One Fine Maundy Thursday

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Maundy Thursday may be an ordinary day for some but not for me, I reserved that day for a very special date. While others opted to spend the day on the beach with their families and friends or at the comfort of their own homes to unwind and relax, I, on the other hand, prepared myself to a special date. Yes, I had a date on a Maundy Thursday, a very special date…with Padre Pio. 

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

My devotion to Padre Pio started about a year ago, I first heard about him on a local Sunday TV show. A week after that, a friend of mine handed me a novena to Padre Pio, he said that his mother wanted me to have it. I don’t remember the exact date anymore but I remember vividly how I instantly burst into tears the moment I saw Padre Pio’s image on the prayer card. From then on, my husband and I started to recite the novena every night before going to sleep. Soon I found out that there’s a chapel built for him in Libis, Q.C. I promised myself to visit the chapel as soon as my schedule permits. 

Maundy Thursday was the day I’ve been waiting for, the day I could finally visit the chapel to personally tell Padre Pio my worries, prayers and wishes. Accompanied by my husband and a friend of ours, we visited St. Pio Chapel in Libis. The moment I entered the chapel, I felt so at peace, a certain feeling of comfort and serenity. Finally, I was able to fulfill my promise to Padre Pio. 

photo taken by my husband at St.Pio Chapel

Just like any first dates, I was there sitting at the corner…speechless! I don’t know why but I was on a complete state of blank, I can’t seem to utter any single prayer I rehearsed on our way to Libis. I just looked at people…families, children, teenagers, and couples pass by, wondering what they are asking for. 

I guess, deep in my heart I know that Padre Pio knows, the Lord knows what the desires of my heart are. That I need not say any words for the Lord is preparing a grand gift for me, and all I have to do is to keep the faith and wait for the perfect time, His own perfect time. 

After twenty minutes or so, I felt the warmth of my husband’s hand gently held mine. And then on my mind, I uttered “thank you Padre Pio” over and over again. I tried so hard to control my emotions and to hold back my tears from falling. I felt as if Padre Pio is telling me that the Lord has already given me the greatest gift of all and everything else that will come our way will just be an added bonus. 

We left the St.Pio Chapel with a promise that we’ll try our very best to visit the place at least once every month. And whether or not He grant us our wish, we’ll spread Padre Pio’s wonderful works to every people we meet. 

 "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry"  - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

 (For mass schedules, visit www.saintpiocenter.com) 

Pag-ibig sa isang tasang kape

 

Kape.

Hindi man lahat pero karamihan, minsan sa ating buhay ay nahilig sa isang tasang kape. Sa umaga…sa hapon…sa gabi…at kung minsan maging sa tanghali, hindi maaaring walang kape.

Mapait.

Matabang.

Matamis.

May creamer…

…o wala.

Kanya-kanyang panlasa, kanya-kanyang timpla.

Parang pag-ibig.

Journey

photo taken at Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Malaysia

Every once in a while, I make sure to have at least one or two-week vacation, together with my favorite travel buddy, my husband, we conquer the world and make the most out of those precious moments we have. Away from the pressures and stress brought by our busy schedules, we savor every single minute that we are together and think of nothing but on how we are going to spend the rest of the day.

Going out on a trip gives us a certain form of relaxation, it also allows us to discover the wonders of the places we have visited, and the stories of the people we have met. But more than that, going out once in a while, allows us to rediscover ourselves, a chance to look back and examine our past decisions in life.

It’s like finding your old self in a new and totally different place. Amidst the beautiful sceneries, the quiet times you have, and the people you came across with, is a chance to commune with yourself and evaluate your life.

It feels good to slow down a little and let yourself appreciate the beauty of life.

(originally posted 5-15-2010)

To Love Again

For the past weeks, I’ve been hearing stories about love.  Stories of unrequited love, broken vows, failed relationships, right love at the wrong time, love gone wrong. Oftentimes we wonder how a love so beautiful and almost perfect could end up with goodbyes. A lot of us have experienced pain and broken hearts, a lot of us at some point in our lives can’t even remember how it is to live again after a failed relationship.  With all the stories I’ve heard about love this past weeks, I realized that pain is really inevitable. Pain is part of everyone’s life and no matter how hard we run and escape from it, we simply can’t.

 

All we have to do is to embrace the pain and learn from it. Cry, shout, and grieve for as long as you want but never ever become bitter about love.  Love may have caused you lots of pains and heartbreaks but remember that those pains and heartaches should never hinder you to love again.

The pain of losing someone or letting go of someone we dearly love can really be so excruciating and sometimes it feels like you are torn into pieces… it pains you so much that you don’t know how to pick up the pieces to make you whole again.

But that’s the beauty of love…to feel the pain of letting go and holding on to that love, to that promise.  To try standing up, moving on and embracing the fact that sometimes, no matter what we do and how hard we try to fight for that love and hold on to that feeling, we simply just have to let it go and walk away.

Walk away for a new beginning…a new hope…a new you and eventually a new love. You’ll never know but that new love might be the one who will be with you for the rest of your life.

 (re-posted)

Warriors of the World

Five different people…five different stories to tell, each has their own way of combating the hurdles and curveballs that life has offered them.

The story has just begun, and I, their travel buddy in this journey to life is anxiously waiting for the story to progress and see how they’ll pass their flight with flying colors.

As their travel buddy, I can only give opinion, pieces of advice and comfort but I must not be in control to whichever path they may choose to go. For just like them, life has offered me some oohhhs and aahhhhs I need to handle. After all, we are all warriors in this world.

Life they say is a matter of choice. No matter who or what we are in our past, present and future depends entirely on the choices we make. Some may have gotten lost and took the other side of the road; others may be feeling confused and scared as to which road to take; a lot may play safe and take the conventional road; a few, however, is brave enough to take the road less traveled. Whichever road we take, whatever path we choose, we take full responsibility to the consequences (whether good or bad) that entails the choices we make.

Win or lose, a warrior should never give up. For in the end, what matters is not the number of times we have failed or succeed, but the lessons we have learned from each combat.

(re-posted from my old blog, 4-14-10)