It’s a generally-held idea that the only thing you can control is your mind and your reaction to situations and circumstances; that there is no use worrying over something that is beyond your control. And recognizing that, therefore, it is of no use to be affected negatively by external factors. That may be true, but…
Category: Life and Inspiration
My Bangkok Trip (Jan. 2023)
I was in Bangkok for 5 days in January 2023. I felt that I needed some time off from work to rest my mind and just spend my days walking around the city where no one (except for two friends and colleagues from the Embassy) knows me. Here are my observations/notes: Bangkok Streetfood The streetfood…
Pagmumúni-muni sa Daan
Kamakailan, habang bumabyahe kami sa daan ng kasama ko, binabaybay ang mga kalye ng siyudad ng Maynila papunta sa trabaho isang Biyernes ng umaga, napadako ang usapan namin sa personal na bagay. Ayon sa kanya, hindi sya ang taong madalas nangungumusta sa mga kaibigan at kamag-anak nya, hindi dahil wala siyang pakialam sa mga ito,…
Persistence
I am awed at professional athletes and musicians, researchers and scientists, leaders of advocacy groups, and anyone who has maintained his/her zeal and enthusiasm in attaining his/her goals for years, despite the odds. Can you imagine training ten (10) hours or more a day going over the same routine, practicing the same movement over and…
Courage to Love
Our pet kitten, Pepper, died recently. My siblings and my daughter were heartbroken as I was. Pepper was rescued in early 2022 from our backyard in my hometown, then a teeny-weeny, thin being with scant fur, and with a meow scarcely above a whisper. I usually described those trips as somersaults of the emotions–the thrill…
Flow
I wouldn’t deny it. The results of the recent national elections in the Philippines left me stunned and broken-hearted. For a few days, I walked with a cloud hanging over my head. I feel better now so I am able to write about this matter. I am not being self-righteous. Neither am I naive to…
A Dash of Salt
It’s a weekend. You are in the kitchen wearing an apron, while the most delicious scent wafts in the air. You get a spoon, taste the sauce a little, wrinkle your nose a bit, add a dash of salt, taste the dish again, and smile. Yes! That’s what 1/8 of a teaspoon does. Now, imagine…
Beyond Routes 