I am so grateful to these pastors, Fr. Joachim Ablanida and the head pastor Fr. John Cordero with the occasional presence of Bishop Marc Trudeau in officiating meaningful masses with #mindexpanding#soulenriching and #heartdeepening homilies; beautiful on pitch singing by cantors, and well enunciated slow readings for maximum uptakes in digital masses.

I have attended my 276th day, at times thrice in one day, and even with the third wave of #CoronaVirus – I feel God is holding my hands in this #humanitychallengingpandemic.

I believe that the #CoronaVirus is meant to surface our warm hearts in all that we do. When we sow justice, we reap peace; when we sow injustice, we reap wickedness; when we sow generosity of Spirit, we reap overwhelming joy and abundance; when we sow kindness, we reap gentleness, as we sleep longer in the arms of God.

I thank heartily my adult children for taking good care of hubby and myself. They prioritized us this 2020.

I thank my dear friend Hydee Pichai who kept my inspiration stoked by creating a website.

I thank spiritual friends Fr. Aris Martin, Fr. Joel Bugas, Fr. Rodel Balagtas who texted and called to outreach.

Thank you Asian Journal for journeying with us with truthful, credible stories and showcasing what’s good in our hearts, all these generations.

Thank you to my neighbor Larry and Bonnie, @titasofmanilaus, @max.and.lucys @ana_burog @nikkidoodledo Joyce Monserrat @mondavid5 @christinaoriel @carinaoriel @coraoriel @jamieborromeo @neng213, nonoyalsaybar for showing me by your loving actions that there is hope in this pandemic, as @kuyalord_la and @tatang_noho who graced our holiday tables with their best cooked dishes.

Thank you Alvin Cailan for the superior quality of meats, pork belly and the wonderful cookbook you launched this pandemic. Thank you Mon David for DNA cd you launched in May 2020 – our gifts to friends this 2020.

A special thank you to my dear friend/caretaker of my home, my heart and spiritual colleague, Maura Brito – she is truly a giver, with or without pandemic.

My heart is so full and at times, my tears simply flow, remembering how good my FilAm community has been – stepping up for the small businesses, helping to feed the foodfrontliners, the selfless nurses who care lovingly for their patients. I am so happy that these warriors of selfless health care services are being vaccinated first so in turn they can care for more people.

My thanks to my Koreanovelas club members” Xtine McLaladEdeliza Tumbucon Fang Arleen de Vera and Cybergroup Zoom “kilig instigator” Ted Benito who kept us laughing in deconstructing Crash Landing On You – 2019 – 2020 Korean Drama and more Koreanovelas, and together gave us the lifeline of joyful conversations. Our comedic hugs to each other!

Thank you to Janet Susan Rodriguez Nepales and Ruben V. Nepales for our delicious paella, goodies, chocolates and Ruben’s pandemic baby, “Through a Writer’s Lens.”

Lesson from 2020:

You are reaping the fruits of your ways. You are sowing generosity of Spirit, that is who you are, reaping this in return during this pandemic. Coronavirus has revealed the folks who crown others with their goodness or reveal their spiky thorns planting wickedness and injustices.

May all our dreams be actualized for 2021.