Prompt #4 – Living a Good Life

What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

Everyone wants to live a good life but what is a good life? Is it having all you need available to you when you need it? Is it having contentment with what you have? Is it being able to leave a mark to other people’s lives? Or is it being able to fulfill your life’s purpose and passion?

It actually varies from one person to another. Each of us has his or her own definition of a good life which may be influenced by our values, character, experiences, background and so on. Each of us also have our own way on how we achieve and live that good life. But what are the most imprortant things needed to live a good life?

Personally, I believe that character, love and faith are the most important things needed to live a good life.

Character which I define as having a strong moral compass leads us into thinking and doing the right thing even if the situation may be unfavorable for us. It is being able to stick to our values and persevere through tough and challenging times without sacrificing our values and the things we believe in. This is especially important because life is full tough and challenging times which sometimes may break us. Having character is being able to persevere and if failure comes in, the ability to bounce back and be on track again.

Love is also important in living a good life because doing things out of love can make a difference to the people we interact with and even to those we don’t because as people say ‘A simple act of kindness (made from love) can have a ripple effect’. For me, this is important because love makes us feel cherished and motivated to do more – be it for our family, friends, work, passion projects, etc. which in turn can give them the push to also spread love in their own ways.

Lastly, faith which is having strong belief that there is the One above all of us who has the masterplan of everything. Someone who without judgment will love and care for us even if everyone else will turn their backs on us or even if we make wrong decisions.

Blog Post #21 – I’m back…

Hi there!

It’s been a while since my last blog post. 🙂

October 14, 2020 pa yung last and sobrang dami nang nangyari since then. Hindi ko na nga alam kung saan magsisimula. Haha. But we have to start somewhere, right? So eto na nga yung utang ko na update… Simulan natin nung 2019.. 😀

In the last quarter of 2019, napag-uusapan na namin ng love ko yung about sa future plans namin. Siyempre kasama namin ang isa’t-isa and ever since naging kami, hangad namin na matuloy ito sa kasalan. Every decision that we made, lahat yun kasama sa goal namin to spend our lives together. We’re just so happy to see things materialize (di man naging madali) – from shifting to a dayshift job, to saving, etc.

We had few trips which include yung pagpapakilala ko kay Love in person sa parents ko. It was light and I am very happy na chill lang ang daddy ko. 🙂 He signified na whatever plans we have in the future, approve sa kanya because we are in the right age na. Fast forward after ng madaliang meet-up in LU, nagpunta naman kami sa Baguio to spend few days. We enjoyed the strolling especially at night, food trip (Good Taste, Oh my gulay, Lemon and Olives, Vizco’s), relaxation time sa North Haven Spa (fave!). First time ko rin na sumakay sa bike na may sidecar (lol!) Pero dahil may kalakihan kami, saglit lang kami sa pagbike, binalik na namin kay kuya. Haha!

We also got the chance to go to Boracay with previous workmates and friends. Mas maaga lang yung pabalik namin sa Manila pero we did enjoyed it. Start na ng Covid-19 nun pero we still pushed it kasi sabi namin mag-iingat kami. Buti na lang, we’re safe. Hindi kami nagka-Covid despite sa dami ng nakahalubilo namin during that trip.

Then came the lockdown – March 2020. Naaalala ko ito kasi balak naming bumalik ng Baguio for our anniversary pero hindi na namin pinush kasi baka maalangan pa. Baka dun pa kami malockdown.

We spent days working at home pero there were some days na kinailangan kong pumasok sa office. Toxic pa yung work ko at that time. Hindi ko na lang i-elaborate yung specifics pero yun yung darkest time ng career ko. Nawala talaga yung peace of mind ko and napraning ako kada makakarinig ng Teams notification and pati na rin ng ringtone sa phone. Doon ko na-try na maiyak habang nasa meeting. Haha! Those days. I’m so glad that may nag-take ng chance na i-hire ako kahit online lahat ng kaganapan and I feel very blessed dahil swak ako sa culture ng company at team.

Days passed, my Love and I decided to get married. 🙂 We started out the planning of our wedding – almost a year and a half din ang inabot ng preparation at pag-iipon. Maraming challenges na obviously ay dala ng pandemic (more of that on my next blog post) pero we were blessed na despite those, na-push namin ang kasal last September 2021.

We spent the Christmas as newly-wed couple with my family in LU (dahil medyo nag-relax na ang travel restrictions) and our New Year with Love’s family in Laguna. I feel so loved and happy dahil we got to spend time with our families longer (benefit ng work from home set-up). Mas naging close din kami sa isa’t-isa and I really did appreciate yung pakikisama ng lahat.

Naging challenging ang pasok ng 2022 para sa aming mag-asawa dahil nag-positive kami sa Covid-19. We experienced mild symptoms kaya nakaya naman na mag-isolate lang at home. Thank God we’re good now! We have recovered at mas magiging maingat pa kami dahil mas nakakahawa ang mga variant ng Covid-19 na nadidiskubre ngayon. Pandemic is still not over. Pero kapit lang.. Sabi nga ni Fr. Jerry Orbos, “God is full of surprises.” Malay natin, ito na pala ang beginning of an end.

As of today, tuloy lang kami sa pag-inom ng salabat at lemon juice. In fairness, masarap pala at nakakaginhawa. We’re aiming to live healthier. 🙂 We’re still working from home and we’re praying for our goals. P.U.S.H. lang!!!

*Pray until something happens.

Blog Post #10 – Freedom in love

Loving is not owning. You should not dictate your person’s actions and decisions. You should just let him/her be as she has needs to mature and grow as an individual apart from you. But what if he/she finds another along the way? Most of the time, this is the question asked out of fear or maybe insecurity. To admire someone because of a specific trait is normal. To appreciate beauty is good but to do something about it is a totally different thing. If he/she does, then, he/she is simply just not the “one” for you no matter how perfect or destined you might feel for him/her in the beginning.