I woke up at 5:35 am and listened to my daily affirmation. After that, I turned on my playlist of praise and worship songs as my form of prayer. While listening, I felt like crying. I remember Sister Anne told me back in high school that every time we feel emotional during prayer and reflection, the Spirit has moved us.
That’s how I felt. I felt so blessed and grateful for my 54 years of existence. Probably I have 54 things to be thankful for right now. If you find them too random, please bear with me, I’m just jotting them down as I go along my thoughts.
- I’m thankful that I’m still alive. No need for me to explain. Everyone should be thankful to be alive every time.
- I’m thankful for Volts, my husband and best friend for twenty-three years of togetherness [that’s equivalent to two years as best friends plus two years in a relationship plus nineteen years of marriage].
- I’m thankful for my daughter, Ganjah, my source of happiness. Hunger and hallucination are not included [if you don’t get the pun, ignore this and move on to the next item].
- I’m thankful to my adoptive parents and their families and relatives for acknowledging me as their own. I may not have met or known my biological parents but I’m thankful that I was not aborted at that time. And if ever I’m destined to meet them and my twin in this lifetime, I would be more than grateful. [So if ever you’ve seen my twin, not a doppelganger, let me know.]
- I’m thankful for the first two men in my life: Daddy and Uncle Aciong who taught and inspired me the art of writing [including the things that go with it].
- I’m thankful for my two “yayas” in my life: Manang Beatriz and Manang Ching for being the mother figure in my motherless life.
- I’m thankful for my in-laws who broke the stereotype [you know, those stereotypical portrayals of in-laws in the media] and with that I’m lucky.
- I’m thankful for the talents God has given me. I believe He had given me two and not five because if He had given me five, I’d probably be not writing this.
- I’m thankful for my education. Even though I stopped practicing my two professions I am grateful for what I’ve learned from those two college degrees and licenses.
- I’m thankful for my “mababaw na kaligayahan” — those simple joys that bring a smile to my face and contentment in my heart.
- In relation to this, I’m thankful for my own TikTok. No, not the app that people are crazy about. My own TikTok means my own “salTIK and kaTOK sa ulo”, my own brand of craziness that makes me do things I do and laugh about. Admit it, guys, everybody has one.
- I’m thankful for this website and the people behind its web hosting. It’s one of my dreams that came true.
- I’m thankful for my readers, followers, and subscribers [42.86% in the US and 57.14% in the rest of the world]. For those who haven’t subscribed yet, kindly fill up the subscription form on the right.
- I’m thankful for my other blogs: Star Stack, Prime Crime, and Isang Manunulat. I might have lost them last year but losing them reminds me that nothing lasts forever.
- I’m also thankful for my friends, co-workers, colleagues, acquaintances, likers, followers, connections, and whatever you call it on social media. You remind me that no man is an island even introverts like me.
- I’m thankful to Mylene and Roena for introducing me to PAP Team TV. This project gave me the impetus to be creative again.
- I’m thankful for the interruptions that come my way. It breaks the monotony of working from home.
- I’m thankful for the abundance and lack around me. The abundance shows that there is more than enough in this world, and the lack reminds me that I have to be resourceful and creative to develop alternatives.
- I’m thankful for this quote: “Kung may gusto, may paraan. Kung ayaw, may dahilan.” This quote always reminds me to look for ways and means rather than to look for reasons and answers for every “why?”
- I’m thankful for the food that I eat, and the people who prepared it, sold the ingredients, sourced it, harvested it, and sowed it. Just thinking about this food chain shows how we easily forget those farmers, fishermen, and animal raisers.
- I’m thankful for my health. I’m grateful in this position right now and I’m praying for more health for those who need them most at this time — the sick, the recovering, the elderly, and the dying.
- I’m thankful for having a roof above our heads, kahit may butas ang bubong. It reminds me of how lucky I am.
- I’m thankful to my husband’s company for the loan. We were able to repair our house.
- I’m thankful for all the things we need to pack and set aside before and after the renovation. It reminds me to stick to minimalism all the time.
