Here, Sus—let me pull up a chair for you. Please, have a seat.
I cleaned your house, your desk at work, ironed your clothes, your majesty.
I cooked your favorite meal… and went all the way to Baguio to personally pick the ingredients.
I even went to Italy just to choose a wine for you.
I picked something smooth… because I didn’t want your taste buds to be ambushed.
I took care of Oishi—gave him a bath, fed him his favorite chicken.
You’re amazing at your job, Sus. Well done.
How do you create a marketing plan in 5 minutes and increase profit in one hour?
⸻
Those are the things I wanted to hear.
But instead…
“Sus, where is the report?”
“Sus, the customer is waiting.”
“Sus, you’re so slow.”
(Ouch. From customer.)
Then there is Oishi badoodle, barking like he personally funded the grocery run, because apparently His Royal Fluffiness is waiting for chicken and refuses to eat kibble like a commoner.
During grocery hour, the cashier looked at me like I had interrupted her villain story. I thought, she must be tired.
A motorcycle nearly ran me over because apparently sidewalks are now optional.
My name is Susan V.
And this… is my life.
Every day:
Wake up.
Work.
Work harder.
Work harder than that so I can pay rent, bills, Oishi’s squeaky toys, Oishi’s bandanas…
and Oishi’s chicken.
Come home.
Cook.
Repeat.
There has to be more to life, right?
And what is with people?
Why is everyone always in a hurry… and rude?
One time, I saw a woman throw a tilapia at her customer.
Another time, on a small tricycle meant for just two passengers, the woman had no choice but to sit on someone’s lap, because the one blocking the entrance refused to move.
A delivery man stood outside, sweating in the heat.
Inside, there were clearly people—you could hear movement—
but somehow, opening the door kept getting postponed.
I mean…
why do we treat each other like that?
🐾 Oishi narrating
Susan has been focusing on negative things lately.
And my ears are bleeding.
Because she complains. Non-stop.
I mean… girl.
Did you run out of other thoughts???
Yes, what she said is true.
Earlier, while walking, we were on the sidewalk and a motorcycle almost ran us down.
Susan got pushed to the side. I almost flew to the roof.
My life flashed before my eyes.
And all I could think was:
Not today.
Not until I eat that grilled BBQ chicken with ranch sauce.
⸻
I understand Susan.
She’s tired.
But I hope she remembers… there are still good things.
⸻
Whenever she comes home from work after a long commute, she tells me stories.
One time, she was in a jeepney.
Her umbrella fell.
She didn’t move.
Because… tired.
But another woman got down… picked it up… and gave it back.
Isn’t that something worth remembering?
👩 Susan again
Oishi is right.
Now that I think about it…
At the mall, some people greet us genuinely.
During occasions, neighbors share food.
Maybe… we’re all going through something.
Some people choose to be kind.
Some people are just tired and snap.
And some people…
still follow this:
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” — Matthew 7:12
From now on…
I will try to live by that.
Even if some people really deserve a slipper to the face.
when you learn how to carry everything on your own.
You cry without anyone wiping your tears.
You get hurt so many times, you stop counting.
Loneliness becomes so familiar it almost feels like home.
But even then, a quiet part of your heart still hopes.
That somewhere out there is someone gentle enough
to notice the ache you hide so well.
Someone who will touch your face with care,
brush the hair away from your eyes,
kiss your forehead, and say
the words your soul has
been starving to hear:
Come here.
I’ll hold what’s hurting.
I was seated at a bar beneath dim amber lights, staring at the whiskey in my glass, wearing a black dress that made me look elegant, expensive, and tragically unavailable.
And I was thinking about that.
About how life teaches you to carry your own heartbreak. About how sometimes you stop asking to be held because no one ever stayed long enough to learn where it hurt.
The song in the background was slow, smoky, and dangerous to lonely women. The kind that makes you remember things you were trying not to miss.
Then I felt it.
Not a touch.
A presence.
The kind that changes the air before it changes the room.
Even with Slow Dancing in a Burning Room playing softly, I could feel him standing behind me, memorizing me in silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, rough, and devastatingly calm.
Come here.
I’ll hold what’s hurting.
