PMany a day we wake up complaining about trivial things that bother us. We get irritated at the weather, how the day is not bright and sunny and how it dampens our spirits. We fuzz at the slightest crease in our newly ironed clothes when we pose in front of the mirror and at the speck of dirt that dims the lustre of our car's shiny exterior. Many little things that come our way irritate and lead us to a sour and grumpy mood as we go into the day. Yet for all the complaining and the whining when we look around us, many are far less fortunate.

We are lucky to face and greet another day. Others have not and wandered off to some eternal place in their sleep. Scores of people live in squalid conditions and are not blessed with having three square meals a day despite their hard work and industry. The common folk toil and labour all day long while some of us wallow in luxury and decadence. Life may not seem fair and despite our best efforts some things have eluded us. Everyone dreams to live in relative comfort and indulge in life's simple pleasures but as is often the case it is difficult to satisfy our hunger.

One man's gain is another man's pain and the more we seek to amass wealth and fortune the more we deprive others of a chance to achieve the same. This is the reality of life and the reality of living in a competitive world where people try to outdo each other in seeking their place in the sun. But for all the frenzy of living in a society there stands a need to pause and appreciate the little things that bring contentment. There is a need to smell the flowers and appreciate the birds and the bees and the butterflies, meaning things that go unnoticed and most often are taken for granted. Every opportunity is a chance to improve and do better. Every setback or problem is a chance to improve and learn.

While we are stuck at our misfortunes we forget to count our blessings. We may ignore how lucky we are for what we have become as a result of our parent's sacrifices. If we feel so low and burdened by a lot of things take a look around and see how far better you are than the rest. Each of us has our own set of blessings and our stock of goodwill to begin with. We are fortunate just to live and breathe through each passing day. Life may be a constant struggle but let this struggle not wither your penchant for living. You were born complete and blessed to have two hands, eyes and feet. You were endowed with physical beauty and strength and are thus blessed. But let your blessings be felt and shared by others.

Whatever little we have if we share we make a difference. We need not be rich and amass wealth to put a smile in the faces of orphaned children nor do we need to be strong and powerful to gently guide an elderly person struggling to walk across the street. Whatever we have, whatever we can share canmake a difference. Lest we forget, our blessings don't matter if we don't use them to pay it forward. Any gentle and small act of kindness could translate into a thousand gestures of goodwill and bring about much needed change. We live, we appreciate and indulge in our blessings but above all we must share them.

The Trinity Angels Care Home in Alburquerque is a struggling and fairly new facility devoted to the care and upkeep of orphaned and abandoned children. It is run by a small group of selfless nuns who strive hard to make ends meet. Unknown to many, it is the only facility in Bohol that shelters infants abandoned at birth and cares for them. We started a playground project sometime ago for the recreational needs of their wards. What started as a small endeavour has now become a reality through the help of benevolent donors and friends who believed in a worthy cause. To the families of Benson and Michelle Te and Engr. Boboy and Lilia Labunog, who helped realize this dream, we extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude!

We are inviting everyone to come and visit this little known orphanage in the back roads of Alburquerque across the public market and start making a difference in the lives of these poor kids. Checkout their Facebook page at Friends of Trinity Angels Care Home. Come and share your blessings. We value your comments, opinion and suggestions to this column. You can email them at sevilladonald@gmail.com .