Something new, something green...

 ...something beautiful and living!

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by PAM

'Mother and kids' - the green version.

The past months have been very busy.  I am happy though that despite this, there have been many opportunities that allowed me to work with my hands and with our natural environment.  It's 'grounding', very relaxing and truly satisfying.

A month ago, my sister trimmed one of our San Francisco plants (Codiaeum variegatum).  The name San Francisco is the common name in the Philippines of the plant (in many varieties, actually) pictured above.  Elsewhere, the plant is more commonly known as croton.  In our Home #2, we have four San Francisco plants of different varieties.  Three of them are located close to each other while the smallest one (the yellow and green variety) is located close to the gate, but they are all lined up at our open garage on one side of the house.  I am proud to have watered them for more

Colorful, vibrant, amazing!

than a year to become their 'mature' selves presently.  When a strong typhoon passed through our region last year, I thought the plants will not make it through all the rains and strong winds.  They did survive.  Now, they grew so big, so colorful... and yes, so beautiful!  

When the rainy season came in June, after a downpour, the thick leaves of the plants got soaked in rainwater.  This weighed them down, that their branches bent so much, they almost reached the ground.  I would usually shake the branches of the plants to rid them of rainwater.  When the sun heats up the atmosphere as the day progresses, causing the water to evaporate, the plants slowly regain their upright position.  However, when the rains came while I was at work, when I returned home, I would usually find the plants almost kissing the ground... and their branches almost breaking!  So, one weekend, when my sister came home and heard of the plants' 'ordeal', she decided to trim them.  I had mixed emotions about it.  So, I decided to pick up the trimmings.  I chose four that looked mature, and soaked them in water for a few days.  Once stable, I planted them on the ground on the opposite side of the house, and watered them 'religiously' twice a day for a few days. Although it's rainy season and it usually showered in the evening, it was quite hot during the day, and I wanted to make sure that the little 'clones' are given the fighting chance to survive.  

Two of the four clones kept their leaves although slightly drooping.  The other two looked struggling to survive - all their leaves browned and fell.  One showed shoots of leaves on its 'head' after a while.  The last one looked all dried out, I was resigned to seeing it perish.  After its leaves all fell, a couple of days later, green shoots showed, and I mean 'shoots' with an 's'... and it was happiness! 💚

Now, all four clones looked stable... and I feel that I have accomplished something.  It's a new nature of accomplishment.  These days, I understand why passionate plant growers and gardeners talk to their plants.  I found myself 'talking' to my San Francisco clones while coaxing them to 'drink up', and hold on to the ground... and live!  Fortunately, they did survive, and now, they look like they are on their way to flourish... and that's without the help of any inorganic fertilizer.  The 'mother' plant has bloomed so beautifully, too, with even brighter colors!  And it has become more resilient from the weight of rain water... its trunk and branches seemed thicker and stronger.     

As I care for our plants in our small garden plots around our home, I feel that I am extending my 'second parent' role with my students to our plants.  I feel responsible for their steady growth and beautiful flourishing.  Seeing the birds and the butterflies frequent our small garden plots with the former's cheerful tweets and the latter's pretty colors, invigorates me everyday.  I consider it my mission these days to see the plants, the birds and the butterflies thrive and flourish... and seeing them do so brings me so much happiness! 

Ah... God's creations... are, indeed, extremely beautiful, no matter how small and seeming insignificant!  They bring simple joys that fill my days with satisfaction and meaning.  I thank God that my simple heart remains tempered and content, and not desiring flattering gratification and over indulgence that corrupt.

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Image credit:  All the photos in this post belongs to me.  I took all of them and processed minimally for this post.  They may not be used by others for other purposes.

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Saturday photo

 by PAM

Nature... naturally!

I have a few places at home where I enjoy working (WFH whenever needed), or spending some quiet time - 'me time'.  One of my biggest favorites is our lanai area - pictured above.  It's like an extension of our dining area with only the glass doors and metal rails separating them.  So, when the birds start to chirp in chorus loudly, invitingly, in the morning, I'd usually bring my coffee outside and enjoy listening to the birds while I think about the day ahead.  I have to admit though that, these days, my 'me time' at the lanai is quite limited due to ongoing construction at our next-door neighbor, making the place quite dusty... and the noise of their construction equipment overpowers the melodious chirps of the birds.  But on Sundays and holidays, when the construction is paused, I'd take advantage of the chance to enjoy the place.  My old phone probably didn't do justice in capturing the coziness of the space but I tell ya, it's plenty cozy. 🪴💚 

These days, as one of the most undeniable causes of floods and what-have-you in Metro-Manila that are detrimental to all aspects of human health becomes obvious - garbage (and, yes, corruption, which is... uhm, yeah, the most repulsive kind of garbage!) - I thank God for the opportunity to have an option even when our 'home #2' is so humble that the space it provides is 'tight' even for our daily living alone.  While 'home #1' can be considered green, given its location - right smack in the heart of Metro-Manila - we make conscious effort to maintain the green nature of 'home #2' if it were to become our better option.  It is not just about caring for our plants but also about waste minimization, waste segregation, recycling and reuse, and everything that simplifies life, lifestyle and living.  

I hope that we, as a people, can turn things around as far as environmental degradation is concerned... and yes, as far as massive corruption in the government is concerned as well since corruption does not only lead to natural environment degradation but also to the degradation of our moral fiber as a society.  The solution is in our hands, it is within our power... and  it begins with the ballot in 2028.  We deserve a better alternative, a better life, better living conditions, better health and well-being.  We deserve so much more than what the incompetent people in our government (and, I mean, all three branches) presently can offer, given their foolishness and, yes, their inclination to corrupt acts and actions!  