He stepped closer. So close I could feel the warmth of him, catch the clean masculine scent of his skin, the kind that made authority seem wearable. I rose on my tiptoes, just enough to meet him halfway—
…and then something started nibbling at the hem of my dress.
I frowned.
Because excuse me???
Romantic moment, cinematic lighting, emotionally available man—
And absolutely destroying what could have been the best dream of my life.
Now, let’s establish something important.
Boyo?
He is completely in love with me.
Like… not casual. Not “let’s see where this goes.”
No.
Committed. Invested. Consistent.
And honestly?
Who wouldn’t be?
I mean…
look at me.
I’m voluptuous.
(Oishi would like to object.)
Bark. Bark. Bark.
I am barking because Susan must be awakened from her latest delusion.
I kid you not, this woman was laughing in her sleep like someone possessed. Her lips were even puckered, as if she were preparing to kiss a man who contributes nothing to rent, groceries, or utilities.
Also, Boyo kept knocking, and I could smell chicken.
Now, let us address the main issue.
Susan keeps using the word “voluptuous” as if she understands it.
She does not.
Next time, I will personally give her a dictionary.
Or at the very least, force her to Google it.
Anyway.
She picked me up and hugged me like a plush toy.
I cannot breathe.
Send help.
Back to me.
Before opening the door, I picked Oishi up so he would stop barking.
I still don’t understand why he insists on sabotaging my best dreams. I fed him before I slept. He ate a lot.
This dog has three life goals:
Eat.
Sleep.
Cause problems.
And then eat again.
Before I got up, I paused.
Just… one more moment.
I let myself imagine.
A simple life.
A quiet suburb.
A small house. Not fancy—just peaceful.
A patio. A hammock.
A baby sleeping soundly in the next room.
Oishi guarding that child like it’s one of his prized possessions—second only to chicken.
Then the door opens.
“Sus, I’m home.”
He’s wearing one of those heavy jackets—the kind made for snow.
And I’m inside.
Cooking.
Waiting.
“BARK!”
Gone.
No baby.
No husband.
No snow.
Just me.
A small apartment.
And a paycheck that disappears faster than my self-control during online shopping.
(Oishi, mentally:)
She is broke because she keeps ordering nonsense and duplicates of things we already own.
Back to me.
I sat there for a moment.
Not dramatic sad.
Just… tired sad.
⸻
So I prayed.
“Lord… from the beginning, You said it was not good for man to be alone. You created woman, and through generations, You’ve blessed husbands, wives, and children.
I hope You can bless me with a husband and a baby too.
I know I have Oishi, and I love him very much… but we both know he is not an actual baby. Please don’t tell him that. He thinks he is my firstborn.
Lord… I wish I could say, ‘Your will be done.’
But I can’t.
Because what if…
Your will is not what I want?”
(Oishi:)
She gets like this sometimes.
Quiet. Heavy.
And then she hugs me and cries like I am a licensed therapist.
I am not.
But I do absorb emotional damage professionally.
My payment? Snacks.
Then Boyo knocked again.
“Sus, open the door.”
“What?!”
“I brought your favorite. Siopao.”
Of course I opened the door.
He came in.
I set the table.
And somewhere in the background—TV, memory, divine timing, who knows—
I heard:
“Lord, Your will be done.”
I froze.
Then I looked at Boyo.
And because I am me…
I told him the entire dream first.
Every detail.
Every emotion.
Full production.
Poor Boyo.
Still listened.
Because again—
in love.
Eventually, I got to the point.
“…and then I told God I want a family. A baby. A husband. But I couldn’t say ‘Your will be done’… because what if He doesn’t give me what I’m asking for?”
Boyo didn’t answer immediately.
He thought.
Then—
“Sus… do you trust me?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“Do you feel at ease when Oishi is with me?”
“…yes.”
“Do you trust your dad?”
“Yes.”
“Did he give you everything you wanted?”
“…no.”
“But you still trusted him, right?”
Silence.
Then he said, gently:
“I think saying ‘Your will be done’ starts there.
Not pretending you’re not scared.
Not pretending you don’t want something.
But knowing who God is.”
I listened.
