.” says Sharon Feder, chief operating officer, Mashable.com

Colleen Giles Timms the co-creator, #GivingTuesday adds that “”“#GivingTuesday is a wonderful opportunity for the giving community to come together under one ““umbrella” just as the retail world does on Black Friday. I think it’s a fun and important challenge to show what a difference a day makes. It is especially exciting to see the creative and dynamic initiatives taking shape all over the US.”

Ideas to get involved in #GivingTuesday

Wouldn’t it be great to have a day for giving back? There are many ways to get involved. Businesses, non-profit organizations, families and even individuals share some thoughts to get your imaginations going.

One idea for the family is “talk about causes that are important to you, perhaps one that has had an impact on your family. Research to find a walk, bike ride, or run supporting that cause and join in as a team. Get your family, friends, and neighbors to support you. Set a goal and raise it for your cause.”

One cause I want to pass my blessing to is World Vision Philippines’ Noche Buena campaign.

For only Php 1,000 (roughly $25) , a sponsored child receives a Noche Buena gift pack which consists of essential food items and a special hand-picked present of your choice (optional) which he/she can enjoy with the family, or even the whole community in the coming Christmas Eve! For more information you may log on to www.worldvision.org.ph or call hotline +632- 372-7777.

I spent an afternoon with the Aeta children last Saturday and I could see the World Vision Noche Buena Campaign is worth it. Last year, more than 35,000 children delightfully received their Noche Buena gifts. Passing on your blessings to this Noche Buena campaign can spread the love and cheers to more children in 14 identified poor communities this year.

Soon the holidays will come and the frenzy Christmas shopping can be quite stressful. It is important to focus on the reasons for giving. “If you focus on why you’re giving – to make another person happy – it really can make you feel better and there are physical changes that underpin that.” Sydney positive psychology expert Dr Tony Grant adds that “knowing we’ve done something to improve the life of others not only boosts our self esteem and gives us a sense of purpose, it also shifts our attention away from our own stresses and worries”.

There are many other ideas in getting involved on #givingtuesday. I hope #GivingTuesday will soon be a part of family traditions not only in the US but all over the world.

Gratitude is the memory of the heart

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Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

gratitude-rainbowspiral1

I am right now in Cebu. I am beginning to love this place. There is still something missing about Cebu that makes me sad. Perhaps because I often travel to Cebu just to bury a family member. Just when I made peace with the deaths of family members, another chaos ensued after a class reunion, then a death of a classmate. Making sense out of a chaotic situation is futile especially if the door is shut in front of you.

A conversation from a dear friend tonight jolted me out of chaos when she said that “there are more important relationships that need responding to just like what you have just done; gving comfort to parents who lost a child.”
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