It was a lovely day for a cruise at Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. We arrived a little early for the boat ride, so my hubby and I walked around the waterfront and reveled in the beauty that surrounds us.
The Spirit of Ethan Allen started boarding, we were welcomed by a friendly crew who gave us directions to our table. Music was playing, champagne glasses were clinking, the buffet was waiting!
The food was delicious! My favorites were the Vermont Maple Sausage and the Brunch Potato Gratin (sliced potatoes baked with cheddar, smoked gouda and Vermont cream). We were torn between getting more food or taking photos of the lake. The boat will only cruise for 90 minutes, and we already spent half the time eating. So, we decided to have one more dessert before we headed to the upper deck.
I felt the cold wind on my face when I got into the open-air deck. I was glad that we bundled up for this fall weather. We were able to stay outside and enjoy the view of Lake Champlain – nestled between the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont.
It was a smooth and relaxing ride. The cruise is definitely a “must-do” for anyone visiting Burlington, Vermont for the first time. It’s a fabulous way to learn a bit about its history, drink a glass of champagne, chill, and enjoy being out on the beautiful lake.
My hubby and I had a wonderful time aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen. For more info about the various cruises at Lake Champlain, click here.
Most girls dream of being Supergirl in their childhood.I was one of them. I always wanted to ward off evil and save the world from villains. I always believed in defending the downtrodden. I always saw myself as someone with a “mission” of bringing goodness everywhere I went.
And
as I grew up, my fantasy was somehow realized. In
its own simple, limited fashion. I sowed seeds of kindness and joy among my
family, relatives, friends, schoolmates, and people I practically met. And lo
and behold, I did reap a lot of amazing goodness and happiness along the way.
When I entered the corporate arena, that’s when I was blown away with the gift and honor of sowing more positive seeds on a larger scale. Contributing to the continuous training and development of various employees from various organizations fueled my passion to spread inspiration even further.
This was
my happy story for decades until I was struck down with Kyrptonite in 2018. When
I was diagnosed with IgANephropathy, my world was shaken. I was challenged physically
more than anything. And although I normally choose my automatic pilot response
of joy at any given moment, I am no Supergirl. I am human. Completely human.
2018
was a most challenge-filled year for me. I had days of sadness, wondering
if I could ever go back to the Training Room and inspire my VIP training participants.
You see, since I was undergoing treatment and calibrations were done on the
overall medical strategy, I was advised to “take a break” from work. Funny,
that can seem like paradise to some, but that was not the case for me. I
yearned deeply to do what I do with such passion and fervor. I wanted to
continue conducting corporate training workshops. I wanted so much to help increase
knowledge, build skills, and empower lives. I wanted to INSPIRE. After all, that
is what I have always wanted to do my whole life. INSPIRE.
During
that most unsettling standstill in my life, my entire family embraced me and
loved me unlike any other. No words would even ever do justice to articulate
their unending love and support.
And
so, I was indescribably strong in spirit while I was weakening physically then.
As I was
initially groping towards some explanation of what was happening and as I was
feeling my way through that unexpected dark moment, I had eons to actually stop
and reflect.
Life
knew that it was time for me to take a “breather” and receive inspiration from
others this time around. So, I adjusted my heart and head since I’ve been so
used to giving. This time, I had to make myself more comfortable at receiving.
The
moment that my heart and head had aligned to the new “situation”, I began
experiencing daily miracles of love. They are too many to recount.
I
would like to focus the spotlight on one miracle that stood out.
In 2018,
no Kryptonite could stand this powerful miracle of LOVE.
I had been supremely blessed with a Superwoman. She herself went though her own enormous medical challenges. She had her own share of “unwanted surprises”. She fought her way through medical procedures with a lot of kick-ass strength and Never-Give-Up attitude. She exuded such bravery that would make Generals cower in shame. She went through the battlefield and came out victorious.
So,
every word she said was gold to me. She dedicated hours to sharing her views,
based on her powerful experience and even more powerful love. She balanced her support
with pragmatic insights. She made me feel that what I was going through was
definitely nothing I couldn’t handle. She emboldened me to fight the good fight
of FAITH. She woke up the Warrior in me. She made me realize how truly strong I
am inside.
And to this very day, I have such love, ONLY LOVE, for this amazingly inspiring Superwoman. My beloved Auntie Donna Ilaya.
How To Maintain Balance In Your Life While At University
University is one of those things where if you let it, it can really consume all your time. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of only focusing on work and putting all the other important things in your life on the back burner. However, this is not exactly healthy because you need to have balance in your life because if you don’t have balance it’s easy to get exhausted, suffer from mental health problems and even physical problems. Here are some ways that can help you bring balance to your life while at university:
Plan everything/keep a schedule– I would highly recommend getting a planner or scheduling your time in other ways. It will help to organise your time so that you don’t end up spending too much time on one thing and not enough on another.
Take some “me” time– I know it can be overwhelming with all the work you get from university but it’s also important to take some time off to focus on yourself and just relax. Whether it’s reading, sleeping, watching TV, yoga, meditation or pretty much anything just remember to breathe.
Mental health is important– your mental health should be your priority especially when you are at university because it’s easy to forget about it and end up being totally mentally exhausted due to stress and overworking. It helps to not leave assignments till the last minute because it can get very stressful to do everything at the last moment. Remember to seek help if you feel really overwhelmed.
Don’t try to do everything– even though balance is good don’t overstretch yourself by trying to do too much. It’s okay to not be perfect all the time, it’s okay to not do everything at once and it’s also okay to spend some time doing absolutely nothing.
I want to thank Yeka for giving me the opportunity to post on her blog and I really hope everyone enjoys this post!
GATES: A special series that focuses on healthy self-love, self-value, self-care, self-nurturing, and self-empowerment. ❤️
Deeply honored to share this beautiful poem written by our dear fellow blogger Kevin from What Words May Come. This is lovingly dedicated to his sweet daughter Tara.
DOORS FOR TARA
Ever does the new moon rise
Yet black in the clearest autumn skies
Undaunted by earth’s rotation abound
Creeping ever so slowly above the soft ground
As early the glory of morning sleeps tight
The day brings it refuge to open with light
But only to fall back to sleep once again
Brings closure to dream of a new morning’s grin
The heart on its journey can be quite the same
To open and close with emotional aim
While we wonder throughout our life in a daze
It’s a challenge we face walking through life’s maze
And doors have their hinges that swing to a stance
They’re open or closed as they move in the dance
We all are like doors if we look at our lives
We open and close like husbands and wives
While some of us never quite reach our crest
Like the moon we shine full when we are at our best
Relationships often take the same road
Making too much of one thing to carry a load
But when that load becomes too much to bare
We wane like the moon and start not to care
It happens as mortals for that’s what we do
We wax and we wane in relationships too
So, keep your heart light and look to the stars
For you never quite know what might create scars
Yet scars are a sign that you truly did live
And for that be thankful that your heart can still give
CARDS: A special series that features Love Letters and sweetest expressions of love
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE 