Let's Say Thank You! Let's Be Grateful!

I was reading some magazines and saw one interior design article that featured furnitures from a well-known Filipino furniture design artist, and paintings from Ivan Acuna.  Hey, wait!  I have one authentic Ivan Acuna painting...

ALPHA METALSCAPE SERIES by IVAN ACUNA
(Limited Edition, 157/300, 2011)

My sister won the grand prize in their Christmas party raffle, roughly 3 months ago.  Because she works for a big multinational company, the prize isn’t your ordinary grand prize item.  It is a unique and limited edition of a painting from the renowned and acclaimed Filipino abstract expressionist, Ivan Acuna, complete with a certificate of authenticity.  Wow!  At first, she didn’t exactly know what to do with it.  So, I asked her to give it to me for free.  LOL.  She said, “I don’t think so. I’d like to hold on to it.  I might jinx my luck this coming year.”.  I said, “nonsense”!


Another friend of mine had the same fate.  I learned from her wall posts in Facebook that she won 2 grand prizes (i.e., laptop and digital SLR camera) from raffles in two separate Christmas parties and some minor prizes from other parties.  She had the best luck!  I was saddened however, that she was questioning these gifts.  She thought that she should brace herself for the bad things to come that would even out these blessings.  I thought to myself, “nonsense”.


Why do we do these to ourselves?  How come we are not comfortable with wealth and successes?  Blessings come our way because “we deserve them”!  The only proper thing to do is to be grateful.  Say, “thank you”.  That’s it!  No apocalyptic event shall come your way just because you were blessed with so much.  Didn’t it cross your mind that these gifts could be “rewards” for the good things you’ve done?  Also, what you do with your blessings (like giving away that gorgeous and valuable painting to me… ha-ha-ha) would not mar your future successes.  I believe that in order for us to receive wealth and success, we should be comfortable with them.  Remember, we deserve wealth and success!…


(I got the painting! I traded it with some stuff she can’t refuse.  LOL.)

Don't Take Things For Granted

"Yahoo!  It's summertime.  No more school, no more books.  No more teachers, dirty looks.  Yahoo!  It's summertime where all kids can be naughty again....".  LOL!  Bugs Bunny said this, right?

Wooh. It's really hot here in the Philippines, especially during summertime.  It's so humid!  I think I'll go and take a swim at our pool.  Speaking of pools, here's my recent blog from "tumblr" about pools... I mean, about things we take for granted, like this pool.... LOL!

DO NOT TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.

It takes less than one hundred steps to reach this pool from our condo unit.  Yet, I waded and swam in this pool no more than 5 times last year.  Yes, I know it's crazy.  We take things for granted more often than we can admit.

When was the last time you said "I love you" to your mom or dad?  When was the last time you had taken the whole family out for a picnic in the park.  When was the last time you took a luxurious bath for more than an hour?  When was the last time you sit and peacefully meditated?

We say, "Oh, my mom and dad know that I love them.".  We believe, "There'll always be time for that picnic in the park.".  We tell ourselves, "I don't have time right now for long baths.".  We question, "Do we need to meditate at all?".

Here's the truth.  People won't always be there s find a way to tell them that you love them.  We can always make time for our families and share priceless memories in the park.  We need to take care of our bodies and we deserve some pampering every now and then.

Remind yourself to NEVER TAKE THNGS FOR GRANTED.  All people and things around you are part of your "having" and "being".  Appreciate... be grateful... and give thanks!