2026 is the year I can claim I am fully alive! 😂 Everything is going great, and moving according to my plan, thank God! My heart is full of gladness and gratitude, and I can truly say, God is so good! He has been so good to me, granting 90% of my life's wishes.
This year, my birthday (April 3) fell on Good Friday. So, in March, I had already planned to spend it in Tagaytay to attend Good Friday activities at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish church. I booked my one-night stay at Lee Boutique Hotel (April 1) then I booked another two nights (April 2 and 3) stay at Wind Residences because this place is nearer to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church, and I planned to spend the whole Good Friday at this church.
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| Napa at Crosswinds in Tagaytay |
It was supposed to be a solo trip, but on March 30, my best friend from Davao City, a former university workmate, contacted me to know if I am free during the Holy Week, so I invited her to join me in Tagaytay for the weekend.
I arrived in Tagaytay on April 1, Wednesday, at 11AM, and went to Picnic Grove to rest since my check-in time at Lee Boutique Hotel would be at 2PM. This hotel is just 10 minutes away from Picnic Grove so it was very convenient. The location is just on the roadside, next to the Aroma Hotel. However, my friend would be arriving late since she has still work (she arrived in the early morning of April 2), so I slept alone in my hotel room.
At lunch time on April 2, we went to Napa at Crosswinds. This is a private luxury property in Tagaytay with Swiss-themed houses and landscape. Napa is just one of its restaurants inside the property that is open to the public.
At 3PM, we checked into Wind Residences and we were disappointed because it has no wifi connection! It was the first time that I experienced booking a condotel unit without a wifi connection OMG! Most of the units in Wind Residences have wifi connection. Anyway, it was a learning experience to check with the host before proceeding with the booking.
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| Swimming pool of Lee Boutique Hotel |
I woke up early on April 3, my birthday, because I planned to just walk (sort of taking penitence/ sacrifice since it was Good Friday) from Wind Residences to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish church. I started my long walk at 8:15 in the morning and arrived at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish church at 8:45AM! Whaaat a penitence on my birthday haha! But it was all worth it. I did not feel tired or thirsty.
I made a solo station of the cross at the Padre Pio Garden within the parish vicinity. There were a lot of people too doing the Stations of the Cross. Then had a quick lunch at Ayala Malls Serin, which is just beside the parish. Then went back to the church.
I joined the parishioners attending the Siete Palabras (The Seven Last Words) even though it was my first time visiting this parish church 😂 Then I stayed for the Celebration of the Lord's Passion until 5PM. So I accomplished my birthday wish this year: to just spend it inside the church! Thank God.
My friend did not accompany me to the church on Good Friday because she was working on her computer the whole day haha! She is working in a BPO company that never recognizes Holy Week holidays. I was done with that life before. When I was still working in BPO, taking a vacation leave was always a challenge, so I quit and never looked back. My life now is a lot more comfortable, both in terms of schedule and financial freedom. That's why I am thanking God every minute of the day for all the blessings that he has showered upon me. He let me leave the unsatisfying employment I had in the past and brought me to the place where I could be myself and be happier.
Now, I have an endless sense of gratitude for my life, my freedom, my fate. Thanking God for giving me the kind of life I have always wished for and for bringing me to where I grow as a happy individual. Thank you Lord for another year in my beautiful existence 😄
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