Gratitude has been an enigma as of late. One minute you are posting about what you are grateful for in life and the next, you become enamored in what your life lacks in comparison to those on your social media feed. It’s not something to be ashamed about, it’s just how life is these days.
And this is the reason why we must fight to keep gratitude at the forefront of our minds at all times. It takes conscious effort just because of how our brains are wired and so every day, we work at being thankful, no matter what.
Gratitude and thanksgiving have been the theme of my year, at least. During one of the lowest points of the year (and my life), I trained myself to look for at least one thing to be thankful for. I figured if I can find one thing to be thankful for despite the worst of circumstances, I can rise above it and become stronger because of it. And today, that peace that was brought upon by remaining thankful is one that continually invokes joy and gratitude in me. Being thankful indeed is a superpower and once we harness it, we can overcome almost all things.
The month leading up to Thanksgiving was quite a challenge for my family. What turned out to be a momentary tummy ache for my mom turned into three weeks of tests, a gigantic 21-cm tumor, and a major operation that left all of us anxious.
In the midst of all that, our family chose to look for the good. We were thankful that God blessed my mom with an excellent team of young, talented, and dedicated doctors.
Never in our lives have we met doctors so young, so hip, and yet so equipped at what they do. From the get-go, Dr. Valencia, Dr. Tiuseco, and their team of young specialists made my family, especially mom, feel at ease. There was a not a moment that we felt scared because they made us feel that we were taken care of and whatever medical hurdle that was ahead of us can be conquered and they were indeed conquered.
Whatever it was that was in my mom’s tummy for over five years was completely benign and now she is on her way to recovery.
Life changes after a medical scare and today, I thank Dr. Valencia and his team for the blessing our family not just with their talents and skills but their passion and dedication to their craft. Their love for what they do has spilled over onto their patients and I dare say that this is what has made all the difference. Our family also extends our gratitude to the wonderful staff at Cardinal Santos Hospital and Tokyo Health in Alabang.
The whole ordeal made me realize what was important in life and how critical it was to hold on to it. We can constantly run the rat race but at the end of the day what brings us the greatest joy is not our designer bags but the good health of our family and the provision that can only come from God.
This Thanksgiving holiday, I say an extra prayer of thanks to God for keeping my mom safe, my dad calm, and for my two brothers, Ryan and Carl, who have relentlessly taken care of my mom.
Being far away is difficult but my brothers took it to themselves to stand in the gap and for that, I am even more thankful. The gift of extended family found in my Lola Lyd, Tita Arlene, and Ninang Cindy also brings me great joy – truly family is family no matter what.
Today, I am reminded that being grateful is not a challenge because all it takes is to look at the family God has blessed us with and that alone gives us so many things to be thankful for.
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