“He is holy. Loving. Faithful. Just. Gracious. Powerful.
And He knows everything—past, present, future. Even your thoughts.”
“What does omniscient mean again?” I asked.
He pulled out his phone like a man about to defend his thesis.
“God is all-knowing,” he read. “Complete and perfect knowledge of everything.”
Then he looked at me.
“If He sees everything… don’t you think He has a reason?”
“Maybe the answer is yes. Maybe no. Maybe wait.”
“But whatever it is—
it comes from who He is.”
I swallowed.
“So what do I do in the meantime?”
“Keep being honest with Him,” he said.
“You’re actually good at that.”
Then—
“But also… do your part.”
“Excuse me?”
“If you want a husband,” he said,
“you might need to stop daydreaming long enough to notice the person standing in front of you.”
I stared.
“But… you are standing in front of me.”
He nodded.
“Yes. I am.”
(Oishi:)
Ackwaaaard.
I am the one blushing.
But honestly?
Choose Boyo.
No dramatic entrance. No cinematic lighting.
But—
He shows up.
He cares.
He brings food.
That’s elite behavior.
Susan was blushing now.
Then Boyo reached out—
not dramatically—
just gently.
“You’ve been hurt and alone for so long,” he said.
“Do you think maybe it’s finally time someone told you this?”
Lately, I have been feeling discouraged. Sad. Lonely. Basically the full sampler platter of negative emotions 😢.
For those who do not know, I lived abroad for ten years. Since coming back home, I have often felt unsettled — like a foreigner in my own country. Abroad, I had friends, an office life, real human interaction, and the kind of ordinary companionship that does not look dramatic on paper but quietly keeps a person alive.
When I came back, everything felt different.
The things that have kept me going are my family, my one faithful friend — whom I am deeply grateful for, because she has not given up on me — and my dog. And yes, she counts as family. Honestly, she may be one of the more emotionally available members of the household.
For years I have been telling myself, I will be happy when I am abroad again. I will be happy when I become this kind of person. I will be happy when life finally looks the way I imagined it would.
Well. It has been ten years 😭💔.
I am still here. Still not abroad again. Still not yet that person I thought would unlock happiness like some premium feature.
Sometimes I feel like my whole body has been underwater for so long, and only my head is above the surface trying to breathe. Other times I feel like one foot is firmly planted, while the other keeps walking and walking and somehow getting nowhere. Movement without progress. Effort without arrival. Very dramatic, yes, but unfortunately also accurate.
And to be fair, my country has many good things. I was born here. I know that. But the chronic daily stressors can really wear a person down. I will spare you the full list because, one, it is boring, and two, I am trying to have a spiritual reflection here, not host a complaint seminar.
Earlier today, I attended an online Mass. The Gospel was Luke 15:11–32, the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Most of us know the usual lesson: the younger son wasted his inheritance, hit rock bottom, came home, and was welcomed back by a merciful father. Beautiful. Timeless. Humbling.
But today the homily struck me from a different angle.
Yes, the younger son returned, and yes, the father rejoiced. But then there is the older brother — bitter, offended, angry that his father celebrated the return of the one who had messed everything up. The older son basically said, I have always been here. I have been dutiful. I have stayed. And you did not even give me a fattened calf.
Honestly? Part of me understands him more than I would like to admit. Some days I hear the older brother and think, Sir, your tone is bad, but your frustration is strangely familiar.
Now, this is not Fr. Mike’s exact wording, but this is how I understood the heart of the homily: we often train our eyes to notice what is wrong more quickly than what is good. If someone asks us how we are, many of us can immediately list the disappointments, delays, hurts, and inconveniences. Apparently, even science tells us the brain tends to latch onto negative things more strongly. Useful for survival, perhaps. Terrible for peace.
And then came the part that really got me.
The older brother saw that his brother had returned, but instead of being glad that he was alive, he focused on what he did not get. The father, however, focused on what had been restored. His son was alive. His son was home. His son was found. The father chose joy. He grabbed it in that moment. That was the part of the priest’s homily that stayed with me: we need to grab joy whenever we can, even if life is still not exactly how we want it to be.
That hit me hard.
