Saturday Photo

 by PAM

A burst of sunshine inside the house!

A few weeks (or is it months already) ago, I was talking about 'decluttering'... and finding, uhm, no, not finding but experiencing joy in it.  I also talked about using pieces of home decor that are beyond just 'pretty' but also functional and blend in with everything else in that decluttered space.  

Later, a few months after positing that piece, and just as soon as springtime came, and the flowers started to appear in our surroundings, I had the reason I need to re-dress our throw pillows in the TV room as well as at the receiving room of 'Home #2'.  My inspiration?  Simple.  It's 'texture'... once again.  The color is

The cosmos flowers outside our TV room
peep in with their 'silent giggles'
echoing in the room.

simple - the color of sunshine.  It's cheerful, pretty, and quite stunning.  I see these pieces in the morning after I say my morning prayers with my eyes still closed, and as I grope my way to the kitchen with my eyes half closed.  The sunny color makes me feel that the day is promising me something good and happy... and that helps start my day right.  And even when the day falls short in fulfilling its promise, when I get home, these cheerful pieces restore good vibes.  They make me feel like I am basking in sunshine inside my home even when it's actually the moon that's shining outside. They remind me of the great blessings that I am so fortunate to enjoy, and that I am so privileged to share with others.  In fact, these pieces and the positive vibes that they invoke are part of those many blessings.  In the end, my determination to continue hoping for the best is renewed.  Indeed, the blessings of the Lord does not stop pouring in every single day.  We can continue enjoying them if we are only faithful enough to keep paying attention and to keep our hearts open to recognize and to be grateful for these blessing.  I know that for the skeptics, it's odd that I am talking elaborately about simple throw pillows... as manifestations of God's love and blessings.      

These days, the 'sunny' throw pillows are accompanied by matching new curtains.  However, this is not the only one that makes the whole scene lovely.  There's the fact that the pretty cosmos flowers of similar colors as the throw pillows and curtains seem to peep inside the TV room from outside.  They simply lighten the mood everyday as I listen to terrible news after terrible news at breakfast time, and they bring sunshine in and the 'laughter of the grounds'.   

So, yes... our home can be designed in a way that reminds us of God's love and blessings every single day.

***

Image credit:  All photos used in this post are all mine.  I took them all.

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Wednesday Nostalgia...

...on the 78th Foundation Anniversary of PAEF.

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by PAM

 

Reconnecting with friends and fellow Fulbright Scholars and Humphrey Fellows under PAEF, Inc.
Among them are: Hon. Shirley Agrupis, Ph.D. (Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education), Tony Lambino, Ph.D. (President, Ayala Foundation, Inc.) and Karol Mark Yee, Ph.D. (Executive Director of EDCOM 2).

I have a feeling that the 24th day of March in the year 2026 will be etched in my mind... and heart, and shall be remembered with much fondness, indeed, for a long time.  I participated in the celebration of the 78th anniversary of the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) - the Fulbright Commission in the Philippines.  

It was a joyful and quite emotional occasion for me.  So many memories - very good ones, came rushing in, and it was overwhelming.  I received a Fulbright Scholarship under the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program (FPASP) in 2002 to study for my Ph.D. degree at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, USA.  The FPASP gave me a very generous five-year scholarship, and I am forever grateful.  The experience was, indeed, life-changing - to say the least.  It opened so many doors of opportunities for me... as well as my loved ones, and the Institution that I now serve.  I returned to the Philippines (and to the University of Santo Tomas, or "UST") in 2007 where I became the 2nd woman Dean of the first Engineering School in the Philippines, the UST Faculty of Engineering, in November 2012.  I served in this capacity for nearly one decade, which were some of the best and most productive years of my life.  I will let history account the ups and downs, and the tremendous gains of the Faculty in those years that now became a 'norm' in its daily pursuits.  For these rare opportunities, I am, indeed, grateful to God.

In Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022, I became a recipient of the Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Fellowship, also under PAEF.  As a Humphrey Fellow, I spent nearly a year at the Pennsylvania State University ("Penn State") where I held my local Professional Affiliation (PA) at their Innovation Park at Penn State.  It also gave me the opportunity to return to Cornell for my non-local PA and work with former professors and colleagues for six weeks.  I also got to spend another six weeks at the Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, specifically at their Engineering Innovation Studio.  That gave me the opportunity to take a step back after a tremendous ride as Dean of UST Faculty of Engineering... and determine my next 'mission', especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.  In 2022, I returned to UST to lead the newly launched "Office of the Assistant to the Rector for UST Santa Rosa".  Four years later, we have reached milestone after milestone... and I am very grateful to God.

PAEF's March 24, 2026 event has given me the opportunity to take stack of the highlights of my professional and personal journey since the day I became a Fulbright Scholar for the first time in 2002, joining the likes of Tony Lambino that year, who is now the President of the Ayala Foundation, Inc., among others.  And, in 2021, after a grueling screening process, I was chosen by PAEF's Selection Committee to become one of the five nominees of the Philippines for a Humphrey Fellowship.  A few weeks later, in a world competition at the Washington, D.C., I emerged as one of the two Filipinos chosen by Washington, D.C. to finally receive the Humphrey Fellowship for AY 2021-2022. It felt extremely surreal that time.  I don't think I have gotten over the thrill of receiving that good news.

I am not sure if I have done enough to deserve the honor of being a two-time PAEF scholarship recipient.  I am certainly been trying very hard.  Some days I feel that, perhaps, I should spread my wings wider and try a different avenue, and see how else I can serve my country and the world in a way that befits the honor and recognition that I received from PAEF, the Philippine government, and the USA.  These days, I feel that this contemplation is turning the tide... and I cannot wait what awaits me elsewhere.  I give my full trust to the Lord, and I surrender all the days of my life to Him and in service to Him.

***

Image credit:  All photos in this post belong to me.

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Saturday Photo

 by PAM

Blooming... again.

The new season of Spring is about to commence. I say this because our ever reliable cosmos plants have started revealing the ground's pretty and lively 'smiles'.  

To be honest, we have uprooted our cosmos plants after the string of typhoons that either bent them to the ground or split their trunks. So sad. We threw the plants at our open field for garden waste. A few weeks later, the cosmos plants started to spring to life... and a few weeks ago, they started sprouting colorful flowers.

A promise to flourish, a reason to hope.

Meanwhile, the new cosmos plants in our garden started doing the same a few days ago. Bulb of flowers started sprouting, and yesterday, one of the bulbs bloomed beautifully. It made our weekend morning happy and colorful. 

We are grateful to God for this reminder that, yes, 'life's typhoons' can throw us off sometimes... but God also sends healing, and such healing does not only renew our resolve to live life to the fullest in service to God but it also directly brings us joy.  With God's grace, we can bloom where life takes us for as long as we allow God to nourish us with his blessings by trusting in Him and by surrendering our lives to Him. 

These days, the chirping of the birds are louder in the morning, and we have many more colorful butterflies frequent our little garden merrily as the flowers begin to raise their beautiful faces towards the sun, and to cheerfully greet us, too. 

Yes, life is beautiful, indeed!

***

Image credit: The photos featured here are my own. I took them.

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Saturday Photo

 by PAM

At Dove Dr., Ithaca, NY; East of Cornell University campus in Ithaca

I feel like I only took this photo a few days back. It's incredible that it's been almost four years already since I took this photo! That's right, four and I am seeing it again only just now.  

I once vacationed at my sister's place in the US. She and her husband took me with them in their winter vacation around The Rockies. We went on a long drive, stopping here and there... and it was exhilarating! I remember my brother-in-law commenting about the 'tons' of photos that I took wherever we went. I just can't help myself... I felt the need to document the experience, and the quickest way to do that is through photos. After taking 'tons' of photos, I usually get so overwhelmed that I am unable to make up my mind about which ones to keep and which ones to discard. I end up keeping all! And in our trip around The Rockies, it drove my sister and her husband crazy! 

Ithaca, NY is an extremely beautiful place! Well, the Fingerlakes Region where Ithaca is located is, indeed, a beautiful place! And whenever I come for a visit after graduation, I usually stay at the Eastern part of the campus where Filipino friends lived. I usually stay with a family whose house is located up a hill, right next to the Equestrian facilities of Cornell, overlooking the planes of Cayuga... and where the sunset is mesmerizing! 

