I post more on IG but I post about just once a week over there too usually when something significant happens. My last post was about “Ang Huling El Bimbo” which I loved! (Go watch it!! Support local arts!) 

Before that was Noah’s last assessment with his developmental pedia. Noah’s doing well, he’s in school and is thriving. David’s a well-adjusted grade 4.

“Too blessed to be stressed” –  that’s a bumper sticker cliche if I’d ever seen one hehe. But yes I am hyper busy with work but I am still here and  maybe someday I’ll post more but today, I just wanted to drop by, say hello and hope you guys are safe, dry and doing great.

See you soon!

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Disclaimer: I found this in my draft folder. Probably drafter after a stressful work day in one of my former jobs. I always believed in kindness especially when things don’t go your way. I value people who choose this whether consciously or subconsciously. Reading this post, I can still remember how I felt and how I had to comfort a teammate. Last time I heard that person has not changed at all. Oh well, may the odds still be in his favor

Today is a Friday. Towards the end of today I witnessed again how a stressful situation can turn people into curt, judgmental beings. It takes grace and conscious effort to choose kindness because I think it’s very easy to give in to one’s “id”. I have had my deal of a**holes and they always turn up amidst challenging scenarios. I now know better though and I have warned my teammates about this person’s behavior, one of whom was at the receiving end of this person’s unfounded berating rant.

As if I don’t have enough stress with work, I now have to deal with a toxic and duplicitous person.

But dear Lord, always grant me the strength to choose kindness. As in, I will be kind enough to report him to my boss and our HR. Heh.

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If I’m not working Saturdays, I spend the weekends cleaning up and spending time with Dan and the kids. Two weekends ago, while cleaning up a cabinet that was stuffed with documents, I found file folders of Noah’s admission and discharge procedures. There was a time that we were admitted every quarter for pneumonia. Thankfully those episodes have lessened as Noah grew older. As his files grew thinner, I felt gratitude for a little boy who has grown healthier.

I saw David’s certificates from pre-school and his art projects. He attended a neighborhood progressive pre-school when he was 2 1/2. He sang the whole Bahay Kubo for the directress and breezed through his teacher evaluations. David has always been very easy with school. I filed his folders away, thankful for our precocious kuya.

I wasn’t expecting to see a small brown envelope from the Ayala foundation. I opened it and how I reacted took me by surprise.

Tears welled up and I just cried. My whole body shook. Dan got concerned.

Three years ago, I enrolled in Jessica Zafra’s writing workshop. It was a big leap of faith for me. I have always loved writing and Ms. Zafra is one of my literary idols. To attend her workshop is building on my dream of someday becoming a published writer.

I developed a short story based on David’s Star Wars day dreams. Noah was his padawan and they went on adventures together in our living room.

Ms. Zafra encouraged me to develop the story and to find an illustrator too. She even suggested that I submit it to the Palanca Awards.

I have to admit that I got drunk on those comments. I promised myself that I would push on and get this story off the ground.

3 years later, all I have to show is the story with Ms. Zafra’s comments and the certificate.

It hurt that I had to shelve this little dream of mine. It hurt that 3 years has passed and the rigors of daily life have buried my little short story.

Maybe, someday I can work on this again.

I wish that someday would come soon.

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