Tag: life

A Message to My Reincarnated Self: What If Death Is Only the Beginning?

What if death isn’t an ending at all—but a doorway?

We grow up being taught to fear death, to see it as the ultimate full stop at the end of a sentence called life. But what if that punctuation mark is wrong? What if death is less of a period and more of an end of another season, like a series of a Netflix show? What if it is you in another form, another body, another time?

Across cultures and centuries, reincarnation has whispered its way through human belief systems. I grew up believing that death is the end, while questioning what happens to all the souls that have left the body over the past thousands of years. I once held onto the idea that if we did good and lived kindly, death would lead us to an eternity of happiness. However, I am bothered by what happens to all the contented souls deprived of struggles or challenges.

The idea of reincarnation comforts me more. The thought that we have a life after this but of course, we do not have a clue who we were previously. I believed that our next life is based on how we lived our lives prior – we do good, we get a better life; we do bad, we get a challenging one.

If this is true—if our death is the start of another life—may that future “me” get a head start and a good life.

And so, I want to write a message to that “me” in another body in another life.

Not to my future self in five or ten years, but to the soul that may inherit my wit, my tendencies, my scars, and my unfinished questions.

To You, Whoever I Become Next

If you’re reading this in some inexplicable way—through intuition, déjà vu, or an unshakable feeling you can’t name—I hope you are kind to yourself. Please do not let my bad habits carry over to your life, and be better than I was in our previous lifetime.

I hope you remember that life is not meant to be perfectly understood. I spent so much time trying to make sense of everything: people, pain, purpose. If there’s one thing worth carrying forward, it’s this—meaning isn’t always found; sometimes it’s created.

Please don’t be afraid of starting over. I’ve learned that beginnings are disguised as endings, and endings often arrive dressed as losses. Trust the cycles. Trust that confusion is not failure; it’s growth in disguise. Trust your gut. Ignore whatever other people might say. Be brave and persevere.

Love deeply, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts. I learned too late that protecting your heart too much can be just as damaging as breaking it.

And if you ever feel an unexplainable pull toward certain places, people, or ideas—follow it. Maybe those are echoes of me. Or maybe they’re reminders that the soul remembers more than the mind ever will.

While being kind to yourself, please be kind to other people. I assure you that kindness always pays off.

Why This Message Matters

Writing to my reincarnated self isn’t about certainty, nor will this message still exist in that future. I don’t know if consciousness truly survives the body. But this exercise forces me to live more intentionally now. If some part of me continues, then what I do today matters beyond this lifetime.

It changes how I see mistakes—not as permanent stains, but as lessons passed forward. It reframes fear into curiosity. It makes me wonder: if I had to live this life again in another form, what wisdom would I want to inherit?

Maybe the real purpose of believing in reincarnation isn’t about the future at all. Maybe it’s about learning how to live this life with more compassion, courage, and awareness—just in case someone else has to carry it next.

A Quiet Hope

If death is truly the start of another life, then I hope I leave you something useful. Not perfection. Not answers. Just a gentle reminder:

You’ve been here before.
You’ve survived more than you remember.
And you are allowed to begin again.

Wherever you are. Whoever you are.
Good luck.

How do I say goodbye?

I was driving and listening to the random songs the radio plays and I heard this song the first time. I didn’t know it at all. The lyrics were sung with clarity and emotion. It hit me. And, I realized tears were rolling down my cheeks, and the road became blurry, so I had to pull over.

It was the grief I had been delaying from a loss I will never recover. The song was beautiful, but each word was like a cruel premonition I was glad not to hear before the bad news came to me.

It was the nightmare I would wake up due to wetness on my face. I never wanted it to happen.

The song is from Dean Lewis, entitled, HOW DO I SAY GOODBYE. And it goes like this (with my remarks for each line)…

Early morning there’s a message on my phone (It was 4am CDT when I received the message)
It’s my mother saying, “Darling, please come home” (It was my kuya saying, tatay is gone, could you come home?)
I fear the worst, but how could you leave us all behind? (My worst fear is now reality)
There’s so much to say but there’s so little time (There are so many things I dreamt for him, but little time to turn them into life)

So how do I say goodbye (How do I really say goodbye?)
To someone who’s been with me for my whole damn life? (From birth until 2021, I was with him)
You gave me my name and the color of your eyes (Literally, he gave me my name cos my mom was still unconscious from the C-section)
I see your face when I look at mine (I see your nose when I look mine, an insecurity that I learned to embrace)
So how do I, how do I, how do I say goodbye? (How do I?)

When I couldn’t, you always saw the best in me (He was my number 1 cheerleader)
Right or wrong, you were always on my side (When I doubt myself, he was there to lift me up)
But I’m scared of what life without you’s like (I couldn’t imagine my life without you, but then it’s my life now)
And I saw the way she looked into your eyes (I saw the way you looked into us, to live our lives and not worry about you anymore)
And I promise if you go, I will make sure she’s alright (I could say that nanay looks alright)

So how do I say goodbye (I still can’t)
To someone who’s been with me for my whole damn life? (You can’t expect me to. It was 3 decades of my life you were with me, loving me unconditionally)
You gave me my name and the color of your eyes (Luzviminda, dark brown eyes – all came from you)
I see your face when I look at mine (I see the love you gave when I don’t desperately crave for another guy’s attention)
So how do I, how do I, how do I say goodbye? (In time)

And there’s no way you could ever let me down (You left, but you fought a good fight)
Gonna steal some time and start again (No time to steal, but will start again without you)
You’ll always be my closest friend (The first man who showed me how love should look like)
And someday we are gonna make it out (I will try to make it out of this life for you)
Just hold the light, just hold the light (You’d always be that star shining the brightest to light me up when life is getting dark)

So how do I say goodbye
To someone who’s been with me for my whole damn life?
You gave me my name and the color of your eyes
I see your face when I look at mine
So how do I, how do I, how do I say goodbye?
So how do I, how do I, how do I say goodbye?

If I could only touch every words

In today’s digital age, words hold immense power. They are the bridge connecting thoughts, ideas, and emotions across the vast landscape of the internet. If only I could touch every word that has ever been spoken, written, or searched for! If I could reach out and touch those words, I would uncover the heartbeats of countless stories, from the mundane to the extraordinary.

The Magic of Words

Words are more than just tools for communication; they are vessels of emotion, intent, and creativity. Each word carries a weight, a history, and a myriad of interpretations. If I could touch every word, I would feel the echoes of countless stories and experiences. People search for advice, seek solutions to problems, or simply look for inspiration. If I could delve deeper into each word, I would unearth the hidden motivations and feelings behind them.

The Stories Behind the Searches

Whenever someone types a query into a search engine, they reveal a piece of their soul. Are they seeking help with a problem? Searching for inspiration? Or simply looking to escape into a world ideal for them? If I could access those hidden layers behind each search term, I would gain insight into the collective human experience. I would understand the hopes and fears, the triumphs and struggles, that drive people to who they are becoming.

Crafting Meaningful Content

As a writer, I dream of crafting content that resonates. If I could truly touch every word, I would know exactly what people need to hear. I could weave together narratives that speak to their hearts, providing solace, inspiration, and motivation. The ability to connect deeply with the audience through the right words would elevate storytelling to new heights.

Listening to the Digital Echoes

In essence, the internet is a vast echo chamber of human thought. Every search, every click, sends ripples through the digital realm. If I could grasp those echoes, I would like to listen closely to the dialogues occurring around the world. This understanding could lead to a more compassionate and informed society.

The Future of Words

As we move into an increasingly digital future, our relationship with words continues to evolve. From text messages to social media, the way we express ourselves is changing. If I could touch every word, I would engage with the evolving language of our times, understanding the nuances of communication in the digital age. I would embrace new forms of expression while honoring the timeless power of language.

What if we don’t really die?

What if we don’t really die?

What if we just sleep on our deathbed and then wake up as a newborn baby in another family?

What if there is no hell or heaven?

Or maybe hell is like being born into the poorest community where you can barely eat for a day?

And maybe heaven is being born into the richest family?

What if what we do on Earth in a single lifetime will make or break our next life?

When they said no one can choose the family we are born with, maybe somehow, we can.

Maybe our life’s decisions now decide how our next life will become.

It is difficult not to speculate these things when you want to see the world fair for everyone.

Maybe the world is not unfair.

Maybe the world is round because each life is a cycle and, in each cycle, we always have a choice.

We get to have a rich family, do bad things, die, and be born again in the worst conditions.

And then be good, die, and be born again into an unproblematic, happy, and well-off family.

Because if that’s not the case, heaven and hell (if they exist) will be full of souls.

Heaven not having a problem and hell having all troubles sound boring.

Imagine your life not having a problem or having endless struggles.

It looked like doing the same thing over and over either way.

This life on Earth seems more interesting, you decide what your day will be.

Those decisions impact others and so our lives now and in the future.

I used to believe that we would become stars at night shining brightly if we lived wisely.

But I guess we are just souls traveling from one life to another.

So, make it the best life for your next life to have the best life.

That ONE decision that changed my LIFE – I jumped off the cliff without a parachute

I was not born from a rich family nor a jobless set of parents.

But, I grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by poverty. When I was a kid I still ate 3 times a week and even attended a private school. I did not know poverty back then. Then, my family hit rock bottom in terms of finances just before my 11th birthday.

I experienced poverty. I had to walk an hour to go to school. I could not afford the food my classmates buy in the cafeteria. I mostly had thrifted or hand-me-down stuff. We could not afford to get our house fixed – and in a country that gets typhoons with heavy rains, every year we would have dripping water inside our house, get anxiety because the typhoon may destroy our house or we would have to evacuate somewhere because of flood.

And then I wrote in my journal: I wanted to own a new house for my family that is at least not situated in a flood-prone area. A goal I thought I could get with a simple job after college.

