I once asked God to bestow me with patience – to forgive people when they’re late, to slow down when others can’t keep up, to remain calm when things become a little inconvenient or delayed. […]
Was it wrong to visit Sambawan Island?
Reflecting on it, Sambawan Island opened a lot of opportunities for me. It made me connect with other bloggers, hikers, and people whom I would never have met had I declined Glister’s invitation. Indeed, you’ll never grow if you stayed on shores. As they say it: only rough seas make great sailors. Once in a while, you have to be bold and take risks. It’s either you win or you learn. It would take a lot of convincing because it’s really scary. But if you take risk, you also get rid of the uncertainty, of the ‘what-is’. Probably it won’t work exactly the way you hope it to be, at least you didn’t sit around playing safe while immense possibilities lie in the corner.
Where to go next after Bada
Gaining friends in the mountains is quick and easy – trailfood and few shots of empe’ are the key. But keeping them for life is the real work. Sooner or later, the group will disband; each one will follow trails that would lead to the summits of their own lives. Somehow, the group chat comes alive, but most the year, it lies idly, toppled over by other chats that demand more attention. Truth be told, there are some moments that we can no longer recreate.
Because creativity takes courage
But in this daunting age of social media, creativity greatly requires courage. Whatever you post online can either make or break you – even your own opinion, thoughts, or stories. My write-ups weren’t spared from such criticisms. They became subjects of not so healthy arguments. And the critics – or shall I say bashers – didn’t settle with just scrutinizing; they went below the belt. Personal attacks were fired. Curses flew like confetti in a raging war. But you know what hurt the most? It’s when trusted allies turn their backs on you.
Breaking a Promise in Albay
Everyone was beyond excited for that Albay trip; after all, it’s our consolation after a year of hard work. That even though we experienced several delays, everyone was still enthusiastic upon seeing Mt. Mayon from the window seat. Such enthusiasm didn’t flutter despite the thick clouds that covered Daragang Magayon all through the day.
BEWARE: Everything in Catanduanes is Under Construction
After feasting our eyes on the beauty of Mt. Mayon, my colleagues and I decided to visit its nearby island province – Catanduanes. It was formerly known as the “Land of the Howling Winds” because of its close proximity to the Pacific, making it a typhoon prone area. But when the coast is clear, Catanduanes is truly a must-visit most especially for outdoor lovers. It has great spots for surfing, beaching, hiking, and Visita Iglesia.
I hope you stop asking your purpose
What is my purpose? We’ve all been suffering from this notion: of not finding the reason why we live, of not playing a big role in the great tapestry of life. When this question is left unanswered, this becomes an unhealthy concept that we end up trying to question every single day. But what we fail to see is that: purpose does not have a stable meter. It does not need to be superbly great. It does not focus on one single goal.
How M+S Café changed the way I look at Coffee
M+S Café is a small café with a very homey ambiance (not to mention IG-worthy) that offers coffee, dessert, home-cooked meals, and local products that promote sustainability – like natural bath loofah, ecobar (soap, shampoo, and conditioner), reusable pantyliners and napkins, menstrual cups, and bamboo straws. They dedicate this corner for local business owners who support environmental preservation. We’ve also learned that the organic waste of the café is converted into compost waste which in turn served as fertilizers for the plants in their farm in Alhibe.
The Day the Artifacts Talked
But there are things that seemed impossible to understand on a certain age. The lack of maturity. The lack of experience. The lack of understanding. As I said, it took a decade – at the most unexpected time, at the most unexpected place. At the museum. There I found myself creating pieces by just blankly staring at those pieces of art left misunderstood, unappreciated by many. Such expressions were too vast to comprehend; hence, the ambiguity of messages. Hence, the debate of many.
The cost of Mt. Hamiguitan
‘Ano bang pinaglalaban mo?’ What are you fighting for? When the excitement subsides and exhaustion takes over, every hiker is doomed to face this daunting question. Why am I doing this to myself? Ako pa […]
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