You are not mine yet you stole my heart,

From the moment you came into the world until this very hour.

Your big round eyes, those long eyelashes and hair as curly as mine;

Your puckered lips and tiny ears, your button nose and chubby cheeks;

All part of you has taken me captive;

My heart keeps breaking because I can’t have you near.

You came as a surprise, a rude awakening.

Full of tears.

Full of doubts.

Full of broken dreams.

Though the timing isn’t right, I want you to know

You came from a mistake that God turned into a blessing:

More laughter.

Treasured moments.

New dreams and new beginnings.

You light up everyone with your smile and antics.

... Read more »

I remember the time when my parents are still on LDR. There were no available form of social media or messenger for fast communication. There was only the snail mail. My Mama would write to Papa several pages of stories about our family (and kinda forced me and my Ate to do the same)  He would send voice tapes and letters in exchange.

They would seldom make phone calls because it was too expensive...but they still made a budget for that as much as they can. This is why we were very thankful for yahoo messenger (then later to skype) no matter how slow the dial-up was. It was still better and faster than the mail. Then faster net came and life became much more convenient. (My youngest sister is so lucky. )

But I noticed something. We live in a day when communication is so easy yet we fail to communicate in truth. Because communication lines became so common, most people nowadays take it for granted.

Some of us take days, weeks, months, even years not talking to our loved ones. We are saying that it is hard to maintain communication, but is that really true?

We are saying that we are depressed and alone, but isn't it just an invisible prison we put ourselves into when we knew full well that the key is just within reach? All we needed to do is to stretch our arms and hands out.

In this day when technology is so advance, instead of letting it distract us from what really matters, may we use it to our advantage in maintaining our relationships with our loved ones.

If we really love them, we will make time for them. We will never let that thread that connects us come to an end. You know why?

Because true love never fails.

#familygoals 
#LDRfeels 
#1corinthians13v4to8 
#communication

At school, children are always asked to show their perception of something by description. They are either tasked to draw, to write an essay or to have it presented in front of class.

Out of everything I've written and declaimed, there’s one topic that I never did justice: How would you, as a child, define a great father?

 When I think about it, I am overwhelmed with memories. These were memories of childhood, of innocence and laughter. I see a man who read stories to his child. A man who tells his own stories for his child to know him – to love him for the father he is. When his girl wants more food even if her plate is still half full, he is the man who hides viand under her plate of rice so mommy won’t find out and scold her. He is the man who tells her to call them when she’ll come home late and stays awake to wait. He is the man who – even in the angriest hours, stops and listens to his child’s explanation. He is not afraid of going out and playing with his kid. He is the hero who always reassures and says "I’ll take care of it.”

When she grows up and starts to face the world, he is the man who patiently teaches her everything she needs to know. He shows love so openly but responsibly knows when to stop and make sure she does her homework correctly.  When she starts to commit mistakes of a grown-up, he’s there to support her and tell her she can make it right and learn and still be the beautiful girl he always sees her as.

 He is the man who shows how true love can be. Who shares a plate with his wife during dinner… who hugs her in front of their children and let them hear his whispers of adoration.  He is a man who knows to control his anger. He pulls his wife inside of their bedroom to settle arguments instead of fighting in front of their kids.  He calls his family every day, sometimes even more if he’s far away.

Above all, he is a man of faith. He doesn’t preach but he set himself as an example of God’s grace. He is loyal to his parents and sibling. His kindness to others, to the point of self-sacrifice. No. He is not perfect. Kindness is his biggest flaw but his goodness tramps it all.

So, please… do ask me again what defines the greatest of fathers. I only have two words as an answer: 

Mario Cabug-os.

I love you Papa. See you soon! Happy birthday. I miss you.

FOR MY FRIENDS IN AMAZON UK

I loved watching from the shore. I loved seeing the happy faces of different people. I loved the way the water splashes when they played. I loved the castles they built even if they knew it will fall down one way or another. Above all, I loved the wave.

For me, wave has always been aquamarine. It soothes. It cools. It is a symbol of serenity. Whenever helplessness or confusion comes, it has always been a good remedy. It provides calmness and peace. I was content just by watching it.

One day, a friend pulled me towards the sea. I was afraid of the unknown, of the possible changes that I might get by touching the water that I so loved to watch. The calmness and the peace– they might disappear. My toes touched it and I was mystified. It felt good. It felt real. And just as I was starting to enjoy the feeling, I never saw the wave coming. It came crashing over me. Stunning me. Consuming me. Where was my peace? Where was my serenity? As much as I was flabbergasted, I also felt relief. It felt better than I ever dreamt. It welcomed me in. It never judged my mood. Instead of peace and quiet, I found a melody, a beautiful music. Instead of brooding and content, I found joy and laughter. Soon, I found myself playing with it. Staying at the shore is not enough anymore. Suddenly, I realized that the wave was not a frail aquamarine. It’s a prism of rainbow.

However, as soon as it came crashing, the sooner it passed as well. It was saddening. It was scarier than facing the unknown. But then I recognized the tingle it left on my skin, the taste it bequeathed in my mouth, the joy it gave my heart. Most of all, I caught the pearls that it carried to me. These precious stones of different colors and textures. ... Read more »

High School. For some it’s the best time of their entire school life. Easy-going classes. Prom. Barkada. Crushes Galore. Never-ending Gala. For some it’s a sad drama and embarrassment caused by baby fats that won’t go away or pimples that won’t stop from growing or that crazy growth spurt. High School was such a bliss that came and went… then came the time when we thought we had to make it all serious: COLLEGE.

Entering PUP was such a tough work. Starting from the entrance exam where thousands of students came from north to south just to be one of the great "Iskolar ng Bayan”. Some came alone. Some came with almost their whole family tagging along. Some came with their classmates who were also taking up their own PUPCET. For those who haven’t researched about the university before trying to get in, they must have been culture shocked. It’s not because the Test Masters ate those examiners who wouldn’t finish on time, but because of the loud shouts of the students rallying, wandering around the main building halls. Shocked as some might have been, the dread of waiting was crueler with its sleepless nights of worry and anxiety. It’s not easy to enter a university with good standards and less expenditure. Clueless of what would be more worry on how to stay when we got in.

The first day of class was fascinating, no matter how nervous one might be."Oh! It’s a completely different campus…” And we thought we would be spending four years of studying trying to ... Read more »