So, yes, we must demand better public service from our public servants.  Let's make it work, fellow Filipinos!!  Let's seize the moment... let's choose wisely in 2028!  Let's pray for guidance, wisdom and the courage to choose wisely.

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Image credit:  The featured photo belongs to me.  I took it and processed minimally for the purpose of this blog.  It may not be used elsewhere.

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Hello, July!

 It's the middle of 2026 and you're looking... uhm, exhausted, er, excited!

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by PAM

Ambient temperature, check.  Ground nutrient, check.  Special occasion, check!
Finally completed all the 'permissions' to bloom!

My favorite month has landed!  Welcome to 2026, July!  Woohoo, let's go!  

I have been waiting for our Vietnam Roses to bloom since April this year, just like last year and the year before last, but they haven't.  Well, until today, that is.  It's wonderful that the 'pretty little  

things' showed themselves on the day that I am celebrating the anniversary of my introduction to the world through God's love and goodness.  This year... uhm, I move an inch closer to 'dual citizenship', which is closer than I ever imagined. I have mixed  feelings, but most of it is gratitude, a big chunk is happiness, and, not surprisingly, a considerable amount is excitement.  I can't wait, actually!  

The last months have been so 'chaotic' in the Philippines.  People in the government kept hurling extremely stinky rubbish at each other, while the Filipino people run back and forth to avoid getting hit by rubbish in the face.  And yet, no matter how much we avoid it, we get hit anyway.  It's incredible how utterly useless people in our government are... well, most of them anyway, especially those who have no notion of decency or self-awareness, and those who are so unfortunately devoid of common sense and the ability to think - and think well and intelligently.  The word 'service' is not in their vocabulary and mission in life even if they occupy the 'seats of public service'.  They turn the 'seats' to a place for self-indulgence and personal gratification... and, yes, corruption - exercised in the most brazen and extremely shameless ways!  

Lately, the whole country is being pummeled, too, by nature's forced reaction to humanity's unmindful actions to try lording over nature.  Filipino people are reeling over earthquake, typhoon, and what have you.  But the biggest hardships are the man-made ones, and the most catastrophic are those caused by people in our own government.  It has become so frustrating to watch them unleash one foolishness after another as if they have no responsibility to... at the very least, avoid being foolish!  I guess, this is the biggest peril of democracy.  We get the foolish leaders that foolish citizens choose... and the whole nation suffer the consequences.  

So, yeah, while July brings with it the freshness of our blooming Vietnam Roses, the country look exhausted, frustrated and ambivalent.  And yet, I believe that the very message of God in allowing our pretty little Vietnam Roses bloom at a time when I am beginning to feel disappointed is HOPE.  We must not lose hope.  There is hope... Jesus is hope, and He is alive!  He is in our midst, and our faith in Him shall see us through to this dark days in our country's politics.  One day, when the time is right, the Truth shall emerge from the darkness, and we, as a nation shall recognize it.  And the Truth shall unite us in hauling our country from the rut it's in, and we shall emerge victorious!

In the meantime, I shall celebrate this special day, rejoicing amid the colorful beauty of our Vietnam Roses.  I shall offer a prayer of thanks, and I shall allow God's grace to fill my heart with hope, faith and joy!

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Image credit:  All the photos in this post belong to me.  I took all of them, and processed them minimally for this post.  They may not be used for other purposes.

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Saturday photo

A burst of vibrant colors all day... every day - these days!

These days, my source of daily joy has increased in number.  As I look out of my window at our little house's receiving area while waiting for the kettle to whistle its announcement that it's ready to make coffee, I cannot help but smile as I see our fabulous Melendres plant through the sheer curtains.  The Melendres plant is a shrub that is usually referred to as the 'cherry blossoms of the Philippines'.  The round cherry-like pods of the plant turn brown by the month of April or May before bursting into colorful little flowers.  The beautiful red and bright pink flowers lined with sharp white color around their velvety petals seem to give a cheerful greeting as the plant sways gracefully with the gentle morning breeze.  It's like a

Seeing beauty through the window.

scene from animated movies for kids where every living thing around speaks merrily with the main character.  I cannot help but breathe "good morning" to our Melendres plant... and all our other plants, which are, uhm, a lot!   

In the afternoon, when I return from work, a few meters from our house, the vibrant burst of colors dangling out of our fence, swaying prettily, seems to greet me some meters from our house.  Butterflies and singing birds seem to dance with the flowers amid the equally vibrant colors of sunset... and it is, indeed, a scene to behold.  It seems to remind me of God's blessings everyday, and this, while very beautiful and joyful that it fills the soul with much amazement, is just one of the 'smallest' of blessings in the grand scheme of things where God is at the center.  It gives the most organic reason to stay still for a few minutes and cherish the many blessings of the day, and thank God for it all, through the Angelus at dusk. No wonder that Angelus is my late father's favorite prayer, and praying it was a practice that, I observed, was handed to him by my grandparents, and their parents before that.  I remember growing up watching my paternal grandmother light the candles at our altar, and gathered us around the altar as she led in praying the Angelus... and then the Rosary. 

These days, I am beginning to believe that letting one's self to be lost in admiration of the beauty of nature and paying homage to its Creator is prayer in itself. And, these days, it's the kind of prayer that I most enjoy.  I thank God for this opportunity to be in this phase in my life, and in the place where I am, to experience this daily sustenance of the soul.  Life is, indeed, beautiful; and God is, indeed, good... all the time!

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Image credit:  The featured photos in this post belong to me.  I took all of them.

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Saturday Photo

 by PAM

A burst of sunshine inside the house!

A few weeks (or is it months already) ago, I was talking about 'decluttering'... and finding, uhm, no, not finding but experiencing joy in it.  I also talked about using pieces of home decor that are beyond just 'pretty' but also functional and blend in with everything else in that decluttered space.  

