It must be the Christmas air, the ever-mutating virus, the hubbub about next year's election, the quotidian monotony, and all else personal that are making you feel burdened and demotivated to work today. But the good news is, you're not alone. Recently, I asked my writing community, Scribblory Writers Group, the used-to-be casual "how are... Continue Reading →
"Pa, what makes the sky blue?" I was looking up at it from the car window while we whizzed past the things underneath it. "Depth, like the ocean. Infinity," was Papa's answer. When Papa was a young farmhand, he would gaze with awe at the heavens while lying on the flat of a huge boulder... Continue Reading →
It's easy to define freedom when you're confined to the same four walls for more than a month. You think of freedom, and you think of opening the cage's door and soaring in the sky. You think of freedom, and you think of not being hindered to do what you want. Being free is easily... Continue Reading →
Writing, per se, is scary. Writing to be read is horrifying. Imagine that risk you put yourself in when you expose your choice of words, your thoughts, and a precious piece of yourself to - who knows how many - people. You throw a sentence or two onto their table and give them the permission... Continue Reading →
What does victory really mean? I don't know if you find that question typical. I mean, looking at your written and unwritten list of dreams, isn't this easy to answer? But one afternoon while I was watching the sky from our car, I felt like God asked me what victory means specifically to me. Since... Continue Reading →
My sister was chomping on mushroom balls for breakfast on the day of my surgery. My mouth that was dry minutes ago began to be filled with saliva. "Is it good?" I asked. "Yes," she chuckled, "Stop torturing yourself. You know you're not allowed to eat yet." "Right, 8 hours of fasting. Can't wait to... Continue Reading →
This story is about a little girl who drops by a music store every day, after school. She, at first, would feel shy to be there, since she knew she wasn't there to buy anything. She was there to look, merely look, for her money wasn't ample. The shop owner, however, accepted her amicably, perhaps,... Continue Reading →
The rain kept on pounding the roof, but the voice recorder went on. We continued the interview. This time, I asked Bro. Razi how their apostolate works. "Every time I talk to these kids, I think of how young they still are, yet they are already concerned of survival, of earning to live. Childhood was stolen... Continue Reading →
I ran fast when I was little. That feeling of freedom, of wind blowing against my face, and of that heat that spread in my body at each halt are still vivid to me. I remember how I wished I could never stop running despite the heat and sweat that made me uncomfortable. My legs,... Continue Reading →
I could feel pressure in my ears. Looking out, the airplane's wing stretched splinting every cloud into two. I could hear and feel the jet engine's whirring from my seat. It was nice to be literally above everything. Lately I was feeling so low, so unworthy to be for anything and have anything. I was... Continue Reading →
Elaine Marie Factor 