This week I am grateful for…
21. My Health
22. Making Progress on Goals
23. Discovering a Local Gem
24. My Name
25.The Simple Joy of Crunchy Carrots
#21: My Health
For as long as I can remember, I used to have really bad stomachaches that would even wake me up in the middle of the night. It was excruciating and persistent. It was worse when I was going through a stressful time in my life. This was before I started mindfulness meditation so I did not have any tools to help with my anxiety and stress. What used to work was medicine that my doctor prescribed for the pain but I do not like depending on medication plus it had a terrible taste.
One day, my doctor decided to test me for H.Pylori which he told me could explained some of my symptoms. H.Pylori is a bacterial infection that affects your stomach I learned after I tested positive. I learned that it usually happens in childhood and the cause can be contaminated water. So not having access to clean water or coming from developing countries can be a risk factor.
I got on an anti-bacterial medication for the first time in my life and two weeks later, all my symptoms had ended. No more waking up in the middle of the night from pain. No more avoiding high acid meals like pasta with red sauce. No more stomach pain when hungry. I could eat fruits with citrus again like oranges and mandarin. I am very grateful for health this week.
#22: Making Progress on Goals
This week, I’ve been making steady progress toward my physical health and personal aspirations! There’s something incredibly satisfying about tracking progress—it fuels my motivation, strengthens my confidence, and reminds me that every small step counts. Seeing the small steady results of my efforts is both empowering and rewarding, making me even more excited to keep pushing forward.
#23: Discovering a Local Gem
My partner and I stumbled upon a cozy Vietnamese restaurant that serves the most irresistible stir-fry noodles. We weren’t even searching for a new spot, but life has a way of gifting us exactly what we need. After a long, exhausting day filled with planning and exhausting decision-making, those flavorful noodles were pure comfort. You know those days that drain you emotionally, leaving you craving something warm and satisfying? That was us, and those noodles delivered in the best way possible.
#24: My Name
In my culture, naming traditions are taken seriously. The firstborn boy is named after his paternal grandfather, and the firstborn girl after her paternal grandmother. The second-born children are named after the maternal grandparents. If there are more children, as was the case in my family, they’re named after the parents’ siblings in order of birth. I was supposed to have a different name, but a happy accident led to me being named Peter. I love my name and the story behind it.
#25: The Simple Joy of Crunchy Carrots
While cooking this week, I found myself endlessly munching on the crunchy carrots I was peeling. There was something oddly delightful about each crisp bite—it was as if my taste buds had rediscovered their love for this simple snack. The satisfying crunch kept me coming back for more, turning an ordinary moment into an unexpectedly joyful experience.
Weekly Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is a quote from Malala Yousafzai
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — Malala Yousafzai