Later, a few months after positing that piece, and just as soon as springtime came, and the flowers started to appear in our surroundings, I had the reason I need to re-dress our throw pillows in the TV room as well as at the receiving room of 'Home #2'.  My inspiration?  Simple.  It's 'texture'... once again.  The color is

The cosmos flowers outside our TV room
peep in with their 'silent giggles'
echoing in the room.

simple - the color of sunshine.  It's cheerful, pretty, and quite stunning.  I see these pieces in the morning after I say my morning prayers with my eyes still closed, and as I grope my way to the kitchen with my eyes half closed.  The sunny color makes me feel that the day is promising me something good and happy... and that helps start my day right.  And even when the day falls short in fulfilling its promise, when I get home, these cheerful pieces restore good vibes.  They make me feel like I am basking in sunshine inside my home even when it's actually the moon that's shining outside. They remind me of the great blessings that I am so fortunate to enjoy, and that I am so privileged to share with others.  In fact, these pieces and the positive vibes that they invoke are part of those many blessings.  In the end, my determination to continue hoping for the best is renewed.  Indeed, the blessings of the Lord does not stop pouring in every single day.  We can continue enjoying them if we are only faithful enough to keep paying attention and to keep our hearts open to recognize and to be grateful for these blessing.  I know that for the skeptics, it's odd that I am talking elaborately about simple throw pillows... as manifestations of God's love and blessings.      

These days, the 'sunny' throw pillows are accompanied by matching new curtains.  However, this is not the only one that makes the whole scene lovely.  There's the fact that the pretty cosmos flowers of similar colors as the throw pillows and curtains seem to peep inside the TV room from outside.  They simply lighten the mood everyday as I listen to terrible news after terrible news at breakfast time, and they bring sunshine in and the 'laughter of the grounds'.   

So, yes... our home can be designed in a way that reminds us of God's love and blessings every single day.

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Image credit:  All photos used in this post are all mine.  I took them all.

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It's the most wonderful time...

 ...of the year!

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by PAM

'The Tree' is up, and it radiates warmth and coziness. 💖

And so, here we are... well, almost there, anyway.  We are closing in, almost locking it in - locking in the holidays.  First, 'the Angel' took its rightful place at the receiving area of our home, and so did the deers.  

Across them, stood our 'mini' Nativity Scene.  And then, amid the twinkling lights, the recreation of the Christmas Star that led the Three Wise Men to the Manger where the King was born shone by our door, illuminating the little Nativity.  Then the Advent Wreath took its place. At this point, all the major spiritual aspects of the celebration were taken care of.  So, it was time to put up the symbol of 'merrymaking'.  It was time to put up the Christmas Tree!

Just like last year, I was in-charge of Christmas decorations in our 2nd home.  I like this 'assignment'.  Therefore, I accepted it with open arms and with much delight.  And, when it was time to put up the Christmas Tree, I took my sweet time.  I decided to string the lights first and maneuvered them around the Tree.  Then, all the usual ornaments that define the theme of our family's merrymaking took their place around the Tree followed.  They are followed by the 'special' ornaments, which have deeper meaning for the family, slowly dotted the Tree.  And then the gifts started to appear at the foot of the Tree... which heralded the spirit of giving, and receiving, too, in this Season of Joy, Hope and Love.  I hope to post something regarding Christmas gift-giving one of these days.

I really love the warmth and coziness that Christmas as a family-centered occasion brings.  For our family, it's an occasion where seeing and being with family members is guaranteed.  I always look forward to it.  And, in challenging times through the year, I have Christmas to hope for and to inspire to keep going.  Of course, we are aware of the 'commercialization' of the occasion... and, ironically, this is connected with

gift-giving, which is a major basis of the spirit of Christmas:  love... giving love, that is.  I do believe that how we design our Christmas decorations can set the tone of our desire to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior - the greatest gift of all to humanity.  And this is why, no matter how challenging in terms of finding time to carry out decorating tasks, I always do my best... and I always enjoy, too!

This year, to add to memories of Christmas, I added Christmas Tree ornaments from one of my favorite stores: Flying Tiger (FT).  I am happy that there is one FT store close to our home.  And, I have to confess that one of my favorite 'me time' is spending long periods just browsing the cute but practical items that they have. It's fascinating!  So, naturally, FT becomes a part of our Christmas this year in terms of our Christmas decor.  I am sure that it will add to how wonderful this season is for all of us!

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Image credit:  All photos featured in this post belong to me.  I took them all using my own camera.

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"The Angel of the Lord...

 ...declared unto Mary."

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by PAM

Our (first) Christmas Angel in our secondary home is... uhm, Danish.  

Perhaps, it is more fitting to categorize this post as a 'Saturday Photo' given how the photo above is featured prominently.  I decided not to categorize this post as such since rather than the photo itself, I wish to focus more on the meaning of the photo and its relevance in the coming very important season - the Season of Advent, more popularly known as the 'Christmas Season'.  

Yes, we are now at the cusp of the 'most wonderful time of the year'.  As soon as the New Year started, we began the countdown to Christmas Day! We started saving to buy presents for our family members, friends and colleagues.  We can't wait for the day when we are given the 'season's permission' to hop from one party to another to meet and celebrate with friends and family.  Of course, there are birthdays and other celebrations in between.  But as soon as Halloween comes to pass, we dash to unearth our Christmas lights and bunch of decor, and we wait giddily for the weekend when we can coax our family members to 'deck the hall with boughs of holly' to the tune of Jose Mari Chan's undying hit song, "Christmas in our hearts" - on repeat.

