Last night, someone noticed that most of my IG posts have three hearts. After a few Viber exchanges with this friend, I grabbed the play doh’s I brought with me and molded three hearts.
In the movie, “How Do You Know?”, Paul Rudd explained to Reese Witherspoon the story behind Play Doh. It was originally a maleable substance developed as a wallpaper cleaner. One time, an unused cleaner was left in a nursery school and children started playing with it and used it to mold Christmas ornaments. It was then altered (made it softer and produced in different colours) and became one of the most successful modeling compound for arts and crafts.
Paul said that just like Play-Doh, “We are just one small adjustment away from making our life work.”
In yesterday’s Easter Mass, the Bishop repeatedly said that in the many Good Friday’s in our lives, we should always remind ourselves that Easter is coming.
So I slept last night with thoughts of three hearts, play-doh and Easter. Perhaps, what the Triduum and Play Doh tell us is to make that one small adjustment to make things work, to make our lives fit to its purpose in order for us not to stay and lament on Good Fridays but to push ourselves and move towards the surprises of Easter.
Maybe, it is that forgiveness that needs to be given. Or received – and then the journey will become lighter.
Maybe, it is that dream or mission that needs to be acted upon – and that gives us the reason to wake up every morning with joy.
Maybe, it is that love that needs to be pursued or walk away from – so at the end, regardless of the outcome, we will no longer ask ourselves with too many What If’s and If Only’s.
When I woke up this morning, I looked again at these three hearts and felt that these three hearts represent my Easter. Forgiveness. Mission. That One True Love.
May the joy and surprises of Easter continue to shine upon each one of us and fill our hearts with love and hope.
After all, as what my friend told me yesterday, it is not the empty tomb but what fills our hearts that will allow us to understand the real meaning of Easter.
For you, a thousand times over
Just before dinner, I sketched this kite. I posted it on Instagram with a caption, ‘Raining all day. Perhaps, no kites were flown today.’ #randomthoughts
It did sound so random. But then, it wasn’t random. For I have been thinking about kites since yesterday after watching ‘The Peanuts Movie’. You see, in that film, Charlie Brown beats himself up for not being able to fly a kite. But everytime he would resign to the fact that he could fly a kite, he would remind himself not to give up.
The kite also reminded me of one of my favourite quotes of all time. ‘For you, a thousand times over…’ Taken from one of my most favourite books, written by my second most favourite author (next to Mandino).
‘For you, a thousand times over…’
Perhaps, as we continue to live and love, we stare at and we embrace tight those who give us the reason to live, and as we wrap our arms around them, we say, ‘For you, a thousand times over…’
Perhaps, when we try hard to find some rays of sun, yet the rain just continue pouring, we find that glow inside us, remembering those who make us truly happy, those whose presence bring sunshine to our hearts, and to life itself, we shall say, ‘For you, a thousand times over…’
Perhaps, as we enter this period of Holy Week, we look at the cross, with arms wide stretched, we see that image of great love and sacrifice that says, ‘For you, a thousand times over…’
‘For you, a thousand times over…’ Because we don’t give up on someone we love, or walk away from something we like.
Remembering…
I went inside a stationery shop and found many notebooks with interesting covers. One of them is this – it says, ‘We don’t remember days, we remember moments.’
I remember the story once told to me. Her Mom has alzheimers. She already got used to the fact that her Mom does not remember anything , has stopped talking, has stopped communicating, has stopped recognising people around her.
One day, it was her birthday. Her Mom, all of a sudden gave her that most elusive and precious smile. When she moved closer, her Mom pinched her nose. No words. Just a simple, gentle act of the heart that remembers.
I will never forget that story. Our memories will fail us, but there will always be something more deep that connects us to people we love, to those whose lives we have touched and those people whose very presence made us who we are today.
I remember moments. I remember how someone made me smile. I remember how someone’s kindness have melted my heart. I hope my heart will never forget.
Have a restful Thursday night. May God grant us a heart that remembers. ❤
Tiramisu
I have a priest-friend based in the UK whom everytime I would need to consult him about serious matters, we would have coffee and cake.
Initially, we would order random cakes. Until one time, he was already based in Rome and when I had the chance to visit him, we had tiramisu (italian cake – which means ‘lift me up’).
From then on, even when I am alone and I needed to be lifted up, or needed some inspiration, I will always try to have a coffee and tiramisu.
A couple of nights ago, I felt dizzy and there was an inebriate of air – a feeling of mental intoxication and physical exhaustion. It was a momentary feeling of anxiety – what philosophers sometimes say is that anxiety is the dizziness of freedom. To arrest that particular dizziness, I had to find and have some tiramisu and imagine I am seated next to a friend chatting about all the If Only’s and What If’s in life.
I was lucky to find an Italian restaurant and after eating bolognese and tiramisu, my dizziness was gone. I was calm. I smiled and realised, it was not anxiety after all. It was nothing but ‘gutom’.
Have a blessed and productive Tuesday. Eat on time. Take your meds or vitamins if you are required to. Laugh. Smile. Remember that you are loved and cared for in a most special way.
