A Bucket Full of Thanks

The end of the year calls for self-reflection. It’s time to check my two buckets.

My Bucket of Thanks for 2014 reminds me of how lucky I am. With God’s loving mercy, I have triumphed over the challenges in my life. All I have to do is to reach inside the simple little bucket of blessings. Some of those blessings were unexpected gifts from above; some dreams came true due to hard work and sometimes luck. In this last day of 2014, my bucket of thanks gives me hope for the future.

Thank you to my family for your unconditional love. Thank you for my mom, my sister Bheng, my brothers and their wives, my nieces and nephew, and my extended family. I was not able to come home to the family reunion when my sister Bheng went home to the Philippines last July 2014. I lived vicariously in nostalgic remembrance at all the pictures of my mom, brothers and their families, my aunts and cousins with their Hawaiian-themed reunion.

Thank you for my son Jordan for making me a proud mom. He had spared me from any major drama as a teenager. This year, he graduated from college with a double degree and cumlaude honors. He finally entered the work world at Rockefeller University. He is my own little Bill Nye, my own research scientist, but definitely handsomer and funnier.

Thank you that our dog Boomer can resume waiting by the window for our return home. He gave us a bit of a scare when he went missing overnight, lured by an open backyard gate. Thank you for the good Samaritan who dropped him off at a shelter.

Thank you for the privilege to witness the Centennial celebration of the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo). The magnificence and grandeur of the church was manifested for all to see. The INC had established magnificent houses of worship in more than 100 countries all over the world.

Thank you for the chance to start on a new journey as a student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership program. The trip to Colorado was the start for the 2-year challenge. I am thankful that I have a wonderful cohort of friends to share the pains and joys before we don our fancy robes.


Thank you for my friends, far and near. They make me laugh and make me feel special. I have been blessed with special friends who helped me with the difficult times. I can only give back by paying their kindness forward.


Thank you for my work that keeps me busy and keeps me thinking of new ways to educate. I am much more energized with learning everyday. Thank God for the little reminders from the head hunters that I have so much more to offer. Sometimes, even the most self-assured needs validation for a job well-done, even if there is no urgency to jump ship in the near future (yet).

Thank you to those who have read my book "Nursing Vignettes" . It is a labor of love, a “someday dream-come true”. I love how some friends tease me about the almost-love stories in my book. I wonder why my male friends seem to take special interest with Dr. L and the soda we shared. I have a feeling that there is a great market out there for men who love romances.

My Bucket-to-do list for 2015 is for my ‘someday dreams”. There are still many places to go to, people to see, experiences to savor, and goals to achieve. It is a dynamic list of dreams, of exciting endless possibilities. Some dreams are recycled to motivate me to persevere against all odds. As we look forward to 2015, I resolve to appreciate the blessings that come my way.



Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
- (Charles Dickens, English novelist, 1812-1870)

The World Got Talent

It all started for me when Susan Boyle came on stage on the Britain Got Talent show. This frumpy, overweight woman walked up in front of a frowning Simon Cowell and a snickering crowd, then shamed all disbelievers when she brilliantly sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.






In a society obsessed with fashion-model or movie star looks, it is an upward battle to shine with sheer talent alone. For all the ordinary people out there, those who are disadvantaged because of their looks and station in life, that moment with Susan Boyle was a promise fulfilled, a dream realized. It is also a reminder to us all to open our minds to all possibilities.

Thus so began my fascination with the underdogs who end up center stage because of their undeniable talent. Together we suspend disbelief when an armless pianist dared to show up on stage. I draw inspiration from the unlikely heroes; those who triumph against all odds. And I cheer on those who dare to reach for the stars.



Korea- Sung-bong Choi,"Nella Fantasia" His story moved everybody to tears as he recounted being on his own at 5 years of age. At the end,I just wanted him to win it all, to make up for his lonely childhood years.





Thailand- Bell Nuntrita, 2-voiced singer. Wait for the surprise. Enough said.





America- Kevin Skinner, "If Tomorrow Never Comes". A chicken catcher from Kentucky whose heart-felt rendition highlighted a beautiful voice.





Philippines- Jovit Baldovino,"Faithfully". Coming from extreme poverty, he had to sell "siomai" to help his family. Now he has two best-selling albums to his name, and a thriving career.





America- Cindy Chang, a 42 year-old Korean unemployed technical writer. Yes, she did not look like Susan Boyle but she overcame her shyness and came out of her shell.


Update: 7/5- Cindy didn't advance today on AGT :(



Philippines- Marcelito PoMoy sings "The Prayer" all by himself. He is a man of many voices.





Britain- Madonna Decena. Singing "I Will Always Love You", this single mother to two kids reminded us about the sacrifices we do for our loved ones.





China- Liu Wei - this armless pianist performed "You Are Beautiful". He is an inspiration to everyone.




The stage is for anyone with a dream...

We have our own stage to shine on. So imagine the spotlight on you. Oprah might be waiting for the new Charice.




Our stage might not come with a microphone. But we can still dream of something big and live the life we have always longed for. We just need to work hard and follow our passions. Be the next superstar. For our next group of students or our new audience of patients. You'll never know what awaits beyond if you don't even try. The impossible had just become possible.

We only need to believe in ourselves.

Dream. Have faith.



Nella Fantasia
In my imagination I see a fair world,
Everyone lives in peace and in honesty there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like the clouds that fly,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

In my imagination I see a bright world,
Even the night is less dark there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fly.

In my imagination there exists a warm wind,
That breathes on the cities, like a friend.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fly,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.



Addendum: July 22, 2013

This was from the X-Factor Australia 2011 auditions. Emmanuel Kelly did not let the tragedies in his life deter him imagining better things. Wow!!!!






Addendum: November 25, 2013 Just because this world has many talents.

From X-Factor Israel- an unlikely surprise, an unexpected discovery. Another Susan Boyle. Rose Fontanes, is a 46 year-old Filipina caregiver in Israel who wowed the judges with her rendition of "This is My Life" in the first audition round. She received another standing ovation from her fellow contestants after singing Lady Gaga's hit "You and I" and she advanced to the second round.






Rose Fontanes won the X-Factor Israel edition.