With a Grateful Heart

My write up, posted in SmartSuperWomen.com yesterday, is about things we can do before, or right after, the New Year starts. Among the list is remembering all the good stuff that happened for the past 12 months.

As I welcome 2012 with all of you, let me share the following things I am thankful for in 2011:

The Gift of Friendship

I sincerely believe that our hearts will always have space for new friends. I am blessed to have met a lot of good people through my work and a select few (you know who you are!) have really become very close to me these past months. They have become my confidantes, my comrades, and even my shoulders to cry on. Thanks guys and gals for being there. I truly treasure you.

To my old friends who I don’t get to see much anymore, I am really glad that we have the internet to bridge whatever distances that separate us. The laughter and camaraderie remain until we meet again.

The Gift of Writing

I am fortunate to have editors and clients who continue to trust me with writing assignments that I, more often than not, enjoy doing. Special thanks (in no particular order) to Jing L. and Rossana L. of SmartSuperWomen.com; Heinz B. of MoneySense magazine, Judith J. and Melody B. of BusinessWorld’s High Life magazine and HerWord.com; Amyline C., Regina A., and Irene F. of Manila Bulletin; Mel A. of CodeRED magazine; and Cora L. and Anna G. of United Business Media.

Thank you, too, to the members of the Christian Writers Fellowship for always being there to encourage and inspire me especially my Ates in the group – Grace Chong, Yay Olmedo, Jophen Baui, and Yna Reyes.

The Gift of Lessons Learned

Not everything that happened in 2012 was all good. Some were painful reminders that mistakes happen and that not all people are as pleasant as they seem. As I became witness to what certain people are capable of, I’ve also discovered new things about me which made me more firmly resolve not to allow myself to be taken advantage of nor be too trusting of new acquaintances and even new clients. I have also promised myself to distinguish priorities from flights of fancy.

The Gift of Events

The past 12 months was a whirlwind that blew me into this and that direction. I never thought I’d enjoy going out this much after years of staying at home and just writing most of the time. 2011 was my year to mingle and experience a lot of new stuff that, I think, made me wiser and more discerning about many things. Thank you to the PR agencies and staff who gave me those opportunities.

The Gifts of Music, Theater, Movies, and TV Shows

I’ve always loved listening to music since I was young so having lots of opportunities in 2011 to cover events related to these are blessings indeed. I got to meet a number of talented OPM artists I admire and whose music I enjoy listening to. Thanks so much Jeman V. of OrangeMagazineTV for introducing me to the wonderful people behind Mecca Music, Polyeast Records, MCA Music, Cornerstone, and Universal Records.

After being assigned to write a review of RENT in 2010, my love for theater has grown exponentially since mostly because of Tita Toots T., Joy W., and Omar I. who opened doors to the worlds of 9Works Theatrical, Repertory Philippines, Atlantis Productions, CTE Productions, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino, Dulaang UP, Ateneo Blue Rep, and UP Samasining.

In the past, I’d just catch whatever movie is being shown on cable TV or a DVD that hubby and kids were watching. Ten to one, I won’t get to finish the whole thing because I’d get distracted with pending writing deadlines or house chores. But when I started getting invites to premieres, I was finally able to watch and enjoy a whole movie without any interruptions. So this grateful gal wants to wholeheartedly thank the movers and shakers behind Columbia Pictures, Disney/Pixar, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Solar Movies and Events, and OctoArts Films for inviting me to your screenings.

Thank you as well to Flow G. for the invites to ABS-CBN events particularly to the press cons and advance screenings of 100 Days to Heaven and Budoy. Those are truly wonderful shows for Filipinos.

The Gift of Family

Above all the other things I am truly grateful for is my family whose individual members continue to inspire me to strive harder and become a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, and aunt. I love each and every one of you to bits! I embrace your presence in my life with a thankful heart and lots of hope for better days to come.