At our home though, the very first Christmas reminder that we put on display is our golden Christmas Angel because, to us, Christmas begins when the "Angel of God declared unto Mary" that she was to conceive by the Holy Spirit.  And through the Virgin Mary's obedience and Love of God expressed in her words to the archangel Gabriel, "be it done to me according to your word", and through the faith, obedience and love of St. Joseph, 'the word was made flesh and  dwelt among us'.  And 'the Word' is Jesus Christ, and his birth is the great act of Love by the Father for us all.  Therefore, Jesus is the embodiment of the greatest Love of all.  And this is the Christmas Story - a story of Love.  We give homage to this Love everyday through our small deeds of love and by reciting the Angelus - our late father's favorite prayer... which became ours, too.  And this is why, we always begin the celebration of Christmas by lighting up our Christmas angel.

In our secondary home, we do not have a golden angel figure... but I found a lovely Christmas card at the Flying Tiger store located in a Mall close to our 'Home #2'.  The store carries pretty but 

Our little friends from the North Pole.

functional items made in Copenhagen, Denmark where the store originated.  Having lived in Lund, Sweden for a year, where Copenhagen was just a 15-min boat ride away, the vibrant Danish capital has become one of my favorite Scandinavian cities. And so, when I was looking for new Christmas decor, I had to check out Flying Tiger.  And, true enough, I immediately found what I was looking for - a Christmas Angel, beautifully rendered in a greeting card!

In front of the olive green card is an image of an angel clothed in a cream paper mache against white flat paper.  Its wings are made of red paper mache against flat white paper, too.  It is a beautifully artistic angel in Christmas colors of subdued tone - very Danish.  I found a nice white frame and a pretty string of lights in the same store. And so, in an instant, I found our Christmas Angel for our 'Home #2'.  As a bonus, I also found white-tailed deers in Santa hats... and, right there and then, I knew that our Christmas this year will have a touch of Scandinavia... and it's cool!

We are excited about Christmas, and we are excited about celebrating it at our 'Home #2'.  We hope for the best in this Season of God's Great Love to all of us.  Specifically, we hope for the best for our country, the Philippines... may we all conquer the towering challenges in front of us through our faith and the magical Christmas Season! 

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Image Credit:  All photos belong to me asI took all of them.

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Saturday Photo

 

Delicate... but resilient.  And it's good.

It's been 'raining cats and dogs'... again.  Big drops of rain are pouring out of the sky, escaping the swollen thickness of air like desperate prisoners unleashing that unquenchable thirst for dear freedom.  Thunderbolt and lightning echo the rains' desperation to drench the land left feverish by summertime.  

In all those waves of mother nature's emotion, what called my attention was this little sulfur cosmos (cosmos sulphureus) flower at our backyard that was gracefully braving all that deluge of nature's anguish.  One might think that after hours and hours of rain, the poor little flower would be falling apart from carrying the weight of all the raindrops on its petals... but it did not.  It stayed upright, it remained pretty.  It swayed with the wind, sometimes dodging a gigantic raindrop in the process, but it held on steadfastly.  Its color remained sunny and cheerful... all eight petals unruffled and the pretty orange disk floret remained intact, punctuating the cheery color of the petals in contrast of their own that was quite fiery.  And the flower is surrounded by the lush green leaves of the cosmos plant.  

This resilient little flower is a beautiful reminder that no matter what the situation is, no matter how harsh and challenging, one's natural goodness can remain intact.  And, when we focus on that goodness, we can remain good... no matter the relentless waves of emotional challenge around us.  This is because our goodness is from God... God who is the being of goodness.

And, as we embrace our goodness - God's goodness, we can be beautifully delicate and vulnerable... but beautifully resilient, too... amid harshness.

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Image credit:  The photo in this post belongs to me.  I took it using my old Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

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"In a gentle way...

...you can shake the world!" - Mahatma Gandhi

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by PAM

"Our quiet approach to life, our need for solitary time, isn't a flaw. It's a gift...

The unique attributes of introverts really are deep, quiet strength."

Introvert from the beginning... is the beginning

I used to live with my maternal grandparents when I was growing up.  My grandmother then was so worried about how 'shy' I was, and how I usually preferred going with my grandfather in the fields and watch him farm from under a tree with our dog while perusing my Mother's old picture books rather than play with my cousins and other kids in our neighborhood.  It wasn't true that I preferred being in the fields with my grandpa and that I was shy.  I enjoyed being in the field, that's for sure, but only because I felt that the silence energized me.  I consider those days that I spent with my grandpa to be some of the most enjoyable days of my childhood.  He allowed me to be comfortable 'living in my own head' with the most beautiful of imaginations.  And, I imagined, he himself enjoyed those moments in the field where he can be alone with his thoughts.  When we ate lunch together in those beautiful fields of eggplants and tomatoes at summertime, we usually had quiet conversations.  I enjoyed his stories about the years he spent in Guam, USA as a farmer, which he told in his calm and retrospective voice.  When I grew up, I realized that those were some of the most memorable and most influential conversations I've had as a child. In fact, I learned my first English word from my grandfather in one of those conversations.  The word was "salt"... and he used it in many contexts.  My grandpa's sister, whenever she visited from Guam, and saw my grandpa and I walking home from the fields, she usually commented, "there they are, the odd pair of introverts."

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Anti-social vs. Introvert

In my past few posts here, I have been mentioning how I very much enjoy solitude.  Yes, I am usually alone these days - both at work and at home (my second home, that is), but I am never lonely.  I usually have 'a party in my head', which keeps me stimulated and entertained.  In these parties, my brain is at its most creative.  It gives wings to my soul as my soul soars in a truly beautiful vision of blue sky and feelings as soft as the gentlest of breeze - something that I never experience when talking (well, listening, mostly) to other people who are convinced that they have the most intelligent and the most important things to say (or write and share on social media).  Whenever I have to 'party with others', I often find myself wishing to end the event midway through, and plotting to gun for the nearest exit.  And so, I usually dread opening emails that 'require' me to accept an invitation to this event and that.  I do enjoy a few gatherings... small ones - safe ones, or ones that allow me to stay with a small circle of like-minded people - a safe company.  In most cases, I'd much rather return to my workplace, work quietly, and be more productive... except that finding my center of productivity after socializing or attending a meeting with more than one person usually requires a massive effort, and takes a very long time, too.  An agony, truly; one that I do my best to avoid these days.