The skies seem to be just a few meters above your head, and the clouds make a dramatic transition as the sun sets in the horizon, and the skies begin to darken... but only after it explodes in countless colors of utter beauty.  It takes my breath each time. And it makes praying the Angelus all that meaningful and all that impassioned. 

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Image credit: The photo in this post belongs to me. I took it.

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It's the most wonderful time...

 ...of the year!

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by PAM

'The Tree' is up, and it radiates warmth and coziness. 💖

And so, here we are... well, almost there, anyway.  We are closing in, almost locking it in - locking in the holidays.  First, 'the Angel' took its rightful place at the receiving area of our home, and so did the deers.  

Across them, stood our 'mini' Nativity Scene.  And then, amid the twinkling lights, the recreation of the Christmas Star that led the Three Wise Men to the Manger where the King was born shone by our door, illuminating the little Nativity.  Then the Advent Wreath took its place. At this point, all the major spiritual aspects of the celebration were taken care of.  So, it was time to put up the symbol of 'merrymaking'.  It was time to put up the Christmas Tree!

Just like last year, I was in-charge of Christmas decorations in our 2nd home.  I like this 'assignment'.  Therefore, I accepted it with open arms and with much delight.  And, when it was time to put up the Christmas Tree, I took my sweet time.  I decided to string the lights first and maneuvered them around the Tree.  Then, all the usual ornaments that define the theme of our family's merrymaking took their place around the Tree followed.  They are followed by the 'special' ornaments, which have deeper meaning for the family, slowly dotted the Tree.  And then the gifts started to appear at the foot of the Tree... which heralded the spirit of giving, and receiving, too, in this Season of Joy, Hope and Love.  I hope to post something regarding Christmas gift-giving one of these days.

I really love the warmth and coziness that Christmas as a family-centered occasion brings.  For our family, it's an occasion where seeing and being with family members is guaranteed.  I always look forward to it.  And, in challenging times through the year, I have Christmas to hope for and to inspire to keep going.  Of course, we are aware of the 'commercialization' of the occasion... and, ironically, this is connected with

gift-giving, which is a major basis of the spirit of Christmas:  love... giving love, that is.  I do believe that how we design our Christmas decorations can set the tone of our desire to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior - the greatest gift of all to humanity.  And this is why, no matter how challenging in terms of finding time to carry out decorating tasks, I always do my best... and I always enjoy, too!

This year, to add to memories of Christmas, I added Christmas Tree ornaments from one of my favorite stores: Flying Tiger (FT).  I am happy that there is one FT store close to our home.  And, I have to confess that one of my favorite 'me time' is spending long periods just browsing the cute but practical items that they have. It's fascinating!  So, naturally, FT becomes a part of our Christmas this year in terms of our Christmas decor.  I am sure that it will add to how wonderful this season is for all of us!

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Image credit:  All photos featured in this post belong to me.  I took them all using my own camera.

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Sunday Foodie

 by PAM

'Hacienda style' arroz caldo at Arroz Ecija

Sunday is the day of putting faith front and center. Sunday is the day when we spend at least an hour in the Church to partake of the Word for the sustenance of our souls. And after that soulful celebration of the Word of God, it's time to nurture the body with healthy and delicious food. 

This Sunday, I 'feasted' with a bowl of traditional Filipino comfort food: the arroz caldo. This has many versions. What I had was that warm soupy rice porridge cooked in rich chicken broth with onion and powdered black pepper. The rich porridge was topped with pulled lean chicken meat, halved egg, chopped fresh spring onion, and crunchy browned garlic. A halved calamansi was provided on the side to render citrus flavor to the mix, which heightens the already mouth-watering combination of flavors and aroma. 

