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Swirled Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish

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Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins

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“Thank you for crying over me,” Momoko said. “When you’re sad, don’t try to hold it in. It’s ok to cry a lot. The tears are there because you’ve got to go on living. You’re going on living, which means there’ll be more things to cry about. They’ll come at you from all sides. So don’t ever try to hide from the sadness. When it comes, cry it out. It’s better to keep moving forward with that sadness; that’s what it means to live.

-More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

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Egg Cream Coffee🤍

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Secret Spot, Zambales

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London, UK *by Anthony Fomin

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Out to Sea.

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“Sharing your thoughts with someone seems so simple, but at times it can be surprisingly difficult. Even more so when it’s someone you care so much for. That’s what I thought about as I walked next to him. But if you can find the courage to do it, it’ll bring you closer together.”

-More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

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Ho Chi Minh City Sky🤍

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Fukuoka🇯🇵

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Ho Chi Minh City🇻🇳

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I am a very impatient person. Results have to happen fast, and tend to lose interest when I don’t get what I want. I know this is not a very Christian-like attitude, but this has always been my nature. So, when the pandemic happened, I slowly started adjusting and minimizing this disagreeable behaviour. And as sure as the sun rises and sets, I have noticed desirable results in being patient with working on myself. Physically, I work tirelessly to achieve my goal physique, and it definitely is no walk in a park. Change does not, indeed, happen overnight, but takes dedication, hard work, diligence and self-affirmations that I can do it. It is not my strength that is at work, but the grace of God, all for His glory. In 2 years, I am less flabby, developed muscles here and there, strengthened my endurance, and been feeling lighter on my feet than I ever did. Diet also plays a vital role in my overall development. This is where I always seem to fail, since food is just too good to pass up. You see, I eat a lot. I am a big eater. I can easily gain weight in a day. That’s how serious I am when I luxuriously indulge myself. But I also have a remarkable self-control when it comes to food, and so, this became a seesaw game between gaining and losing weight. I believe this somehow benefitted my health because my lab results are all normal. Be that as it may, it’s a constant struggle. I have failed too many times, but never stopped. Not because I didn’t want to, but am physically unable to. I find that every time I stop, my whole being aches. Physically. So, I didn’t. I pressed on, still pressing on, knowing that this is actually good for me. I get to be physically active 5-6 times a day, getting fit as was the original goal. It has become a lifestyle. I’d clocked in a workout a day, feeling awful every time I don’t get to do it. It may seem like futile work, but it has impacted me massively. Physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually.

Personality wise, I would like to believe I am doing better. I still am as assertive as I’ve always been, wary of people, always thinking the worst. I can’t help it. Again, this is also a part of my nature. But I am presently practicing kindness, understanding, and consideration, that all come hand in hand with patience. It is an arduous task at hand, maybe more strenuous than any physical bouts of exercises, but I power through, educating myself that not everything I see is what they seem. That everyone is coming from somewhere, that explains either the exploitative things or great things, that their actions are portraying. When I have a choice to be kinder, I choose it. When it is so easy to judge, I decide to understand what’s going on. Some things are harder to grasp than others, we’re all none the wiser, but I try to be more considerate to an extent. I am not dense to the atrocities & despicable things that are happening around the world, things deserving condemnation. I’d so often use my voice to call out those demanding for it.

It is no easy feat, but so much better for my heart. To be at peace with what is, and know that my God is in control. I am very much flawed in all ways you can imagine, but I am striving to be a better individual partly for myself, mostly for others, majorly for God. When all we are witnessing in this world is horrendous chaos, a little bit of patience and kindness will go a long way. A bit of love, a bit of understanding, a bit of consideration, a bit of respect, put it all together, you’ll get a whole lot of nourishment for the soul & a better place to live in.

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I now have a new reason to write again. Back when I was in my prime self, I used to write whenever I felt terribly broken or grieving a loss. Whenever that sickening sadness creeps in, its invisible hands strangling me, that I choke up a sob. In those couple of times, writing helped. My technique was never concise and clear. Mostly, it was all over the place now that I think about it. They were scattered thoughts and pent-up frustrations that manifested as trivial penning. Might be like what I’m doing now. I’ve decided on writing again to exercise my brain that, I feel, is wasting away due to the fact that I’m getting older, and/or maybe an early onset Alzheimer’s or even dementia. Hoping against hope, the latter is not the case. A very frightening mishap if that were to happen.

There are particular things I’m currently fond of, that, I believe, have been helping me keep my wits about me. These days I have been enjoying healthy discussions and exchange of insights about various topics we’d come across with, my close circles and I. Different ideas come and blend together, creating a harmonious conclusion to what’s being talked about. Or every so often we just leave it hanging, quietly understanding there are just some things that are harder to fathom than others. There was even a time we got so wasted we hardly even started the conversation, yet it already spiraled out of control. That was the funnest. I guess there’s always humour in being intoxicated.😅

I have also delved deeper into the Bible. Maybe it comes with age, but I find it more interesting, making me want to make an in-depth analysation of every story that happened, and to what they were leading up to. It’s been said that if you want to fall asleep fast, read the Bible. But these days reading it keeps me energized, making me look forward to the day ahead on a positive note. It gives me peace and contentment.

I am still looking for more ways to exercise my brain and hopefully it could stay as sharp as it can be. I wouldn’t want to miss out on the important things in life that are eventually bound to happen.

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I am very much ignorant with politics and about the candidates who are running for presidency this election, that’s why I’ve opted not to vote for I want to avoid choosing someone who’s not up to the task. It is very hard to trust people. We often fail, disappoint, hurt others, are distrustful, impertinent, and the list just keeps going on. This is how we are designed, no one is perfect. So I put my trust in the One who has never failed me, hoping for my country, that He would somehow bless us with a leader who would deliver everything he/she has promised during their campaigning period. A president who can and will bring about the change we need in the Philippines. Hope will never burn out in the hearts of the Filipino people. I have seen and heard the overzealous cries of the people standing up against corruption, fighting back injustice, desperately screaming, “enough is enough” for the Philippines. Whatever the outcome may be, whoever will settle on that position, know that it has already been fashioned to happen. We, of limited understanding, will see how our infinite and omnipotent God will work things out, always, always, for our good. Let us do our part as well. Let’s start within ourselves, our closest people, the community we’re in, the change we want to see, the peace we would like to take hold of, in our country.

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