A Refreshing R&R at The Stilts in Calatagan, Batangas

There are lot of things things going on in my life right now. Lately I always find myself complaining a lot. And this can't be good because I'm too young to be bitter about life. Good thing I had the chance for a 2-day R&R in a resort in Batangas. Being away from it all actually helped me clear my head.

It was a four hour drive and that day was particularly sunny, way too sunny actually, that I suffered a headache the whole trip (yep, complaining again!). But the bright-colored flowers that greeted me were a sign of good things ahead.

It was a private-by-invitations-only resort, so save for a few other visitors, the place was pretty much empty.

When I was a kid, my family would always go to the beach every summer. We would rent a jeep or a truck and drive to the nearest beach and spend a whole day swimming and eating. This is what I miss most now, being with family and close friends, not doing and thinking about responsibilities and obligations, but just having fun.

To me, bougainvilleas are the best representation of summer. They bloom brightly during summer, they do not get wilted even during the hottest hour of the day. And they spread and crawl and attach themselves to walls and trellises, making canopies that resemble the sky filled with nuclear mushroom clouds.

During the night, I can hear the waves softly crashing to the posts and the wind whistling through the windows and the slits between the wooden floor panels. The rhythm of the waves ebbing and flowing lull me to sleep.

I realized that I may not be alone with this feeling. We all feel jaded sometimes. We all feel under appreciated. We all feel unloved.

But the most important thing I guess is to never let the light of your enthusiasm and passion go off. I realized that I've been doing things the wrong way for the past three years. I don't need to rush my masters degree. I don't need to take a full load every semester. I don't need to be all serious with work. I don't need to always prioritize my work. I realized that it's good to let go sometimes.

I skinny-dipped for the first time.

Long, quiet walks can actually be good for you. I realized that being alone is actually not that bad.