Last November, I thought that I should come up with a list of things that are "nice to have", “nice to experience" or the moments that I would love. And to give you a hint, one of them was to experience the four seasons of life. Because we live in a tropical country, the only seasons we’re quite familiar with are all-around summertime and typhoon season. I wrote about my fall experience back in 2024 and since the seasons were transitioning, we also had a glimpse of winter, and I loved it so much. 

This March, I went to Taiwan with my older cousin, Shane. (I’m still writing about the entire trip as of this moment.) This was my first time visiting the country, and this was also my first time experiencing spring.

I looked forward to it, especially to seeing cherry blossoms in real life. 

Aside from the picture-worthy scenery, there's a superstition that says if you can catch a cherry blossom petal, you can make a wish and it will come true. It reminded me of that cute scene from the Korean drama called Lovely Runner. 

Movies and dramas always make it seem so romantic. Most scenes would be something like the main characters confessing their love for one another, a proposal or the perfect meet-cute. A hopeless romantic like me devours those kinds of stories. 

But guess what? (What?) I understand better now. 

It did make me fall in love more. Not with a specific person though, but with life. 

Have you ever sat down and looked back at the great moments you had over the past few days, months or years? Have you ever thought about the countless beginnings and realized how lucky you are to be where you are now? Have you ever been in so much feelings that somehow circle back to “Life is so darn beautiful” kind of thoughts? I don't know how else to explain it but that was how I felt. 

Whether it was looking at the cherry blossom trees, or strolling around the colorful flowers in a huge field or just being surrounded by the beauty of it... it all felt unreal. So did ticking off the little boxes on my list. 

It was beautiful. No, it is beautiful.

To live a life full of color, full of heartwarming moments that I can't stop replaying in my mind.

To be able to get up whenever we fall and to be able to bloom wherever we go. 

To be able to feel it all and to find the magic in everything.

To look forward to things that (will) bring you joy.

To live fully, in a different way. 

P.S. I caught a petal. We'll see what the future holds.

P.P.S. I made a little playlist for spring. 

I used to hesitate about using the cutest stickers, so I chose to keep them hidden for years.

I used to hesitate about writing on the prettiest notebooks, so I let them sit on the corner of the shelf just to collect dust. 

I used to keep some of my clothes unworn because I thought they should be worn for a better occasion, so I kept them inside the closet for so long that I outgrew them.

I used to save some of my favorite snacks for later, only to forget about how long they had been in the fridge. (Yep, just like how I did not eat the strawberry chocolates that an old crush gave me and my friends at thirteen. lol.)

I used to dread a lot of stuff all the time.

I always looked forward to the end of everything, especially in situations that I'm not fond of or uncomfortable with. I used to feel upset over the littlest things and rant about almost every situation. 

I also used to look for exit points so often. Most times, I’d just pass the opportunity to another person when possible. I couldn't keep count of the times I did whatever just to avoid things that stressed me so much. 

And it sucks.

It sucks that I chose to avoid it. It sucks that I spent some years a bit ungrateful or not having enough great memories during those times. It sucks that I chose to not experience things because they scared me, or because I didn't want to waste them, or I didn’t want to feel embarrassed, or I didn’t want to be seen as “cringe” or “annoying”, etc. This sounds so shallow, I know. I’ve been told.

Yes, I also cared about how others perceived me. In fact, I cared about it so much.

I also wasn't a fan of the thought that someone/some people would find me cringe for liking or doing stuff. I really don’t like it when someone describes me so negatively, because I get carried away with their exaggerations that I’ll start to question myself. I used to listen to someone else's opinions over my own interests. I put their preferences first and shrugged mine off. I had to shrink myself and had to walk on eggshells for so long... that I couldn't even get those stupid, silly punchlines out of my mouth. 

In other words, I don’t want to be "too much" in the eyes of the other people so I settled with a bland version of me. 

Even my old journals felt a bit redundant at most parts.

