Me, at 57, with my three grown-up boys ~ LOL

📍Ogetsu Hime, SM Aura, BGC

Life is good, despite it all, so I praise you, Lord! 

57. It's not a number that screams for celebration like 18, 30, or 50. But to me, it holds a quiet power. It's not just another birthday. It's a marker of everything I've lived, endured, created, let go of, and still dream about. 

Each year I've lived has shaped me. The working challenging years taught me resilience. The good ones taught me gratitude. The ordinary, unremarkable days taught me to appreciate the beauty of the everyday. Those kind words, quiet moments that often go unnoticed until you look back, you realize how much they meant. 

Aging isn't just getting older. It's about becoming more you.

There's something liberating about aging. The pressures that loomed large in youth or early adulthood, that is to prove, to impress, to conform, begin to fade. At 57, I no longer feel the need to apologize for who I am. I've learned what matters, and what doesn't. I've learned how to protect my peace, how to listen more, and how to let go of things that no longer serve me. 

Yes, there are changes in body, in energy, in how the world responds to me. But because seven years ago, I started taking charge of my health, I don't experience those body aches and slow movement others of my age feel. 

What I love most about being here is that there's clarity. A deepening self. At this stage, I don't chase time. I spend it more intentionally. 

I'm still excited about the future. I'm still curious. Still learning. Still open. My mom, who is 83 years old, is still excited about everything, so why shouldn't I be? LOL.

There are books I haven't read, places I haven't seen, people I haven't met. There are parts of myself I've yet to explore. Life doesn't stop offering newness just because we cross a certain age, we just have to keep saying "yes" to it. 

If you're younger than me, don't fear getting older. There's peace on this side of the hill, if you're willing to do the inner work. 

If you're around my age or older, let's keep going. Let's keep evolving. Let's keep living intentionally, not just counting the years, but making the years count. 

In my case, especially, my boys are all grown up. The older one is already working and carving his own life. The younger one, about to finish university, yet rearing to go independent. My husband and I are back to us. I'm surprised how fun this phase can also be.  

Here's to 57. 

Not an end. Not even a peak. 

Just another beginning, from a higher vantage point. 

#birthday #lifecycle #purposefulliving

Ⓒ 08 October 2025

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Not because of the day itself, but because of what it meant.

The end of freedom,

The return to routine,

The tightening of a collar I couldn't see but always felt. 

Sunday nights became a countdown.

Not to something exciting.

But to something draining.

Emails, meetings, obligations.

All stacked like weights before I'd even opened my eyes.

I used to dread Mondays because they reminded me that I was living for the weekend. 

Chasing 48 hours of life in a 168-hour week. But dread is a signal.     

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Cheers to full lives and simple joys!

There's something timeless and comforting about the phrase, "May your glass be never empty." 

It's more than a toast, it's a quiet wish. A hope that your life is full of laughter, good company, and the kind of simple joys that don't always make headlines but make all the difference. 

In a world where we're always chasing something. It could be deadlines, dreams, or even just the weekend. So that we often forget to stop and notice the fullness we already have. A conversation that runs deep. A quiet morning coffee. A long walk that clears your head. A dinner table surrounded by people who really see you. 

It's also saying:

May you always have enough, and know it when you do.

May love and laughter find their way to your table.

May you never run dry of stories, wonder, or warmth. 

It's a reminder that fullness isn't always about having more. Sometimes, it's about noticing what's already there. 

So here's to you. May your glass be filled with whatever you need most right now: peace, purpose, connection, joy. And may you always have someone to raise that glass with. 

Ⓒ 6 September 2025

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I am learning a lot about Australian lamb. Aussie lamb is all-natural, grass-fed, and pasture-raised. In Australia, consumption of it is 30 kg per person. Whoa! The "Aussie Lamb" brand is actually a popular export product with various cuts and product lines available in many countries, including the Philippines.

If you are craving an Aussie lamb dish that will satisfy your palate, head on to Bondi&Bourke and enjoy the lamb dishes of award-winning Chef Wade Watson. 

And so one fine afternoon, I had the privilege to meet Chef Wade and taste his delicious Aussie lamb dishes. 

Ⓒ 30 August 2025

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My father worked for the government. He started as a junior architect and went on to become head of city planning and zoning. Growing up, I saw him signing papers and approving establishments to open in proper locations, and subdivisions to start selling lots. 

