All about life, food, travel and love

I never expected someone like you to come into my life and completely change the way I see love. Before you, I convinced myself that love wasn't meant for me anymore. After all the disappointments and heartbreaks, I learned how to guard my heart and expect less from people. Then you came along, and everything changed. You brought back the happiness I thought I had lost. You made me smile on days when I didn't even feel like smiling. Your love gave me comfort, your presence gave me peace, and your heart became the safest place I've ever known. With you, I don't have to pretend to be strong all the time. You make me feel loved, valued, and understood in ways I never imagined possible. You see me at my best and at my worst, yet you still choose me every single day. Salamat sa pagmamahal na totoo, sa pag-aalaga, at sa pagiging bahagi ng buhay ko. Thank you for showing me that love can still be gentle, patient, and real. Every moment with you feels like a blessing. You are m...

Some friendships are loud and obvious. Others are quiet, rare, and so genuine that you only realize their value when life tests you. This is about one of those rare friendships. She came all the way from Indonesia to Singapore just to see me and that alone says more than a thousand words ever could. In a world where people are always busy, always rushing, always distracted, finding someone who makes time for you feels almost unreal. Genuine friendship is hard to find. The kind that lasts forever is even harder. Most people don’t have time to listen. They hear you, but they don’t listen. But she listens, always. With patience. With care. Without judgment. Most people don’t want to help. They step back when things get hard. But she steps forward every single time. Helping not because she has to, but because she genuinely wants to. She is one of the kindest people I know. I once said that I have a wall around my life, a wall that protects me and keeps people at a distance. Not many can...

There are moments in life when you feel unseen, even when you are right there. Sometimes, being quiet makes people assume you are cold or distant. But behind that calm silence is often a person full of warmth, love, and depth, just someone who expresses it differently. This is my story about being a warm person who is often misunderstood. The Quiet Side of Me Sometimes I feel like people do not really see who I am. I am a woman of few words, and maybe that is why I am often misunderstood. I do not talk much, but that does not mean I do not care. In fact, I care more than I show. I just express it quietly and in my own way. I am warm, but my warmth is gentle, not loud or demanding. I listen, I observe, and I try to understand people before I speak. But when I feel that I do not belong, or when I sense that I am not truly welcomed, something inside me quietly shuts down. The wall that has been with me for years slowly rises again, protecting me from being hurt. Silence Is My Safe Spa...

Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to finish school. I have always been bright and curious, eager to learn, but life was not easy. School felt like a ladder I had to climb. Each step was hard and required all my strength. I worked part time jobs, attended tutorials, and became a student assistant just to keep going. Some nights, I came home so tired my body ached, yet I opened my books by the dim light of a lamp, determined not to fall behind. Finally, I reached the top. I finished school. I am proud not just of surviving, but of using my mind and determination to overcome the challenges. But I know not every student can climb this ladder. Many want to learn, but they do not have the support, strength, or resources to balance work and school. That is why I believe our government must pay more attention to education. I am grateful for the programs and support that exist, but sometimes the money does not reach the students who need it most. Some people take advantage of the system, ...

Life did not always go the way I hoped. I wanted to rise, to do better, to give my family a good life. But no matter how hard I worked, there were times when people tried to pull me down. They questioned my efforts, doubted my intentions, or simply refused to support me. I kept asking myself why they could not just let me try. I was not trying to prove anything to the world. I only wanted to grow for myself, for my son, and for the people I love. Still, I often felt unseen. Like my efforts did not matter. I would smile in front of others and act like I had it all together, but behind closed doors, I cried. I did not always have the words for what I was feeling. I only had prayers. Quiet ones. Honest ones. And deep in my heart, I kept asking, God, please see me. Please help me. And He did. There are days when the weight feels too much. I still show up. I still give my best. But deep inside, I get tired. Not just in my body but in my soul. I feel the pressure, the silence, the questions ...

I wasn’t born with a gold plate. No family business. No big savings. No shortcut to comfort. I didn’t grow up with excess — but I grew up with dreams. And now that I have a child of my own, I know exactly what kind of life I want to build. These days, it’s not about what I wear or where I go. It’s about what I  give. I breastfeed not just because it's nourishing — but because it's a daily act of love and sacrifice. Because sometimes, the best things we can give our children don’t come with a price tag —they come from us. I choose to stay up late researching how to save and earn, rather than scrolling through what others are buying. I choose to delay wants so I can give my baby what he  needs. I say no to milk tea so I can say yes to milk, diapers, vitamins. I wasn’t born with gold, but I’m raising someone like he  was. Not because of material things — but because he will grow up in a home where love is stable, and choices are made with purpose. A better life is not about ...

