Get Busy Being Born

 “…he not busy being born is busy dying.” – from It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) by Bob Dylan

Every time I post one of my paintings, I cringe when I think of what my friends who are talented artists will think of it. And I have quite a number of these talented friends: an art professor, a former jewelry designer who can whip up a portrait of my babies without breaking a sweat, and several others who majored in Fine Arts or Design in college. You get my drift. Of course, they have been nothing but kind to this amateur. God bless them 😊

But why do I keep practicing how to paint and learning other new things at this stage in my life? It’s because I want to keep growing and improving. In today’s homily, Fr. Dave Concepcion affirmed this mindset. He gave 4 Prime Principles for Lifetime Growth. The first principle hit the bullseye! (The other 3 I may talk about in later blogs.)

He said: “The first principle is ‘Make your future bigger than your past’. Have the courage to do something new. If I keep doing what I have been doing, then I will only get what I had been getting. Pag wala ka nang ginagawang bago hindi ka na umuunlad. You are not growing anymore. Growing old is not a reason to stop pursuing something better.” And he quoted the above lyrics by Bob Dylan.

So, friends, don’t simply grow old, get busy being born.

With that in mind, I’m bravely sharing my latest artwork – Heliconia: Life in Contrast. 

Watercolor painting of Heliconia: Life in Contrast

When I was practicing flower photography with my macro lens, I wasn’t happy with the run-of-the-mill shots I was getting until I changed the angle and took a shot from the back of the flower arrangement. I captured this beautiful contrast between the fresh blooms and the wilting leaves.  

Flower photography - the model

It’s a depiction of what we go through in life: young and old, happy and sad, fresh and dried up. Always remember that there is still beauty even in the downsides of life. With old age comes wisdom. With sadness comes compassion. And even something dried up can exhibit delicate beauty when you look at it from the right angle. 

A Heart Like His Own

 

“Generosity is not about how much you have given, but about how little you have kept for yourself.” – Fr. Dave Concepcion

Yesterday, I was looking for a beautiful quote to go with the watercolor painting I just finished to make an inspirational e-poster. And right away, God sent the inspiration this morning. At mass, during the celebration of the Feast of Sta. Maria Goretti, Fr. Dave repeated the above quotation which had struck me when he said it during his homily a few days ago.

My blog today will not be about deep reflections and thoughts or life-changing events in my life. It will simply be a gratitude post for God’s generosities to this Happy Solo Mom:

“Thank you, Lord for sustaining my sanity in this pandemic through my spiritual family in the The Feast and the new spiritual home I found in Sta. Maria Goretti. Thank you for showing me, through them, that generosity still abounds in this world.

Thank you for my children Jaffy and Julian (Buddy) whom You have gifted me with right around this time many seasons ago and the generous nature You have nurtured in them.”

Generosity is not just about giving material things. It is about having “a heart like His (God’s) own” (A Generous Heart from Sovereign Grace Music).

My heart still swells with pride and joy when I remember New Year’s Day 2019, the last day of our family’s Scandinavian trip. We were in an emergency clinic in Helsinki because Jaffy had a run-in with the hotel’s cabinet door handle and needed some stitches on his head. I saw Buddy helping a man unpack his luggage, repack them and assist him around. I think the man was also a tourist, has cerebral palsy and had no one with him. I was so moved by my son’s generosity to a stranger. Generosity is kindness shown.

Generosity is also about sharing your talents and experiences to help others be better.

Let me share a message I posted in our Hero Independent Parents group telling them about Jaffy’s new YouTube Kids channel, The Curious Monster Lab: “…By the way, he’s the one who wrote the epilogue in my book about growing up in a solo parent family. It just goes to show that by God’s grace, solo parents can still raise good children.” Jaffy’s mission in setting up that channel is not only to educate children, but to help the next generation grow up to be kind, considerate and good people. He always ends his videos with this line: “Be brave, be kind, stay curious.”

