I'm back from my 3 days retreat in Tagaytay. It's been a good spiritual enrichment for me although the cold weather wasn't such a hit with me. The retreat did me good because it made me realize how truly lucky - blessed I am by God.

On our sharing, I found out that most of my classmates have so many problems back home. Family problems, financial problems, friendship trouble... And as I sat there listening to them share their story, I started to reflect on my own life...

I'm blessed to have a family that's good to me. I don't have a lazy, inconsiderate or insensitive father. I don't have a mother who's been so down in the dumps that she has a depression problem. I also don't have parents who fight so constantly that they end up separating.

My parents love each other and they show it to each other constantly. My dad is a responsible family man. He never once stopped making himself useful even when he didn't have a job. He always, always helped mom out. Now he's even found himself a second career: Real Estate and he's doing well. My mom is very loving and caring towards us, her family. She's a happy woman, a fulfilled wife and mother. And we may not be rich but we get by with what we have. I'm lucky that I got to go to private schools all my life to get a good education and I'm lucky I'm almost through with College. I'm lucky that even if I'm not always getting all the good things I'd like to have, at least my parents can still provide me with some of these pleasures of life.

Most of them didn't even want to go home because they were so tired of returning to the same scene. I on the other hand couldn't even wait to return home. I really am truly blessed by God to be given a nice loving family to return home everyday to. My mom even cooked Carbonara and made me potato salad (my fave!) when I got home. So you know, before I start comparing my life to others and feel sorry for myself, now I'll just really practice counting my own blessings. That's the way it should be.