In Good Times, In Bad Times

Last month, on my trip back to Philippines, I had an unusually pleasant experience on the way to the airport.

With our third child to be born the following day, I had to bring home more stuffs that resulted to two big luggage, 1 heavy back pack, a big and a small box separately. On the ferry terminal port and after the x-ray machine, one custom official, seeing the difficult time I have in bringing my stuffs, motioned to me to keep using the push cart up to the loading bay. Another loading bay staff, seeing that my big box has some small damage, offered a packing tape to patch it up. Still panting and gasping for air upon reaching the check-in counter in Hongkong, there was a long queue of student-participants for a sports-fest, but one local staff went over to me to assist me ahead of the long queue. He asked me if how many baggage I have and I showed him. He courteously prepared my papers and without even weighing my stuffs, proceeded to check them all by himself (I know I have at least 8kgs in excess and for which I have prepared the money to pay for). I looked at my passport and it was still the normal one but I felt like a diplomatic person at that time.

I thanked the staff and gave a silent thanks to God.

In contrast while I was in our country, the unpleasant incidents came piling up in one afternoon. I was in a rush-mode to finish a lot of things on the last week of my vacation. In the hospital, the parking area was full and I have to go around three times to find a slot. The hospital staffs were nowhere to be found and I have to wait more as they misplaced the document I came there for. Back in the parking lot, I know I was 2 minutes below the first free 30 minutes stay but the caretaker insisted that I was not. End of discussion – I paid and rushed to one government office to file the documents for our medical claims. I arrived 4:55pm but the guard stopped me dead-tracked on my way inside and said I must come back the next day already, even as I peeked inside and saw their staffs still inside. A deep breath, a deep sigh and off I went home somehow frustrated over the barrage of misfortunes.

However, upon seeing my family and my newborn son Aim soundly sleeping, I realized my blessings, changed my mood in an instant and gave a silent thanks to the Lord.

Rick Warren beautifully puts it - that life is like a railroad tracks and both good and bad things happens side by side. We only have to focus and appreciate the good side and view the bad things as an opportunity to grow in faith to be able to keep an attitude of gratitude towards God.

Indeed, in good times or in bad times, we must be thankful at all times and in all situations.
Thank you, Lord.