Simply Thankful

Our campus minister, who happened to be also my dear Spanish instructor, told me that being thankful to the littlest things in life will help me make a 360-degree turn, in terms of my perception of life. Being thankful for the clean air, for the tap water that reaches our  home, for the decent meals I share with my family in our dinner table, these things are often overlooked when appreciating life.

Many times, I have complained about the trivial things like the heat, the difficulties of learning to speak Spanish, NJ’s “toy installations” in the living room, the sweat and the remains of a good meal on my collar and pants. I always find it easy to complain about things, which sometimes makes me feel a bit discontented about my life. Although I have all the things I needed to thrive, I seem to have acquired a habit of complaining. This Christmas, I want to be more appreciative and thankful for everything that God has given me. I am thankful for the love that people has bestowed upon me. I am thankful for the true friendship that strengthened me. I am thankful for the people who have wronged me deeply, because they convinced me that somehow some way, God exacts justice where it is needed be, because in the end, I was the one who ended up polished and gleaming and happy. Things simply go back to where they belong. No matter how much difficulty, hardship or pain I have suffered, what’s important is the person that these things made me become – stronger, driven, better, though a bit feisty.

I have learned to look at the good things that come out of the bad things. I have learned to see hope in frustration. I have seen consequences with offenses. I have seen fairness.  For all these things, I am thankful.

Thank You

"Love is patient, Love is kind,
It does not envy, it does not boast,
It is not proud, It is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices with the truth.

Love always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.

Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.

L o v e N e v e r F a i l s."


I thank the one person who taught me this important lesson about life. No matter how much you have hurt me, I can't explain why the hate easily goes away. Maybe because I still love you, but not the same way as when we were together. You taught me painfully, you taught me hard and you taught me well. For that, I am honestly thankful because without that, I will never get to become the person I am now. and I like ME now.

Once you love a person, you share your life with him. And when what you had was real, the love never goes away, it stays. Love changes people in so many ways. But though love hurts and easily harbors hate, love finds a way for forgiveness. It comes with hope that though it failed to bind us, I am capable of honestly hoping for your happiness. Because no matter how I try to erase you, you had your spot and it will always be your spot, that I realize now. But though love stays, it is never a guarantee for forever. People change and no matter how you control that, it happens.

Thank you for teaching me so much. I will carry on with my life remembering you as the brutal teacher I never had, the one person that really served me good no matter how this idea seems stupid or irrational. But that is life. If you did not do what you did to me, I will never realize that I am surrounded by these people who truly love me. That I am capable of being loved with no condition. I thank you for helping me find the way to a new love, that I might live by for all my years, for all my life...and of course, I hope I have left you with something to help you get through with your life.

My sincerest thanks to YOU.