Birthday Post

Dear God,

I thank You for my third decade. Never did I imagine that I will make it this far considering how my health has deteriorated in the past couple of months.

I thank You for my family, my mama, my papa, my dear sister ea, my dear cousins jeri and jeo, my tita mia and tito jing, my lola, my tito oweng and tita liz, and cousin jec, my tita baby and tito gen, and cousin alex for always being there for me, in good times and in bad. They have seen me shine and they have seen me at my darkest hour but they always believed in me. They are the reasons why I am the way I am and why I am right where I should be. I thank you for surrounding me with people who keep me sane and grounded as they love me unconditionally.

I thank you for wonderful friends who never forget and have always stayed at my side throughout the years. Thank you for Michelle, for being my soul sister, secret keeper, and dream sharer. With her, I can be myself without being judged. Thank you for Ela, for bringing the extra zest and kick in what could be my outrageously ultra normal life. I am grateful for our ocassional chats and banters because these are a welcome respite to what could be a very stressful workday. Thank you for my college friends, Ren, Tina, Kathy, Da, Yas, Pola, and Che because they always got my back. I know I can run to them when something's troubling me. I thank you for Eric and Dietz as well. You brought them into my life for a reason. Thank you for Osang, a real friend I found at the office. They say one seldom finds genuine friendship at the workplace, but in her I did. Thank you for Yong as he always brings laughter in my life. Thanks for Cha, despite our petty fights. I consider her family and she's always been there for me. I thank you for Maan, Kai, Khaye, Paulynne, Kat, Pia, Tati, Kevin, and Paz. Their friendships I treasure despite the distance.

I thank you for all the trials I have been going through, those that I have surpassed, and those that I have yet to go through. I know that through these, you are turning me into someone precious, like a diamond that has to go through fire to achieve the right cut, carat, and clarity.

I thank you for my job which I still love to do. I ask for You to continuously guide me so that I will continue to make the right choices, no matter how difficult they are.

Always help me be a better person, as I start a new decade. May I always be a light to others as I try live my life in Your name.

Your Loving Daughter,
Ana