To Smell The Pages Of A New Book ….Is Heaven!

A month ago, a friend from my Multiply days exchanged comments about the books we have bought and read and I even blogged about it here. Then a few days later she sent me a personal note and asked for my mailing address because she wanted to send a book.  She said it was a surprise and didn’t tell me what book she bought.  I finally  received her package this morning. Oh gosh, I was excited like a child waiting for Christmas but I have to go to the post office to claim it. Never mind, the excitement probably showed  because the clerk -in-charge of releasing it didn’t even ask for an ID.  I took  a few shots just to let her know that her gifts were highly appreciated.

Thanks LC for this!

Wow, it ‘s a signed copy from my favorite author Richard Paul Evans.

Ah, to smell the pages of a new book is heaven. I was admiring the embossed prints of my favorite author’s name and the title of the book on the dust jacket and I was smiling like crazy.  Does a new book does that to you too?

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More Quotes From My Favorite Writer

Just could not get enough, that’s why! Thanks again Richard….

 

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Bonding Time With The Kids

This is one of those days that I miss my PC because right now, I am longing to share some shots we did today but for some strange reasons,  this laptop would not read my cam. All my files are in the other computer which is still out-of-order until now. I am using my son’s PC. Anyway, we had all day yesterday doing crafts and my two kids are really getting adept at making bracelets, fashion earrings and other accessories using Swarovski crystals. I made several rosaries and tried my hand at doing a Chaplet of St. Therese. More than the projects which we are so glad to do, the moments spent with them are truly priceless.

I haven’t been to the wet market for almost a month now so I asked my son to drive me there early this morning to buy some supplies, lots of veggies, meat and fish. It’s my son’s 27th birthday tomorrow and my daughter thought of making pasta for him today. It’s a long weekend and what perfect time to have our comfort food than when it is raining. Yes, it’s been raining for several days now because of the typhoon. I made potato salad to go with fried chicken. Yesterday, I had this sudden craving for a burger and son said, it’s not healthy for me but he bought some anyway. Who’s counting, I am getting tired of avoiding food like this. It won’t hurt, once in a while.

Richard Paul Evans, one of my favorite authors posted some notes in his Facebook account and I have this sudden longing to get hold of his books and re-read them all. They are hard to find here and all my hard bound collections were also destroyed by typhoon Ondoy. Anyway, I would just want to share some of my favorite quotes from his books.

“I am not a believer in love at first sight. For love, in its truest form, is not the thing
of starry-eyed or star-crossed lovers, it is far more organic, requiring nurturing and time
to fully bloom, and, as such, seen best not in its callow youth but in its wrinkled maturity.
Like all living things, love, too, struggles against hardship, and in the process sheds
its fatuous skin to expose one composed of more than just a storm of emotion–one of loyalty
and divine friendship. Agape. And though it may be temporarily blinded by adversity,
it never gives in or up, holding tight to lofty ideals that transcend this earth and
time–while its counterfeit simply concludes it was mistaken and quickly runs off to
find the next real thing.” (from his book The Letter)

“Life’s greatest philosophy is not handed down in stoic texts and dusty tomes, but lived, in each breath and act of human compassion. For love has always demanded sacrifice, and no greater love is there than that for which our lives are traded. And in this great cause of spiritual evolution we are all called to be martyrs, to die each of us, in the quest of a higher realm and loftier ideals, that we may know God. And what if there is nothing else? What if all life ends in the silent void of death? Then is it all in vain? I think not, for love, for the sake of love, will always be enough. And if our lives are but a single flash in the dark hollow of eternity, then if, but for the briefest of moments, we shine – then how brilliantly our light has burned. And as starlight knows no boundary of space or time, so too, our illumination will shine forth throughout all eternity, for darkness has no power to quell such light. And this is a lesson we must all learn and take to heart – that all light is eternal and all love is light. And it must forever be so.”

“I have come to believe that we do not walk alone in this life. There are others,
fellow sojourners, whose journeys are interwoven with ours in seemingly random patterns,
yet, in the end, have been carefully placed to reveal a remarkable tapestry. I believe
God is the weaver at that loom.”

“The most important story we’ll ever write in life is our own-not with ink, but with our daily choices.”

One can’t fail to be  touched by all these lovely quotes. It’s why he is one of my favorites. One time, I wrote to him and asked if I could  copy some quotes now and then and publish them here. Gosh, he even thanked me for it. That’s Richard Paul Evans for you.

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Of Books And Friends

“The assumption of time is one of humanity’s greatest follies. We tell ourselves that there’s always tomorrow, when we can no more predict tomorrow than we can the weather. Procrastination is the thief of dreams.” – Richard Paul Evans (The Walk)

Touching base with old friends gives you that feeling of warmth and anticipation, it’s something that evokes memories. Yesterday was exactly just  that. Hubby, my daughter and his boyfriend and I went to visit an old friend and spent a few hours catching up. We met Fr. Aly fifteen years ago when we had our house blessed. Back then  he was only about two years into the priesthood. We’ve kept the friendship all these years. My daughter is getting married in six months and she wanted Fr. Aly to preside over the wedding. There is nothing like a good friend whom you’ve known over the years to share this very important event. My daughter was just in high school when we met him.  It’s nice to reminisce and think of the good old days – the joys of laughter and sharing!

We went to National Bookstore afterward to buy stationeries and imagine our delight when we saw the books we’ve been waiting for on display for all eyes to see.  Nissa was waiting for a trade paperback edition of the last book on the Hunger Games trilogy entitled Mockingjay and there it was prominently displayed. Hooray! I am as excited as she is to know  what will happen to Katniss Evergreen after the first two books which we read two months ago.  I can’t believe this! I was idly browsing the new titles when I saw this book with a very nice cover but it was on paperback.  I grabbed it before somebody else  sees it. The Walk has been on the market  for almost a year and every time I visit national Bookstore, I ask the sales clerk if they carry one such title. Finally, finally, my first book of Richard Paul Evans in paperback. I’ve collected most of his novels (hardbound at that)over the years but I lost most of them to typhoon Ondoy. I am slowly building up my library, carefully choosing the books I buy, except of course during my forays at Booksale where I usually find hidden treasures at such a lower price compared to NBS. The sales clerk at National Bookstore was beaming at me when she said, “that was published by Simon and Schuster and we were lucky to have these  on paperbacks” , pointing to the two more volumes left at the display counter. “Yes”, I said. The previous times that I bought the hardbound editions, they put a dent in my pocket.  Isn’t  it so obvious that I am a fan? Richard Paul Evans is an online friend at Facebook  and it keeps me  updated with all his upcoming novels. The second in the Walk series Miles To Go would be released this coming month.  How nice if National Bookstore would carry it as well.

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