PEOPLE-WATCHING AT STARBUCKS

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My daughters and I love spending time at our 'adopted' HQ (headquarters at the mall -- Starbucks, but of course! There's a history in it and I think I have written about it before in previous posts. And that history lives on in the hearts of my family.
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Well, the one thing that I love doing .. aside from my green tea frappuccino and corned beef sandwich, playing games on my phone, reading or writing ... is people-watching.
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We know that looking at a landscape of evergreens has its delight and pleasure which only Mother Nature can genuinely give. Now it's a different delight and pleasure when looking at this landscape of people.
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They come in all sizes... shapes... appearances... dress style... hair cuts and dyes... in professional decorum or in the swagger of an "I"- "Me" - "My" - "Mine" person... in all the socio classes of wallets and purses... genders... color... and religion... parents... children... yayas... grandparents... aunts... uncles... professors... students... businessmen... employed... unemployed... priests... nuns or sisters... the loners... groups... the first wives club... the other wives club... singles... married... separated... bereaved... and many others more with all other intentions good or bad coming in and out of any Starbucks door. Well, this Starbucks door, too!
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Almost always snippets of conversation trail down to your table, like it or not. One thing I have observed is that Pinoys can't talk or chat in low voices (even on their cellphones); it always has to be amplified twice regardless of place or time.
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Aside from their vocal narration of life as it befalls them, their eyes visibly validate or corroborate it, and then sometimes it looks the other way. But as someone once said it ------ 'the eyes have it all'.
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In summary, my own understanding of people and of life grows exponentially with every person and life story heard. Wisdom in its barest. Fortunately or unfortunately but much to my advantage this apparently provides authentic seeds for the writing, too.
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That's all for now, folks! My green tea frappe is waiting for me.
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Have a great day!  God bless you!

A DAUGHTER MAY OUTGROW YOUR LAP... but SHE WILL NEVER OUTGROW YOUR HEART

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Each day which unfolds in my life brings with it lessons and I appreciate that. Always has been back then and still is now and I guess will continue forward as life moves me along with it.
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As family comprises about 80% of our full existence, most of the lessons are thus packed into it undeniably by a higher divine intent and wisdom. If you will pay close attention you will discover that to be true. Therefore, it behooves me (and so would everybody else I believe) to strive to see or better yet understand the lessons sent within that mold, sphere, and environment. Could it be that all these are really intended to serve the higher divine agenda of becoming a better human being.... the goal of our temporary earthly lives?
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Have you also thought about this? That the goal comes forth for two reasons. Firstly, for the development of the self (quite obviously) .... and secondly, to serve others with (this though not often well understood). You may have also read this somewhere in the Book... of what use is new knowledge or talents, insights or experience which undoubtedly enrich our lives (the lessons aim to achieve that) if it be not used to serve others with too? Correct? So then whatever is gained from the learning is not meant solely or exclusively for self-consumption. Although for awhile it may be and is by all intents but you will be nudged on to move forward with it sooner or later. In that context, self is just one part of the learning. The other part is service. One isn't without the other. And it's in the realm of family that initially one gets some serious practice.
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You might think that after churning out two posts on family that I would now run out of things to say for a third post. (Did it on another site. Sorry.)  Well, on the contrary and at the risk of losing your interest I will venture out to write another sequel on the subject. Because I love the subject of family.... I love my family. And this is like the tons of family pictures I see posted on Fb everyday by countless people of different race-color-or-creed over the various important milestones in their lives or over simple ordinary mundane things as eating a cone of ice cream or of baby taking her first step. And.... honestly -- it's all great because I see people who in their own special ways love their families tremendously and show it. Carry on, people, it's a beautiful life with family!!
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I have written about two members of my family God has so generously blessed my life with. There's a third one to whom I dedicate this post.
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Well, she loves springing surprises on her family like swooping down with goodies .. or a birthday cake where there isn't a birthday .. or a trip to some place never-been-there-before .. or shopping for nice stuff when you least expect it .. or a gorgeous bouquet of roses delivered to your doorstep! Further she's a bundle of crazy antics which always brighten up the house anytime she turns it on. And oh boy how she turns it on full blast everyday!
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With her older sister now married, she without any further ado stepped into her shoes or rather should I say glided into her shoes with ease like a ballerina with her ballet shoes. Gracefully, responsibly, with hard work and with her heart all over the place you simply can't miss it. She provides, nurtures, supports, protects her family with everything she is and has. (Proud is this mother!) Furthermore, she is an 'encourager' -- a beautiful soul who inspires one to be more or better than one could ever be. She helps nurture dreams.
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Again my thoughts and heart run through awesome once more! All three blossoming into their fullest potential under God's careful watch. Makes me think how sometimes God sends in trials but not to defeat you ---- but to make you stronger. That's what He did to my girls. I am a happy and proud mother because God blessed me with my three Steel Magnolias!
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I suppose you will ask 'What's a steel magnolia?' As I have read it somewhere, it is this  ---- Combining the contrasting images of steel (strong, durable, unflinching in character) - and magnolia, a beautiful flower. Steel Magnolia is beauty which shines from within and without.
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By God's design.
What a wonderful God we have!