An Important Lesson

It was Fr. Rene* who taught me a very important lesson from Pope John Paul II -

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Why Pinoys are Resilient

We've just experienced another super typhoon (Bavi with local name Inday). It brought strong winds and rain. I've never gotten used to it and I always wake up whenever the rain starts pounding on the roof. I'm also always creeped out when the wind howls. I keep reminding myself we're safe and we've taken precautions to prepare, but the worry never goes away when you've been through a lot of disasters.

And that made me think. They always say Filipinos are resilient. We are because you grow up needing to be prepared all the time. Here's what I grew up with:

• EDSA Revolution (x3), Coup d'etats
• Strong typhoons (Ondoy, Pepeng, Yolanda are just some, it's an annual thing)
• Flooding (queue memories of getting stuck in school and not being able to go home + walking in floodwater)
• Heavy forever traffic
• Increase in prices (gasoline/groceries/electricity)

We all just usually shrug it off as something that's common and an everyday thing. I was in Singapore when I realized it is a hard life we truly live. I was at an event and people were panicking because Orchard Road was flooded. I had to see it for myself so I stepped out of the hotel and saw it was just practically a puddle. An inch of clear water coursing through the street. The other attendees of the event were already saying they were stranded! 

The event has ended already, so I crossed the road to go to the MRT. My shoes didn't even get soaked! Ahh, for me, it wasn't a disaster. I would have probably waited for the water to subside if it reached gutter level, but it wasn't bothersome for me. Well, that's the sad thing. If we had things in place and if we weren't cheated by those who could make our lives easier, then our threshold for disaster would be much lower. 

I hope and pray everyone is safe and dry. There's going to be more rain for the next few days, so don't forget to bring your umbrella.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone. 

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The Past Few Weeks

There's been a lot of tension politically in the country the past few weeks. Well, more than usual. It's honestly, stressful since it ultimately affects each of us.

Since we got back 5 years ago, prices have gone up a lot. The budget I had before for groceries and food had to be adjusted. Luckily, we had solar installed a few years ago and we've been able to keep our electricity bill at a constant (we don't have batteries). Gas prices went up, so we only went out as needed. Water is also expected to go up this month. 

I hope it will be a better week for our country. I pray that truth and what is right will prevail. 

Happy Sunday everyone!

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Friday at Last!

What a stressful week it's been and I'm so glad it's Friday. I'm still recovering from the medical procedure, but I've been able to water my plants again. In between watering plants, our cats have been very affectionate. 

The week isn't over yet. We still have some things to do and have to find time to do groceries. I haven't been able to cook again, but I have a list of dishes I want to cook. 

One thing I learned this week is to stick to your principles. Don't let anyone push you around just to do shortcuts. 

Happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe 

A Sobering Week

On the way home from the hospital yesterday (after Miggy's gym time), I was thinking about the noticeable effects of the war. 

We were on EDSA when I saw a person lying down on the pedestrian lane. Part of his legs was stretched out on the road and he looked half naked. We were on the inner lane, so I only saw it for a few seconds. I pinged MMDA on X. I was hoping they could check on him since a vehicle can run over his legs. MMDA responded to ask for the exact location, but I didnt see any update anymore.

I said a prayer for the person. I hope he is okay and can get help. Most of us are probably feeling the pinch. We experienced getting more expensive gas today. We used to top up just 1k every other week, but now it's 150% more. Got some groceries also and the increase in meat prices was huge. We paid 4k for a few items and the cashier offered to use points for me to get a discount. Let's all help where we can 🙏

Dear Lord, praying for peace and normalcy 🙏

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Forgot

I forgot what I was going to write about today. It happens often, haha. Sundays are supposed to be for reflection and to recognize miracles or to identify things I'm grateful for.

It's been a busy month and I'm most grateful for the energy to keep up with our activities. There are days I want to do more, but I rest when needed. 

And that's just it. Live simply. Make more happy memories.

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The Raffle that Changed How I Manage Money

Someone asked online if she should sell the hotel stay she won in a raffle. It reminded me of the time I won a raffle during an Ad Congress in Baguio. 

It was totally unexpected since I'm not one to win raffles. My Dad though always win and would always bring home door prizes. I haven't won any raffle since that rare moment at the Ad Congress.

With my Ninong Billy :)

It was a windfall for me. I was a single Mom back then and was drowning in tuition fee debt. My savings was just the minimum to keep my bank account. 

I won and it helped change how I manage my finances. I paid for all my debts and promised myself I'd never go in the red again. I also disciplined myself to pay all my credit card charges monthly. 

Since then I've been very mindful on where my earnings go. I'm quite thrifty and I funnily take a long time before I buy something I want (like years). I also learned how to budget properly (read more about it here). 

Sometimes you just really need a break to change how you do things. Just make sure you use that as a game changer. I did and never looked back.

Happy Sunday everyone!

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Not Every Voice Deserve Your Attention

It was wrestler Michelle McCool who said, "Not every voice deserves your attention". Sweetie was watching the WWE Hall of Fame 2025 while I was working on a project, so I was listening while the hall of famers gave their speeches.

