A Retreat

Since I got engaged and married I haven't been able to attend the Holy Mass on Sundays. It's always been a family tradition and not attending should have a major valid reason. But even though I've had some major life changes, now I'm trying my best to make room and go back to my religious roots and keep my values alive. I've been raised by two wonderful and religious parents who taught me good morals and almost everything about God, even the stuff they don't teach you in school. Ironically, I'm not an overly religious person. I believe there is a God, but I don't condemn others for not believing in Him. We all have our reasons for the kind of faith that we have.

This might seem like an unusual topic for me to discuss but this entry is on quite a religious note because this afternoon I started my novena for Our Lady of Perpetual Help. When I was in grade school, my sister and I tagged along with our Mom to attend this novena on Wednesdays at 4:30pm. My mom was carrying my now 10 year old sister in her womb back then. Well now that I'm pregnant I decided to follow my mom's footsteps and attend this novena. That was ten years ago when I first attended and it actually surprises that I still remember how the songs and how everything goes.

I attended the whole thing alone. I sent my husband off to a DVD hunt because I knew he would only get bored in there. He's a very wonderful guy, a very good man, but he's not a very religious person so I cut him some slack and let him kill time in DVD world.

My faith was obviously tested while I was there. This old lady who was dressed like a man drove me crazy with her mannerisms and I also felt shooting pains in my abdomen. It felt like there was a fireworks display in my tummy. Then I thought, maybe it was the baby. Maybe he/she knows that what I'm doing is for him/her and the only way to say thanks was by kicking me from the inside like crazy.

After it was over I had some quiet time to myself while I was waiting for Jai to come back and pick me up. I just sat in the pew and reflected. I felt peace and assurance that everything will be ok. I felt calm knowing that someone out there is listening and that prayers will be answered, one way or another. It just had this overwhelming feeling of being very blessed. And for that, I'm very thankful.

8 more Wednesdays to go. :)