I wrote about how I spent the day, tracking my mood and jotting down the activities I did, which… wasn’t really a lot, especially during the “lockdown era” so it felt like a routine. Sometimes, there were also interesting entries about how upset I was over some situations, adding little doodles as a hint (for me to understand what I was referring to) and of course, some of my vulnerable thoughts. Then I’d call it a day.

Junior High, I grew older, I wanted to "break free" and experience something new. I couldn't wait to move to another school. 

Senior High, it was a great time. But I wanted to meet new people and I couldn't wait to get into college. 

College... I missed my old friends so much and how fun those times were. I had a lot of moments and was quite distant from people. I couldn't wait to graduate and get things over with. 

During my OJT days and also on my first few months of corporate life, I had a lot of moments where I kept wishing for the week (and certain things) to end. Why? Well… To be honest, I don’t remember. 

That was because back then, I was here to just exist.

And that’s not how I want to live (my) life (anymore).

To live or to exist? 

I am here to live. 

—

I wanted to talk about this for the longest time. I've had this thought for about a year now if I remember correctly… so here we are. 

A year ago, I posted a quite long list of observations or realizations I had before my birthday. This time, I don’t think I’ll list another one. I mean, I’ve written pretty much everything about my self reflections up til now, I also did tell you about our adventures, my favorite moments and embraced the things (that people found cringe) in me. 

And can I just say… that. feels. so. freeing. (!!!)

Right now (well, as I'm writing this), it's Tuesday. I'm looking at someone important. 

He used to be someone who's so busy. But now, comparing to the version of him that I forever remember, there’s a huge difference.

He was the one who gave me one of my favorite books, and a huge penguin plushie that takes so much space in my bed. He loves small talks and cracking jokes with a serious tone. 

Whenever we come and see him, I notice the little habits, some actions and some stories... he reminds me so much of my grandma.

And speaking of, can you believe that it has already been four years since I lost both of my grandmas? Where has the time gone to?

I sometimes can't believe how long ago it was. But if we were to pay attention to the days that they weren't in their bedroom, either playing solitaire or watching tv, or how many holidays had passed that they weren't around... man.

I got so lost in my thoughts earlier that somehow reminded me of a certain part from a book I finished earlier last month (July). It was Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. 

Sometimes, I get these little moments wherein I feel like I need to sit down for a few minutes - to acknowledge or grieve over some memories, some people, some paths we can no longer cross, some old versions and ideas. 

The pain doesn't really go away, no? 

Maybe we learned to handle our emotions or maybe we learned to accept it (which could be even better).

Time goes on, and so do we.

We can't really stay and keep holding on to the past, right? How can we live in the present? 

But don't get me wrong though. That doesn't mean we should pack it up and forget about everything. Like I've said, acknowledge. 

Ah, wait wait. Lightbulb moment.

This reminds me of another part of the book. Let me drop it here. 

While I was reading, I couldn’t help but write a few notes under these lines, hence the little circles and highlighted chunks. This was one of the chapters that made me stop reading to let it sink in. 

Anyway, like Morrie said, “Detach.”

But before that, you must experience everything that needs (or demands) to be felt. You can’t detach if that thought/feeling is something foreign or something you never wanted to dive deeply into. 

How will you know and be able to move forward if in the first place, you didn’t give it enough attention?

It's alright to give in. 

Go on, recognize the heavy emotions.

Treat these feelings as visitors paying a quick visit to drop a gift - it could be an answer, a chance to cherish a certain event, another realization, a challenge or maybe it could be something that may come in handy in the future. 

Acknowledge then move forward.

***

The originally “quick update” for my blog became another lengthy read.

I think I could go on and talk about how much Tuesdays with Morrie had struck me. I can actually see myself reading this again in the future. Not only because it’s my current favorite, but because of the lessons. 

I had my hands on this book when I was in eighth grade but I never got to actually finish it. (Now that I think of it, the author had visited the PH a couple of times. There were also book signings held. 😭 Ahhh!)

