Bits of Yellow on a Gray Day

This is one of my favorite color studies that I did. It was a gloomy and gray day last May, and it felt like it would never warm up again. I found myself riding my bike home slightly miserably, but then I started noticing electric jolts of yellow, amarillo, chartreuse, mustard, citron, and any other name for the color of lemons you can think of.

It cheered me up a bit. It reminded me that life is never just about the good things and beauty. As every good story and tale over time shows us, there is always light with dark.

Life tends to kick you in the ass at times, but we keep on going. If we're lucky, we have many loved ones that can lend support or rally us in bad times, and will celebrate with us in better times. If we're luckier, they'll let us be there for them as well.

One thing that I really learned from my trips to the Philippines, is that nothing is more important than family. It doesn't matter if it's the family you're born with, or the family you make in my family's opinion. It's all the same. Even the family that I may not see more than once in a very long while, when I do see them, the love and shared connection is strong. We laugh and we cry, and sometimes at the same time.

This past week has been a hard one for my family. My dear cousin's newborn baby passed away due to complications, and it was the anniversary of my brother, Tito (uncle) and Lolo's (grandfather) death. We are a strong bunch, but it can be a bit melancholy over the holidays. This Christmas season, I'm grateful for all the love and support my family gives each other, and I wish for peace and love for all. I'm looking forward to spending time with my Indiana family, but will be really missing my Mom and Dad too.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate, and are also surrounded by people you love!