By God's Gracia

That was a really inspiring photo of Gracia (usually pronounced as Graysha) Burnham splashed all over the papers today. She had this warmest smile on her face and nothing in her expression gave a clue that she had been held in captivity by the Abu Sayyaf for more than a year or that she had just lost her husband.

It was just her bandaged leg that gave things away. It was so heartening to see someone so strong and grateful even in the face of recent tragedy. Crises really have a way of bringing out the good or the bad in people.

News of nurse, Ediborah Yap, helping out the Burnhams and not taking advantage of previous opportunities for her to escape, truly shows the best in us Filipinos. I suppose our country would finally move forward if all of us were determined to serve our fellowmen in whatever circumstances life brings us.

God truly works in strange ways. One truth is anything but strange though - with God on your side, you'll find it in your heart to smile, no matter what...