Love Changes

The first time you fall in love, it will be stomach-turning and you cannot explain or even comprehend what the hell you’re feeling. Everytime you’re with that person, you feel like your heart is going to leap out of your chest. You feel an infinite nervousness when he is near you; when he holds your hand, you feel like every source of electricity in the world is in that connection, that moment. When he kisses your cheek for the first time, you feel like nothing else in the world matters. You don’t know what’s going to happen, but you don’t care about the future because what matters most is the present and you think that nothing can ever go wrong. 

Until the universe hits you hard on the head, and suddenly, everything’s gone. You’re left with nothing but a broken heart, puffed eyes and wet pillows. You don’t know where to go from this point and all you wanna do is stay in bed and mope and think of every negative thing in the world. You will feel like you will never get over it, never feel better or even okay again.

But then, love will find you again. It would be like the first time, only this time, you’d look at it a little differently from the perspective of having your heart broken. You’re unsure whether to give your full trust to that person, you’re going to doubt and wonder if this will all be worth it but before you know it, you’ve already fallen deep into its pits once again. The butterflies would be there again, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world because who can say no to love? It’s amazing and wonderful in so many ways.

But once again, the universe decided you’re never meant to be with that someone. It will pull you apart and would leave you shattered on your bedroom floor, crying. But then again, you’d feel the difference. It doesn’t hurt as much as it did the first time and you’ll realize that heartbreaks get easier and bearable sometimes. You’ll finally accept that there’s no such thing as forever; that people come and go and most of all, you’ll realize that most of the time, people change and sometimes they turn out to be the very exact person they swore they’d never be.

Of course, after all the twist and turns, you will love again. And I tell you, it will be different. He doesn’t make you feel nervous; doesn’t make you half-guess what you’re feeling. He doesn’t catch you off guard nor sweep you off your feet. What he makes you feel instead is calmness. Your heart is at peace, you feel like everything is finally falling into place. He isn’t leading the way, but walking beside you. This time, you’re not asking him to fix every piece of you that has been broken in the past because he accepts you as you are, flaws and all, and you accept him just the same. This time, you’re working on this long stretch of a path together, hand in hand. And most of all, not only does the present matter, this time, the future matters too.

Finally, you are no longer loving recklessly, but purposefully.

Book Review: Habang Wala Pa Sila by Juan Miguel Severo

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Rating: ★★★★★
Read: April 2016

It took only a single video for me to like this guy. It was my first time to listen to Spoken Word Poetry and I was instantly convinced that this guy really has the talent! The way he spits each and every word made it go straight to my heart. The way he delivered and performed left me awestruck. There was just so much power and passion in his eyes and voice. So when I heard about his book, I felt all giddy and excited.

The book is mainly a collection of all his poems and reading it made me fall in love with him even more. I don’t know what it is that he has, but each and every poem cut deep in my heart in a way I, myself couldn’t even understand. He has the power to make his readers and listeners feel his pain.

Ending this review with my favorite line from one of his poems, Naniniwala Ako:

At patawad, wag ka sanang mairita pero gusto kitang makita, maniwala ka, dahil minsan nakakasawa na nasa isip lang kita.

Book Review: Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav

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Rating: ★★★★★
Read: March 2016

I’ve always loved reading poems and has always been amazed by how beautifully it is written. I remember being so frustrated when I was a kid because I was so eager to make my own piece but I never really had the best inspiration, so I haven’t really come up with anything until recently, when I found him, the greatest inspiration of all. Suddenly, I know what Michael Faudet meant when he said, “I write because you exist.”

I really don’t know what took me so long to read Love and Misadventure, aside from the fact that it’s way too expensive. I cannot wait to read her two other books. All in all, I really loved this one. There are so many feelings attached to each piece that made it so real.

Here’s my favorite:

 

“Before I fell
in love with words,
with setting skies
and singing birds—
it was you I fell
in love with first.”

 

March 28, 2016: Twenty Second

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I can’t believe that just like that, it’s already been 22 years. Looking back, it seems like it was only yesterday when I keep complaining about how school is stressing the shit out of me and now, it’s been almost two years since I graduated and I’m still finding myself and learning so many things about life and the ‘real’ world.

It just feels so crazy looking back at how long I’ve been roaming this world and what’s crazier is that I don’t feel that it’s been that long already. Twenty two years. Wow, I’ve been through a lot and I can’t imagine that somehow, I survived everything and I’m still about to face so much more. With that, I’ve compiled 22 things I’ve learned and here they are:

  1. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Your 20s is all about enjoying life, exploring and learning new things.
  2. Cut out toxic people in your life. If they keep trying to pull you down, you don’t need them.
  3. Invest in relationships worth investing. If these people support you and help you grow as a person, keep them and further nurture your relationship with them. Family, friends, colleagues, boyfriend/girlfriend.
  4. Always think positive.
  5. What others think of you isn’t important. It’s none of your business and it should not drag you down.
  6. Your failures doesn’t define you, what defines you is how you stood up and tried again.
  7. Never compare your experiences with others’.
  8. Pursue your passion. Always do what you think is best for you, if it doesn’t go as planned, who cares? The thing is, you tried.
  9. Never be terrified of taking a break from the rest of the world.
  10. You cannot please everyone. You will be criticized and judged in everything you do, just accept it and continue to do things that will make you and your loved ones happy.
  11. Let yourself be heard.
  12. Do not let the negativity of the world consume you.
  13. Always trust your instincts.
  14. Learn from your mistakes. There is no point in regretting what is already said and done.
  15. Always take a moment to stop and notice the little things that can make you happy.
  16. Stop thinking too much of the future and live in the ‘now’.
  17. If it makes you happy, do it.
  18. It’s never a bad thing to put yourself first.
  19. It’s never too late to start anew.
  20. When God closes a window, know that he is about to open a gate.
  21. No obstacle is ever too hard when you have faith in Him.
  22. The only constant thing in this world is change and all we have to do is accept all the changes and keep moving forward. We may usually not see it clearer at the moment, but rest assured, it’s all for the best.

There are really no words to describe how blessed and thankful I feel to be surrounded by awesome people. I cannot really pinpoint when and where it started, and how, but somehow, I woke up one day with a big smile on my face and realized that there are so many things to be thankful about. Truly, God always has a better plan for each and every downfall. I woke up one day and despite the stress, I know that I am happy and that this is all worth the wait and the struggle and the hurt. I finally understood, I finally know who and what I am waking up for. I may not have it all figured out yet, but I know that I will, soon.

You’re the moon that lights up the night sky. 
Beautiful, mysterious and so full of power.

You are a book that I’ll never get tired of reading.

You are the song that plays on my mind every now and then.
The song that my heart knows very well.

You are the Christmas day that I’ve been waiting all year to come;
so jolly and full of life.

You are a garden full of flowers that I can spend all afternoon just staring at.

You are the rainbow that awaits every storm.
A collision of colors so beautiful it gives hope.

You are an implosion of diamonds that sparkles in every corner of my life.

You are that one thing I have that resembles to every beautiful thing in the world.

You are a miracle; a touch of heaven on earth.
And I am so happy to be the one to have found you.

Book Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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RATING: ★ ★ ★ ★

White Hot Kiss is the first ever book written by JLA that I’ve read. It took me some time reading it because it’s really been a struggle reading these days, having work and all. But the book was absolutely an awesome read!

It’s about Layla, trying so much to fit in with the family she grew up with. They are Wardens, entitled to keep the world demon-free, but Layla is only half-Warden, and the other half? Yup, you guessed it, demon. And just when she thought her life couldn’t get any worse, it did. Suddenly, everything she ever believed in came crashing down and the only way to find the truth out is to be friends with a demon. A demon so handsome she couldn’t say no.

I liked how this book has just the right mixture of fantasy and romance in it. I found myself shipping for Layla and Roth rather than Layla and Zayne. I really still have no idea who she will end up with at the end of the third book but I hope it’s Roth. He’s done a lot of undevil things just for her and that, for me, is the true meaning of love.

“I lost myself the moment I found you.”

TBR of the Month

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These are the books that I’m hoping to finish this month.

As you all know, I’ve read the second book in the Mara Dyer series last November and I was hunting down the third book right after I finished reading it, but it always seemed out of stock, but just a few weeks ago, my officemate told me he saw it in a Fullybooked branch near their place in QC and yeah, I asked him to buy it for me. Finally, I’d be able to know the conclusion to Mara and Noah’s story! Meanwhile, I stumbled upon Kissing Ted Callahan and Other Boys yesterday and the cover was just so cute and I knew that I just had to have it!

There are so many things I’m looking forward to this month and I just can’t wait! Commissioner’s Cup will also start next week, so yeah, more basketball! Yay!

On Reading

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Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated whenever I see someone reading a book. It always seems to me that they shut the world out and they’re in a different dimension, but what really started this hobby was when our English teacher asked us to read Plagues and Federation: Diary of Kitty Barnes by Vashti Farrer for our book report and then I started reading Nicholas Sparks books and it was heavenly and after that, I never really knew how to leave the house without anything to read inside my bag anymore.

These days, I find it really hard to squeeze in some reading because I’ve been busy with a lot of things; Work, family, basketball and other stuff too. I was still able to finish reading one or two books a month during the past year but this year, so far, I suck at my reading challenge/status. I still haven’t finished anything since 2016 started and I’m really frustrated about it.

I’m currently stuck with White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout and it’s really going well and I don’t have a decent excuse about not being able to finish it other than I usually just end up sleeping when I get home from work. So, yeah. Boo me.

Book Review: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

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Photo not mine, credits to the owner.

Rating:  ★★★★☆
Read: December 2015

The whole Christmas vacation, I thought, would be the best time to finish a lot of the books that were sitting on my shelf for a very long time but, well, that didn’t happen. I only finished one book during that two-week vacation and it was Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour.

The first time I tried to read this book was last November and I didn’t get the chance to finish reading it because the first few chapters was a tad bit too sad for my life. I haven’t picked it up until last December when the Christmas vacation started and from then on, I knew that I had to finish reading it.

I can’t believe I went across different states of America while sitting on our patio. It was the greatest and sweetest road trips I’ve ever had. While reading the book, though, I always find Amy very… sad. I don’t blame her, though. She’s been through so much for a 17-year-old and though she sometimes frustrates me and makes me wanna shake her up and tell her that everything’s gonna be okay, I still understand that she actually has every right to feel and act that way.

Roger, on the other hand, was the sweetest thing I’ve ever fallen in love with. He was just the perfect guy for the loneliest girl in the whole of California. It was a very awkward trip for the two of them but along the way, they managed to learn so many things about each other and they’ve developed a really strong friendship. Roger has his own issues and I really, really love the way he dealt with all of them.

All in all, this book made me smile at the end. It may not have been the best ending for everyone, but I liked it. It just makes it more realistic.

“If you don’t feel great on the inside, just look great on the outside and after a while you won’t be able to tell the difference.”