Category: Dear Diary

Relax

Tina 5 Comments

Also known as: On relaxing. And…chilling out

I have a problem with my mind sometimes: it runs too fast.

This is me. Sometimes. Many times. Image from we heart it

I wonder if it’s possible to invent something that could turn off certain parts of the brain the moment it starts to over think. I swear I’ll be the first one to get that.

* * *

Sometime two weeks ago I had a legit asthma attack because of stress. It wasn’t even the kind of work-related stress, which was a good and lovely and valid reason if you ask me. It was something a lot more…shallow. And really unnecessary because I brought the stress upon myself, and when things finally cleared later on, it was all for nothing.

I was so annoyed at myself then. I hated how the moment I saw that cause of stress, my mind went a mile a minute, leaving me scrambling behind and unable to catch it. I went from Point A to Point…I don’t know, S? in a matter of seconds. And what I thought, I cannot un-think. It was just so annoying because I just totally stressed myself out.

It sucks.

And with that stress, comes some kind of fear. The one that stops me cold, and just made me wish that I could burrow somewhere and hide, because I don’t think I can handle it if my fears were true, and I wasn’t even sure what exactly I was afraid of. No wonder I got an asthma attack.

With that, my friends usually tell me one thing:

Relax.

Of course…it takes me a while to do that.

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¡Feliz aniversario!

Tina 1 Comment

Also known as: Seriously, I don’t need to put this line, really.

I have several posts lined up for posting/writing in this blog, but all of them would have to wait because this is more important! :)

This day one year ago, I went to Europe to join World Youth Day in Madrid.

YFC/SFC WYD 2011 Team
Our only complete group photo, with Kuya Marlon. :) Hola, YFC/SFC WYD 2011 Team! :) (Photo credit: Sol)

Sometimes I still can’t believe that I can actually say/write that. Sometimes, it still feels like a dream.

But the rest of the time, whenever I remember the 16 days I spent traipsing around Europe, seeing the Pope, participating in World Youth Day events, meeting new friends and people I will keep for life, I smile and remember this line I wrote in my blog post that summed up my Europe series:

I am loved by a God who delights in making dreams come true.

How awesomely amazing is that?

Last year, I didn’t know how much this trip would change me, how much it would teach me of the grandness of God’s love. Interestingly, remembering all of it now is helping me face the things that I am facing right now. It’s funny how the answers to some of the questions you ask are the things you’ve already known for a long time.  Let me repeat it once again (more for me, really):

I am loved by a God who
delights in making dreams come true.

If you’re my Twitter friend or my Facebook friend, please excuse me if I tweet/post about Europe memories because…well, it’s fun. And I really, really do miss Europe, and everyone I met there. And if you want to go down memory lane with me, here are the posts!

I think I understand now how some people keep on joining WYD every time it happens: it’s expensive and tiring and crazy but being there changes you. There’s really just something about it that makes it such an exciting event to save for, sacrifice for and experience. So you bet that I am starting to pray and save for WYD 2013. :) By God’s grace, see you next year Rio de Janeiro!

If you were also in Madrid for last year’s World Youth Day, then let me extend my greeting to you: ¡Feliz aniversario! :)

50 Shades of Brave

Tina 5 Comments

Also known as: Pondering bravery

Yes, the title of this post is a corny play on the title of a book I will never read. But it sounded fitting for this entry, so let me use it.

Yesterday, some friends and I watched Disney and Pixar’s latest animated movie, Brave. I’ve been wanting to watch the movie for the longest time now since I’m pretty much a an of anything Pixar. I really liked the movie — it was a bit different from the other Pixar movies I’ve watched, but I enjoyed it a lot for the accent and the kick-ass lead girl (love her hair!) and the jokes. The movie tugged at the heartstrings too, as expected…but (unfortunately?) not in a way I expected it when I went in the cinema.

I hope this isn’t spoilery, but I guess I was kind of looking for a different kind of brave in the movie. You know, courage. The things that make us tough, the things that helps us face our fear. In Filipino, tapang. Those things.

And now that that got me thinking: what exactly constitutes bravery?

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