Category: Romance Registry

The Great Juggling Act

Be free my love.

Yes, I nearly threw in the towel – not on our bond of friendship or our business partnership, but on the delicate threads of romance that intertwined us. It wasn’t for lack of love, but because I wanted to release him from the chains of my own neediness that had slowly crept in. I wanted to gift him the peace he deserved.

Honestly, I don’t know why I jumped the gun, and for that, I’m sorry. I’ve always considered myself a strong, independent woman, but the overwhelming chaos of life caught me off guard. It was as if the perfect storm had brewed – (1) chaos at work with shouting matches that echoed through the halls; (2) the never-ending emotional torture from the past, (3) and the constant pressure to outdo myself. 

Everything was spiralling out of control, and all I wanted was to cling to him for a shred of sanity. But he was swamped with his own business and personal life too, and I felt like he just couldn’t spare a moment for my drama. I know men aren’t fond of needy women or drama, but who else could I turn to?

He opened my eyes to the fact that we’re not just life/business partners, but parents as well. He has a trio of little ones, while I have one. Juggling our time between our kids, our individual careers, and our joint ventures is like trying to keep all the balls in the air without dropping a single one. It’s a jam-packed year for both of us and we really need to bring our A-game. But I reminded him that if anyone should know how supportive I am of him spending time with his kids, it’s him. I have a soft spot for his boys and it warms my heart to see him don his Super Dada cape. I also assured him that I’m just as committed to our business ventures. I think he could see how hard I’m working on it.

But as his lady who yearns for his sage advice and out-of-this-world wisdom from time to time, I couldn’t help but expect him to carve out some time for me. I just felt like I’d been relegated to the back burner, and it stung. I felt like I was always playing catch-up with his schedule, even going so far as to cancel our Vietnam trip because I didn’t sense any enthusiasm from him. And when I had to call off my birthday plans for him, that really hit me hard. I wasn’t in the mood (thanks in part to that email and call from the ghost of relationships past), and neither was he.I didn’t want us to force our way through a celebration.

He was also taken aback to discover that I had been feeling perpetually irked the past weeks. “You weren’t like this before,” he said wistfully. “I miss the old us. The us without expectations, spontaneous and carefree. The us that would impulsively ring each other up just to hang out and recharge our batteries for the challenges ahead.” I confessed that I missed that too, but I couldn’t help but remind him that back then, he was just a friend in my eyes. I wasn’t exclusively dating him – I was juggling other charming suitors as well.

And so I spoke from the heart, saying that things were different, and I had made my commitment. That’s why I wanted to set him free – because if we were just business partners and friends, I wouldn’t expect him to give me his time. The arrangement would be clear – he could see other wonderful women, and I could see other wonderful men. And who knows, maybe one day he will finally find what he’s looking for… at peace… at ease… truly happy.

But over the last few days, we managed to carve out some precious time for each other, and it brought me a much-needed sense of tranquillity. To be honest, my heart swells with joy when I get to spend time with his little ones, and when we all venture out together – him, me, the kids – I’d be over the moon if my son could join in on the fun too (he’s returning to PH this September). And yesterday, we had the whole day to ourselves, even though we were busy bees working on our business, but at least we finally had time for each other.

I suppose there’s something to be said for being spontaneous, living in the moment, and having no expectations. But time is also the glue that binds relationships together. It needs to be given freely and generously to those we hold dear. Because without proper time and attention, even the strongest of bonds can crumble.

As I said, you are FREE my love but make sure you fly high.

The Thai Love Affair

It’s been a hot minute since I wrote about my travels. I’ve been too busy flexing my writing muscles under the ‘quintessence’ category (fancy, I know). But don’t blame me – blame my brain and heart for being so attached to it. 

This one’s for all my travel-loving followers here and on IG. That’s right, I’m back on social media! Mostly IG though – the crowd there is still somewhat manageable. FB? Not so much. It’s become a breeding ground for Marites (aka the gossip queen of the Philippines). So buckle up and get ready for some wanderlust-inducing travel content!

Marites time: As you all know, I recently returned from the UK after being away for two years. I even travelled on my birthday and went straight from the airport to the office – talk about dedication! Jetlag? Pfft, didn’t even touch me. But coming back to a team of four – one about to pop out a baby, one new, and one with one foot out the door – was like trying to put together a puzzle with half the pieces missing. No lease sign-ups, no policies, or procedures – it was chaos!

But instead of getting bogged down in the details, I decided to focus on what was important – sign-ups. And boy, did we deliver! 30 sign-ups in just three months. But while we were busy signing up new clients, we also had to juggle Halloween, Christmas and Sinulog events, year-end reports, budgeting, and forecasting. And let’s not forget management requirements, board meetings, plan reviews, project management and keeping our merchants happy. 

Phew! Who needs sleep anyway?

It was all a bit overwhelming – like trying to spin plates while juggling chainsaws! But luckily, I had a friend (no boyfriend) who was always there for me. Even though I tried to ignore him for a whilst (sorry, not sorry – I was busy!), he was persistent in his pursuit. He never actually asked me out on a date, but actions speak louder than words, right? And he must have seen the struggle in my eyes.

To make a long story short, while everyone else was getting flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day, I got a ticket to Thailand. Best. Gift. Ever. (Well, second best – having him in my life takes the cake). He swept me off my feet at just the right moment and knows exactly how to make me happy. I’m a simple girl at heart – our date nights consist of me working on my laptop whilst he sips his whisky beside me. It’s our love language. And when he reminds me to slow down or not to touch the cute cats (I can’t help it!), or gives me fashion advice – it’s all part of what makes us work. I’m still learning to be strong and not cry when someone hurts me, but he’s always there to remind me. And the best part? I think he waited for the right time…

But enough about him – this is about our trip to Thailand. It was just what I needed that time. I usually travel solo or with friends or family, but this time was different – I had a partner by my side. Can you believe it? Seeing the different side of the world with my better half was beautiful and different. Stress free. Carefree.  Maybe it’s because he’s not annoyingly controlling and seeing me happy makes him happy too. We did what we both wanted and stuck together like two peas in a pod. 

And now, all I can hope for is more travel adventures together.

As I sit here on the plane, about to deplane (yes, I’m that dedicated to writing), I realized that instead of boring you with a play-by-play of my one-week trip, I’d just show you some photos. Because let’s be real, this is more of a “Dear Diary” entry than a travel post. You all just want to know the juicy details about my love life, don’t you?

Well, here’s the scoop: I have no idea what the future holds for us. But for now, we’re taking it one day at a time. I’ve had my fair share of heartbreaks (you’ve all been along for the ride as I’ve poured my heart out on this blog). But I have high hopes for this one. Sure, he’s not your average Joe. He’s a man of few words (which is refreshing) and has a strong personality (but also a heart of gold). Sometimes I think he’s hesitant to fully commit because of his past, but I hope he’ll learn to trust in “us”. Trust and love take time. They can’t be rushed. They’re built brick by brick as we overcome obstacles together. And as long as we keep holding on and understanding each other’s love (and anger) languages, we’ll be okay. When I’m mad, I need space until I’m ready to talk. He can be more direct, which can catch me off guard. But hey, that’s what makes life interesting. Fingers crossed!

P.S. You might have noticed that he’s not in all the pictures. That’s because he’s the one behind the camera (and also because I’m keeping my love life on the down-low). But don’t worry, I’m not trying to hide him from the world. I’m a proud girlfriend and you can always catch us strolling hand-in-hand (this is a joke as we don’t do HHWW) through the streets of Cebu. We may be just two pedestrians, but in our hearts, we’re undercover lovebirds!