And for this day, my first blog post for my special project for this month, simply entitled 25 Years of Ziegrey Oris Balota, I will be listing down 25 things that I am so thankful for. I think that this is the right vehicle to say "thank you" and show my appreciation to almost all of the things that I had, I have and I will have soon!
1. I am thankful for living in this beautiful planet.
Maybe I am the first person who would be very thankful for being a human. Plus, living in this beautiful planet in which most of the people are not looking beyond our planet. Yes, our planet is really beautiful and thinking that we're the only planet in the entire solar system or probably in the entire galaxy that has life. The only thing that lacks in this appreciation is to see its beauty by visiting the places I've never, and I really mean I've never been to. That's going to happen soon...
2. I am thankful for being a Filipino.
For the past 25 years, it is only the Philippines is my place, my community and my country! Not all nationalities might be perfect and as a Filipino, we're not always be perfect but proudly to say that we excel too much to almost everything! Filipinos are the best comedians in the world. Filipinos are the most talented in the world. Filipinos are the most creative. Filipinos are unique in personality than the other nationalities. And I am unique, I am proud to be a Filipino! I don't honor the term "Pinoy," instead, I am proud to say, I am a Filipino!
3. I am thankful for having this beautiful career called education.
Because of our neighborhood game "teacher-teacheran," it opened my mind that my career would probably be touching lives of young minds and that's being a teacher. I used to dream of becoming a chef, an engineer, and even an athlete, but it was my dream of being a teacher pushed me to where I am right now. Here in our country, teachers might known to be "low-salaried" workers but we have the noblest job of all. And when the days end, I always have a smile in my lips because another day of lessons and wisdom to my kids. Till the end of my life, I would be so proud and so uplifted to say that I am an educator.
4. I am thankful for being funny.
I may always ask for the center of affection because of my funny antics but thank you if you've laughed so hard. Because of my mom, I think I inherited her funny antics and that's why I became very funny too to my friends and colleagues. Maybe because of so many things that I've already experienced, all I have to do is to use as my source of funny moments and make it as the source of laughter. To put the stress away from almost everything, a dosage of laughter is needed and I think I can give it to them, and even to myself (hehehehe).
5. I am thankful for putting a smile on my face.
Aside from being funny, a smile is also noticeable to me. I may not have the perfect smile but a contagious smile is what I have. There are numerous reasons why I am so happy and I can't put it here. From the simple things to big ideas, I can't stop smiling.
6. I am thankful for having a healthy disposition.
Having a healthy disposition for me doesn't count having 180 pounds as my weight and my body mass index is indeed higher than expected. The only part of my body, which is not perfectly healthy is my eyes due to prolong use of computer and way too near watching TV. But the rest of my body, they are all okay. I do not feel anything bad inside of me and even outside of me. Now, I only eat less because I don't need to eat too much (well, unless if there's a celebration!). I am perfectly healthy, and still way to go for becoming a more healthy one.
7. I am thankful for making my friends feel secured through me.
Whenever they are in trouble, I am always there to rescue. Whenever they need someone to talk to, I am just a text or phone call or a Facebook chat away. Whenever they need company, I always say yes, but it depends on the place we'll go. I am so proud to be part of my circle of friends because I love them so much. I always think that I am their superhero because in they dire moments, they need me. I love it!
8. I am thankful for having an ability to listen and to love music.
As I write my latest masterpiece, I am listening to Vanessa Carlton's monstrous hit A Thousand Miles. My life has been a thousand-mile journey and while having that, music goes along with my journey. I am very vocal when it comes to loving music and hating for me it's noise. I am not particular with the singer but I began liking the singer because of his/her rendition of the song and at the same time, the message of it. Yes, most of the songs are about love but not too entirely about it. It has message, that's it and it keeps on playing and playing on my music player. Thank God for music!
