Wellness at Home

We can never feel good about the world around us if our mind is stuck with the effects of the pandemic. We've suffered a lot already, bringing stress to our lives from our everyday living and even the new normal.

We've been stuck at home at some point, affecting our coping mechanisms and ability to manage stress. Given some restrictions, life is hard outside the house, but we've also proven that life could be more stressful when on home quarantine.  

Not everyone may like to stay at home for an extended period, or the work-from-home setup may not work for them. However, we can always find solutions to make our lives more comfortable and less stressful when there's no boundary between work-life balance. 

During this pandemic, our home has become a sanctuary for wellness. We can make it more livable and create a wellness hub for the entire family that aids in healing and restoring health and vitality.

Home gardening is a fun and healthy activity that beautifies our home environment. It purifies the air at home and gives off oxygen needed for a more muscular respiratory function. 

We can grow good ornamental plants at home that filter air impurities. This makes our little sanctuary more breathable and less toxic than our actual workplace outside the home. 

Flowering plants also makes us feel good. It gives us happiness which is vital for our mental health. Being happy is a positive state of mind. We can't feel sad when we're stuck at home. We can shift our mindset to be on the positive side. A simple, fresh flower on a center table can elevate our mood, giving a pleasant emotion and a clear mind. 

We can also transform a specific place at home where we can spend some time relaxing and rejuvenating. Our balconies and roof deck are examples of where we can convert to a bit of nature at home. It feels great to have a conversation while having a cup of coffee as we are surrounded by flowers and plants in our little sanctuary. 

Life has to move on despite the pandemic. We may be spending more time at home, but we can choose to live a quality life. Wellness at home is a lifestyle we can adopt toward our goal of a healthy body and a happy life. 

This year, 2022, is about our commitment to a healthier body and mind to achieve the success and fulfillment we deserve.

©️ 2022 Del Cusay

Sunday's Best at the Farm

How do you live your best life? Life coaches commonly ask this question to assess our present and future life.

To live our best life is about enriching our lives with pleasant and beautiful memories. As we journey in life, we're bound to experience ups and downs, but what matters is how we live with a more positive energy despite the odds.

Sunday is always the most peaceful time to experience being alive. This is the moment of healing and rejuvenation as we take a break. And this is made possible as we live in a natural environment ideal for the body, mind, and soul.

Visiting the farm on the weekend is pure joy. We feel more relaxed and grounded. This is where we can meditate or have some pure thinking time. This is the place where ideas and plans happen. 

We live in a world where noise and chaos would deplete our energy. However, we can always find a place to unwind and get energized fast. We need to regain our vitality and live healthy life.

Since we're in the 3rd year of the pandemic, it's great to be closer to nature. Farm visits and gardening are healthy physical activities that make one happy. And that's the essence of living. We want to be happy and to radiate happiness to others.

Yes, life is so short in this uncertain time. So, we live each day with a positive spirit to achieve our highest hopes and dreams. With determination and Divine blessing and guidance, nothing is impossible. We can always make things happen in His time.

©️ 2022 Del Cusay

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish: Heaven on Earth

It feels good to have celebrated the holidays of 2021 together with my family in my hometown. It was a meaningful year-end for the fulfillment of hopes and dreams. We've also welcomed the new year, 2022, with optimistic hopes and affirmations for a great year ahead.

Another year of aspirations as we face more challenging days of the pandemic. We've survived 2021, and this year, 2022, brings another uncertainty into our lives.

I feel blessed to have celebrated the first Sunday mass of 2022 with my parents at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in my hometown in Jamindan. It's been two years since my last visit during the pandemic. It's still the same feeling except for restrictions like physical distancing and wearing face masks. The previous year's pre-pandemic was more intimate when we could meet to hug and kiss each other. But now, we see each other and look at their faces. 

In the absence of Rev. Father Jeffrey Estrella, our new Parish administrator is Father Patrick Jay Parce, who actively calls on the Parishioners to be more faithful and continue to fulfill their religious obligations. As a parishioner, we can contribute to helping build a better Parish for everyone. It may take years to create a more stable and refined church. Still, with a commitment to the parishioners' spiritual service, we can experience a "Heaven on Earth" and live a beautiful and meaningful life. 

