Business hasn’t been that good lately. Because of this, I’ve resorted to borrowing money from friends and relatives. Small amounts here, big amounts there. Before I knew it, I was neck-high in debt. And I seemed to get deeper and deeper into it.

Then a little hope would shine—I’d meet a business client who’d seem very interested. I’d wait expectantly, computing in my mind how I’d pay-off my debts and finally be at peace. But in the end, I just couldn’t close a sale. A sideline opportunity came along to tide me over, and then all of a sudden the car broke down. Major repair required. It was as if you’re lying wounded and still get kicked in the back. I finally complained…

Life is hard, no doubt about it. Just recently, I watched the movie Magnifico and it was great. The movie shows a young boy who, despite his family’s problems decides to take upon himself to lift their lives out of misery, bringing not only their family but the whole town itself to become better.

The movie teaches that with hope of a child, something can be done, if only done goodly. It didn’t matter whether or not one gets rewarded, as long as one is able to help.

My husband may not be perfect but he never gives me major problems. There’s just one thing he does not do that I often complain about. He does not give me flowers. He thinks he has proven more than enough that he loves me and would stand by me no matter what; he does not have to give me flowers to prove anything.

While I often complain about the flowers, my husband never complains about anything so I thought I treated him better that he treated me.

Then, one day, on our 6th year of marriage, over coffee, I pointed out—for the nth time—that he never gives me flowers. Out of the blue, he said, “Well, you never prepare coffee for me.”

One day, a certain laundry worker had a dream to be a writer. His supportive wife worked nights, typing his manuscripts and sending them to publishers. Each was rejected, even never read.

Finally, one publisher rejected a manuscript, but with the note that the writer should keep trying. So he forwarded two more manuscripts for the next months, and as before, they were rejected. Money got so tight for the couple they had to disconnect their phone to buy meds for their baby.

The laundry worker got so discouraged; he threw his latest manuscript into the garbage. But his wife got it out from the trash and sent it one more time to the same publisher.

That book, Carrie, sold over 5 million copies, and as a movie, was top-grossing film of the year.