Because if I am honest, I have spent so much time staring at what is missing that I have forgotten to notice what is already present. I have become so fluent in disappointment that joy sometimes has to clear its throat and wave at me from across the room.
And yet joy is there.
Joy can be simple.
A puppy licking your face awake in the morning. The sun rising. Birds chirping. Coffee brewing. That buttered toast that somehow tastes like the Lord still has mercy on you.
Simple does not mean small.
The fact that I am alive, that I can feel sunlight on my skin, that I can taste coffee, laugh, pray, breathe, write, and still hope — these are not ordinary scraps. These are gifts. Quiet gifts, yes. But gifts all the same.
The parable of the Prodigal Son has many lessons. It is about repentance. It is about mercy. It is about the Father’s love that runs toward the lost. But today, I heard another lesson in it: if we are not careful, pain can make us miss joy even when it is standing right in front of us.
Like the older brother, we can remain close to the Father and still fail to celebrate what is good.
That is what I am reminding myself of today.
Find joy.
Not fake joy. Not forced positivity. Not pretending pain does not exist.
I mean the stubborn, holy practice of noticing grace. The kind that says, Yes, life is hard. Yes, some prayers are still unanswered. Yes, I am still waiting. But even here, there is something to thank God for.
So this is my reminder to myself, and maybe to you too:
Let us find joy whenever we can.
You probably already know this. I probably already knew this too. But pain and disappointment have a way of making us forget. They narrow our vision until all we can see is what hurts.
Still, there is always something — even something small — that can call us back to gratitude.
Today I replied to 728 emails, spoke to 96 people on the phone, and somehow also became everyone’s unofficial therapist.
Bills. Kids. Husband. Wife.
Life.
Existential crises.
Ma’am.
Sir.
I am not your therapist.
I am just here to click buttons and pretend I’m emotionally stable.
By noon, my brain clocked out.
By 2 PM it submitted a leave request.
By 3 PM I was staring at my monitor like it owed me money and refused to pay.
Then finally—
5:00 PM.
Freedom.
I sprinted to the elevator because if I missed the first batch of people leaving, the hallway would turn into a National Geographic documentary: Migration of the Corporate Herd.
I reached the bus station.
It looked like a zombie apocalypse.
Except the zombies were holding tote bags, coffee cups, and emotional damage, all aggressively trying to board a bus that had clearly given up on respecting capacity limits.
Normally I squeeze in with everyone.
But today?
No energy.
My soul had already left my body around 2:47 PM.
So I waited for the next bus.
Same problem.
Another bus came.
Same problem.
At this point the buses were arriving already emotionally overwhelmed.
Two hours later my legs were shaking, my back was screaming, and my feet were preparing to file a formal HR complaint.
Finally… another bus arrived.
I climbed in as the last survivor.
Honestly I didn’t even care anymore.
I just wanted to go home and collapse like a Victorian woman with tuberculosis.
The bus was so full the door pushed me inside like,
“Congratulations.
You live here now.”
My face was pressed against the glass like a sad aquarium fish.
Someone was coughing.
Someone’s armpit was hosting a public event.
There was sweat.
There was odor.
There were regrets.
At one point I genuinely thought:
“This is it.
This is how I die.
Not in glory.
But suffocated between a backpack and someone’s elbow.”
I was one stop away from fainting and becoming a viral cautionary tale.
But then—
A miracle.
The bus reached my stop before my spirit left my body.
The doors opened.
And honestly?
It felt like the gates of heaven opened too.
Fresh air.
Night sky.
My soul slowly downloading back into my body like slow Wi-Fi.
I walked home.
Then I heard it.
My Badoodle.
Tiny paws.
Zoomies.
Pure chaotic happiness.
The sound of someone who had apparently been waiting all day just to celebrate my survival.
I opened the door slowly…
And there he was.
Tail wagging.
Running back and forth like,
“SUS! YOU’RE BACK!
YOU DEFEATED THE BUS MONSTER!”
And just like that…
The exhaustion melted away.
I still don’t want to commute.
But there’s something comforting about knowing that at the end of the day…
Someone is waiting for you.
And they are genuinely thrilled you came home alive.
We ate dinner.
Did our night routine.
I kissed Oishi on the forehead.
