Inside Mae

 Paano ko nga ba sisimulan? Hmmm, looking back, hindi ko aakalain na kakayanin ko lahat. From the sleepless nights to the endless cuddles, and cries, and laughs, and tulala momets. Tlagang being a mom has been my wildest but most beautiful journey. It’s not always perfect, and definitely not easy, but seeing my bebebubu makes every struggle worth it. I may say, I am proudof how far I’ve come. Akala ko noon, alam ko na ang lahat. But being a mom taught me a different kind of strength and patience. I’m learning, growing, and failing sometimes , aand that’s okay. This is me, embracing the chaos and the joy of this lifelong role. This motherhood journey is a literal rollercoaster tlaga. There are days na pagod, but always, always full of love. Just a mom doing her best and enjoying every milestone of my baby Elle na pinanganak bilang spider girl. 😅 Kaya naman, to the moms who feel exhausted but keep going, to those who are still learning the ropes, and to those who pour everything for...

  What a beautyyyy-full-circle moment. Im feeling overflowing joy& gratitude! 🥹 This year’s Easter celebration will hold in my heart forever. To see my little one joins the  Angels  for the first time during the  Salubong  felt like watching a literal miracle unfold. At just two years old, there she was, so small yet so brave. My heart nearly burst when I heard her voice joining the song with the other angels. To hear her sing s “Reyna ng Langit"  and  "Regina Caeli"  with such sweetness and clarity… I honestly couldn’t hold back the tears. It’s one thing her dada Pawie teaches her these songs at home, but to see her lift her voice in celebration with everyone else was a "proud mama" moment beyond words. The most special part of the morning was tucked into the very stitches of her dress. Looking at her, I didn’t just see an angel, I saw a beautiful bridge between our past and our present. I spent time manually sewing, repurposing the very sam...

  Minsan, ang akala nating "hadlang" ay isa palang masusing paggabay. Noong bago ako mag-kolehiyo, isang araw bago ang entrance exam sa aking dream school, hinarangan ako ng takot ng aking mga magulang dahil sa layo ng biyahe. Masakit man noong una, tinanggap ko ito at nagtapos "with flying colors" dito lang sa Quezon City. Doon ko natutunan na  ang husay ay hindi nakadepende sa distansya ng paaralan, kundi sa tibay ng iyong determinasyon. Ngayon, muli akong hinamon ng isang bagong "redirection." Bagaman napatunayan ko ang aking kakayahan at nakapasok sa isa sa mga prestihiyosong Big Schools sa Metro Manila, kailangan ko itong bitawan. Hindi dahil sa kulang ako, kundi dahil mas kailangan ako ng aking anak at ng aking munting pamilya sa pagkakataong ito. Natutuhan ko na: •  Validated Skills, Noble Choices:  Ang pagkakatanggap sa akin sa isang malaking institusyon ay sapat nang patunay na mahusay ako sa aking larangan. Pero ang pagpili sa pamilya ay isang ma...

I’m still trying to process the fact that I officially finished my first 5KM at the RunasOnePH:Hope in Motion event.  Honestly? There were so many moments leading up to this where I genuinely thought I couldn't do it. I had all these doubts playing on loop in my head, telling me I wasn't a runner or that 5 kilometers was just too far for me. But standing there in UP Diliman, surrounded by everyone else, something shifted. The Academic Oval felt longer than usual, and there were parts of the run where my lungs were burning and I just wanted to stop and walk. But I kept pushing. I kept telling myself to just get to the next tree, the next corner, the next kilometer. When I finally saw the finish line, it wasn't just about the distance anymore. It was about the fact that I didn't give up on myself.  I proved my own doubts wrong. I went from thinking I couldn't make it to wearing a finisher’s medal. I’m tired and sore, but I’ve never felt more capable. I conquered 5KM, ...

