SLOWING DOWN

TIME TO SLOW DOWN - AGAIN.
TO REGAIN STRENGTH
NOT ONLY OF BODY, BUT MIND
AS WELL AS SPIRIT.

TO KNOW ONE SELF MORE
TO KNOW OTHERS BETTER
TO FEEL WHAT'S INSIDE
TO EXPRESS IT OUTSIDE.

LOOKS LIKE STOPPING
BUT REALLY JUST ENJOYING
THE TIME IN OUR HANDS
THE JOYS IN OUR LIVES.

SLOWING DOWN BEFORE IT'S LATE
BEAUTY FADES
WISDOM FAILS
BUT LOVE - NEVER!

NO HURRY
JUST SLOW DOWN
MOMENT TO MOMENT
HEARTBEAT TO HEARTBEAT.

SMILE!!

Smile!
It's very contagious. Try it - just walk around with a smile on your face. Even the person whose having a dreadful day that you give that smile to will be delighted, puzzled maybe, but affected and most likely he will try to do the same to the next person even without knowing it.

A friend/therapist of mine told me - it is hard to be depressed when you're smiling. Try it! I did and he's right...

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

~~~~ Mother Teresa

BE HAPPY!

I Was Happy Today Because...

It was such a glorious day today! I walked around the block twice. Once alone by myself then an hour later, with my nephew Odie. It was much better, of course, going with Odie. Like me, he loves the outdoors so much. We took my camera and I let him took pictures along the way. Interesting pics he took. We stopped by for awhile at a local playground and I just enjoyed watching him by himself. It was a school day, so we had the park to ourselves. It was fun and we got the sunshine we need. The following are pictures that Odie took by himself..

CANDLELIGHT

I WOKE UP FROM SLUMBER WITH SMILE ON MY FACE
I STILL FEEL THE LOVE ONLY YOU CAN BESTOW ME.

LIGHT TOUCH ON MY SKIN, HEAT FROM WITHIN
HAPPY YOU MADE ME AND I THANK THEE.

IT WAS DARK INSIDE ME, LONELY AND BEAT
THEN THE CANDLE FLICKERED - ALIGHT AND FREE!

My sister makes homemade candles, I should add - excellent, fragrant candles. She's been making them these past few days and so the house smells so good. And so I have these fascinations now with candles. I love candles even before then, but now I really do love them. It is soothing, comforting and homey. When lighted, the flickerings make me feel loved.

What Did I Enjoy Today?

WOKE UP LATE
Sunshine
My Sister's Shampoo
My Nephew
My Sister
Latte at Starbucks
Cranberry Muffin at Starbucks
Driving with No Traffic
New Belt From My Sister
Fried Fish for Dinner
The Smell of Homemade Candles
A CUP OF TEA
SECOND CUP OF TEA

I FINALLY FOUND ANNA!!

I'M SO HAPPY TODAY! I finally found my bestfriend from HS. I've been looking for her since 1997. That was the last time we lost contact. She's in Saipan. YAY!! I'm so excited. I plan to visit her one of these months. More on this topic later...

In My Mother's Memory

This statue of Immaculate Conception was given to me by my co-workers back in 2001 when my mother passed away. I totally forgot about it when I moved back to the Philippines. I gave it to my sister and she put it in their backyard. First time I saw it again the other day. You can see it here with light snow on the ground - it's winter here in Northern CA, after all. And so, even with the cold wind as I opened the door, as always, this statue of Our Mother Mary, evokes warm feelings and happy memories of my mom. I used to cry all the time whenever I remember her. It took a long time for me to get over it, and a lot of counseling over the years, but I did get over it. I still miss her every single day, but I know and understand now more about life and death. She's with me everyday. I still talk to her everyday and sometimes she talks back. She's often in my dreams. And I know she's fine wherever she is now - in her heaven. And because of her death, I no longer fear death. I know I will be with her someday. Not any time soon, but someday.

I love you, Mama!

Glimpse of Heaven

This picture was taken when my son was almost one year old. He's 20 now and still a happy child, but I will always remember that smile and along with the giggles that came with it. In times of sorrow, it helps to remind me - there is heaven through these glimpses we see.

Once in awhile we all have a glimpse of heaven...

Doc Strix, my therapist and friend, told me this story:


"A few months back, I was stuffed inside a hot elevator. Serious, stiff sardines in suits. It took one infant, just one infant. To turn an elevator full of adults
into children. Gooing and gagaing like little children - a dozen little children in an elevator.

And you instantly know life is good!

It takes just one smile. Only one child. Who squints his eyes to slits in utter gleeful abandon...

When we shut our eyes that way, we glimpse heaven. And that one glimpse is enough."

My Nephew Odie

Children are indeed so advanced these days. And I heard those very words before from my mother. But my nephew, Odie, amazes me so much. At three, he knows how to navigate his Mom's laptop and watch Disney.com. He knows his ABCs and numbers and just a magical being. He can switch his language, from English-Tagalog, depending on who's talking to him or how you talk to him. He's loving, fun and adorable. Of course, he has his days, too. But who hasn't? I bought him this magnifying glass on his request. That little piece of intrument will give him wonder far beyond any toys he will have. He has pretty much used it on everything he discovered. And wonder and merriment every single time.

We should all be like a child, full of joy and wonder. To Odie, thank you for showing me the wonder of a child's world - our world!

FLOWER OF THE MONTH: FEBRUARY

THE MEANING & SYMBOLISM OF IRIS


The iris’s mythology dates back to Ancient Greece, when the goddess Iris, who personified the rainbow (the Greek word for iris), acted as the link between heaven and earth. It’s said that purple irises were planted over the graves of women to summon the goddess Iris to guide them in their journey to heaven. Irises became linked to the French monarchy during the Middle Ages, eventually being recognized as their national symbol, the fleur-de-lis.
The February birth flower, the 25th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of Tennessee, the iris’s three upright petals are said to symbolize faith, valor and wisdom.

ON LOVE

Love is always patient;

love is always kind;

love is never envious

or arrogant with pride.

Nor is she conceited,

and she is never rude;

she never thinks just of herself

or ever get annoyed.

She never is resentful;

is never glad with sin,

but always glad to side with truth,

whene'er the truth should win.

She bears up under everything,

believes the best in all,

there is no limit to her hope,

and she will never fall.


"Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love".~~1 Corinthians 13

Welcome to MY KARMA GARDEN!!

There are so many variations in the definitions of this word karma -

However, to me, this is what I prefer to mean:

Karma means action, means "to do". So the real meaning of karma is not fate because karma is action. It is dynamic. But it is more than simply action because it is not mechanical action. It is not unconscious or involuntary action. It is intentional, conscious, deliberate, willful action. For every action must have a reaction, an effect.

Knowing this, I have promised myself to do the best I can - to intentionally do only positive, good action.


This blog site will be featuring purely positive thoughts, words, actions & values. I have to remind my self time and time again to be positive at all times. I have the tendency to be too dramatic at times especially in my writings and poetry. I really would like to avoid that. However, because I need to channel those other side of me, my other blog site - ManilaROSE FOREVER - was produced. Indulge me...

I have to mention that the title of this blog site was an idea of a very good friend/therapist of mine. Thanks to you, Doc Strix!