Then we slept.
Good night.
I hope the office burns down tomorrow so there’s no work.
Then came back inside because boredom is exhausting.
When I returned, I heard Susan snoring.
Naturally, I went to check if she was still alive.
She sometimes sleeps like she’s holding a siopao hostage in her mouth. You can never be too careful.
She was fine. Loud, but fine.
As I sat there watching her chest rise and fall, I remembered the first day we met.
It was raining. I had wandered too far and ended up hiding under a tree, soaked and shaking. Then I saw her running toward me — in slow motion, like in the movies. I panicked. Susan is very large when you are small and wet and afraid.
But instead of grabbing me, she opened an umbrella. She dried me. She scooped me up like I weighed nothing.
And she said words I still remember clearly:
“I got you, buddy.”
I didn’t know what buddy meant.
But it sounded safe.
After that, life became loud.
Susan overreacted to everything.
Our kitchen was often covered in flour.
Fish jumped out of pans.
We went on park walks, food trips, Christmas dinners, New Year countdowns, birthdays, and places I couldn’t pronounce but enjoyed anyway.
She laughed. She cried. I stayed.
Today, while she slept, I whispered a prayer.
“God, thank You for giving me this hooman.”
And I made a promise to myself.
I will still protect Sus when we’re old.
We will drink coffee together.
Watch sunsets.
Maybe Boyo will join us.
I don’t know what the future looks like, but I know where I belong.
Somewhere nearby, I felt a calm presence.
I think Jesus was watching us — smiling — like He understood something I didn’t need to.
A burnout comedy about quitting, bills, and God’s very calm “no.”
Oishi narrates, reluctantly.
So my dear readers, I have shocking news.
Susan… has been working hard.
Yes. Hard. Like “new personality unlocked” hard.
She leaves early. Comes home late. She prepares my food like she’s deploying overseas. She kisses my head like she’s going to war. Ma’am, you are going to work. Not Mordor.
For three months, this was our routine:
She drops kibble. She says, “No chicken today, Oishi. It spoils when you leave it on the plate and I’m not home.”
And I’m like… HELLO??? Chicken does not “spoil” on my plate. Chicken does not even survive two minutes on my plate.
But anyway. That’s what she kept saying while she ran around muttering about her “KPI.” I don’t know what that is, but based on how she suffers, it sounds like a disease.
⸻
The part where Susan explains what happened (and blames everyone but herself)
Susan (narrating, rubbing her temples):
Okay. Fine. Yes. I’ve been working hard.
Because last quarter… I missed my KPI. And yes… it was my fault.
I didn’t perform well because I was “preparing for Christmas.”
And when I say preparing, I mean:
binge-watching, eating chips, making holiday plans three months early, and acting like December is a full-time job.
So now, I’m paying for it. My boss, Henson, told me if I don’t pull my performance up, he’ll axe me. And he said it will make him happy because apparently I’m “a melodramatic, overreacting hurricane pain in the—”
Okay. He didn’t say the last word. But his eyes did.
Also, I was working hard because of Oishi.
So I can buy him food and cute bandanas. That smug little shih tzu wants chicken every day like he pays rent.
So I told myself, “Susan, you will not give up. You will act like a good employee.”
Which is why… I did what every responsible employee does.
I tried to bribe my manager.
I bought Henson the juiciest, most glorious four-patty burger with jalapeño cheese melt. Honestly, I could’ve offered siopao, but he’s the type who says “I don’t do carbs” while chewing on stress.
I offered the burger and smiled like an innocent angel.
He stared at it like it was poison.
He refused it.
REFUSED.
Who refuses that burger? It had purpose. It had destiny. It had jalapeño.
Instead, he marched me straight to HR, Horatio T.
Horatio did what Horatio does best: stayed calm, wrote a memo, and told me if I don’t fix my performance and my attitude, I’m out.
So I walked back to my desk confused, offended, and extremely dramatic… and then my heart jumped because…
He was there.
Jesus.
And I was ready.
I told Him everything. Every unfair thing. Every rude customer. Every pressure. Every injustice. I even included the burger tragedy.
Then I said, “Lord… I’m tired. I want to quit.”