  Iba talaga ang Panginoon kapag Siya na ang kumilos at nagbigay ng blessing. Minsan, nakaplano na ang lahat sa isip natin, alam na natin kung ano ang gusto nating mangyari at kung kailan natin ito inaasahan. Pero kapag ang Diyos na ang nagbukas ng pinto, doon natin mapagtatanto na  Sadyang higit pa sa sapat ang Kanyang ibinibigay. Sabi nga, "He provides not just what we want, but what we truly need." Minsan, humihingi tayo ng pira-piraso, pero ang ibinibigay Niya ay buo at umaapaw. Kapag ang Panginoon ang nagbigay, hindi ito huli at hindi rin ito maaga. Dumarating ito sa sandaling handa na ang ating puso na tanggapin at ingatan ang biyayang iyon. Ang blessing na galing sa mundo ay madalas may kalakip na pag-aalala, pero ang blessing mula sa Itaas ay nagbibigay ng katahimikan sa loob. Alam mong galing ito sa Kanya dahil hindi mo kailangang magmadali o mapagod nang husto para makuha ito. Higit sa materyal na bagay, ang bawat blessing ay isang paalala na nakikinig Siya, nakikit...

In the frantic pace of modern life, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by a chaotic juggling act—attempting to manage careers, relationships, personal aspirations, and anxieties all at once. We approach life like a puzzle where we try to force the pieces together, only to find that the edges never quite align.  By prioritizing our spiritual health, we gain the clarity to discern between what is essential and what is trivial. Relationships are nurtured with greater patience, work is approached with a sense of stewardship rather than desperate ambition, and our personal failures are met with grace rather than crushing despair. Just as a musical composition requires a steady rhythm to hold disparate notes together, a life requires a central principle to provide coherence. When we commit to placing God first, we are essentially inviting an organizing intelligence into our chaos. The pieces of our lives begin to fit together not because we have exerted enough force to make them stay, b...

  While it may seem like a simple sentiment, it carries a weight that spans the entirety of human experience, acting as both an anchor and a compass. To explore the depth of this goodness is to ecognize a benevolent presence that shapes our lives. His Grace is consistent. The goodness of the divine is often most visible in the "ordinary" miracles that we tend to overlook. It is found in the intricate design of the universe that sustains life. This isn't just a passive goodness; it is an active, sustaining force. When people say God is good, they are often acknowledging a sense of "grace"—the receiving of opportunity that feels far greater than what one could have earned on their own. It is the realization that there is a source of light that persists even when the world feels dim. Perhaps the most profound dimension of this goodness is that it does not disappear during hardship. In fact, for many, the goodness of God becomes most tangible in the "valleys...

  Most people view "freedom" as the ability to do whatever they want and whenever they want. But without discipline, that "freedom" usually turns into being a slave to our impulses. We often treat  discipline  like a dirty word. We associate it with rigid schedules, grueling workouts, and saying "no" to the things we enjoy. In our minds, discipline is the cage, and freedom is the wide-open field where we do whatever we feel like in the moment. But if we look closer, the opposite is true. The person who lacks the discipline to manage their finances is never free from debt. The person who lacks the discipline to care for their body is never free from lethargy.  True freedom isn't the absence of structure; it’s the result of it. We are all dual-natured. There is the  Future You , who wants to be successful and healthy, and the  Present You , who just wants to scroll through social media and eat a donut. Without discipline, the "Present You" alwa...

  Spending time with God daily acts as a spiritual recalibration. Throughout the day, we are bombarded by various influences—social media, professional demands, and personal anxieties—that can easily knock us off balance. Without a daily return to the source of our faith, it is easy to become reactionary, driven by fear or the need for validation. However, when we start or end our day in the presence of the divine, we are reminded of our inherent worth and our true purpose. This practice cultivates a spirit of gratitude and humility, shifting our focus from what we lack to the abundance of grace available to us. It provides a sanctuary where we can be completely honest about our struggles, laying down our burdens and receiving a renewed sense of hope.   The importance of talking to God every day manifests in the fruit it produces in our outward lives. By making God a daily priority, we don't just survive the day; we move through it with a divine intentionality that transf...