Lost Innocence
Although I love the person that I've become, I can't deny that there are certain aspects of myself that I wish I could revert back to, particularly in relation to my spiritual life. Sometimes I wish I could go back ...
This New Year, Dare to Dream Big
"Dreaming" hasn't always come easily for me. I've always admired my brother's naturally confident disposition, his believing mindset, and his ability to dream with ease. I don't know if it's a mixture of my temperament and life experiences, but I've always approached life with significantly more caution, somewhat afraid to dream big out of fear ...
Life Lessons from Latin Dancing
It's only been one month since I started taking Latin partner dance classes (like salsa, bachata, and Brazilian zouk), and I'm surprised by how restorative it's been for me. At first I thought I was simply learning something new—taking up a hobby to sneak in some physical activity after work—but it ended up being so ...
To Love is to Be Vulnerable
I've never been an open book. I've always been guarded, never wearing my heart on my sleeve, "opaque" rather than "transparent," and fairly difficult to read (at least that's what I've been told). Yet despite being reserved, I still believe that allowing myself to be vulnerable and to share my life with others (even if it's just a few ...
Is Complacency Masquerading as Productivity?
"When you waste time, you disdain God's gift - the present - which He, in His infinite goodness, relinquishes to your love and to your generosity." - St. Padre Pio Have you ever spent consecutive weeks jumping from party to party, movie after movie, or going out every night - only to come home feeling oddly ...
More than My Mental Illness
If you have known me personally (or have been reading my blog), you'd probably know that I live with mental health challenges. Since I was very young, I've always been a neurotic and anxious child. It hasn't left me in adulthood. I suppose I am what most people would call "high-functioning": I experience seasons of depression and ...
With Every Broken Bone, I Swear I Lived
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to catch up with a friend and fill each other in on the past two years of our lives. Before then, I'd been so busy plowing through the days that I hadn't realized how far I'd come. It was only after hearing the stories that were coming out ...
Not Feeling the Christmas Spirit? Try this.
Most of us don't want to be downers during Christmastime, but sometimes we can't help it. Work deadlines get in the way. Final exams stress us out. Malls get insanely crowded and Christmas parties feel like a chore. Sometimes we lose touch with friends and can't help but feel their vacancy. Other times we experience spiritual dryness and feel abandoned by ...
World Youth Day 2016: Rediscovering My Calling in the City of Saints
Somewhere along the way, I had lost my “youthful vitality” much too soon. The zeal and energy I once carried was replaced with heavy disillusionment, confusion about the future, and even more confusion about my present occupations.
The Truth About Healing
Well, I suppose it's safe to say that I've done what most people can't do. I let go, when most people would latch on. I leaped and I did, in fact, fall. I let go and I did, in fact, lose. I consented to having my heart broken, knowing full well what I was getting myself ...
Celine Diaz: Real Talk 