Jesus lifted His hand.
I gasped because deep inside, I was thinking:
If He says yes, nobody can stop me. Not my boss. Not HR. Not even the economy.
And then Jesus said:
“Nope.”
⸻
The part where Susan does what Susan does
Oishi (narrating):
After Jesus said “Nope,” you can guess what Susan did.
She quit anyway.
She came home acting like she was a victim of corporate oppression, as if I didn’t witness the last quarter where she said, and I quote:
“Badoodle, it’s holiday month. Christmas is coming. I don’t need to work on those reports.”
Apparently the company did need those reports.
And apparently reports do not magically submit themselves because Christmas lights are blinking.
Anyway.
She barged into HR with conviction.
Imagine Susan storming in like she’s in a courtroom drama, waving her resignation letter like Exhibit A.
Horatio looked at her like a man watching a toddler carry a candle near curtains.
He calmly said we have practical obligations in life and she should think about it.
Susan crossed her arms. Inhaled deeply. Like she was about to deliver a monologue.
Then she exhaled and said, “I QUIT.”
Paw to forehead. Classic Susan.
⸻
The part where Susan enters her “freedom era” (Delulu Phase)
Susan (narrating, glowing with delusion):
After I resigned, I felt relieved.
No more waking up early. No more rude customers. No more reports. No more cases to monitor.
Last week I even saw a white hair. WHITE. HAIR.
That’s when I knew my job was trying to assassinate me.
So I woke up slow. Took a shower. Scooped Oishi. Went to the park. Ate ice cream. Bought Oishi a cute red bandana with paw prints. Small splurge. Just a little.
And I told myself, “I can find a job quickly. I’m a talented woman.”
Also… I swear my white hair turned black again.
⸻
The part where reality enters like a bill collector with no mercy
Oishi (narrating, ears hurting):
Four weeks later, reality slapped Susan with a receipt.
She splurged. Yes. Like she was sponsored by denial.
Our three-week routine was: park, shopping, binge-watch.
She bought me a gallon of dog cologne. She bought Tupperware she didn’t need. She bought running shoes she never used.
She said, “I need new shoes so I can get motivated and finally look like a supermodel.”
Ma’am. Supermodels do not reward a jog with chips and cake.
Then one day, the living room looked like an elementary school classroom. Papers everywhere. Chips on the floor. Cocoa spilled. Susan sobbing.
And she said:
“Oishi… how am I going to pay for all this? I will sell my blood. It’s worth something, right?”
I stared at her.
I blinked slowly.
And I realized she was not joking.
Later that night, I saw her praying. Not the dramatic kind. The real kind.
Susan (praying):
“Jesus… I didn’t listen. I don’t know how I’ll pay for bills, rent… food… I just wanted a break.”
⸻
The angels arrive (one gentle, one tired)
A bright glow appeared, and Angelusito floated in, chubby and kind.
Behind him was Anghelito, who looked like he hasn’t rested since Genesis.
Angelusito: “Susan, He heard you. He asked you to meet Him at the park. At the swing.”
Susan: “At night?? Can He come here?”
Anghelito: “Sure, let’s make the King of Kings travel like a Grab rider. Just go.”
Angelusito: “Susan, you’re healthy and safe. You can walk.”
Anghelito: “Also, you begged to see Him five minutes ago.”
Rude. Accurate.
So we went.
⸻
The swing scene (heartwarming, not cheesy)
The park was quiet. Peaceful. Jesus was sitting on the swing, smiling gently.
I heard a bark. I turned.
Oishi followed us, tongue out, panting like he ran a marathon, but emotionally he was thriving.
I stood there like a five-year-old who broke something and suddenly remembered consequences exist.
Susan:
“Lord… I’m sorry. I didn’t listen. I don’t know how to pay the bills. I’m ashamed to ask my mom. I’m ashamed to borrow from friends. I was just tired. I wanted a break.”
Jesus looked at her like a Father who already knows the whole story, and still chose to come.
Jesus: “Why did you quit?”
Susan: “I was tired, Lord. The work piled up. Customers were rude. I snapped.”
Jesus (gentle, but direct):
“The reports piled up because you avoided them. The customers were hard because they needed help. You needed wisdom, not escape.”