One way we solo parents (and all parents in general) can teach our children about generosity is to be models for them, to show them how we can ease the burdens of others by sharing our time, talent, and treasures. But the best way is to constantly remind them that our solo parent family has survived difficult times because God has been generous to us all throughout our journey.

Still…Waiting for THE Vaccine

 

On Thursday, our yoga chat group was abuzz with news from friends getting vaccinated. I asked what brand they were given and was appalled to learn it was Sinovac, one of those that my family and I have decided against. Only one friend in that group shared my apprehensions. Later, another friend from my LG (my caring group) posted she too had gotten her vaccine. She received a text message just that day about her schedule. I got worried. What will I do if I get my notification? I don’t want that brand, but the situation is terrifying.

We were about to end our family rosary last night when my phone text alert went off. It was a message from eZConsult informing me I was scheduled to receive my COVID 19 vaccine. My immediate reaction was, “Oh my God!” I was torn!

Why torn?

First, I had been praying daily for the best protection from this dreaded virus for myself, my family, my relatives and friends, family and friends of family and friends, for my countrymen and for the whole world.

Second, my sister-in-law, a doctor, had just posted an article in our family chat group there are vaccines that will be accepted for travel to Europe, and it specifically mentioned Sinovac was NOT among those.

Third was the timing. It came while we were praying. Was this low efficacy vaccine the best answer to my prayer?

Fourth, we don’t know when the acceptable brands will be coming in. Do I take the risk of losing my slot?

I consulted by best friend/cousin Belle. She was leaning on my side of not getting it but wouldn’t give me that definite push as she said it was my decision. Myrna and Emy from my LG, on the other hand, gave valid points on why we should not pass up this chance. Torn was a mild term to describe my feelings. Finally, I asked my son Jaffy who gave a flat NO! We will wait for a more acceptable brand. That settled it. After that, I felt calm.

But when I woke up this morning, there was this niggling doubt again. Then, I realized I had considered everybody’s opinion but did not seek the counsel of the one being who knows everything and is in control, my God. Although I pray to Him many times every day, I did not really “sit and talk” with Him about this. I begged Him to show me clearly what I had to do and let me know if I was making the right decision. I also asked Him to be as clear as He was during our conversation when Papa was in the ER. I quieted my mind as best I could so I could hear Him, but He was like the wind. I only got wafts of thoughts that I wasn’t sure came from Him…

…Every person has a different faith journey. What was given to my friends may not be the same for me.

…The timing of the notification is sort of a test. Is this what I really want?

What I was assured of clearly though was His protection. As I was praying, I was led to the worship song Still. The lyrics “Hide me now under your wings” were an affirmation of His promise in Psalm 91: “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” I was reminded that despite the heavy exposure to COVID patients for 5 days while Papa was in the ER last year, our whole family was spared.

During mass, God finally set my mind at peace. Fr. Dave’s homily answered the remaining doubts and confirmed the wafts of thoughts I had been given:

·        “God will satisfy you, grant you abundance ACCORDING to your needs, not your wants.”

Myrna had lost a brother-in-law to COVID and her niece and her family are currently suffering from it. Emy has comorbidities. Both need the assurance of protection from any vaccine.

I need another brand that will be accepted in Europe. Why?

Because my son works there, and I would like to be able to visit him.

Because before the pandemic struck, I had agreed to join Belle in We Fly, her travel business. We were all set to rent an office and launch our website, but our plans were delayed. We claim that we will be organizing pilgrimages to Europe among other places once the world opens.

Because I have included 2 more places in my bucket list that I read about while preparing for my consecration to St. Joseph: Loreto, where angels have transported, or rather translated, the house of the Holy Family from Nazareth, and Perugia, where the Santo Anello or the “holy ring” that St. Joseph gave to Mary on their wedding is kept in a cathedral there. Both are in Italy, in Europe of course.

·        “Before you are put to the test, God already knows the answer.”

So, the timing was really a test. If the notification had come at another time, I would have easily dismissed it as I already knew I wanted another brand. But the timing made me run to God to delve deeper into what He wants for me.

And so, I will be still while I wait, for I know He is God.