What is a Friend?

I would like to share with you, my cherished blog buddies, one of my all-time favorite passages about friendship:

"What is a friend?

I will tell you.

It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyality. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all - and underneath - he sees, knows and loves you.

A friend? What is a friend?

Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself."

- C. Raymond Beran

I love reading this because it never fails to remind me of how blessed I am to be married to my best friend.


You can have many friends, but the truly great ones are rare.

If you have found one with whom you dare to be completely yourself, treasure your friendship. Your life will be all the more better for it .

Fabulous Fireworks

"In the right light,

at the right time,

everything is extraordinary."

- Aaron Rose

The World Pyro Olympics is an annual competition amongst the most prestigious fireworks companies in the world. The event is said to be the largest and most intense international fireworks competition. It runs through a period of five consecutive days allowing locals and tourists alike to behold the greatest fireworks display in the world.

The Second Annual World Pyro Olympics, like the first, was hosted right here in the Philippines. My family had a truly unforgettable experience watching the incredibly dazzling display last week at The Esplanade in the newly-built SM Mall of Asia.

Of course, my darling photographer husband had the time of his life shooting away at the spectacular sights with his camera.

Here are some of his personal favorites, which our studio is now making available for sale as stock photos:

Amazing, don't you think?

The participants this year included Australia, Poland, USA, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and China. The Philippines, as host country, did not compete but put on an exhibition on the final night. The UK beat last year's winner Australia as 2007 World Pyro Olympics Champion while China received a special award for People's Choice.

Can't wait for next year's big blast!

Kissed By A Dolphin

"It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much....the wheel, New York, wars and so on....whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man....for precisely the same reasons."

- from "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

We recently brought our little boy to watch "The Wonderful World of Dolphins" show. He was completely fascinated and besotted by the sight of the darling creatures performing their amazing stunts. At the end of the program, our son was stunned to get the surprise kiss of his life.

Behold the photos:

MWAAAAAAAAAH!

Gratitude

This last holiday season, I felt incredibly happy as I savored the priceless treasures in my life.

My miracle of a son...

My fabulously devoted husband...






My awesome parents and super brothers...


And my husband's surprise Christmas gift to me - a brand new Canon IXUS 900Ti...

Woohoo!!!

And how were your holidays?