Each spoonful of Arroz Ecija's version of the arroz caldo tasted not only of that familiar Filipino mindfulness of carefully measured flavors with nutrition, and the intentional joy of eating, but also of nostalgia. As a child, the arroz caldo was my Lola and Mama's warm embrace and love, expressed in delicious food, whenever we were sick. We were spoon-fed with that rich rice porridge, cooked with thinly sliced ginger

A mix of goodness, crunch and freshness

and ground black pepper, and the very tender chicken meat, freshly pulled from the bone - absolutely delicious! It was their 'magic potion' of getting well and feeling loved. Ah, love... we had so much of that as children. And that shaped us into what we are today, and we are grateful.

The 'feast' this Sunday did not end with that tasteful lunch but continued on with another nutritious bowl of goodness but this time a homey concoction of mine: green-and-lean and many more in between.  It is my salad bowl for dinner. It has lots of greens, fresh fruits, nuts and slices of smoked ham, tied together by a drizzle of my own version of the Thousand Island dressing. It was delicious: salty and sweet, lots of crunch, colorful and flavorful, interesting and refreshing.

Ah, to be a foodie... on a Sunday - what a joy! 

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Image credit: All the photos in this post belongs to me. I took them all.

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Saturday Photo

by PAM 

One of my fave breakfast combinations to prepare (and eat)... easy, healthy, filling.

These days, I prepare my own breakfast... I really have no choice though.  It was a big effort in the beginning because it meant that I had to get up about an hour earlier than I need to.  I needed time to prepare, cook... and then later, had to wash all the stuff I used for cooking - the hardest part... an ordeal, if I'm being honest.  The thing though is, once the dishes and pans were done, I felt like I can take on anything that the day would throw my way, and that is a great feeling!

Now, I still feel harassed... just thinking about washing pans and pots - no, I do not have a dishwasher, and it is not 'a thing' in the Philippines.  Lately though, I have developed breakfast menu, some of which lower the energy expenditures in washing pots and pans but do not compromise nutritive quality.  An example is the breakfast in the featured photo today - one of my faves, actually.  The ham and cheese sandwich has enough carbs, proteins and fats that would last me all morning.  The apple slices and greens are loaded with vitamins and dietary fibers as well as minerals, such as the important potassium and calcium.  Of course, this breakfast has enough caffeine in the 400-mL coffee.  The 250-mL mango juice can seal us with a load of Vitamin C protection.  And, by the way, this includes water, too... although not in the photo, sorry.  The most important thing is, it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to prepare (based on my very slow pace in the morning), and the pan almost does not need washing - minimal residue.   

So, yeah, I love this breakfast combination... I have many more 'breakkies' that I can share in the coming days.  Exciting! 

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Image credit:  The featured photo is my own, I took it.

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"The Angel of the Lord...

 ...declared unto Mary."

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by PAM

Our (first) Christmas Angel in our secondary home is... uhm, Danish.  

Perhaps, it is more fitting to categorize this post as a 'Saturday Photo' given how the photo above is featured prominently.  I decided not to categorize this post as such since rather than the photo itself, I wish to focus more on the meaning of the photo and its relevance in the coming very important season - the Season of Advent, more popularly known as the 'Christmas Season'.  

Yes, we are now at the cusp of the 'most wonderful time of the year'.  As soon as the New Year started, we began the countdown to Christmas Day! We started saving to buy presents for our family members, friends and colleagues.  We can't wait for the day when we are given the 'season's permission' to hop from one party to another to meet and celebrate with friends and family.  Of course, there are birthdays and other celebrations in between.  But as soon as Halloween comes to pass, we dash to unearth our Christmas lights and bunch of decor, and we wait giddily for the weekend when we can coax our family members to 'deck the hall with boughs of holly' to the tune of Jose Mari Chan's undying hit song, "Christmas in our hearts" - on repeat.

At our home though, the very first Christmas reminder that we put on display is our golden Christmas Angel because, to us, Christmas begins when the "Angel of God declared unto Mary" that she was to conceive by the Holy Spirit.  And through the Virgin Mary's obedience and Love of God expressed in her words to the archangel Gabriel, "be it done to me according to your word", and through the faith, obedience and love of St. Joseph, 'the word was made flesh and  dwelt among us'.  And 'the Word' is Jesus Christ, and his birth is the great act of Love by the Father for us all.  Therefore, Jesus is the embodiment of the greatest Love of all.  And this is the Christmas Story - a story of Love.  We give homage to this Love everyday through our small deeds of love and by reciting the Angelus - our late father's favorite prayer... which became ours, too.  And this is why, we always begin the celebration of Christmas by lighting up our Christmas angel.

