A YBP LOVE POST

FOLLOW THE SUN ❤️

Ahhh I’ve always loved the sun! ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Having lived in a tropical country since birth has always felt like Heaven smiling upon me. How I love, love, love the awesome Philippine sun!

As a little girl, I loved going to the beach, taking a dip in the pool, biking, going on a picnic adventure, and enjoying the overall happy outdoorsy vibe. 

I continued my invigorating romance with the sun as I grew up with family and friends. That translated into even more “fun in the sun!”

When I married an awesome adventure-lover, I got to appreciate the sun still even more! We had our lovely share of romantic getaways involving the sun. From sunset viewing (with cocktails to match the relaxed mode) to creating sandcastles  and collecting seashells by the beach (and watching the waves wash them away aww). From kayaking (and nearly getting trapped in a mini lagoon yikes!) to jet-skiing (and actually falling off the jet ski, yikes never again!!! Haha!). From entering both small and enormous caves (and wanting to get out alive immediately) to ziplining (Oh, this I super loved! Flying in freedom!!!) ….. ohhh all these amazing adventures under the sun!

I was always attracted to bright and well-lit places. I found the light so magnetically appealing. And so, trips to other beautiful countries intensified my passion for the sun all the more!

A bright sunny day automatically puts me in a great mood. I naturally feel so happy, so positive, so energetic, so enthusiastic, so in tiptop shape, so in my element! It’s no surprise that I happily identify with the sun and all its happy vibrant colors haha!

FOLLOW THE SUN. FOLLOW THE LIGHT. That’s always been part of my happy mantra. And I embrace that not only literally, but even more so, figuratively.

I love places with beaming light. I love people who radiate light and positivity too! These are the very people I surround myself with. It’s a natural attraction I should say. Light loves light. From every angle of scientific, logical, and practical consideration. And all the more deeply, from the vantage point of the soul.

During my earlier days of childhood (and even unto my “not-too-young” adulthood haha!), there were days when I would sorely miss the sun. I used to feel quite melancholic and reflective when I wouldn’t see the sun on a rainy cloudy day. Aww, Sun, my Beloved Sun, where are you?

However, as the passing years and seasons have taught me powerfully, the sun may not always shine visibly. And yet, that doesn’t mean that it has left altogether. It remains there in all its splendor and glory. It just has to set. It needs to catch some sleep. It shares its radiance with the rest of the world too.

And so, I’ve learned to celebrate the sun and respect it, not only in all its grandeur, but also in all its phases.

On an even more powerful level, now I’ve learned to go beyond enjoying and following the sun.

I’ve learned to look up above in a much grander way with deepest love for and reverence to Our Creator. I have learned to press into Him in worship and FOLLOW THE SON. Yes, His One and Only Begotten Son. Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

And all my days are so much brighter now! (Yup, even when there’s practically no sun in sight!) For Jesus Christ is more than my Sun. He is more than my Light. He is more than my Hope. He is more than my Love. HE IS MY EVERYTHING!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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A YBP LOVE POST, YBP LOVE POSTS

MABUHAY! LIVE, LOVE! ❤️

In the Philippines ….. beautiful land of my birth, we love to say MABUHAY!

It’s a greeting that encompasses all good grace and favor wished upon someone. It’s expressed in the imperative form of the word “life”, thus, “Mabuhay!” translates to “Live!”, from the root word “buhay” (life).

And LIVE. That’s exactly what we do as a nation. We are home to multifarious cultures and traditions that have captured international interest.

When you visit our lovely country, you should definitely visit our world-acclaimed beaches. And mind you, we have a plethora of them, what with our 7,107 islands.

I love how Conde’ Nast Traveler described one of our most popular beaches (The 24 Best Island Beaches in the World), El Nido, Palawan. “Palawan continues to rank highly in our Readers’ Choice Awards. El Nido alone is home to around 50 white sand beaches—it’s impossible to choose just one—all of which are set around dramatic limestone formations and have the finest and whitest sand you’ll ever see. The water is so blindingly blue it makes the Caribbean Sea look murky in comparison. And the sunsets? Well, they’ll ruin you for life. Consider yourself warned.” Haha, I can attest to that for I’ve experienced life at its finest in El Nido, Palawan. Breathtakingly beyond compare? Woah, major understatement!

Would love to share more of the Philippines with you in my future posts. For now, it’s a gorgeous, sunshiny day, and so my mind is on the beach …. Bring out the margarita, bellini, mojito, and piña colada! (Wow, someone’s getting real thirsty over here, haha!)…. How I wish! Just imagining and simply pining…. I terribly miss El Nido! Well, reality check? Yup! I’m safe here cozied up in my home sweet home.

Over and beyond our gloriously awesome tourist spots, though, you will fall in love with our people. We are naturally warm, friendly, hospitable, and nurturing.  We have the gift of ease. You’ll feel so comfortable, so at home in our presence, that you won’t even want to leave.

I took a pocket of time to share this lovely slice of my life since some of you asked me where I come from.

I know that ultimately, in our WP community, we live as one. We are family. And so, I send my happy hugs …. And yes, MABUHAY TO ALL OF YOU! ❤️