I hope that everyone is all right while I had been away doing my own stuff here. But, one of the hobbies that I cannot fully abandon is reading.

Today, as I sort out my books, fill out my reading journal and plan my next read, I cannot help but stumble on one of my old reads. I know that everyone would never have agreed with me when I say that I love annotating books. But recently, I found out that doing just that helps me engage, remember and cherish those moments with my book. So here I am, sharing bits and pieces of those memorable passages:

When I was a child, my parents used to be very protective of me. They tried their best to provide for me, make me experience things that they thought would help me be a better person and endlessly cushion me from harm.

One day, my school decided to have a field trip. Unfortunately, the requirement of this trip is for pupils whose family has limited means. Having both of my parents working at that time, I was naturally drafted off. I remember feeling so disappointed with that, crying out to my parents telling them that I wanted to go. My dad naturally attempted to get me on that list but to no avail. In the end, no matter how hard my parents tried, I was not spared the hurt and disappointment of being excluded from the trip.

Shit happens to everyone no matter where you are, whatever you do even if you're not doing anything.Bad things will keep happening. Its not karma. Its not something you would have done in your previous life or on the present one. No one is exempted from the bad stuff. I would say that, its natural for things to happen as change is a constant process. Change is on one else's side.

But life is not all about sufferings, pains, disappointments. The moments that I cherish most, now that I am older- and hopefully wiser were those I spent contemplating how I had been spared, protected from harm I wasn't even aware of- getting out of that situation untouched. The minutes in my life when I was able to accomplish something like, write, sculpt or be where I am was just too complicated to contemplate sometimes. Those chances when I have finally accepted that being at peace does not necessarily need to come from anyone or anywhere else. But from within me- through acceptance, self love and continuous hopes of a better tomorrow.

I feel like I live most on those moments.I never felt more invigorated, more alive, at ease, happy.

There are many things that I would like to share with you. Discoveries that even now, I am still processing, making use of and deciding how best I could make use of. I'll probably share them but for now, this where I got those passages from.

I hope everyone's safe, happy and at peace.