Where do we draw our strength? As I reflect on the start of my journey as a father, I ponder: is strength something that we summon from deep within, or is it something that is given to us? Maybe the answer is both: strength is when we harmonize our skills and energy with the needs […]
The days are long but the years are short It’s fascinating how slow things move when in the moment. But when we begin to look back, it’s as if the moments have moved in such a hurry. If we’re not careful, the moments we cherish will only become a blur; we need to be present […]
I love you 3000 It only has been five days since Franco’s birthday, but it feels like there have been countless – infinite – moments already. The ordinary does not feel mundane anymore, because caring for a very young child provides infinite opportunities to test one’s patience, stamina, and temperament. All these moments are not […]
Of adventures, treasures, and clichés Franco seems to like stretching his arms after we remove his swaddle. He’s so animated when he stretches! His movements reminded me of a game I used to play when I was around 3 years old when I’m alone and bored. I would imagine a fantasy world while lying in […]
Every moment led to you While waiting for Franco’s birthday, my wife and I heard so many wonderful stories and sentiments from our friends. “My child became the center of my world.” “I lost a lot of sleep, but it was all worth it.” “I’d die for my son.” When we heard these kinds of […]
When I held him in my arms for the first time It was a brief moment of rest in between family visitors and nurses and doctors doing their rounds. After the hustle of logistics, a certain kind of peace descended unto our hospital room. I finally got my alone time with my son. Him, in […]
Kung puso namin ay imamapa, ikaw ang dulo, gitna, at simula Dear Franco, Thank you for letting your mom and I feel what it means to love you before you existed, to love you as you are born now, and to love the person you’ll grow into! Happy birthday Francis Emmanuel! 🙂 Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46. […]
Attention is a small price to pay that we must never take for granted The digital arena is a war about something that we may be taking for granted but is increasingly becoming more valuable: our attention. “Paying attention” is such an apt phrase, because the structures that surround us compete for our attention. In […]
We should gain insight into what we wish for It feels safe to hide behind buzzwords as if using popular terms and concepts that sound good absolve us from the needed work to manifest our dreams and wishes. When we pray for something or declare that we want to attain a particular goal, we should […]
Insights, even from the inauthentic, can still lead to good When a virtuous insight is shared by a hypocrite or an evil person, it can be challenging to reconcile the message with the messenger. It is important to recognize that the messenger may not always be an embodiment of the message they are sharing. Despite […]