Luab: Peace need not be elusive

CENTERING prayer, stillness, meditation and connecting with God within us are the better ways to arrive at the point of serenity.

For a long time now, my worries, my fears have been placed in the embrace of my Lord. What a joy it is to enjoy one day at a time.

Our Wednesday meditation group will leave for the Maranatha Retreat House in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 25. There are eight of us, with our retreat master Sister Sonia Arao. We will be away for eight days. We will go via Singapore and take a bus to Kuala Lumpur. Some of us have aches and pains but who cares! If we are meant to reach the retreat house we will. Otherwise, we are open to possibilities.

So far, all of us got booked on the same flight. This in itself is a feat because promo sales normally do not have so many open spaces. Hotel reservations are not so easy to get during August due to the many festivities occurring in Singapore, yet we did get our reservations. At the Maranatha Retreat House we also were able to get rooms in spite of the fact that so many retreatants also wanted to stay there. So far everything has been falling into place. Praying and trusting in an omnipotent God can make us worry- free.

We are now counting the days till Aug. 25 and enjoying the anticipation of good days to come. Aging is never a pleasant companion, but enthusiasm for adventure and beautiful sights to see can make life less mundane, less routinary, and less mediocre. If we treat each day as a gift, we become very appreciative of the surprises that come our way.

I still cannot get over the fact that the cattleya orchids, which I placed on the terrace, managed to please me with a lovely bloom; actually some pessimists told me that the plants would wither due to direct sunlight. I am so happy that they were wrong. Every time I see the flower, I greet it with a “Hi, beautiful!”

I love to just sit down at the lobby in any mall and watch women go by. One gets to see beautiful clothes, shoes and bags worn with such grace and ease. So many Filipinas now know how to match colors and accessories to get attractive combinations. If you are alert to the beauty around you, life can be very enjoyable.

Cancer survivors, as a rule, are very appreciative of life because they know that at any time a remission can occur. They are so aware of that reality.

During the birthday of one of my friends, I met so many people who at one time or another had cancer. At that party, the cancer survivors all looked blooming, happy and no one spoke of her ailment. It was later that I found out that the guest list was full of the names of cancer survivors in Cebu. I really applauded their zest for life. They were at peace with their condition. They know that at the end of their life God will be there to meet them. What a happy gathering it was.

Right now, as I am sharing my thoughts with you, I see a tiny, brown bird with orange breast drying itself, after a slight drizzle, on the electric wire about three meters from my window at eye level.

I really stopped for a while and called my housemates to enjoy the beauty I saw. I just felt that it preened as we watched it. Trust my active imagination to go wild.

When our heart is at peace, we are attuned to everything around us. Even waiting in line at a doctor’s clinic becomes no big deal. Most doctors’ clinics are attractively stylish. You should see Dr. Billy Jaca’s clinic. The planting rice painting, which covers his ceiling, is really a work of art. Colorful magazines are found in his waiting room. His shelves have beautiful icons.

We all learned this from our Bible sessions. When one is awake, aware and alert, the day is full of gifts from above. A voice waking us up each morning, hot water rushing from our faucets, a cool breeze fanning our necks, sweet maple syrup on our pancakes plus so much more are special gifts.

Peace used to be elusive. It isn’t anymore. We only have to learn to be still, to be present, and to be one with the God in us.

We really do not need so many things. How many of the things we want can we use? Simplicity and humility do lead us to peace. Our ancestors even in their poverty knew how to live. Today so many of us complain of too much stress. Perhaps we just have to take a second look at our priorities. Start by enjoying a Sunday at peace with your family.