One day at the park, a little boy was crying. His balloon flew away, and he couldn’t get it back. An old man saw him and came close. He smiled and gave the boy a new balloon. “This is for you,” the man said. “Because you are special.” The boy asked, “Why are you giving this to me?” The man said, “Because you are like God. If God saw you right now, He would do the same.” The boy smiled and gave him a hug. We are like God—so we can love, care, and forgive. But sometimes, people forget this. Sometimes, they let the devil use them to make others feel sad or alone. If someone hurts you, remember this:  God never leaves you.  You are still made like Him, and He still loves you. Choose to be like God. Choose to love.  💛

Friendship is one of the most beautiful things in life. It’s not just about having fun together or talking every day. It’s about being there for each other, even when life gets busy or hard. Some friendships are easy when everything is going well. But real friendship gets tested. It’s tested by distance, by silence, and by time. And the ones that survive these quiet tests are truly special. Sometimes, we move to new cities or take different paths. We don’t see our friends as often as we used to. But true friendship doesn’t depend on being close every day. It’s about feeling close, even when we’re far apart. One message, one memory, or one call can remind us how strong the bond still is. Life also brings silence. We don’t always have time to talk. We get busy. But silence doesn’t always mean distance. With true friends, even after long gaps, we can pick up right where we left off. There’s no pressure to explain — just an unspoken understanding that we’re still here for each other. T...

A few months before 2020,   I bet  everyone  of us has already laid out plans for the coming year.  Given quite a number of long weekends, w e already have a good idea for our vacation plans, how will we utilize our work leaves and where will we go during our holidays. Then enter 2020.  January proved to be not a good start of the year. There were volcanoes erupting, celebrities dying and yes of course Covid-19  pandemic . Covid-19  pandemic  which is caused by the Coronavirus  resulted for  most of  us to be locked  down in the comforts of our own homes. Employees were advised to work from home and stay away from the public to contain the spread of the virus. Unfortunately for some, their livelihood was taken away because working from home is not feasible and their company has no means to sustain the workforce. Experts say that the world will be going to a period of depression and many more jobs will be inevitably ...

How far would you go for love? When you’re in love, there are no boundaries, no reservations, and it is unconditional that you’ll do anything for the sake of it. But this is not always the case. These are few questions that you can ponder to know how far you are willing to go for the person you love: Are you willing to convert your religion for your partner? Can you give up your career? Are you okay with long distance relationship? Can you forgive infidelity? Are you willing to marry your partner? It is easy to say that you can do all of these. But actions speak louder than words. And the reality is, we are not perfect, we must accept the truth that sometimes it is impossible to do it all the way. Frankly, not all of us can do all the sacrifices for our love. But there are people who are fighting and willing to sacrifice everything for their partner. I envy them. Though all our opinions are different, they still have to be valued. Some can’t sacrifice their reli...

I'm Not Perfect and Neither Are You! Many say that I am a perfectionist. I will admit that it’s half true. I want things to be always perfect. I hate hearing “this is okay”. I always want everything to be at its “best”. For instance, when my husband and I were selecting paint colours for our house, I don’t like just any colour. I selected it in a way that it has the same blend and I rejected some which I felt were not suited to my taste. My aim was to make it unique and that it would last for long time. At work, I don’t like my colleagues to do the job just to complete it. I always want things to be accomplished properly and accordingly, no shortcuts or excuses. If I feel that there is something wrong, I make it a point to highlight it and frankly voice out what I think. It is not easy trying to be perfect because not everybody is aiming for it, and sometimes it results to misunderstandings. Though my goal is always for everyone’s benefit, some will not appreciate it and ...

When I was a kid, I remember I used to cry when I don’t see my mother. Whenever there where occasions, I was always aloof and shy distant to everybody. I just want to cling to my mother’s arm and don’t want to leave her side. Having her beside me brings me comfort ever since I was a child and even up to now. I can’t live without my mother. She was the one who always preparing our meals and made sure we had a good and complete meal every day. She was my first teacher, not only in school but also in life. She taught us to be responsible in life and told us we can fulfill our dreams if we study hard and give the best we can. When I was studying during my childhood days, I wanted my mother to be proud of me. I did my very best at school to make sure that during end of the ceremonies, my mother will go up the stage to put a medal of recognition on me. I remember her buying new clothes for me as a reward for a job well done. Although we were not rich, she would always find a way to rew...