Many people, myself included, used to think that I was an 'antisocial'... but as I study anti-socialism and introversion, I am convinced that my grandpa's sister was right. I am, indeed, an introvert.  And the older I get, it becomes more difficult to recover from socialization to reach a point where I can breathe easy.  These days, I crave solitude more and more.  Age might have something to do with it, too.  In any case, I feel I am at my most creative when I work in solitude -- then and now... more so now.  I feel that I can, indeed, 'gently shake the world' with the product of my soaring imagination borne from those 'parties in my brain'.  And, as I do, I become more and more comfortable with the person that I am, the work and the role that I am meant to perform, the results that slowly crystallize as I distill my thoughts from all the noise around me, and the outcomes of my efforts from implementing distilled ideas quietly.  I truly believe this is wonderful... except that many of my peers, or those who sit higher than where I sit, usually think that I probably believe that I do not have ideas bright enough for them to support, and this is why I avoid tossing my ideas on the table when everyone does with the loudest thud.  If they only pay attention to, or muster the courage to overcome their bias and give me enough credit for the actual results of my verbally unexpressed ideas but actually implemented silently with much tenacity, they'd know that I am not as empty and weak as they believe just because I don't participate in their loud verbal sparring that they enjoy so much... but the work that follows, they enjoy - not so much... but I do.      

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Soulful introversion

And those 'parties in my brain'... they take place in the cadence of heartfelt, beautiful prayers.  And what are heartfelt prayers but silent conversations with God?  And that is why I prefer them over those stressful loud verbal sparring where everyone seeks to be the one who had the last word. They tire me to the tips of my toenails.

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Video credit:  The owner is indicated in the video.  Thanks, YouTube, for the link.

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Faith and keeping family traditions alive

 ...because some 'traditions' should be renewed.

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by PAM

Visita Iglesia as a beloved family tradition

For many years, our family has kept a beloved 'old tradition': the Visita Iglesia. It is a part of our yearly observance of the Holy Week as a family.  We set out to hear the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Last Supper in the early evening of Thursday, go for confession, and then proceed to visit seven Catholic Churches to pray the Way of the Cross or Stations of the Cross in the evening.  Usually, we set out to fast the entire day, and then eat a full meal after the Visita Iglesia.  We usually look forward to this meal, too.  

The Stations of the Cross is a 14-step devotion that commemorates the Passion of Jesus Christ as he redeemed the world from the clutches of sins by suffering and dying on the Cross.  We move from one Station to the next as we contemplate and pray in two stations per church.  I am usually in-charge of determining the churches to visit, depending on our mobility (we sometimes drive and then walk from one church to another; or just drive around), other plans for the day, and family members' locations. In some cases, we take advantage of Visita Iglesia to go on a pilgrimage to visit Catholic churches in distant places.  Still, in other cases, we consider the wishes or challenges that a family member/s is/are struggling to surmount in determining the churches to visit based on the churches' devotional focus.  This way, we can aid the family member/s in praying for his/her/their cause, and more explicitly express our love and care.      

My siblings and I started this tradition more than thirty years ago.  Ours is an 'improved' version of our parents and grandparents' own tradition of praying the Stations of the Cross in our childhood church at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.  This was in the Province of Pangasinan where we were born, except our youngest sibling who was born in Quezon City.  They took us with them in their Way of the Cross devotions but they prayed the entire Stations of the Cross in the same church.  When my family moved to Quezon City, my parents would usually do the Stations of the Cross at the Santo Domingo Church, which is also known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila and declared as National Culture Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.  

Over the years, when siblings and cousins had their own children, our Stations of the Cross 'crew' grew.  At some point, organizing the Visita Iglesia was a 'nightmare', especially when the kids were still young and were constantly hungry, in need to use the restroom, or constantly complaining that they were close to 'fainting from exhaustion' like Jesus himself as they pushed themselves through a throng of faithfuls and devotees like us!  The kids' drama was frustrating for my siblings - their parents, but it was hilarious most of the time.  These days the then drama is now a subject of fond reminiscing as the 'kids' then are all grownups and are organizing their own Visita Iglesia with their respective growing families.  We are happy to see that they are continuing the family tradition with their own 'twists' as they inspire their own kids to learn and follow the Way of the Cross.  This is why, these days, my Visita Iglesia crew is a small 'trio' of myself, my sister and our brother who divides his time between his own family and us to observe this beloved family tradition.  

Speaking of 'twists', back in 2020 and 2021, when we were unable to conduct Visita Iglesia because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the 'automatic' organizer, I had to set up Stations of the Cross in our front yard.  My sister and brother, and I had to go through the Stations while our whole family followed via Zoom. I had to upgrade my personal Zoom account to accommodate our entire family in more than an hour of devotion, and later update one another as we were locked down in our respective locations.  

A new place to explore in the name of faith

As I shared in a few posts here, I have a second home these days - in a place close to my new second workplace, the Province of Laguna.  It's one of those places in the Philippines that played an important part in shaping the Philippines as a country.  In fact, our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, hailed from this province.  The old cultural heritage of my country still beats in the heart of this Province despite the undeniable touches of modernization and cosmopolitan living in the big cities here.  I live in one of the big cities, which is right next to my workplace - another big city, and perhaps, the most modern of them all.