Every occasion, Christmas especially, we would have lots of gifts from different personalities. Truckloads of stuff would arrive at our doorstep. There were even envelopes with tads of bills inside. I remember vividly one turbaned man came to the house with a brand new car to give to my father. He wanted to have his vulcanizing business to be located along a creek/canal. Father said he couldn't approve it because the location he wanted was a waterway. If a structure were built on that spot, it could cause flooding. The turbaned man turned away, angry maybe. We were then scared of the repercussions. Thankfully, nothing happened to us. Later on, the turbaned man built his store in a proper location, and he actually became a good friend of my father, of our family. He would always tell his friends, and us, that he had high respect for my father.

Always, my father would turn gifts/tokens away, angry and berating the messenger. That was when I knew his post came with some power. 

If he were vulnerable, we would have a parcel of land in every subdivision in the city; we would have a bigger house. He could have built a two-story house because he had some shares of inheritance from his parents, but I overheard him telling my mother, "What will the people say? How can a humble government employee build a big house?" So, there was no special treatment. We purchased our lot, and we borrowed money for our house from DBP. We could have lived a life of luxury. 

Throughout his government service, we were in fact incognito. Many didn't know who his family was. We were never brought to the city hall for events/parties. I think only his staff knew of us. Ha ha! I think he was the only city official who didn't have a going-away party when he retired. He didn't like to have one. He was cleared from service faster than usual because he had a clean record. Such an admirable man, my father was! 

They only knew my father had a daughter when I had an encounter with a city doctor. I joined the DayangDayang Jaycees then, and I chaired the bedecking of the Tartanilla (horse carriage) project. I couldn't remember now the exact reason why I had that issue with the doctor, but when he knew of my surname and associated it with my father, he said, "Gil has a daughter? Your father and I are very good friends!" Ha ha, that solved the issue right away! 

  

I recall all this now, because of what has been uncovered in these flood-control projects. They call this sharing SOP, and believe me, it has been happening ever since I can remember. Gifts or tokens can simply appear on your table or doorstep without you knowing where they came from. 

I am glad that finally, it's all out in the open--though it has been an open secret--and a group is really pursuing it. I hope someone gets accountable. Because in the midst of these temptations, you can refuse. My father was able to because, as he would tell us often, he didn't want to feed his family with money from questionable sources. 

You can do it, too!   

Ⓒ 28 August 2025

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MommyMundo brings you this Mama Market Roadshow happening this weekend. First stop is in Eastwood Mall from 10:00 in the morning to 10:00 in the evening. 

The roadshow will provide mom entrepreneurs a venue to be discovered, to promote, and sell, as well as to meet and talk to customers and fellow like-minded mamas, and grow their businesses in a supportive environment.  

Come, drop by, and support a mompreneur! 

Ⓒ 15 August 2025

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We often hear about the importance of living a "reflective life." It's praised as a sign of wisdom, maturity, and depth. 

But what does it actually mean to live reflectively, and when does that kind of life begin? 

The answer isn't fixed. A reflective life doesn't begin on a calendar date or at a certain age. It begins with awareness. It starts when we shift from simply moving through life to questioning it. When we begin to ask not just what is happening, but why, how, and what does this mean for me?

So, when does it begin?

There's no universal answer. For some, it starts young. For others, it arrives much later, after years of simply going through the motions. But here's the thing: it can begin anytime. A reflective life is not something you stumble into. It's something you choose. And you can choose it today. 

Reflection isn't about having all the answers. It's about becoming someone willing to ask the questions and live honestly in the process of exploring them. Maybe that's where it really begins. 

Ⓒ 11 August 2025

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Ⓒ 08 August 2025

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Anything related to music makes me feel alive! 

I remember when I played the piano for hours, my father would say, "Trouble in paradise?" Ha ha! He knew me well because, yes, I play the piano or guitar/ukulele or sing or listen to music when I feel troubled. 

But dancing is different. When I dance, I am happy. 

Dancing for me isn't just an activity. It's a feeling, a form of expression. It gives me permission to feel joy, celebration, and, in rare cases, pain and frustration. 

I love to dance because it lets me feel. It connects me. It frees me. It reminds me that I am alive. 

Ⓒ 06 August 2025

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