What are you thankful for today?
“Today, I choose to celebrate life …
I admire the raw beauty of nature, unceasing in its splendor …
I soak in the love and affection of loved ones; family and friends alike.
I gain new insights, grow in gratitude, and glow in abundant grace…
I praise God tor the memory of yesterday, the gift of today,
And the promise of tomorrow.” — From Daily Doodles & Devotions (Day 9) by Angie N. del Rosario
We know you can’t judge a book by its cover but one look at this book and you know that it is brimming with positive insights from a happy and grateful person. In the season of thanksgiving, this is a good pick-me-up book to lift your spirits.
It is easy to be upbeat when blessings abound and when problems don’t rear their ugly heads from every corner. But for Baguio entrepreneur and author Angie del Rosario, it is all a matter of faith and perspective.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: The pandemic pushed the world into unprecedented turmoil. What insights from the book can help readers navigate back to normalcy with soaring, instead of crushed, spirits?
ANGIE DEL ROSARIO: If you’ve read my book, Day 20 is titled “Bring Your Own Sunshine.” Here, I wrote about the terrible weather and the landslide that buried many people in Baguio, which greatly affected my mood for the day. I shared this quote: “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, bring your own sunshine.” Somehow, this resonates with me now. With the daily depressing and conflicting news I read in the papers and on the internet, oftentimes, I can’t help but feel so miserable. I’m reminded of this article to shift my thoughts and look from within me for the “sunshine” that I carry in my heart wherever I go. This sunshine is Jesus — the source of my inner joy and hope. I pray that we will never lose hope. This, too, will pass.
Day 49, “The Sun Is Out,” talks about never, ever taking anything for granted. Now is always the best time to be grateful for all the gifts and blessings that God has given and continues to give us. It calls on us to “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
Day 54, “Wait On The Lord,” has a similar message. It encourages us to trust in God, to wait on the Lord with expectant faith, (knowing) that our God who is the God of hope will bring to pass all the things He has promised. May we focus on God’s promises and not on the problems that we are facing.
How did the last two years affect you personally?
I love the term you used, “Happy gratitude.” With due respect to the many people who lost family and friends, who lost their jobs and other means of livelihood due to the virus, I would like to focus my answer on the positive things that the last two years have brought me, personally.
First, it made me realize even more how precious the gift of life is. And how short it is.
At any time, God can call us. Thus, we need to be ready. My husband Mike likes this quote, “May life find us preparing that death will find us prepared.” I wrote about this in Day 43, titled “It’s Later Than You Think.” This realization made me want to savor each moment that I spend with my loved ones even more. The past nearly two years, my siblings and I have been “meeting” online every week, spending sometimes up to two hours, talking, after praying the Rosary. We have not been this close and “connected” in a long time. This is one of the best things the pandemic has brought to me and my siblings.
Second, I learned the importance of taking care of one’s health. I rediscovered our roof deck with a scenic 360-degree view of the city. I spent time there walking, praying, sometimes enjoying the sunrise but mostly the sunsets. When Burnham Park reopened, I started joining the Zumba classes. Eventually I moved to joining the Tai-chi classes, which I attend 6-7 days a week. Keeping healthy has become a passion. But the greater blessing is the friendship I made with people from the Zumba and Tai-chi groups. In relation to keeping healthy, and in perfect sync with the call of the times, I got introduced to 4Life Research, an immune system company.
Truly, God is full of surprises. And I cannot help but just be grateful that my whole family is safe; and with the help of these supplements, the exercises we do (Mike is into biking and boxing, just like my youngest, while my three other children also do their own exercises), sunshine, enough sleep, healthy eating and tons of prayers — we hope to overcome this crisis.
In a time when mental health issues have significantly increased, give three tips to steer away from anxiety and depression.
Pray, doodle and do artwork or any handicraft, and listen to music, especially worship or praise songs.
* * *
Daily Doodles & Devotions by Angie N. del Rosario is available at Psalms religious store located at the second floor of Sunshine Supermart, Golden Crest Marketing along Yandoc Street, at V Hotel, Hotel Veniz Burnham and Hotel Veniz-Session, and at Mt. Cloud bookstore located at Brent Road, Baguio City.