- I’m thankful for the technology we have today. I guess I was lucky to be born to witness the emergence of the computer and digital age. I hope that this technology should be used wisely for the good of all mankind.
- I’m thankful for the Bullet Journal I have right now because it grounds me to my analog, old-school ways of writing down notes and being mindful of what I do every day.
- I’m thankful for my current laptop, and the other computers I had before it, for being my workhorse.
- Of course, I have to thank the Internet and electricity, the two inventions that go together and make my work-from-home life better.
- I’m thankful for my productivity tools. Without them, my life would be in analog mode.
- I’m thankful for the bookshelf that reminds me there are so many books to read.
- I’m thankful for the cloudy weather today. This is just to remind me that it could rain in anyone’s parade.
- I’m thankful that you’ve reached this part. It only means that you’re intent on finishing this with me.
- I’m thankful for the person who said, “Allow yourself to commit mistakes.” Growing up in a military discipline fashion, committing mistakes and making excuses for them were frowned upon. But as I grow older and have accepted the principles of peace of mind, I’ve learned to embrace making mistakes and learning from them without that bothersome feeling.
- I’m thankful for my alternative or parallel universes or timelines if these really do exist. It reminds me that this timeline is where I am right now and it’s better. I shouldn’t be complaining.
- I’m thankful for not having a third eye or any psychic abilities that freak people out. Although at times I experience strong intuition (probably four to five times) and clairaudience (probably twice), I’m better off without these psychic abilities.
- I’m thankful for my angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here… well, that’s one of the first prayers I’ve memorized in my life, come on.
- I’m thankful for the philosophers, scientists, and intellectuals that lived who opened my mind to understanding the world we live in. The Earth is not just a blue and white planet as seen in the “Earthrise” photograph but a pale blue dot in Voyager 1’s camera. This reminds me that my height of four feet ten inches is way too small for the pale blue dot in space.
- I’m thankful for that sales trainer who called me “Isa” for the first time. I used to be called “Marie” but when I found out what “Issa” means, I started using it in 1990. “Issa” was Jesus’ name during his hidden life in Tibet and India.
- I’m thankful for these three books: “Grow Rich with Peace of Mind” by Napoleon Hill, “The Greatest Miracle in the World” by Og Mandino, and “How to Make Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. These three books opened my mind to peace of mind and success.
- I’m also thankful to my client who introduced me to “The Secret”, a documentary film about the Law of Attraction.
- I’m thankful for my Agatha Christie collection and what happened to it. It reminds me that once down there, there’s no other way but up.
- I’m thankful for the money I received earlier, an added contribution for the food later.
- I’m thankful for my recent newsletter, I was able to update what needed to be updated in my blog and shared it with others.
- I’m thankful for the clothes I wear, I’m starting to love wearing denim (with a matching denim bag).
- I’m thankful for the affirmation I listen to every day. It reminds me of who I am and what I could do.
- I’m thankful for the hours in a day which I try to spend wisely. May the Lord forgive me for the time spent on nothing.
- I’m thankful for my dreams, it reminds me that I could also be like Joseph who could interpret them with God’s guidance.
- I’m thankful for the positivity around me. It augments my own chi.
- I’m also thankful for the negativity around me. I’m getting better at detecting them and saying “Thank you, next!”
- I’m thankful for the values of truth, kindness, and simplicity. These have been my guiding principles at work and in life.
- I’m thankful to Benjamin Franklin for saying, “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.” It inspired me to have a mission in life.
- I’m thankful for my own fears and doubts. Slowly and surely, I’m trying to face them one at a time.
- I’m thankful for Crossover Radio Online for playing my favorite song of all time, “Feel So Good” by Chuck Mangione while I’m writing this.
- And lastly, I’m thankful to you, readers, for reading this long post. I know that you’re one of my true supporters in the world. Thank you for celebrating with me my 54th birthday.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
This is just one example of counting my own blessings. Doing this always reminds me of the things God has provided me all these years. All is good in this world, God is good all the time.
Tell me what you think about my gratitude list, I’d appreciate your feedback.