In our secondary home, we do not have a golden angel figure... but I found a lovely Christmas card at the Flying Tiger store located in a Mall close to our 'Home #2'.  The store carries pretty but 

Our little friends from the North Pole.

functional items made in Copenhagen, Denmark where the store originated.  Having lived in Lund, Sweden for a year, where Copenhagen was just a 15-min boat ride away, the vibrant Danish capital has become one of my favorite Scandinavian cities. And so, when I was looking for new Christmas decor, I had to check out Flying Tiger.  And, true enough, I immediately found what I was looking for - a Christmas Angel, beautifully rendered in a greeting card!

In front of the olive green card is an image of an angel clothed in a cream paper mache against white flat paper.  Its wings are made of red paper mache against flat white paper, too.  It is a beautifully artistic angel in Christmas colors of subdued tone - very Danish.  I found a nice white frame and a pretty string of lights in the same store. And so, in an instant, I found our Christmas Angel for our 'Home #2'.  As a bonus, I also found white-tailed deers in Santa hats... and, right there and then, I knew that our Christmas this year will have a touch of Scandinavia... and it's cool!

We are excited about Christmas, and we are excited about celebrating it at our 'Home #2'.  We hope for the best in this Season of God's Great Love to all of us.  Specifically, we hope for the best for our country, the Philippines... may we all conquer the towering challenges in front of us through our faith and the magical Christmas Season! 

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Image Credit:  All photos belong to me asI took all of them.

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The joy of living in decluttered spaces...

 ... amid various textures, colors, patterns and forms.

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by PAM

As my sister and I try to work on our new little secondary home to transform it to a place of some coziness that nurtures the soul and feeds creativity and good vibes, I have been checking out a few YouTube channels on sustainable living in 'tiny' homes.  When I think about purchasing a piece of furniture or the smallest of kitchenware for the house, I usually ask myself, "will this help me attain my goal towards sustainable and meaningful living?"  And, it's amazing how a simple question like that leads me to re-thinking my spending, consumption... and overall priorities.  Most of the time, I end up simplifying my needs (and wants) and assessing whether such needs (and wants... again) can be addressed by what I already have at home... and I think that's meaningful.

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Simplicity, creativity, peace, mindfulness... joy

One of the things that I am learning these days is that simple living is not about choosing the 'boring path'.  In fact, it is the exact opposite!  We live simply in order that our resources can be spent on experiences that are meaningful and memorable... and this usually is a great adventure!  The mere act of simplification, is an adventure in itself because it is about learning new things and using these things to design a more 'integrated' life where everything is a part of a whole, a whole that fits the wholeness of one's being.  Each time one uses a furniture or an appliance at home, it is not a mere act satisfying an immediate need - a need to lie down, a need to sit, a need to boil water... but it's a deliberate step towards sustainable living. And I think that, over time, that develops to mindfulness.  And when one is mindful, every step brings inner peace... and joy.  And because joy is infectious, one can plant a seed of 'shareable' joy that, over time, can transform the world... hopefully.

So, how does one begin a less wasteful, more integrated life of simplicity that is abundant in adventure and joy, and definitely not lacking in style and elegance?  I learned that it all begins from a 'decluttered' life.  After listening to many lectures and vlogs on YouTube on the joy of decluttered 

At the receiving room, a splash of colors. 

life and trying to actually live what I listen to, I am learning that abundance in life does not necessarily mean having tons and tons of material possessions... limited edition this, limited release that, deluxe edition this,  and what have you!  It's all about being creative in maximizing the use of the few but high-quality things that we have, and drawing joy from the results of the effort.  Therefore, choosing our material possessions should be thought of with care, creativity and imagination... bearing in mind that 'we only need one', and we choose that one with the most potential of becoming a classic - in functionality and elegance. 