I was originally going to write about Fr. Jerry Orbos' feature on Bernadette Sembrano's channel. I picked up a couple of reminders as well from the interview, particularly to "live your mission".

Combining lessons from a wrestler and a priest seems so far-fetched, but the life of Michelle and Fr. Orbos' were both riddled with challenges. They both pushed and come out victorious in their own paths.

The past few years have honestly been very challenging for me especially health-wise. I have not functioned normally since I retired and had a couple of heart episodes. COVID-19 and other issues made things worse and my mitral valve needs a replacement.

I put my head down the past few months to prepare for the challenge. I've also been praying for strength and healing. My doctors wanted me to do surgery last February, but I wasn't ready. I hibernated to stabilize my mind, my heart, my soul and my faith. I purposely reduced the noise around me. As Michelle McCool said, "Not every voice deserves your attention" (especially those who are up to no good).

And I realized, it's time. I'm ready to push forward to live my mission and as Fr. Jerry Orbos said, "Promise sealed with a heart". Just trust in God.

Happy Easter everyone 🙏

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Gift of Love

Kuya surprised me yesterday with a gift. At first I thought it was a box of pastillas, haha. Well, the gift was sweeter than that. It was a gift of love. 

It was the Divine Mercy 3'O clock prayer. Praying the Chaplet is for those seriously injured, sick and dying is a powerful way to receive God's saving grace. It also promises forgiveness of all sins and no punishment for sin. It is a miracle that happens quietly.

Praying for miracles. 

Happy Sunday everyone!

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Grow in Faith

My Mom was a very strong person. Nothing fazed her. I don't recall her getting scared of anything. What was her secret to living without fear? I thought about it for a long time. A few months before she passed, she had to change helpers. She insisted on staying home alone. I couldn't sleep and worried a lot if she was eating properly. We brought her food several times a day. 

On the third day, I had her "kidnapped". Brought her to our house since we saw she wasn't eating well. She insisted to go home everyday. Those with elderly parents would understand how hard it is to extricate your parent/s from their home. I got sick with worry and it was a good thing a replacement helper soon arrived. Mom went home as soon as the new helper arrived. 

That week was very hard for me. It took months for me to recover. I asked Kuya to take over managing Mom's home needs since I had become frail and I fell into depression, again. Mom went home and slipped back to her routines. She was happy and content as long as she could work on her garden. She would call to check on me, but most of the time kept busy with her garden. 

Mom's secret to being strong came to me while I was gardening. I've been able to start gardening again this year. My doctor told me to move more and exercise by doing what I like to do. I never saw my Mom exercise, she just did gardening. I figured I could do the same since I enjoy it and it's considered as exercise according to the CDC. Gardening also stills my mind, it's mindful movement. 

And so it came to me while gardening why my Mom is a strong person. If not gardening, my Mom would be sewing, working on crafts or most definitely, praying. Growing up she told me to lift up all of my problems to God. Whenever I rant, she'd just tell me to pray. My Mom's faith is solid. She never worried because she believed God would always protect her. 

To the end, she got her last wish granted - to not to get sick and just go in her sleep. She wasn't sick, in fact, she spent several hours gardening (2 hours in the morning and several hours again in the afternoon). I told myself, that's what I need to work on this year. To grow in faith and be secure in God's love and protection. 

Happy Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sui Generis

I just learned this term from GodWhispers. Sui Generis means "of it's own kind" or simple put, "unique". God created each one of us to be unique. Several of my doctors have told me this (actually all). I once was surprised to get so many nurses and medical students visit me after heart surgery. Word got out I was unique. They all wanted to see my veins, haha. 

I didn't mind. Who knows it may help them be more knowledgeable about people like me. It's sometimes hard though since I have many limitations because of my medical conditions. Very few people understand that my endurance isn't the same as normal people. Nor the fact that I am immuno-compromised. I do have friends though who always test themselves before meeting up with me. That I really appreciate. 

We also have our unique talents and you will be able to use it properly when you ask God to navigate your life. At some point in my life I was very confused on what path to take. After a lot of heartbreak, I gave up and asked God to navigate my life. He immediately did and nudged me in the right direction. My life improved and I became happier. I even found the right one (Sweetie). I feel I was also able to use my God-given talents the way it was supposed to be used. 

Now, I'm retired. Most of the people my age are still very busy with their careers and raising a family. I guess that was the reason why I started things early. The most I can do now is share my learnings and experiences through my blog. I tried pushing myself to do the things I used to do, but it was frustrating. Took me a long time to accept that my reality is different now and God has put me in a very different path. 

September was very different from the previous months. I'm working on improving my endurance and stamina. Went on a meal plan to improve my nutrition. Also started pulmo rehab. The effects are starting to show. I'm hoping and praying that things improve in the coming months. Here's my September 2023, one second everyday compilation.

https://youtu.be/6B2TOj2abD8

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