So, my small Visita Iglesia trio with my sister and brother visited seven churches close to our new second home.  These are:

1.  St. John Bosco Parish & Center for Young Workers in the City of Santa Rosa.  We attended the Maundy Thursday Mass in this church, and we went on to kick-off our Visita Iglesia with the first two Stations in our Way of the Cross devotion.  The service was a mix of serious devotion and humor courtesy of one of the Vicars of the parish.  The Stations of the Cross were situated in a lush garden of the church.  There was a throng of devotees but we did not need to push our way through them.  Everyone was so nice, and all the activities were so well-organized with helpful marshals and other volunteers.  The priests were so easy-going, and they all greeted the parishioners and visitors cheerfully as they made their way to the front of the church to get ready for their procession.

2.  Santuario De La Salle at the De La Salle University - Laguna campus in Biñan City.  The church is beautiful with its unique minimalist design and gracefully curving structure.  It was a peaceful place, where the narrow heavy doors around the circular structure shielded the interior of the church from the noise outside.  Not so many people were visiting the church though when we arrived.  Perhaps, people were unaware that it was open to the public for Visita Iglesia.

3.  St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish Church is the first of the rest of the churches that we visited along the Timbao-Carmona Road in Biñan City.  It is one of the thirteen (13) Jubilee Churches in the Province of Laguna.  It is a humble little church - a jewel in a very busy street dominated by the wet market of Brgy. Timbao.  When we arrived, a big group of parish devotees were praying together, and a number of visitors like ourselves were scattered in the various Stations.     

4.  Parish of the Risen Lord Church at the Town and Country Southville, Brgy. Santo Tomas in Biñan City.  It was a beautiful church with a lovely sanctuary.  It was filled with people when we arrived.  Big groups of devotees, some of them were wearing uniform shirts, flocked the Stations of the Cross at the foreground.  Inside the church, so many people were praying, it was impressive.

5.  St. Joseph The Worker Parish Church at the Olivarez Homes South Subdivision, also in Brgy. Santo Tomas in Biñan City.  This was a relatively small church, and it was quite hard to find but it was buzzing with devotees when we arrived.  That got us in a very good devotion mood.  

6.  San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church in Biñan City.  This is also one of 13 Jubilee Churches in the Province of Laguna.  It was a big church, which was obviously a well-supported by its parishioners.  There were so many volunteers helping and guiding the devotees and visitors, and they did it with such cheerfulness.  They have a big parking space, too, and parking was made easier by the volunteers. There was a big crowd of devotees that rushed in and out of the church that mimicked the busyness of the street outside.    

7.  Our Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine in Biñan City was a lovely church.  The architecture was superb, and all the stained windows where the Passion of Christ in Stations of the Cross were depicted were impressive. The small but beautifully made garden outside, especially at the entrance, felt very welcoming. The overall impression that one gets inside the church is that our Blessed Mother is, indeed, ready to offer solace and assistance in prayer and faith.  I think it was a perfect place to conclude our devotion... it added to having our hearts light and happy as we headed home.

We may have a new second home in a new place that, a few years ago, was unimaginable for us to consider as home at all.  Our Visita Iglesia experience has put all this into perspective... because the experience remains the same - beautiful as soulful.  It's like God reminding us that, wherever life may take us, for as long as God is at the Center of our lives, we shall thrive.  What is important is we remain obedient to God... always discerning and following His will with our best effort at all times. In the same way that our Lord was obedient to the Father even when His obedience led to Him dying on the Cross.  In the end, with His resurrection, joy is there to be had... just like, there is always joy to be had in this new journey of ours in this new place.  We did have a very good bonding moment as siblings as we go from one church to the next amid our new environment.  Thanks be to God!

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Image credit:  All the photos in the collage in this post belong to me.

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Sunday Contemplation #1: 'God's contented sigh'...

...through His creations.

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by PAM

First...

So, today, on the last Sunday of March 2025, I begin a new category in this blog: "Sunday Contemplation".  Actually, this is nothing new in this blog as I have posted many 'contemplative pieces' in the past such as this and this.  I have been realizing that, these days, most of my posts end up as a form of contemplation.  I guess it goes with age; as well as my current circumstance where I have the opportunity to enjoy solitude, which evokes contemplation.  More so the former, I do believe.  Age, I am beginning to discover, is a 'being' of its own.  The closer we get to 'old age', the voice of the being becomes louder... at times, deafening.  But when it is calm and serene, it does evoke contemplation and meaningful reflections... and life's deeper meaning emerges from the soul, acknowledged by the mind as logical and valid... and felt to the core of the heart in unison with the mind.  I believe that is called wisdom.  And this is my motivation in starting a new category in this blog today.        

So, here we go...     

It's like listening to God sighing with such contentment as the day comes to a close...

...through the leaves of the trees.

I find summertime at my new workplace and in my new second home so fascinating.  The trees have regained their crowning glory!  They are now covered with lush green leaves - so beautiful!  The Narra trees are particularly beautiful because of their cheerful yellow flowers, making a dramatic appearance in thick bunches.  In the afternoon, when the wind exceeds its usual mere 'whisper' all day, the yellow petals of the flowers give in to the coaxing of the wind and allow themselves to flow with the wind.  As the wind let them go, the petals drop gracefully to the ground to perch themselves on the tip of the grasses below, transforming the bed of grass into a sea of bright yellow petals - it's just beautiful.

The natural transformation around me these days inspires contemplation... making solitude all the more delectable and enjoyable.  That intangible dimension of mind and the soul are woven together in perfect harmony by the natural beauty around me, making imagination and wonder dance with such grace and power that it lifts the being to that unimaginable realm of beauty, making the intangible dimension so real and seem palpable.     