Dating  is the early stage of the relationship where both show off the good  and shiny version of our selves.  It’s the time when we put our best foot forward an d try to impress one another. As  time passes by, we became more settled, feelings grow deeper and eventually get married. As we get more comfortable with each other, we tend to notice some changes in our partners, and I think most couples will agree. Marriage can be wonderful. It can be an overflowing feeling of happiness.  On the other hand,  it can also turn   out to be the worst thing that could happen to you . It’ s essential  to use  the  dating  stages   to get  to  know and be familiar with our partner. It can help decide whether you want to have that commitment. But sad to say, people hide what their true colors are. No body is perfect. When you decide to  live together in the same roof, that’s the time you will really know who your par...

In a world dominated by patriarchy, I am amazed to see strong and powerful women in our society. Very good examples are Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, Nirmala Sithraman, the current Defense Minister of India and the second woman to hold the office, and our very own Charo Santos Concio, the Chief Content Officer of ABS CBN which is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. Even though, gender discrimination is still prevalent at this day and age, let’s always instill the empowerment of women in every day of our life. There is nothing wrong with feeling confident, satisfied and gratified. Women should have rights just like everyone else regardless of the gender. As women, we must: Lead by example. Empowering other women is to lead by example. Be a role model in the society. Watch what we say. Practice what we preach. Live without hurting others. Do our best in everything we do so that our little sisters, daughter, mother, and circle of ...

Every time we are always apart I don’t know how my day will start All I know is I need to be smart As long as I have you in my heart. I received red roses today, It made my sadness goes away. No words that I can say And now I feel okay. You are everything to me; I can’t imagine my life will be, Without you, I don’t want to see Coz it is written that there is we. I can’t hide that you are my life; You’re the reason for my smile. Thank God that I became your wife, Long wait, a blessing that’s worthwhile. Even if there is no more sun to shine, More wrinkles to have in time, Though we get older, you will always be mine You are always in my heart, my Valentine!

There is a saying that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. It means a woman can make a man love her by cooking for him good meals. Food plays a huge role in a relationship. The food served in the table for your man shows how you love and care for him. I consider myself very lucky because every food that I have prepared and placed on the table, my husband never fails to compliment. I have never heard any negative criticism for any dish from my cooking. He always have nice things to say and finishes all the food with gratitude. It’s really a heart-warming feeling when he appreciates the efforts that I have done. Hearing nice words about my cooking uplifts myself and makes me eager to serve him better food next time. Here are some reasons why cooking for your husband is one of the best thing to do: 1.     Men love food. I could not agree more. Men really love food. So to make the relationship better, focus on the things that will make him happy an...

You might find this blog a bit late but sorry, I was busy getting fat during the holidays. Every end of the year, I always have a set of New Year’s resolutions. These are the promises I have committed for myself to have a better life for the coming year. Then I asked myself, why do I have to wait for the New Year to have a goal? Actually come to think of it, it is always better to have New Year resolutions that will serve as an opportunity to start all over again until you achieve what you want to accomplish. Well, let’s sit down together and start listing realistic resolutions in our life. Here are some easy and manageable resolutions with some tips to help you fulfill them. 1. Stay fit and healthy:  Most of us have this item in our list. You don’t need to set high standards like going to the gym every day, completely cutting out junk foods or eating vegetables exclusively. You don’t need to go that extreme! Just try your best to maintain a healthy and balance die...

Small things or moments in our lives are often unnoticed or not appreciated. They are undervalued because we are deeply focused on the major or significant happenings in our life. But this holiday season, for a change, why don’t we try to celebrate the small feats that happened to us. We are always dreaming or waiting for the big things to arrive for us to be contented, but the truth is, it is the small things that matter most. Now Christmas is approaching, and everyone is busy buying gifts and preparing for the celebration. We buy presents for our friends and families expecting it to be appreciated but ironically, we ourselves are unappreciative in what we receive, and expecting something else better. We are trying to look for something expensive or something worthy of recognition because of our thinking that gifts should be high priced for others to appreciate. I don’t disapprove anyone for this action or beliefs because many of us would think that the value of that special p...