In curating our home with simple possessions, one of the things that satisfy the 'we only need one' mindful mantra is multi-functionality... well, for obvious reason.  The other is the integration with other pieces in the house.  And one of the most fun in the integration process is blending textures, colors, patterns and forms or shapes. Say, a wooden chair in classic Scandinavian minimalist design with a cushion in the color of sage green, matched with a throw pillow with a cover of playful colors and design, and the chair located against a background of understated but refreshing grayish green curtain with an inner layer of sheer panels of minimalistic design, letting in light from the windows that amplifies the calming but playful harmony of the integrated design.  Form, patterns, colors, texture... a harmony that fills the home with joy and optimism.  Everyday, when I sit on that chair to sip my morning coffee while checking messages from my family on my phone, I cannot help but smile at the pretty colors that seem to greet me and wish me a good day.  And, indeed, the joy from every word that I receive from my family is amplified by my surroundings. 

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And among them all, texture...

As I continue to learn about integrated designs, and keeping the pieces at home embrace one another through colors, patterns, forms and textures for harmonious vibes, I find texture as the 

At the TV/family room... cozy, colorful and pleasing...
but inexpensive.

most fascinating.  I am discovering that even when we have the same color in one place, just in varying shades, the design can remain interesting rather than predictable, and fun rather than boring and monotonous, by blending different textures.  This is the theme that I have been experimenting on in our small family/TV room. I have most of the pieces in predominantly sage to grayish green with little surprises of yellow against white.  And yet, the varying textures seem to give the room a character... an inviting vibes that encourages one to relax and just enjoy... and let the various textures provide harmony, and fun, too.

These days, I do not only see the interesting effects of texture in the items and plants in vases of varying shapes found in the interior of the house.  I also see it outside the house, in our small garden at the front yard, and plant patches around the house.  The velvety texture of the petals of flowers against a lush background of gently spiky leaves that seem to explode from the coarse branches that playfully extend here and there, restrained only by the roots held tightly by the healthy and giving soil... they all constitute a most interesting blends and layers of textures.  Just watching the plants sway with the gentle breeze in a lazy afternoon, the flower petals occasionally allow the breeze to take them in a most graceful dance in the air can give so much calm, contentment and joy.

Outside, a butterfly is having a 'field day' while a bright orange flower 'smiles' broadly.

Ah, joy... this is what a simple and 'decluttered' life is all about.  We become more aware of the 'textural beauty' around us, and it fills our hearts with joy.  I guess this is what it means to live joyfully in a decluttered environment at home, we become focused on what is more important, beautiful and worth our while.          

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Image credit:  I own all images.

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Saturday Photo

 

Delicate... but resilient.  And it's good.

It's been 'raining cats and dogs'... again.  Big drops of rain are pouring out of the sky, escaping the swollen thickness of air like desperate prisoners unleashing that unquenchable thirst for dear freedom.  Thunderbolt and lightning echo the rains' desperation to drench the land left feverish by summertime.  

In all those waves of mother nature's emotion, what called my attention was this little sulfur cosmos (cosmos sulphureus) flower at our backyard that was gracefully braving all that deluge of nature's anguish.  One might think that after hours and hours of rain, the poor little flower would be falling apart from carrying the weight of all the raindrops on its petals... but it did not.  It stayed upright, it remained pretty.  It swayed with the wind, sometimes dodging a gigantic raindrop in the process, but it held on steadfastly.  Its color remained sunny and cheerful... all eight petals unruffled and the pretty orange disk floret remained intact, punctuating the cheery color of the petals in contrast of their own that was quite fiery.  And the flower is surrounded by the lush green leaves of the cosmos plant.  

This resilient little flower is a beautiful reminder that no matter what the situation is, no matter how harsh and challenging, one's natural goodness can remain intact.  And, when we focus on that goodness, we can remain good... no matter the relentless waves of emotional challenge around us.  This is because our goodness is from God... God who is the being of goodness.

And, as we embrace our goodness - God's goodness, we can be beautifully delicate and vulnerable... but beautifully resilient, too... amid harshness.

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Image credit:  The photo in this post belongs to me.  I took it using my old Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

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