On January 13, 2022, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Jamindan celebrated its 4th anniversary as a Parish in 2018. It's about four years of religious service to the community and alignment with the Divine power, love, and light. The newly built Parish continues to draw flocks of believers and Parishioners as a testament to Mother Mary's intercession to our prayers and petitions.

Yes, heaven is a place on earth. We may feel small daily but we can do great things with God's grace. A miracle is waiting to happen, and it is already happening if we see and feel it. God's love creates benefits in our lives, and we must recognize the blessings poured upon us. God is good and always present in our lives. A heaven-on-earth experience happens when we call his name, sing a song of praise, and kneel to pray.

©️  2022 Del Cusay

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👉 Our Lady of Perpetual Help: A Divine Gift

Nazareno 2022: Unwavering Faith

The Feast of the Black Nazarene has been a significant event since I was a devotee in 2013. Since then, I have celebrated its feast day every January 9. This annual religious festivity gives meaning to my life as I strengthen my faith and religious beliefs.

For the 2nd year since 2020, the annual "traslacion" was canceled due to the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a mass is celebrated at the Quiapo church with only a few devotees inside. The believers are unstoppable and dare to take risks to celebrate their faith. The pandemic didn't stop them from expressing their unwavering faith, love, and devotion.

On January 9, 2019, I celebrated and witnessed the "traslacion" in Manila. It was perfect timing and a blessing that I noticed the massive flocks of devotees for the first time. For many years, I've only seen it on TV until I've seen the activity before my eyes live as it happens.

I'm happy to celebrate the annual feast through a TV Sunday mass this year. The place of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, is home to several stories of miracles and hope. Thousands to millions of devotees have testimonies on how their faith and devotion brought meaning and strength into their lives.

I also testify how the Black Nazarene has improved my life. It never failed me for my prayer requests and intentions. And that the Black Nazarene is a symbol of unwavering faith for everyone who believes in his Divine power, love, and light.

©️ 2022 Del Cusay 

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👉 Nazareno 2019: Celebrating the Traslacion

👉 Nazareno 2021: A Timeless Devotion

New Year 2022: Sing Our Hearts Out

A year full of meaningful and joyous journeys. A year full of willpower to survive and thrive. And a year full of perseverance, inspiration, and motivation. That's how the year 2021 brought meaning into our lives. 

We've ended the year 2021 with a melody. Singing our hearts out as we welcome the new year 2022 by belting old songs.

The Music Played

The new year may set the mood for the entire year ahead. We've had enough of the noise and haste. We heard about the not-so-good things. We heard about the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

Whenever we feel ill with the noise, let the music play. When we feel joyful, the music plays. When we feel hopeful, the music plays. The ups and downs and the roller coaster of emotions keep the music playing.

My Elusive Dreams

The last time we celebrated the new year as a complete family was long ago. But we can still feel connected in the spirit of the new year. 

There was a new year celebration that I spent together with my sister's family in Manila. There was also a unique year celebration that I spent together with my parents in my hometown. 

And it's my elusive dream that we may celebrate the new year together as a complete family. Together with my siblings and their own family and with our dear parents.

We may wear different motifs for the new year, but we're permanently bonded thru colorful ideas and bringing colors to our lives. 

Life is even more colorful when we celebrate the new year as a clan. We may have different personalities and preferences, but we're united as a family with similar identities and familial traits. A family that stays together through thick and thin.

The Impossible Dream 

The new year is when we usually set new goals to achieve. Some plans may seem very hard or impossible to achieve. However, with a positive spirit, we can consistently reach great heights. 

There's nothing impossible for a dreamer who believes and dares to conquer limitless possibilities. Every year, we discover something new about ourselves. We discover and understand who we are and unleash the power from within. 

Sometimes we may have doubts and fears, but that doesn't stop us from achieving our heart's desire. 

I Know

I may never know what the future holds, but one thing I'm sure of is that a family is forever. No distance can separate us. Nobody can stop us. And no one can break us. Because if we hold on together and build a strong foundation and a more excellent shield, we can become unstoppable. We can consistently achieve the great things possible.

This new year 2022, brings a new level of perspective on life. It gets more vital energy and willpower. It brings a melody to our hearts. 

We can always choose to filter out noises and hear pleasant and melodious voices. We danced to the music and sang out loud. We can keep the music playing and sing our hearts out. 

©️ 2022 Del Cusay

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👉 2021 Year in Review: Reunited in Love

👉 New Year 2021: A New Hope