Every so often, a spark of goodness crosses our path.
A quiet kindness that asks for nothing in return. Now and then, a gentle tenderness is given, wrapped in trust, without hesitation or demand, leaving you vulnerable in a way that reminds you—you are special.
Hold onto this, for once it slips past, it won’t return.
Goodness offered, kindness shared—but forever is fleeting.
Cherish it, even as it slips away.
Yes, I’ve arrived at that phase of life. My knees? Oh, they’ve made a dramatic exit, thanks to arthritis. The cartilage in both knees is gone, which means my favorite activities have vanished too—goodbye, running and yoga! And let me tell you, that goodbye hurt more than my joints.
Meanwhile, my hormones are acting like a fireworks display, constantly going off without warning. This means I can go from weeping over a commercial to snapping at someone for breathing wrong—all in the same hour. And let’s not even get started on the sugar cravings, courtesy of glucose levels playing hopscotch every day. My belly fat? It’s taken on a life of its own, and I swear it’s plotting something.
Here comes the vicious cycle: “I can’t exercise because my joints hurt, which means I gain weight, which makes my joints hurt even more.” Exhausting, right? Well, one day I decided: Enough. There has to be more to menopause than this chaos. I wanted the 51-year-old version of me to be healthier, stronger, and maybe even a little fiercer.
So, what did I do? I became a cougar 浪. Enter: the most handsome coach in the world. Picture this: piercing blue eyes, full of concern (or maybe just mild amusement). Our first conversation went something like this:
Coach (gazing at me, probably wondering if I’m serious): “What do you want to happen with your body?”
Me: “Uhm, well, I don’t want to be Barbie… but I’d love to be fit, wrangle this midline before it gives me a cardiac arrest, and be able to jog at 70.”
Now, my coach doesn’t mess around. He pushes me to break my limits but always respects my limitations. He doesn’t care that I’m 51. “The body follows where the mind leads,” he says, which sounds so inspiring until you’re gasping for air after 20 squats.
So here I am, a month in, lifting weights—30 kg, 6 sets of 3 reps, deadlifts, and squats. My knees are getting stronger, and I can almost hear them whispering, “Thank you.” My coach, still the ruthless gentleman, has slowly reintroduced the treadmill into my life, though I keep begging him to let me run on real terrain. His answer: “Soon. Not yet. Patience.”
Menopause and aging may throw curveballs, but they don’t have to steal the things we love. Two months from now, I’ll be back to my morning yoga or jogging short distances—mark my words.
This is healing. I love me, and that means I’m going to take care of me.
You belong to the universe,
Your rhythm is the whisper of the wind—
You are a wild flower.
You move to your own melody,
Singing your own song,
You are a wild flower.
You belong to no one,
But to yourself.
The universe is your playground.
You are a wild flower—
Tough yet delicate, kind and loving.
Live, blossom, and let your movements lead the music of life.
Be a proud Wild flower
❤️
There was once a friendship I knew—sweet, innocent, and pure. A friend who would spoil me by sharing even the little he had. He was a brother, a confidant, and my protector.
We grew up, life led us down different paths, and though we tried to stay connected, somewhere along the way, we lost touch.
There is a friendship I deeply miss, a friend I still long for. I remember how he would give so freely, even when he had so little.
I wish I could be that same, clingy, little sister-friend who would let him break through my walls again. I wish I could…
Not so long ago, I encountered Love—beautiful, sweet, and naïve. I wanted to embrace Love, but I hesitated, afraid of its fragility, its tenderness.
Years have passed, and once again, we find ourselves at a crossroads. My heart quickens, skipping a beat or two. Love looks different now, more mature, with stories etched in the lines of its face, stories of the Love we once knew.We tried to hold on, but Love had its own path to follow, new priorities to set.
Love is now here and there, sometimes lingering at the edge of a memory, smiling softly. Love is the wet lick of a furry friend on your cheek, a fleeting warmth that catches you by surprise. It’s the sun, the wind, and sometimes, the storm that rages within.
Love never truly ends; it simply changes, evolves, finding new ways to touch our lives.
When I was younger, I always envisioned an angel as having long blonde hair, wearing a white dress, and possessing fluffy wings. She had a beautiful smile that could lighten any load.
But as I grew older, I realized that angels come in many forms—short, tall, Black, white, men, women, or anything in between.
An angel is more than just a celestial being; it’s a metaphor for a blessing, a symbol of hope, and a source of light that can make you smile when life feels hard to define.
We are all angels in our own way.
As my favorite author once said, “We are like angels with one wing; we need each other to be able to fly.”
So, choose to be an angel in someone’s life today.
Walk in solitude,
Embrace the silence,
Breathe in the peace.
As long as you have YOU,
Everything will be okay.
Embark on the journey with a heart full of faith.
Embark on the adventure with excitement tingling to the very core of your soul.
Walk, discover, and be excited.
Life is an adventure to be explored!
Every journey has an end
Every Sunrise have a sunset.
I will treasure all the moments that has been wrapped with laughters and silly stories .
I keep the love that holds in my heart .
It was fine walking with you side by side hand in hand .
My path is here . An end for a new beginning
I will always hold you close in myheart
Thank you
In the journey that we partake we will always meet a soul that shines like a diamond in darkness of the night .
I have met ms Maruja early this year. She is the founder of Butuanon Choice award , one of the “it” event both on social media and for Butuan itself.
Butuanon Choice Award
As a starting non governmental organization, we aim to have a platform that could make our voice for our advocacy a little bit louder . Butuanon choice is one of those platform
I have shameless chased for this award , for this nomination just because I believe that this could shed light on the programs that the MOONWALKERS 1989 incorportated stands for .
In the process of this all ,I met ms. MAruja. A person with a beautiful face and a very humble heart .
Maruja
It all started with a short messenger call we chatted she expresses her points on how to become a nominee and more so to become an awardee ..
I should say it was love at the first call…we started sharing thoughts and passion for our beloved Butuan .
Ms. Maruja is an icon of her own right she have motivated the younger generations by recognizing their potentials .
She is more than just her name, for she carry her heart with kindness towards her family , friends and to those people that needed to be seen .
Butuan is lucky to have her .
Awardee
We, together with the MOONWALKERS 1989 incorporated eventually got the award . But in my heart I am awarded more than just a trophy.
The universe gave me a friendship , She showed me a beautiful being witha heart full of kindness
The universe showed me the soul of Ms. Maruja Maestrado …
There are moments that we keep close in our hearts . Moments that sparks of joy to our souls and bring a smile to our lips . ..
These moments are not huge they are just pulses of life that we sometimes take for granted . A warm hug , a cake and good company.
Cherish ,them took a portrait of that moment.
Portraits are the mirror of us in the eyes of those who loves us and despise us .
Portraits reflects a moment in time. It brings us back to a nostalgic road of joy and at times path of lessons that have been resulted from broken relationships.
Broken relationships are not necessarily be a bad thing or a bad experience … it is a journey of growth and self development as we better ourselves.We change and we grow apart.
I am thankful for the lessons for those who broke me ..For it is to them that I grow .. It’s with them that I become a better version of meyself.
As I walk in this path of cherished moments ,I will always take portraits of special moments.
jee426 