Birthday reflection.

I had spent my last 3 birthdays with friends, and this year, I wanted it to be different. So this year, where did I go? I checked in at a hotel to give time for myself and reflect. It kind of helped that it was raining like crazy during the night of my birthday salubong, so I just stayed in.

This year had been so different compared to the last two years. Before this year, I was so busy with our dance fitness company. This year, when I chose to prioritize my work at a BPO company and juggled a bit of freelancing in theater and events on the side, I found more time to breathe. Not that I didn't like being busy before. I enjoyed all the work, I loved being productive, and I had learned so many things, especially about myself.

This past Sunday at the Feast, Brother Bo gave a talk called "Stop, Look, and Listen." He told us that at a certain point, we have to stop, as it's a rhythm of work and trust. You have to stop to calm your mind, and to "sharpen your ax," and God will take over.

I never got to stop much before this year. I was always working. I woke up during the wee hours of morning and spent 4 hours at a call center. Then I dash to the studio and spend the rest of the day with our dance fitness company and come home in the evening after the last class. I slept for only 2 hours a day. I guess that's why I was sometimes a space case when it came to certain things at work. I never stopped.

We also have to listen. We have to create space and time so God can speak to you. It was so spot on to hear that last Sunday. So it was pretty appropriate to choose my birthday salubong for this time. It felt nice just being there alone in the hotel room, just with a book and my journal, being in the company of my thoughts. I felt so relaxed.

The best part of it was that the first people I was talking/chatting with on my birthday were my two best friends, Rosa and Iam. And then for my birthday, Iam gave me a few questions to reflect on. (Will blog about that another time.) Could it be that God spoke to me through Iam when she asked me those questions?

It's nearing the end of the year. Only months had passed, but it feels like such a long time because so many changes had happened. I took another leap. And after that leap, so many paths opened up and I bravely traveled down those paths. I picked up so many things along the way, I learned so much more than I had expected to learn, and I met so many new and interesting people that I now consider my dearest friends. They are friends who had seen me grow in this short span of time. They are friends who had helped and encouraged me to explore and deliver my core gift. True, there were certain challenges and hurdles that crossed my paths, but I learned to accept and deal with them, because we can never grow without facing them, especially those that may return for a repeat performance. I learned to welcome those recurring challenges with a more open mind, and I faced them again to learn from the mistakes that I had made during my first encounter with them. And I'm glad I did.