Charmed
Life
Gretheline
Genciana Ramos-Bolandrina
"Respect yourself, Respect others and Responsibility
for all your actions," says Douglas, MA, based nurse Gretheline Genciana
Ramos-Bolandrina, BSN, RN, CRRN, who kicks off her new column,
Charmed Life, with her take on Smile. Using her "life
offers many charms" philosophy, Grethel shares her passion for writing and
her insight in totality, as a daughter, sister, nurse, wife, mother, aspiring
writer and as a friend. "My husband, Joe, somehow always manages to point
out to me what a charmed life I have, I just want to share a smile" she says.
Grethel is the mother of four children and hopes to write a book, in this
lifetime :)
Summer of 2004, another year almost passed
me by but I'm happy to say that this time around, I'm ready to take on more
challenges. Writing is one of my passions, my life's road didn't necessarily
lead me to it right away. My Dad is a writer; deep inside, like him, I believe
I was born to write. I've dabbled in poetry and a lot of press releases for
families, friends and the Filipino-American Community, yet this is my first
endeavor to possibly writing regularly for print and the web. Many thanks
to Tito Terry for inviting me to write and be a columnist at Carouselpinoy.com
and Carousel Pinoy Chronicle. I hope to fill the small gap in everyone's
mind about challenges in life. From my perspective I'd like to share my curiosity
about what the road ahead might look like, what I find interesting, what
is important to me, ideas, hopes and dreams. As candid as I can make it,
share a story or two when you feel like just passing a little time.
So, here it is, my Charmed Life. A collection
of my insights as I travel down life's highways and byways. I'd like to share
hopefully more funny events (than sad) that happen in my daily life. I hope
you can relate to my experiences. Lets try to see the humor in everyday events.
I hope you have as much fun reading it as I have writing and that you return
often. Thank you for your time and know that wherever you are headed, life
offers many charms and may you find the time to collect them. Feel free to
e-mail me reactions, comments and or suggestions for ideas to ponder. Contact
me at Gretheline@aol.com or through
Carousel Productions.
Smile
"Trick yourself into a good
mood. Even holding a pen with your teeth activates one of the smiling muscles
and can make cartoons seem funnier."
A baby's toothless grin, Mona Lisa, a shy
hello, or flashing your pearly whites from ear to ear. Dental professionals
state that a healthy smile may be the best predictor of your general health
and well-being. A smile reflects and projects our image to those around us.
Yet some of us tend to smile just minimally.
Even for pictures. What does it cost to share one? Nothing I suppose. My
husband, Joe, wakes up with a smile on his face. So does our 10 year old
son, Gino and our soon to be 11 month old son Max. Neither of our daughters,
Jessica (13) and Lilly (2) nor I greet the world the same way. We're working
on it. Is smiling easier for the guys? Just a happy disposition? Where'd
grumpy old men get coined from? Suffice to say, 50% of the Bolandrina household
(the males) are born "smileys." The rest of us have to be coaxed. Lilly is
quick to yell "cheese" when in front of a camera. Outside of my two-year
lull in the e-mail scene, my farewell greeting used to be Smile. I've had
patients remember my smile but not my name.
Can you carry a smile in your heart? Need
something to smile about? Look around, every little thing comes as a blessing
in the hand. Like a favorite song, a wonderful melody. A fragrant flower.
A shiny penny. Need to look some more? How about in the mirror. Remember
though, start it up and it's contagious. Now, be a lovely work of art, smile.
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