9. I am thankful for being knowledgeable.
I thank my parents for being too pushy for me to finish my studies. I may not able to finish that if I am not willing to be knowledgeable. I can't be who I am right now if I am not insisting myself to study things about my career. I may not be an effective teacher if I am not too knowledgeable reading and studying the lessons for my students. And I can't be a writer, just like what I am doing now, if I am not knowledgeable enough to think some topics and even titling my article. Thank God for a virtue called "knowledge!"
10. I am thankful for the ability to touch lives.
Everyday as I go out from our home, I encounter hundreds or even thousands of lives. And those lives have different kinds of stories; some of them might be interesting to know and some of them might not be able to share what they have with them because it was not too okay. I am so thankful because even in a small way or maybe in a large amount, I can touch the lives of other people. One example would be by simply answering the question of a certain individual looking for direction. And of course, touching the lives of my students inquiring me on what to do in their exercises. Simple yet astonishing not only from me but to a life that needs an answer. That's the true essence of touching lives.
11. I am thankful for appreciating art.
I am so much appreciating this simple kind of artwork I only got from a blog. Indeed, it was full of vibrancy and life! And with my statement about the artwork, I could say that I have a taste in it. Whether it is known to be a natural art or an abstract one, it is still a talent, a skill, an exemplary work of art. If I became a rich man and I would have my mansion elsewhere in the Philippines, I would surely put it with lots of arts representing my gratitude on appreciating the works of art.
12. I am thankful for the books that I've read and gained so much from them.
I remember my grade school days getting so excited opening all of my textbooks and having an advanced reading for the lessons. I still remember the smell of a new textbook and looking for some new ideas (though most of them still the same). Right now, I love reading novels, encyclopedias, coffeetable books and so much more. And while reading, I am gaining so much just like some vitamins for my mind, my body and my soul. I can't stop reading, though right now we have interactive ways of holding a book. I still basing my reading in what we know to be classic and traditional, books! Nothing beats a person holding a book in his or her hands or keeping a book in his or her bag! Nothing beats!
13. I am thankful for Facebook, Twitter and the Internet.
This is I think the greatest invention of any intelligent person in the planet today and still be in the next generation. Facebook for having friends and Twitter for having the latest trends. These two kinds of social networking sites bring so much joy to us. Their aim is one thing, communication. If you still don't have these two sites, you're life is naturally boring and incomplete. Of course, these two giants will never be generated without the Internet. Aside from them, the Internet brought so many people into a much better life, especially in deals, transactions, knowledge, and other sorts. I really can't imagine our lives right now if we don't have these!
14. I am thankful for fashion.
Because of my non-stop reading of fashion magazines, I had already had in my veins about fashion. My good friends consulting on what to wear and what not to wear. For myself, I could say that I am also following the latest trends but I still insist that classics are the best. Fashion makes my life happy because I want almost everything to be look good and decent. My friends are so-called "fashionistas" and so am I!
15. I am thankful for the gift of tongue.
I may not be one of the most-favored hosts in our institution but whenever a hosting job is landed on my lap, I always take it as an opportunity. I don't know when would I be hosting an event in which I really dream of but I know it will come soon. Why not for a corporate one? Indeed, I would be really bring out the best in me if they could consider me. Hosting is a difficult task but an exciting job, I guess?
16. I am thankful for the best foods I had eaten.
This is what I want, a buffet table in front of me showering different kinds of table. From Asian fusion, to contemporary American, to luxurious European and our own Filipino, it's got to be a great appetite if you have them to your stomach. I admit I eat large amounts of food, but why resist. I take them as a blessing, it gives me so many nutrients and it brings me into a paradise of not thinking any stressful ideas and work. For my birthday treat, I'll go to a buffet restaurant and dive myself in heaven's glory of food!