I studied because admittedly I believed the classic saying that it will give you good fortune.

I worked while I was studying so I can have extra money to help my family’s finances. But, we were still struggling a lot. Always anxious whenever a family member got sick.

If you grew up in a place surrounded by extreme poverty, your mindset will be simple. You will just want to eat in a day and not get sick. My goal was to finish school and get a job. Because my thinking was we struggled and survived long enough so why do I have to raise the bar and struggle for more? I did not dream big back then. I became scared of making a mistake because I could not afford to lose my job.

I graduated. I got a job enough to pay the bills and help my parents. But I grew up scared of going out of my comfort zone and make mistakes because I could not afford to not have a job even for a week especially that we pay a lot of medical bills every week and my parents stopped working already! I feel like at that point I was contented being able to help in the bills and provide our basic needs.

Then, my contract in my job was about to end. There was an internship offer abroad but no assurance of me having a job after 8 months there nor in the Philippines. It was both scary and exciting because for the longest time a tiny speck of dust like me would be able to experience the vastness of the universe.

That time I had to make a decision – to jump off the cliff without a parachute. It was a move without any back up plan nor someone to pick me up if I get to crash myself into pieces. I had zero savings and an ounce of optimism in my heart.

But, that jump was the decision that CHANGED MY LIFE drastically. It gave me an opportunity that I never thought I could possibly have. It was not easy though. I still need to work hard on myself to have a better mindset and get things done very well.

Although I am not rich yet, I can say that I am now in a better place as well as my family.

I am debt free. I have my own car. I can buy food I crave. I have stuff that I bought brand new. Although I do not own a house, my apartment is located in a place that is not flood prone and has no dripping roof and can thrive strong winds. I am experiencing a new life I never imagined in my wildest dreams possible.

I still have a long way but I am confident now that all the decisions I made brought me to where I am now ,and it is truly fascinating to see the growth I have made and I will make in the future.

Going out of our comfort zone is never easy but it will be worth it in the long run.

December 11: a star (shining the brightest is the goal)

What if we become stars when we die?

What if we shine the brightest when we make a significant impact on others’ lives? What if as a star above we see the changes we made using the best that we have on Earth while we were alive?

Are we going to shine the brightest?

Are we going to be the proudest star seeing how the life we’ve lived improved the lives of future generations?

If our answers were mostly yes, I am pretty sure we are on the right track and we should keep doing what we are doing.

Otherwise, we have to reevaluate what we have and how we are living our lives and find ways to be better.

December 8: I’m scared and overwhelmed (but it is needed)

I woke up praying that God would give strength for the next coming days. It is scary and overwhelming this journey. Not only because it is creating new good habits but because the damages I made yesterday have been showing me the amount of work that I have to accomplish in this process of replacing the old me of a new and better version of me living my life to the fullest – maybe living the fullest does not mean rainbows and butterflies, maybe it is actually living your best self for your life’s mission despite the struggles.

Life is not meant to be easy. Life is meant to be lived. And to live is to feel – the hard, the struggle, the challenge, and the discomfort. Being scared and overwhelmed are not pleasing feelings but these are moments we will for sure remember for the rest of our lives. But, make sure you are feeling this now for the good of your future self.

December 7: the past (is already in the past)

Did I mess up today? Yes. Can I change it? No. These are the facts. What happened already is irreversible. No time machine offers round-trip tickets from the past to the present available on the market. If you know any, let me know. I want to get some. LOL.

We are all guilty that we made mistakes in the past. The regretful ones were usually those that we had control over at that moment and we chose instant gratification and not the consequences.

But, again, it is in the past. You cannot waste any more time and energy overthinking or crying in bed over things that are done.

What now? What can you do?

That is the answer. What you can do now is to do the best that you have at this point and in the coming days. Do not aim to correct the previous mistakes. Your goal should be to be a better version of yourself today to make up for your past mistakes. You must make up for your past mistakes and not correct them – they are two different things – one is doable and the other is a waste of time and energy.

You do not choose the easy way but rather the right one. It can be a no-brainer or freaking hard ways. In both cases DO NOT escape when your brain is telling you to. Face it. Do it right. Think of the consequences in the long run would be.

December 6: period (is an excuse)

During this journey of creating better routine, you will find yourself looking at excuses to justify getting back to day 1.

In my case, I usually use my period days as an excuse to stay in bed and not do anything. Some people may say that it’s part of a woman’s life. We suffer every month with abdominal pain and fatigue and it’s normal. For some, it will be extreme and you have to be self aware to that. And I am aware that I can still push through during this very challenging moment of changing my life and I use my period as an excuse.

If you find yourself starting to make excuse, drop it. Keep moving! Do not break what you have built for 6 days. Rest but do not stop. I experienced that each time I gave in to the excuses for days, I end up going back to day 1 of building these good habits I am aiming.

If today, you feel that this journey is tiring, still persevere. Each day will become less difficult as it becomes part of you. And always remember why you started when excuses are trying to conquer you.