Dear Readers,

2020 has been a remarkable year because one story – the pandemic – connected the world, and made us see that yes, indeed, we are part of a whole.

The effects of the virus on our lives have been tumultuous and intense, and all of us are finding ways to survive this storm of epic proportions.

Speaking of storms, the country (on top of the pandemic) was visited by so many natural disasters starting from a volcano eruption early this year to a series of typhoons that claimed so many lives and did irreparable damage to properties, homes, possessions, even relationships. In the aftermath of all the agitation and turbulence of 2020, we may ask ourselves THE question. Not why, as in why it happened? But the more important how – how do we move forward?

Experience has shown me that the answer lies in gratitude because it is gratitude that brings the grace to help us see, to give us strength, to open doors, to find a path, and to feel joy in our hearts.

The blog team writes about a subject that we all care about – HOME.

The meaning of home has changed so much over the course of this year. For many, it has become a place of shelter and for some, of study or of work. It’s a place where dreams die and where new dreams are born. It’s the refuge that provides us the sacred space to recover, a sanctuary for broken spirits to heal, a harbor to replenish the energy needed to go out into the fray again when tomorrow comes.

Gratitude and Love for 2020 and for the Coming Year

I saw this quote in social media in November. It’s a bit late to post this here because it talks about the holiday season and we’re at the tail end of it. But I posted it anyway because the message is relevant for the coming year. So let’s try to do this not only for this season but as much as we can, as often as we can.

It was so heartbreaking to see so many fellow Pinoys who lost their homes. I am sure many of us gave what we could to help. Whether it was time, effort, money, or prayers, every little bit of assistance helped someone to stand up. I am so proud to be Pinoy because the bayanihan spirit was, and is, very much alive.

The year 2020 was supposed to be the year that would give us 20/20 vision. And it did…if we have been open to see the world as it is right now and have been brave enough not to look away when we struggled, or when we lost someone, or when we felt pain or disappointment. If we have not allowed the clouds of suffering and anxiety to dim our acuity, then it has been a most fruitful year.

The struggle may continue for many of us in the year ahead. Let us try to give time and space to our experiences, to not put labels on what we’ve gone through, a person, or an object—labels like happy or sad, ugly or beautiful, good or bad, hard or soft, difficult or easy. If we fill our hearts with gratefulness for what we hold in our hands, then perhaps the path can become clearer and so would the next step…and the next…

Lastly, let’s fill our homes with love because that is the starting place for good dreams and where we write new stories of hope.

To those of you who have given us your time to visit our blog and to read the articles, thank you! We hope to see you again soon.

The blog team (Almira, Yas, Inah, and I) wish you all a beautiful 2021!

Author

Annie is the Managing Editor of Let it B | MyBoysen Blog. An unrepentant workaholic, she runs this blog, among other pursuits. She thrives on collaborating with people who are good at what they do, and working together with them to create something special. Annie learned interior styling while managing her own wholesale business in the Netherlands, importing high-end, handmade home furnishings to stock four outlets and a showroom in the country.

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