“Our choices define us; they shape our lives.”

Lanterns from Divi; candle from Tita Uchie.

Candle holder, Greenhills.

Reddish-purple Buddha, Bangkal.

Purple journal from Eda.

Had fun doing this tag, thanks Joybz! I think the assign was to find purple objects in the home and I was able to come up with a few items, thanks to my natural love for the color—purple, after all, is said to be the color of women.

Purple reminds me of so many things that I like, like ube (purple yam), for instance, that my mom uses to make her lumpy halayang ube. This chore involves a lot of manual labor, so when my mom would make this when I was little, I, together with Ate Lorna, usually took turns (with Mom) in stirring the uber sticky concoction to just the right consistency (for us this means not too perfectly smooth as we like to bite into a few ube lumps here and there). Oh, how wonderful the taste of halayang ube made at home and by one’s own mother! Those for sale (rumored to have been mixed with flour, or kamote, or some other extender and with the ghastly fake food coloring) simply cannot compare, there really is no contest.

Purple also reminds me of puto bumbong and how in my family we have a standing joke about making simbang puto bumbong, instead of simbang gabi during Advent. I’ll take puto bumbong any day over bibingka. I don’t know, I never developed a liking for bibingka. The same way I like suman sa ibos more than I like suman sa latik; biko more than cassava cake. Mukhang ayoko nga ng mga pagkaing sobrang lambot, para kasing walang substance (I can almost hear my sister kidding me, “Pati ba naman sa kakanin, Ate, naghahanap ka ng substance?” Hee-hee).

I’m a bit weird that way.

Here, today, in the warm bosom of family and home, I am renewed—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. There is so much to be thankful for.

1. I am thankful for challenges that came our (P and my) way last year that pushed us to be stronger, more courageous, and faithful in God.
2. I am thankful for God’s love and faith in us, for his guidance and protection, and his providing situations that helped reveal the true nature of people and things around us.
3. I am thankful for our families—simple, hardworking folks, with golden hearts—who raised us to have the right attitude and values, and who continue to inspire us to become better people.
4. I am thankful for our relative good health, for the simple joys brought about by being together, by our ability to find contentment and happiness with what we have, and for the chance to share our small blessings with others.
5. I am thankful for our true and lifelong friends, who have never let us down (and whom we have not let down either, we hope), who have gone through the crucible of life with us, and whose integrity, loyalty, truthfulness, love, support, and compassion are unequalled.
6. I am thankful for the help that we get from people who are not family (our household helps, for instance, whom we treat as family members, anyway), who despite their inability to get better opportunities for themselves and despite their financial challenges, still work hard for their living, serve us with loyalty and love, and try their best to live honest, upright lives without taking advantage of anyone.
7. I am thankful for genuine people, whose words and promises you can rely on.
8. I am thankful for mentors who unselfishly share their wisdom and life stories, for encouraging us to push boundaries and for providing us with inspiring examples of lives lived with courage and conviction.
9. I am thankful for the promise of a new and better day, for the chance to start anew. Such is the beauty of life—we can always begin again today.
10. I am always thankful for the truth, and for having a just God, who will always bring relief to the righteous and punishment to the wicked.

Absolutely love my new blog template! Thank you so much, Jun!

Maligayang bagong taon mga Lisondra!

Happy new year everyone!