May isang batang lalaki na palaging nakatanaw sa isang bahay na nasa kabilang ibayo. Ang bahay na iyon ay may gintong bintana. Minsan isang araw iniwanan siya ng tatay niya at nagkaroon siya ng pagkakataon na mapuntahan ang bahay na iyon na may gintong bintana. Nagsimula siyang maglakad at hindi niya inakala na malayo pala ang bahay na iyon kaya medyo hapon na siya nakarating. Pero parang may mali. Habang papalapit siya, nakita niya na wala ang gintong bintana ngunit isa palang lumang bahay na kelangan ng pintura. Kumatok siya at binuksan ng isang matandang lalaki. Nagtanong siya kung saan niya makikita ang bahay na may gintong bintana. Sumagot ang matandang lalaki at nagsabi: “Oo, nakita ko na ‘yon! Halika, ipapakita ko sa iyo.” Habang nakaupo sila ay itinuro ng matandang lalaki sa kanya ang araw habang papalubog ito ngunit may isang bahay na nasisinagan at lumilikha ng isang gintong bintana. Nakita ng batang lalaki na iyon ay ang bahay niya!

How many times do we see the “golden window” from others home and we forget to be proud of ours? How many times do we practice an attitude of being thankful for what we have? Minsan masyado nating pinahahalagahan ang mga bagay na meron sa iba kesa sa mga bagay na meron tayo ngayon.

I was at a train station in England, UK and I saw a nice quote of the day: “If you want to feel rich, just count the blessings you have that money cannot buy.”  I love that. Do you know that some wealthy and famous people consider themselves poor because all they have is money?  Let’s count your blessings one by one and the list will be endless. How about your house that is not burned down today? Have you not run over by a car? Your health? You don’t have to pay P1 million for cancer treatment. Is your heart still beating? How about your ability to walk and talk? And your ability to eat and digest real food? These are  just some of the great things we can be thankful.

When we count our blessings, we have little time to mind anything else. Yes, we may not have everything, but we can learn to be content with the things we have. Contentment is a virtue. Katangian iyan ng mga taong masasaya sa buhay. The happiest people on earth don’t have the best of everything, but they learn to enjoy the blessings they have. To be content does not mean you don’t want more, but it just means you are thankful for what you have and expecting something great to come. Hindi sila mapaghanap ng mga bagay na wala sapagkat masaya na sila kung ano ang meron sila.

I think that one of the reasons why some people fail to be happy is because they always compare themselves to others. Theodore Roosevelt said: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” On my wife’s birthday, I bought her a not-so-expensive bag  as a present. I gave it to her, but I saw her eyes was looking for a more comfortable bag with a signature brand . I told her not to do it because she will lose that joy of owning my gift. Minsan ganoon din ang iba sa atin. We compare and think that others are luckier than us when we don’t even know their circumstances and their journey. More does not always mean better.

There was a driver whose car is a brand new BMW. Next to him is a 15-year old car Kia. The driver of Kia was admiring BMW’s color and its elegance. “Sobrang ganda ng porma. Sana magkaroon din ako nyan.” sabi niya. Hindi niya alam, na yung driver ng BMW ay pasimpleng nakatingin din sa kanya at sinasabi, “Sana ganyan na rin lang ang kotse ko. Walang monthly amortization at hindi magastos sa spare parts, maintenance at insurance na halos ubos ang sahod ko.”

Let us not allow comparison steal our joy. Let us keep counting our blessings as it is. When we enjoy the simple things in life, big things becomes a bonus. Minsan nga mas marami pang magagandang memories yung mga simpleng bagay. Did you remember na kumain ng fishball noong high school sa palengke with your friends? What about yung sa turo-turo foodmart na halos gravy sauce lang ang ulam nyo? I like what Saint Paul said in Philippians 4:12: “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of life in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” Then in Thessalonians 5:18, “ give thanks in all circumstances…”

There may be bad times and it will ok to rest for a while but don’t give up. Psalms 30:5 says: “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” We may be in the season of crying and weeping, but let’s keep that positive attitude because a season of joy and happiness will come soon. Always look at the bright side of life. When life shuts a door, believe that God is opening new doors for you. When wrong people leave your life, it means that right people can enter. Thank God for today. Let’s choose to count our blessings because of having enough of what we need.