My bad. I guess I was more interested in sci-fi and romance novels when I was younger. (I also had a copy of chicken soup for the soul for teens... which I also never got to read much back then.) (And yes, I regret that.)

And while we're on the topic, I have also finished Five People You Meet in Heaven (also by Mitch Albom), Strange Pictures, and Strange Houses (both by Uketsu.)

From self-help, to devotional, then non-fiction, then exploring Japanese lit and somehow falling back to chicklit. I’m planning to read Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston now. 💛 

Happy August! 🩶

I revisited my old self again.

I saw her in our bedroom, she's hugging her pillow after kicking a huge plushie off the bed. 

Her long, black hair was in a bun - as usual. She was silently scrolling on her phone and didn't get up until it was noon. Well, like always, she'll definitely regret it in a bit once her head starts pounding. But we can't really blame her, she got off late from work. again. 

She was quiet but during this time, there's about thousands of thoughts that's been bugging her, thousands of questions that were left hanging and thousands of items to work on. 

If I could turn back time (and not scare my old self for popping out of the blue), I'd comfort her and tell her the things I know now.

It was a tough time. I know, I've been there. (Very funny.)

I was in the office again today,

I had a glimpse of what happened and how I was back then. And funny enough, the weather was also gloomy. 

There were visible differences though. Like... well... I wasn't as busy and drained as before (is it a yay or a nay?), my hair is currently gray-fading-into-blonde (again hehe), and I feel free and calmer now. 

My old self forgot a lot of things, or maybe it was shoved in the back of her mind. But I guess I can now say that she was quite optimistic - even at the worst times; she was someone who always fought and hoped for the best. 

Back then, I almost lost my colors and my "muchiness" (as Alice and the Mad Hatter talked about in the movie), I almost lost my voice and I lost focus on what matters more.

Regardless of age, I wrote so much about what's currently going on in my life. I get to see things differently as time passes; I get to laugh at a loooot of dumb moments or maybe get upset about how I realized most things a bit late. (As the saying goes, "Better late than never".) 

I had a looooot of rewiring to do; a lot of things I had to unlearn, things I had to drop and let go, thoughts to ignore, dates to erase, comments and opinions to shake off, and some other things that I now consider "nonsense". 

I've talked to people. I've talked to strangers. I've heard about some things and I've dreamt about some other stuff. (Yup, talk about strange coincidences.)

And I realized... that's how it is.

The answers I was looking for were always in front of me. 

The dedication I have for growth and my desire to learn were also always here; I just didn't have to listen to that voice. I didn't have to trust the twisted words and to take it straight to heart, like they wanted me to.

I still rant a lot. I talk/write a lot. Hence the lengthy posts. 

I get to enjoy (and experience) the things I loved and hoped for when I was younger. I get to enjoy moments with others.

I still get to dream more and live life. I'm even more open to try a lot of things lately. (Anyone wanna try scuba diving? lol) (Kidding aside, I also really wanna try solo traveling.)

I'm looking forward to what the next few weeks, months, or year(s) has in store for me.

But ah... Finally free. 

Finally clean. 

2023

March 9, 2024: The day.

 

cheesy fries and hot & spicy popcorn chicken

I've run out of witty captions and titles but my heart is full. :) 

I loooove going out every weekend - not to party or anything (lol). I look forward to eating something good, spending time with my family and friends, treating them a little something, and of course, getting off work & recharging for the upcoming week. 

It's nice when the week passes and I've been quite productive, I was able to finish a lot of things. I've been more confident in my skills, I'd say. I still have those moments where everything seems new to me at work and I'm experiencing another "learning curve" but I feel... great. (pls pls pls don't jinx it, shoo shoo negative energy) 

This March, I've got some new memories to look back to, some thoughts that make me want to write a novel about (again), and a lot of things (and people) to be thankful for.