Uhm, no... there is nothing that anyone could ever say that can convince me that life in Metro-Manila is better than the life I am leading in this new place... even when challenges from the 'practical matters' of living abound.  People talk about living sustainably, 'going back to basics', and all that blah in Metro-Manila.  And yet, not so many of them can imagine leaving that stinky urban jungle, where every corner hides a secret... many of which are so dark, others so lurid - at the very least, so inconsistent with how God intended human beings to live.  

I close my eyes... and I let my ear be filled by the sound of God's sigh of contentment - through the leaves of the trees that seem to murmur gleefully with the gentle summer wind, and the birds and other insects - flying, leaping, crawling freely and, I imagine, happily.  And all the sights and sounds fill my heart with so much joy, peace of mind and, yes, merry contentment!  

Thanks for this opportunity to live this way... thanks be to God!

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Video credit:  The video featured in this entry is mine.  

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QOTD

 QOTD #31: On the journey of discovery, getting off track... and returning to one's true passion

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by PAM

"Who you are isn't finite.  You'll be different a year from now, ten minutes from now.  So, embrace who you are in this moment."

- Ronnie Sullivan (Brandon Quinn), 'Sweet Magnolias', S4:E7

Yes, I am one of them worriers in this world.  I sometimes am unable to stay in the moment... I will admit.  Okay, I just did... admit.  By the time people say, "ahhh", "hmmm," with eyes closed and face seemed to be illuminated by a glorious light from up above after taking that perfect bite from a delicious main course of a fabulous dinner, I would already be imagining the dessert... and all the very many possibilities... such as someone choking if the dessert was a rice cake of sorts.  My hyper imaginative mind will then race to far flung places such as 911 and someone being rushed to the Emergency Room due to some nasty tapioca pearl getting caught in someone's throat or something.  So, if someone would ask my opinion about the steak and whether or not it was cooked to my liking, I wouldn't know how to answer.  In fact, I hardly know what were served at dinner at all!  But when someone gasped for air... that's it, I would be on my phone dialing 911 - emergency, someone is choking!!         

As I binge-watched Season 4 of "Sweet Magnolias" to have my favorite young couple, Ty and Annie, keep me company as I work, work, work... into Valentine's Day, Annie's Dad, Ronnie, caught my attention as he set Annie's worried mind at ease.  The gorgeous, kind and naturaly talented budding artist, Annie, was stressing her brains out over College applications.  She was doubting herself whether this or that school would be a good fit for her as she wants to study photography... and what if she chose one school and then realized one day that photography was not her real passion?  What then?  She was imagining a thousand and one scenarios, and it drover her crazy.    

I can relate with Annie... not that I'm a 17-year-old girl deciding about college!  No, not that, of course!  I was fifteen (15) years old when I started college... and I just wanted to study!  I didn't have the crisis that Annie had.  My National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) Test (yes, we had that in the Philippines when I was in High School) score and qualitative analysis indicated that I can pursue anything... and I positively felt that way, too.  I chose chemical engineering in two universities where I took entrance examination, political science and journalism in another.  I passed in all... but I decided to study chemical engineering at the University of Santo Tomas (UST)... not that I knew what I was doing.  I let my faith work, and it led me to teaching chemical engineering in the same University later.  The rest is history as they say.    

These days, I am handling a relatively important assignment at work... and I remain interested and engaged.  However, as I also begin to 'slow down' in preparation for retirement, my original passions that I consciously set aside to give way to what was practical for me and my family decades ago are now 'bubbling back' towards the surface... and it's becoming more and more difficult to ignore. So, my passion for what I do at work started to dwindle a bit... until it's becoming quite impossible to ignore my real passion.  

Decades ago, it was easier to choose between what was practical and needed, and what I was (am) passionate about.  I chose 'practical and needed', hands down... because I love my family and I have always been committed to my family.  I never regretted my choice because, over the years, as I wholeheartedly fulfill my obligations, I discovered myself... and the many gifts that God gave me that enabled me to accomplish many things.  Everyday, I felt excited because of the hope to discover something new.  Without a doubt, who I am and who I can be is finite as only God is infinite.  But putting trust in God as I embarked to the journey of discovery, I felt that the hope in my heart - that is centered in God's love, made me believe that 'anything is possible'. Indeed, 'the possibility is endless' as they say... and if we worked hard, we can realize many of those possibilities. Sometimes, our choices cause us to stray away from the road that leads to the better version of ourselves.  This is when prayers lift the clouds in front of us, fortify our vision... and the road to happiness reveals itself in front of us.  The journey continues.  Perhaps, that's what Ronnie Sullivan meant when he said to Annie, "what you are isn't finite".  One moment, we are plunged in a sea of confusion, but with a small prayer and lots of faith, we are bathed in a light of clarity... a beautiful experience that only God's love can afford us. 

I can say that the journey of discovery has been awesome!  These days though, there are a few remaining reasons to stay practical... but the call to pursue passion gets louder and louder.  I feel that there is more to discover. And, to continue discovering... I have to change course.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

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Image credit:  The photo of Ty (Carson Rowland) and Annie (Anneliese Judge) is borrowed from Tudum by Netflix - thank you.

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Happy CHRISTmas!

Christ with us... Emmanuel.

Our King - the King of Kings - is born!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!!

Christmas is here!  The glitters, the twinkling lights, the colorful decor, the beautiful carols, and all the magical merriments... indeed, "it's the most wonderful time of the year"!  Good cheers fill the air, and there is much merrymaking all around.  It's that season when hearts open up to give and receive joy... sometimes in the form of gifts wrapped in colorful boxes and made so pretty by bows or sparkling little ornaments, or in the form of heartfelt wishes that seem to magically light up our world with much beautiful emotions that only the heart can define. 

