The Present

So how did I spend my birthday? Well, after writing my first blog early in the morning, I find out from our helper that we have nothing in the fridge. I had to work Saturday and did not have time to do the grocery. And since we were going down to Manila in the afternoon,my husband Armand did not want to go out of the house prior to that. So my birthday lunch depended on what I could put together in the kitchen. With the freezer empty except for some chicken nuggets and chicken gizzards for the turtles, that left us with fettuccine noodles and canned goods. Good thing we had tuna and mushrooms. My mom always said that noodles should be served on one’s birthday to symbolize long life, so i cooked tuna and mushroom fettuccine for lunch. Then, because I loved to bake and no one bought me a cake, I made delicious soft chocolate cake as well, using up the last 4 eggs and butter in the fridge. Was I sad because that was all that was served on my birthday lunch? No. In fact, I was quite happy and pleased with myself. I have recently discovered the joys of cooking and baking, and finding time to do it doesn’t happen often.

We all got ready after lunch for the 7^th birthday party of Katrina, a friend’s daughter. And what a party it was! I never had so much fun in a children’s party before. Drs. Karl and Bettina gave their daughter her own pop concert party. Shiny necklaces, feather boas, and shades were handed out as the children got their name tags. There was a little salon where the kids could have their hair and nails done. Glitter tattoos were available at one corner, and after all that glamour, the children can have their photos taken and they can take it home.

The games were fun and I was pleased that my son, Jaime, who never joins games, took part in it and brought home 3 prizes. Then the concert began, and I was so proud of Katrina when she got up on stage and sang and danced for us all. She did several numbers. She sang with the group Jive, sang and danced with her friends, sang a couple of solos, and more. This from a 7 year old, who by the way is an alumna of Toddlers Unlimited.I was just like her proud mama, getting teary-eyed and all. Then, I think to myself, I wish I can raise my children to also be confident of themselves, to get up in front of people self-assuredly and show what they’ve got. Oh, we definitely all had a blast at the party!

We went to mass before going home, to give thanks and pray. Our fridge was still empty so we bought barbecue at Ineng’s as well. We were all still very full from the party but we needed to have food in the house in case anyone got hungry.

It was a good day. A day of contentment. Sometimes, to be happy we also need to stop wishing for more, to stop sulking because of what we don’t have, and stop looking ahead. We need to just be in the present and enjoy what we do have and what’s going on around us.

A Magic Wish Box

40 . . . Hmmnn . . . Forty . . . Ok, today is my birthday and I am now 40 years old. It’s funny that from the time I turned 22, I stopped revealing my age to people. My standard answer was, “A lady never reveals her age.” I only write my age in forms that I am required to fill out. I don’t even say it to my closest of friends. I just keep them guessing.

And yet today, I decide to blog and have it out for all the world to know. Why? I think perhaps I now feel very secure in my life. In my early twenties, I think I would give my standard answer to be coy and intriguing. In the late twenties and early thirties, I would say it because I didn’t want to hear others say, “How come you’re not married yet? Do you have a boyfriend?” And then in the recent years, I didn’t really care if people knew, but I guess everyone had accepted my standard answer that they have stopped asking. :)

So now I have spent exactly forty years in this world and I thank God for the blessed life He has given me. My life has had its difficult moments too, but for the most part He has led me to be where I would be able to sort out those difficulties best and be most happy.

I just brought out the wish box I made in my late twenties. After I put it together, it was always placed under my bed or somewhere near it. These are the contents,

· A written affirmation of self :

“I am a pleasure to know. I am proud of who I am. I am a lovable person. I have much to give. I bring light wherever I go. I am powerful and I am loving. I am a person of worth. I deserve love. My life is unfolding perfectly. There is plenty of time.

I am compassionate and loving to myself in every way. I am committed to taking actions that will move my projects along today. I am committed to my growth and prosperity today. I open my heart to the abundance around me. Today, I make loving choices for myself and accept good in my life. God is my unfailing supply.”

o I don’t remember where I got this from, I think I got the idea from a friend, but from when I put it in my box, I remember keeping a copy in my wallet and just affirming myself every day. As a psychologist, I know the power of thought, and at that particular time in my life when I put this box together, life was just so difficult, financially and emotionally. I needed to think that things would get better.

· Several pictures of Jesus:

o Jesus with the words, “Mga himala nang ating Panginoon”

o A smiling Christ

o Jesus holding a little boy lovingly in His arms with a prayer to protect life at the back

· A little petition prayer to “Our Lady of Manaog”

· An angel

o to always be at my side, and I know he always is

· A shell

o I loved going to the beach and the shell is a reminder of the calmness I always feel as I sink my feet in the sand and look out at the water and its waves

· A smooth clear stone

o To always have magic and wonder in my life. Before I put it in my wish box, I used to keep it in my pocket. It was like my magic and lucky pebble

· A marble

o A reminder to always have fun in whatever I do and to remember to have carefree moments in my life

· A little school pin

o It was always my dream to have a school. At that time, our Toddlers Unlimited playgroups were held in the den of the Server residence.

· A picture of a man holding a bunch of red roses

o My little wish for “the one, the man I would marry." This box was made at a time when I was often dating but never really getting seriously involved.

· A lady who looked like she’s got it all, stepping out of a plane

o The me I want to be

· A picture of a baby boy

o My wish for a son

· A picture of me smiling

o To always be happy

· And lastly, a written dream and vision not for me but of something I wanted to put up, a separate school center for the needy.

So where am I now, a little more than 10 years later since I put my wish box together? All but the last has come to fruition, and I think it’s because the note was folded up and closed, not open like the others.

So, thank you Lord for the fulfillment of my many dreams. I have a successful school, Toddlers Unlimited, with branches in Alabang and Makati. I love what I do, and don’t even call it work. My husband, the love of my life, and I have 2 adorable little boys, and our own home in a wonderful village. There is fun, magic, wonder and miracles often in my life. My petitions are always answered. And I know that my guardian angel is just beside me always, and Jesus is leading the way. Praise God!

So for you out there, I recommend the making of your own wish or vision box. Put inside it all your hopes and dreams. Open it once in awhile to keep you on track. Make your own self affirmations. Remember to invite Jesus into your life. And strongly believe even if the future may seem bleak at the moment, that your dreams and wishes will come true in time.

So today, my 40^th birthday, I am indeed happy. I have achieved many great things already in my life, and I am very thankful. I wish that you also receive many blessings in your life. For now, I think it’s time for me to put new wishes and dreams into my box. The future holds many more possibilities, and I look forward to what life has yet to offer. So get going and start your own magical wish box now!