The Scent and the Sight of Happiness

Speechless.. Thrilled.. ECSTATIC..

I struggled to be still or else, my slightest movement can trigger my tears from falling. I felt a surging tug in the strings of my heart. His arsenal heart-dropping pickup lines have evolved into a glorious visual feast of FLOWERS. Their picturesque charms were disarming me from my usual defenses. Even the hardest of hearts cannot shy away from the riot of colors that these flowers radiate.

It’s utterly DIVINE..

The memory of it all still lingers in my head and I cannot help but manage a smile on my face. It was the time when he surprised me by delivering flowers at my humble abode. This heart has long been a vagabond – but in that particular time, I knew it has found its home.

God has wonderfully tapped nature to spare us from any shackles of sorrow, pain and grief – feelings that normally bombard any human being time and time again. The Luzon-wide flood victims, Cebu’s (in Visayas) mourning due to loss of lives from the ships’ collision, Cotabato’s earthquake victims (in Mindanao), 7.2 magnitude earthquake and Yolanda's (Haiyan's) survivors were the past tragedies that torment the Filipino spirit. We have known very well what unhappiness is and how agonizing it feels. However, what we do not acknowledge in it is that – some people are paralyzed on how to deal with it and move on.

Alexandra Stoddard shared an insight saying, “Unhappiness is real and it has its place in healing. We heal through becoming more interconnected, through small acts of loving kindness, through our quiet courage and heroism. We do not only cope during difficulties and tragedies but we also grow deeper in compassion and love. Vulnerability becomes our strength. No matter how sorrowful situations can be, we can still find meaning and purpose in life with FAITH that life is still a beautiful blessing.”

I believe God has led me to know this special person who has savoured the scent and sight of happiness by visually weaving flowers through her gifted hands, imaginative mind and most especially, her compassionate heart. Her vivacious display of flowers is bound to leave you flabbergasted. A good friend of mine, Tesa Guevarra is a genuine artist, interior designer and a talented florist. A well-trained professional in Jane Packard in Hongkong (an affiliate of London’s Academy of Floral Arrangement), she uses art to engage and converse individuals in a very deep and personal way. Only a genuine art can convey a story, stir the imagination, awaken a memory, tell the truth, offer empathy and provide new lens on how you can view your difficulties differently. This art grabs your heart by a certain whiplash of colors. The kaleidoscope of colourful flowers made through her unique kind of artistry – reinvent the way we look at the world around us. It enables you to find solace and obtain magnificent tranquillity despite the storm in your world.

Every little piece of LOVE counts..

There’s already too much hurt, hatred, sadness and grief going around in this world. Never miss a minute of opportunity to send an enthralling sight of colourful flora’s spectrum to :

console a heartbroken friend that s/he may look forward to better days ;

rebuild the self-worth of your brother after failing a licensure exam ;

comfort a weeping father for losing his most cherished family in the tragedy ;

speed up the recovery of your grandmother in the hospital while ;

easing out the worries of your family and relatives ; and

congratulate yourself that despite the emotional rollercoaster ride of your life,

you decide to hang on to your faith-based optimism.

Please, allow your phoenix-like determination rise once again from the proverbial ashes of your wounds. Rally your faith in life’s goodness STILL that all things work together for your good. Continue to dream again and dream MORE DREAMS. Then, concretize those not when you’re asleep but when you’re AWAKE.

Just like a lingering and loving memory of having found your heart’s home that curves smile on your face – despite what used to be what-ifs and what-if-nots, USE YOUR PRESENT to SHARE HOPE & HAPPINESS. “Trend positivity” by all means.