But for our family, Christmas is always been about Him - Christ.  Christmas is all about Him... the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the greatest love that made it happen.  I feel fortunate that, over the years, God has used me as an instrument of giving love to our family on the day of His only Son's birth.  My nieces and nephews and their parents saw how Christmas became a tradition of a special day to express love, care, and familial affection.  Over the years, they have started building their own families, and it is wonderful to see them keep the tradition in their own families.  Most of them remember....

...and they come to visit on Christmas day to show their love, and it just absolutely warms the heart.  

This year is very special because it is our first time to celebrate Christmas day at our new 'second home' in a City about 45km south of our 'primary home'.  Of course, we spent Christmas Eve and had our Christmas Eve dinner in our primary home after attending Misa de Gallo.  We then traveled to our second home on Christmas morning where my siblings and our nieces and nephews came to celebrate Christmas with us.  It was only for a few hours of merrymaking as they have their own plans, too... but it was more than enough.  It was enough to make us feel how blessed we are... and how God's love is in everyone's heart in our family - happiness, indeed!  And we so love that little babe in that magical manger!

From our family to yours, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!  May God bless us all.   

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Image credit:  All photos in this entry belong to me. 

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Saturday Photo(s)

 

Yep, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"... well, at least in my second home it is only 'beginning' to look a lot like Christmas, 'cause it's been looking a lot like Christmas in most parts of the Philippines since after 'Undas' (All Saints Day and All Souls Day).  In most part of the country, it's been looking (and sounding) like Christmas since September!  

We love Christmas in this part of the world.  In fact, we did display our new little Nativity Scene

with a bunch of 'Christmassy' little things in our second home... also after Undas.  Well, what can I say, we are Filipinos to the core, especially when it comes to celebrating Christmas!  

We do believe that Christ is, indeed, the 'reason for the season'.  And so, what is more important is preparing ourselves to renew our being one with our Lord.  We prepare to accept the Baby Jesus in our homes, in our hearts and in our lives... and be renewed by the immeasurable love that is the very meaning of His birth.  Therefore, before we get lost in the twinkles of glittering Christmas lights and the razzle-dazzle of Christmas parties, we remind ourselves of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.  And, usually, the Nativity Scene is the most important 'physical reminder'.  So, in our family's practice, the nativity scene always comes first.  Along with it is the Christmas wreath with advent candles - a reminder of how the whole Christian world come together in prayer to prepare for the birth of Jesus.  All the rest of decorations come later.  And, anyway, it is so complicated to put up Christmas tree and hang Christmas lights and other decorations... and getting them down and storing them away is even more painful!  So, even if I did give in to 'national pressure' and put up Christmas tree and lights today, sometimes, I question myself about putting up Christmas decorations... well, aside from the nativity scene and Christmas wreath thats is.  We only have two kids in our huge family now who still appreciate sparkly Christmas decors (uhm, at least, for a few minutes... and then back to their gadgets).  All the rest are just a bunch of 'big kids'... who just want to sleep all day during Christmas break! 🙋😅

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Image credit:  All photos in this entry belong to me, and may not be used without permission. 

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Saturday photo(s)

The dramatic skies and the lush vegetation

in my 'second home' and in my 'other' new workplace.

These days, I am getting used to waking up in the morning with the view of the skies about to let go of of the gray colors of dawn in anticipation of the arrival of sunrise.  It's such a beautiful scene... that sometimes, I stay transfixed on my bed staring at the scene in the window by my bed with nothing but the sound of my own breath and the happy chirping of the birds - so serene... until the sun finally burst in the horizon, slowly makes its way to the sky, brightening and intensifying the hues of the colorful surroundings, slowly spreading its fingers on the green, green grass visible in the opposite window until the last drop of mist disappears into the thinning air.  I cannot help but be filled with awe... and, everytime, it makes me wonder what magnificent luck life is about to reveal to me in the horizon of the day that just began.  Such wonderment puts a spring on my strides... and I go about my day with such excitement amid the serenity around me. 

The sky as it welcomes the sun
at sunrise - viewed from my bed
through my window

The trip from my new (second) home to my workplace is about 6km but I am, usually, able to cover the distance in only 10 minutes or so, regardless of the time of day... usually, it just takes two BTS songs.  From my new workplace, I am getting used to switching off my work gadgets as the air gently sways outside, making the branches of the seemingly countless trees and thick bushes around the building sway rhythmically as the chirping of the birds heightens, and the sound of crickets slowly blend in.  I make my way out of the building where I work while the skies make play of its fast-changing colors... from blue to various shades of orange as the sun makes its way into the depth of the horizon... or red, if the skies are generous enough to promise a beautiful day by the next sunrise.

My new workplace will be the seat of the 'highest' of high-technology to be developed by Thomasian scientists and innovators in the future.  It will be a buzzling place for interdisciplinary research for my University with its partners and stakeholders.  As we have a highly comprehensive University, just thinking about the extent of interdisciplinarity of our research and innovation activities in the future graces my imagination with a bonfire of ideas - very exhilarating!  But, of course, I make effort to rein in the excitement lest I resort to 'counting the chicks before the eggs hatch'.  So, I continue to work hard and persevere with my awesome Team in transforming that vast space that we have into what the future needs.

One day... nature and technology shall come together in a beautiful harmony that attempts to sketch God's generosity and wisdom.  The attempt shall fail, of course, as God's generosity and wisdom are boundless, and our attempt is merely to narrowly estimate... but the attempt shall be our way of expressing gratitude... and commitment to keep trying as we make ourselves worthy of, one day, seeing God's kingdom where the true beautiful harmony can be experienced... and not just estimated.  

Until then, we dream, we persevere... and we bask in the beauty of the experience.

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Image credit:  All the photos in the collage above and the individual photos belong to me.  I took them all.