(Did I mention that I've been practicing my driving skills? Thanks, mom and dad!! And guess what? I can even parallel park. :p)

March 8th, Saturday,

I spent the first Saturday with my mom, my aunt and my cousin to watch the pyromusical. But we went to a different mall instead lol. :)

March 9th, Sunday,

I was out with Natalie, my best friend since senior high school. We bonded through coffee and chicken wings. :p 

Natalie is someone you’d love to hang out with, whether it’s bonding through drinks, watching movies or going to karaoke and arcades, or maybe even just walking around the mall. There’s never a dull moment for me. Being with her makes me feel like I’m still a happy, carefree teenager. We can be silly, we can talk, laugh and joke about anything, until our eyes tear up or our jaws hurt from all the laughing. It’s crazy how fast time flies… now, we’re currently 25 years old. 

We often talk about our senior high school days and the great memories we had together. I’ve been writing about it for quite a while now and maybe I’d share it someday so I can talk about it more… well, once it’s done. (I’m currently listening to Ribs by Lorde. Maaaaan, this song fits so well.) 

Natalie, if you ever see this, edi hello. 🤪 

March 15th, Saturday,

I finally met Pauline!!! We’ve been (internet) friends since we were in college and I could say that we got closer because of our interests, art and writings. And here we are, seven years later, we finally had the chance to meet/see each other personally. :)

Pauline is the friend that you feel safe and cozy with. There’s this pau-sitive (see what i did there haha) aura around her. She’s so full of light, so warm, so smart and so sweet. I adore how approachable she is, it's so easy to connect with her. Like I’ve said, this is our first meeting, but I feel very comfortable already. 

We spent the day at the mall. We ate at Peri-Peri (it was so goooood), went to stationery stores, the arcade and the bookstore. Then had avocado ice cream before going home. (it was good too! ;-;) We talked about certain things, music and kdramas, books… I really adore how open-minded she is. :)

Oh! She gave me pretty flowers! Which reminded me of the kdrama she recommended, 2521, the scene where Hee Do and Yu Rim met for the first time. 

Ah... I hope to meet and bond with her again soon. :) 

March 16th, Sunday,

My mom and I went to church in the morning. :)

And around 2 in the afternoon, I was with my best friend, Samantha. We went to two cafés to catch-up, to "play" the Comfort Cards, and of course, to enjoy good food.

Sam is my best friend. I've known her for... let me count... 16-ish years? We've been friends since the 3rd grade and had our "cool off"/distant moments back in middle school. And eventually got in touch again around 9th grade. 

We also went to the same school for Senior High. We used to bond by eating out at the mall after class and basically, talking about life and little moments. 

Years had passed, but it never changed. We never changed. :') 

Sam's one of the strongest people I know. She's like an older sister to me. Her maturity, her mind, her strength and her soft heart are some of the things that'll definitely leave a mark on you. 

I love how we can be free, honest, supportive and transparent with one another. I love how there's no judgement for every thought spilled. I love how low maintenance we are and how deep our connection is...

Ah.. I love our friendship. (I could go on babbling about this. ;-;)

The next weekend(s), well.... I was catching up zzzs and did some (junk) journaling. I've also been reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, which is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. I loved the movie and am looking forward to read Haymitch's story in Sunrise on the Reaping. 

It feels so good to still be in touch with the activities, movies and books that I loved since I was younger. 

I had some (nice) thoughts in mind... I wasn't alone nor lonely. I never was. 

Before, I was too focused on something else, who/which made me feel and think so. My bad. We shouldn't dwell on the negative moments.

It also reminded me of a quote by Esther Earl, a girl I used to read about - thanks to John Green. 

"Just be happy, and if you can't be happy, do things that make you happy. Or do nothing with the people that make you happy."

Ah... I am so grateful for my friends. I'm happy to meet and be surrounded by these amazing people. I realized a lot while I was writing on my journal and after answering the comfort cards with Sam. 

I am looking forward to meet a few more soon!! I hope we get to schedule perfectly. 🤞🏻