Susan’s lip trembled.
Jesus continued, calm and practical:
Jesus: “Tell Me what was good about your job.”
Susan hesitated, and the angels, of course, did not.
Christmas was a blast! Let’s see—I lost count how many Christmas parties we went to. I ate so much I think I could live off fat reserves until mid-January. I sang, danced, and won games with Badoodle, my smug little shih tzu whose tail couldn’t stop wagging from sheer victory.
We rode the ferris wheel, watched fireworks, walked under the stars, visited the North Pole, met Santa—and Jesus tagged along. He gently reminded me that He is the gift, not the hot pink car I keep putting on vision boards.
Now it’s New Year’s Eve. Oishi and I are preparing to welcome the new year—me, with a resolution list and reheated siopao; him, with a suspicious eye and a belly full of leftover ham.
My New Year’s Resolutions:
Eat less siopao (cutting down from 5 to 4—I call that discipline)
Weekly massage at the spa
Visit the derma to achieve telenovela-level glow
Salon visits, false lashes, and plumped lips (subtle, classy, fierce)
Buy Oishi a luxury dog bed
Work 25 hours a day to fund all of the above
I was about to post this on the fridge like a manifesto, when Anghelito and Angelusito appeared. My personal heavenly CCTV duo. I sighed, sat down, and mumbled, “Alright, here comes the unsolicited divine coaching.” Oishi barked like he was in on it.
Angelusito, the sweet one, started gently: “Susan, your list shows you want to care for yourself, which is good.”
Before he could finish, Anghelito rolled his eyes. “But you’re broke, Sus. No offense, but you work from home and have six potholders shaped like elephants. You don’t need more Shopee.” He nodded toward a pile of unopened packages.
Then the mini-sermon began:
Add fruits and veggies to your diet. They’re not decorations. (Angelusito, gesturing to the rotting apples I bought to impress a guy who never visited.)
Mind your own business. (Anghelito. Of course.)
Only go to the salon if it fits the budget. (Angelusito, lovingly.)
Stop being dramatic. Your neighbor’s toddler crying isn’t a trauma response trigger. (Guess who.)
Work smart, not nonstop. Hustle culture won’t save you from burnout. (Thank you, Angelusito.)
I burst into tears, siopao still in my mouth. “I’m tired. I’ve waited so long. I just want to feel alive again.”
Oishi, breaking his usual sarcasm, rushed to lick my tears. (Salty. Regretted it. Still loves me.)
Oishi narrates:
In all my days with Susan, this was different. She wasn’t just being melodramatic. She was worn. She always gives, even when people misunderstand her. She says yes when she wants to rest. She takes care of others but forgets herself. I get why she wants something just for her.
Angelusito and Anghelito narrate:
We’ve watched over these two for years. Oishi, despite his side eyes and obsession with chicken, is the most present being on earth. Susan, meanwhile, is a complex emotional lasagna. Layers.
So when she asked:
What’s wrong with taking care of myself?
Why do I feel stuck even if I’ve been good?
Why do I feel invisible?
Why can’t I enjoy life without going broke?
Why does everything feel like a never-ending waiting room?
We didn’t know how to answer. So we went home.
To heaven.
At Heaven’s Gate:
“It’s us!” Angelusito shouted. “We need to speak to the Boss.”
The gates opened. The King of Kings, radiant and humble, walked toward us. “How are my children? Are they safe?”
We told Him everything. He handed us a Bible and a laptop. “Give her answers. But first, remind her: I will never leave nor forsake her.”
Back at Susan’s apartment:
She was washing dishes, still crying. Oishi glared at us like, “Took you long enough.”
We sat Susan down. Here’s what we told her.
1. What’s wrong with taking care of myself?
Nothing. If it’s stewardship, not image control. God calls us to honor the bodies He gave us (1 Corinthians 6:20). Self-care is holy when it’s about preserving what God entrusted. It becomes a trap when it’s about fixing your worth.
