Tuesday, September 29, 2009

aslagan!


"aslagan" is a kapampangan word for sunrise/sunshine. wonderful! i love sunrises and sunshine and sunsets...it's time for looking at the brighter side of life...i'm sure you'll agree...i am not from pampanga (a province of great cooks and writers and artists in central luzon) but my friend malu gueco is. she is my diabetic friend who survived without amputating her foot.




yes, i was relating to you her story in a previous blog (see my july blogs...). i really thought she lost her foot, but when i visited her 2 weekends ago, lo and behold! both legs greeted me at the door. it was really a miracle, seeing how pale to almost ashen her face and whole body was during that sorry time in the hospital.



it's just wonder-full accompanying her in her healing, in body, mind and spirit. that's what i like in malu, she's got a lot of soul in her...she continues to write in her column "aslagan" in their community paper in pampanga. and while recovering, (this is really great) she began drawing visual representations of her inner lifework...whatever gave her inspiration just moved her to creating and creating and creating...i wish i could post her artpieces here, hopefully i could get photos soon...

by the way, did you know the reason for malu's opting not to have her foot amputated (which is really a brave thing to do...such courage!)? she is on natural healing therapy which i really loved the moment i learned about it! i don't know if i can announce the therapy here. allow me first to get permission. i do believe in natural healing if at all possible. sometimes, integrative medicine is an option. it's a combination of western and eastern medicine. (i'll talk about this in another post...)



i grew up with women in the family who have been herbalists. my maternal grandmother was really good in mixing herbs, as with all other mothers of her time. she was also a natural botanist. she never learned the profession, but she had a natural skill to plant; and anything she planted, grew! she used to encourage my mom when they were kids, to bring viable seeds with them when on an out-of-town trip. and would ask to spread the seeds outdoors....i wonder...those seeds might be those great big trees along the highway going up north today...

oh well...the sun is bursting its beauty out on the horizon...another day is almost over...the sun sets only to rise again...yes, we know it will indeed rise again tomorrow...for the millions who suffered in the storm, the sun will rise tomorrow...there is hope...

embrace tomorrow with faith, hope, love, and peace...
(many thanks for photos from everywhere...)


w.w.

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful story and I pray your friend is able to control her diabetes. Such a touchy illness. I wish and pray for her well being.

    Your photos are absolutely breathtaking. What a wonderful moment of clarity the photographer has had through a lens. Wonderful. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I'll be following along with you if you don't mind. Hugs. Tammy

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  2. Wonderful pictures!
    How great that she could keep her foot!
    I think a combination with natural healing and modern medicine is the best. But I think that it is the belkief in the healing that helps the most.
    Take care!
    Christer.

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  3. Thanks for sharing the pictures - they speak of hope and the strength to begin again. I am so pleased to see that indeed hope has grown out of, or perhaps in spite of, the storm's devastation. I continue to send good thoughts and blessings to the families of all your people.
    I am delighted to hear that your friend has overcome these trials with diabetes. I too have diabetes, but so far it appears to be well controlled. I am seeking for myself some naturopathic help to enable me to remain as healthy and independent as possible for as long as I can. I have come to realize that the conventional medical people do not have all the answers. Took me a long time to acknowledge that, but here I am.
    All the best to you and yours. Shirley

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  4. thanks for dropping by, Tammy, Christer and Shirley!

    and for giving words of hope and solace in the midst of our passing thru a dark side of our lives here. over the weekend i hope to visit my best friend, my daughter's godmother, who lives in one of the hardest hit in Marikina Valley, that's in Provident village. Anjie is a beautiful soul...such a gentle spirit she is. the house was completely wiped out, dogs died, nothing saved. but still spirits are high and hope abounds!

    diabetes is manageable and a lot have been hopeful. still have to check the natural nutritionals malu is taking. actually aside from that, she can't do away with her insulin. so, i guess it's a combi of naturals and conventional medicine. and yes, Christer, faith heals!

    thanks all for your support! yes, tammy dear, please do drop by often and leave a comment.

    bless you Shirley, for sending good thoughts and blessings!

    our hearts go out to you all! warm hugs!


    weena

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  5. Nice to meet you Weena.
    Your family tree does sound complicated. But then it also offers so many different backgrounds. My friend's daughter is learning to speak Tagalog. She will be attending a wedding and has some very close friends who speak it.
    Thank you for stopping in to visit my site.

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  6. Thanks Lori, nice to meet you too.
    Tagalog is indeed interesting, and to learn its evolution is even more exciting... my ancestors before the Spanish colonization had their own system of writing, arts, culture, form of worship, laws and codes. hhmmmm...that's a good story for future blogs..keep watch and follow...

    your visit will surely put smiles on me the whole day!

    we hope the coming typhoon diverts its course, out into the sea and will not affect other neighboring countries...we keep prayers...

    warm hugs!

    weena

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  7. Weena, wonderful and a beautiful entry and blog. Blessings dear one.

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  8. Lovely story, interestingly told. Worth a re-read, I think!

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  9. Hi Weena, How wonderful to be met by your friend with both her legs.

    I too believe healing and modern medicine, natural, mind and body, soul and spirit are what holistic medicine is about. There are some great things modern medicine has bought to us, but so many things that have been made into illnesses, ie pregnancy.. oops. off my soap box.

    I believe that if we have a contentment within it makes us so much stronger. Perhaps for me sitting in my safe and comfortable environment this is easy. I wonder at myself if I were in Philipines, Samoa, Indonesia, Vietnam, experiencing what is happening, would I still be content!

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  10. Hi,
    I noticed that you became one of my followers,so I thought I would stop by to see your blog. Your blog is very uplifting and inspiring.

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  11. JBR, hugs to you,very dear one!

    Dave, thanks much for dropping by. i'm honored.

    my AussieFriendFromTasmania - it is indeed difficult to know how we would be reacting to/feeling about things, until we ourselves are there. i and my daughter and mom were very safe and snug in our little worn-out apartment during ketsana's fury ("ondoy" locally), miraculously...i don't really know how we would be taking it if we were the direct victims...

    we felt it necessary however to help out in packing relief bags for the evacuees...thanks for your good thoughts. please continue to do so for us...we are bracing for yet other strong typhoons coming up!


    bless you all!

    weena

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  12. hi choices! thanks for visiting...
    blessings!

    weena

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  13. Hi Weena:)

    Greetings:)

    I am amazed to read that your friend could save her leg through natural healing. Thank God!

    Diabetes is a very dangerous sickness and I think it is mostly due to type of food that a person eats and lack of exercise. It can affect heart, eyes and limbs. So your friend's miraculous escape is really wonderful and astonishing.

    You have posted lovely, breathtaking photos especially of the sun and sun sets.

    As you rightly said sunset gives hope because the sun will surely rise in the morning just as day follows night.

    Many thanks for visiting my blog and posting an interesting comment.

    Have a bright and beautiful day:)
    Joseph

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  14. first, nice to hear that malu doesn't need to resort to her limd amputated. God bless her!

    " the sun sets only to rise again..." what an inspiring words to live by. i wish everyone sees it that way!

    have lovely day!

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  15. hi there! thanks a lot for visiting my blog and for leaving nice comments. appreciate them truly! nice photos here! oh i love sunsets...it gives me a beautiful feeling of tranquility inside...:) thanks for sharing these photos :)

    have a blessed weekend! take care! :)

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  16. Bless your friend ! May the natural healing therapy works for her. Please tell her to stay in faith. God is an amazing God - He can heal !

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