Transit Dialog has recently published my essay, The Power of Gratitude. Read it below:
"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥."
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲
𝘉𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴
2022 began on a shaky note, with the emergence of the Omnicron variant in the Philippines. While we were given a semblance of normalcy during the holiday season, we quickly realized that we had to take precautionary measures in order to protect ourselves from the new variant. This led to a survival mode which personally felt like a hibernation of sorts.
In the comfort of my own home, I was able to plan, journal, and reflect on the new year. For me, the power of gratitude is crucial even during uncertainty.
Let's face it, life has always been uncertain anyway. It is just that the unknown has been more pronounced with the pandemic. The saying “life is too short” is no longer cliché, as the virus has become too close for comfort.
I am thankful to be alive, healthy, and boosted. The fact that I can write this essay in a well-lit environment means that I am fortunate. I am thankful to have the means to write and reflect on my status quo.
When gratitude is highlighted, blessings are triggered. I believe that when there is an attitude of gratitude, we learn to welcome abundance without guilt or shame. We accept what is given to us because we feel whole.
Gratitude lets us appreciate what we have at a time where there is a health crisis that has robbed us of our normal routines. If there is a sense of overwhelm, then let us focus on the basic things that we can be thankful for. The senses of taste and smell are a good place to start. The ability to inhale and exhale is another. The rest will follow from there.
Another way to harness the power of gratitude is to pass it on. We all have something to share with others. The victims of Typhoon Odette still need our help, so I hope that we could continue offering support to them. We can also offer our time and energy to those who are burdened by the effects of the pandemic.
There is always something that we can do for others, and the generosity that we extend can be the beginning of someone’s gratefulness to be alive.
There is no doubt that 2022 will have its share of bad days. Life is full of challenges, but we can learn to view them as opportunities instead. When we see them as chances to help ourselves and ease other people’s burdens, then we can be thankful for the skills that we have.
We can be grateful for the possibilities that are present in an unbelievable time in history. And we can be thankful to be alive at a time when life seems to be too short.
And when the days seem too long and time seems to become an illusion, always return to the concept of gratitude. Be thankful that you are present here today. Be grateful that your energy lets other people experience life more. Be grateful that you are able to have plans. Be grateful that you have reasons to be thankful for.
When you see a chance for you to help out, do not hesitate to do so. Do not wait until it is too late. It is better to be a blessing to others than to become a burden.
Friends, the only way to continue living is to begin with the power of gratitude. Be grateful for yourself. Be grateful that you showed up today. Be grateful that you can read this. Now, go ahead and be a blessing to others today. You will thank me later.
𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘉. 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦, s𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘺 2017 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘖𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 2021, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2021.
