Cutty

It was a sad week for friends and relatives.  A friend's father passed on and a 6 year old distant relative didn't recover from heart surgery. T lost her mom to pancreatic cancer not more than 4 months ago.  I was just telling her how impressed I was about her strength.  Then, the news about her father's passing on just surprised us. Someone remarked that, maybe, he just wants to be with his wife. At first, I couldn't believe that someone can die from loneliness or heart-break.  But, I must have known four cases wherein the spouses pass on soon after their loved ones go.  Sinundan talaga, hanggang kamatayan. I am in awe of their bond.  But, love, as strong as theirs, transcends death. ----------------- The news about a 6-year-old niece passing on is devastating. I did not know her personally but I was in tears the moment I heard about it. She underwent surgery to correct a congenital heart problem. She survived the surgery but didn't recover from...

July must have been the month I have traveled most in the past decade.  Next would be May.  It is both an exhilarating and agonizing experience going through the photos in my Facebook Memories. So, while the memories are still fresh, I decided to unbox my scratch map to document the places I've visited in the past.  As you can see, it is still a work in progress. Asia is still the most visited region because of its proximity. Europe comes in next.  Slovenia and Slovakia are too small to be noticeable here. The markings on the United States map are confined to tourist spots and a few states where I spent time during business trips. I do not plan on setting foot in all continents, but I still want to scratch off a few more cities in my bucket list.  I am still hoping to experience food-tripping in Montreal, chasing the Aurora Borealis in Scandinavia, being in awe of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey, watching the sunset in Santorini, bein...