17. I am thankful for appreciating even the simple and little things.
Since I started earning money and buying all of the things I wanted, I did forget how to appreciate the simple things or gestures. But when I started looking the other way, having a small amount of effort by a student or a little piece of letter from someone makes me smile all day. A simple pat on my shoulder from a friend brings my weary life into full motion. Let's all appreciate life from the simplest to the biggest and then pay it back with a big hug and smile from your heart! I would surely do it again and again!
18. I am thankful for being an intelligent televiewer.
Let's be honest; one way of releasing stress is turning on your television and browsing the channels over and over again just to reach your most interested program. Good thing MTRCB already committed to make the Filipino viewers more intelligent than before. I do watch programs that can give me quality entertainment and at the same time, fruits of wisdom on what to do and what not to do. I hate bad news like murders, corruption and all those nasty things. What I watch are the programs that makes me laugh, makes me think about a certain situation twice and makes me stronger to understand about the world.
19. I am thankful for the people making me laugh so hard.
My best buddies, my dudes, my brothers and sisters, my colleagues, my favorite comedians and my mother, they are the people who make me laugh so hard that my tummy really aches and my eyes becomes watery. When a storm comes to my life, what I do is I go to them and ask them to make me laugh so hard. In that way, temporarily I forget what I am thinking and I keep on laughing and laughing.
20. I am thankful for loving English and back.
I really made a good choice choosing English as my major. Right now, I don't know if I really mastered the language but based on my previous works, I think I did. It makes me a better English teacher whenever my colleagues ask me how to pronounce, what's the correct usage of the word, what's wrong with their sentence, what possible words to be used and so much more. And because I have the job of perfecting and editing their work, I also need to perfect and edit myself in using the English language. I truly believe that English is hard to utilize and understand; it's a matter of loving it. I might say it also to Mathematics since it's considered my waterloo.
21. I am thankful for the gift of understanding.
One gift of the Holy Spirit to us is the gift of understanding. If you don't have this gift, how can you understand the things happening around you. Good thing I have this, though some things might be really hard to understand but you have to courage to do it. I understand what's going on with my life and if I still persist it, nothing would surely happen in my life. I understand why is our country like this. Maybe some thing or someone is doing a mishap so it is still like this. We don't know how come we understand such things but I can say that the gift of understanding sees it all.
22. I am thankful for my alma maters.
Three institutions that nurtured my ten years of basic education and four years of higher education. My childhood days are from Saint Francis School (now San Francisco de Sales School). In this institution, I was the victim of bullies, and I am also became a bully. It was only about playing, trembling because of some teachers and learning. My transition from a kid to a teenager are from Liceo de San Pedro. I thank them for making me a devout Catholic because of so many prayers. And my fruitful years of college are from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. Here, I experienced a lot and I mean a lot. How to be okay if you failed, how to finish a project in just a snap (read cramming) and how to become an independent person by just doing your school works alone. Now, I am getting prepped up for my master's degree and I'm still considering De La Salle University or Philippine Normal University. I can't wait for it!
23. I am thankful for my dearest friends.
No words to describe my friendship to them and their friendship to me. I can't imagine my life without them. No words and I love them so much!
24. I am thankful for my family.
25. I am thankful to You!
You are the reason why I am existing in Your beautiful creation called Earth. You are the reason why I have hands to write loving posts like this. You are the reason why I have a mind to think of fruitful words to be written here in my blog. You are the reason why I have a very beautiful family and friends. You are the reason why I became a teacher. You are the reason why I keep on laughing, smiling, crying and appreciating life. You are the reason why I have 25 things to be thankful for. All of these are for You!
"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is 'thank you,' it will be enough."
This is more than enough "thank yous" that I need to say. For the past twenty five years of my life, I only said thank you that is like this. I am so gratified with what happened to my life, to my career, to my family and friends and to our planet. After twenty five years, so many things might happened, either good or bad. What's important is that you should be thankful because you experienced it, you overcame it and you're happy about it.
I will never ever forget to say "thank you!"
I'll start today!
Thank you!
Toodles!!!
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