Faith, Family, Folks, and Friends

NOTE: Finally, we're back home again here in The Old Dominion, this early morning, 22 August2012 @ 0030, after that long flight from the West Coast, particularly in The Golden State (California) where my family and I spent a week's summer get-away with our families, folks, and friends there. We had a stop-over in Las Vegas, Nevada yesterday, and waited for three hours at the airport. (Meanwhile, my young adult son, Andrew was on a separate flight from San Jose, CA, although we all were together at the SJ international airport yesterday. He had his stopover in San Diego, and there on to Norfolk, VA where he arrived earlier than we did. By thirty minutes, maybe.)

I have already planned to write part 2 of California Revisited, my last blog post prior to this post. But this morning, or early afternoon @ 1320, as soon as I woke up late from our bed, now that we're back here in Virginia this early morning at past one o'clock, while about to use the restroom adjacent to our (Master's) bedroom, I have these thoughts (I've just scribbled on my Composition Book while in our restroom) which I now share with you all, my dear friends and accidental readers of my blog. simply, I titled it My Thoughts Today:

Faith, family, folks, friends---these are the important things that matter most in life, for me. They are the ones that make life worth-living.

Faith---the belief that God makes life possible for me to be successful. My belief in Our Almighty God is what makes me keep going living, despite the odds and ends, the ebbs and flows that came to my life. I put faith in God and Jesus, His Beloved Son, as first in my life, and everything is possible. Praying to our dear, and loving God, and to Jesus Christ, and thanking Him for all the blessings I receive each moment of living, is like eating food or something material that nourishes and keeps me going on in life. My belief in a Divine Supreme Being is tantamount or paramount to anything here on earth.

Family---my lifeline, first and foremost, where or in which I felt the love and caring, and a sense of belonging as a valued member capable of making a difference in the lives of others. It's the unit where tradition and legacy originally emanated or came from and continues to rule supreme over other entities in a society that has become multi-diverse and complicated.

Folks---a core group of my bloodline relatives who inspire me to become better so that I can learn something more about life and be there to help or assist when needed. They are my next of kin support group that I can relate to when things get rough in life. They're my second family, if my primary family are nowhere near me.

Friends---old and new who can be a source of inspiration and strength in life. They are another lifeline and life-saver, too. They can become your family when you are true and sincere in your dealings with them. They can be dependable, and a source of life, too, for me.

The above components of important people have, indeed, made our summer 2012 getaway truly a summer to remember for a long time. they all made our week's summer vacation to the Bay Area, or Silicon Valley and beyond, possible and successful. Thank you, Lord, for all these wonderful people in my life.

Though undeniably tired we were, nevertheless, we had fun and excitement getting together with my family, folks/relatives, and friends (old and newly-found friends) with faith, and lots of food, and picture-taking all along the way.

Personally, I have realized that faith, family, folks and friends matter in life irrespective of who and what you are in society.

In closing, indeed, it takes a village to be a better person, or successful in our own way, in life. Without faith, family, folks, and friends, life will never be as beautiful, wonderful, crazy, and exciting and fun! Thank you, good God, for my loving family, caring and generous siblings, i.e., Manang Betty and Manong Dennis and family; Zaldy and Necie and family, Edna and Nardo and family; Manang Susing and family; Manang Premy and family, late Manong Bencio and his family, the late Manang Anding and her family, Manang Aida and her family; fabulous folks (and/or relatives, i.e., Aunt Emiliana in San Francisco, cousins Manang Cita, Marilyn, Josh and Jefty, nephews and nieces like Sweet, Leonell and their Baby Mara, Tony, Darlene and their Baby Apollo Nicolas; Rhena, JR and Teddy Boy; Mark; Ranier and his family, Charlene and Jeff; Brian and Manong Lando and family; Boy and Jessica; Boy and Malou and family; uncles and aunties and their families, etc.) and friends, i.e., Belen and Boy (Nathan Sr), Nathan Jr. (thank you, Nathan!) who gave us a tour of his alma mater University of the Pacific in Stockton, and Nikki), Roger and his family, Demetrio and his family, Gloria and her family, and all other people around us and elsewhere who accepted us and made us welcome into their lives. Thank you all! Above all, thank you, Jesus, my Inspiration. -chris a. quilpa, 22August2012, Suffolk, Virginia