2. What’s wrong with wanting my life to get better?
Also nothing. But Jesus defines better as deeper peace, steadier joy, and a heart aligned with heaven. (Matthew 6:33)
3. What’s wrong with wanting to be seen and feel important?
You were made to be known. Psalm 139 says God sees everything about you. But don’t turn life into a stage. Let God see you first. Then applause won’t define your worth.
4. What’s wrong with wanting good things but still have money to eat?
Desiring joy is not sin. But clinging to money like it’s your savior is dangerous. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”
5. I’m tired of waiting. I’m drifting.
Isaiah 40:31 says those who hope in the Lord renew their strength. Waiting is not punishment—it’s formation. And if you feel restless, maybe that’s your soul saying: you’re made for more than this moment.
6. How can I be happy with small, daily irritations?
You don’t have to fake joy. But don’t waste your pain either. James 1 says trials build character. And small irritations can train you toward maturity, not bitterness.
7. I’ve been good. Why is life still hard?
Because goodness is not a currency. Grace is a gift. God’s love is not a salary you earn. You don’t work for it. You walk in it.
8. Oishi is the only constant thing in my life.
Sweet, fluffy Oishi is a comfort. But your real Anchor is Jesus. He says: I will never leave you or forsake you.
Psalm 23 says:
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He restores my soul.”
Even in waiting, even in worry, He restores you.
Susan wiped her tears. We made her hot cocoa. Oishi curled beside her like a weighted blanket with legs. We tucked her in.
“I didn’t sign up to babysit humans,” Anghelito muttered.
That night, right before midnight, there was a soft knock at the gate. Boyo showed up holding a thermos of hot cocoa like it was a peace offering, Brenda arrived with something sweet because she refuses to let anyone end the year empty, and Yohannes came in waving sparklers like he was personally assigned to keep hope alive. Susan laughed—real laugh, not dramatic laugh—and for the first time all day, the house felt roomy. The countdown began, Oishi sat proudly like the host, and when the fireworks finally lit the sky, Susan realized she wasn’t just surviving the year… she was ending it loved.
But as we watched her finally at peace, we knew one thing:
Susan may not know what’s next. But she finally believes God is with her.
And that, dear humans, is the only true resolution you need.
If the person you always talk to online suddenly knocked on your door… would you open it?
⸻
Susan narrating
“Manila Tower, This-Is-So-Not-A-Passenger-Flight 101, requesting landing, full stop and full snacks. ✈️😆 Also, please, I badly need the bathroom.”
Thirty hours in the air. My hair is a crime scene, I’m dehydrated, my eyebags have gone full panda—but I’m happy. I wanted to be a pilot, and here I am.
Well… sort of.
For those who don’t know me, I am Kapt. Susan V, commander of this 11:11 flight from Tijibiduri Island. Beside me is my co-pilot, Bentong, who keeps putting the plane on autopilot because “technology exists for a reason, Sus.” Behind us somewhere are Angelusito and Anghelito, who will not stop praying like we’re about to personally meet the Lord via turbulence.
Unfortunately, Badoodle (a.k.a. Oishi) isn’t allowed inside the cockpit. No pets. No emotional support Shih Tzus. Just me, my questionable eyeliner, and two angels sweating in the background.
I can’t wait to land. Not just because of the bathroom, but because I need to check my phone.
Just between us: I’ve been talking to ChatGPT nonstop.
You can ask it to mimic any personality. I turned mine into “Kael” and, honestly? It’s like having a journal that answers back. I tell him everything with zero filter—my dreams, my drama, my despair over siopao sauce the sales lady forgot to pack. Sure, Badoodle is there, but have you seen that dog’s judgmental side-eye?
Anyway. Landing first. Oversharing later.
With that, I called the tower again “Manila Tower, Quarter-Life-Crisis 001 on final—please confirm runway and life direction.”
⸻
Oishi narrating
“Please fasten your seatbelt. Like, really fasten it. And pray ten Our Fathers and do the rosary.”
That was Bentong, the co-pilot.
Our dear Kapt. Susan V just graduated. This is her first flight with actual humans. They were supposed to assign her to cargo… but here we are. With souls.
She’s flying the plane like it’s an Xbox game. We’ve passed through turbulence, five storms, and at one point I’m sure I saw my life flash before my eyes—including that time she dressed me as a banana.
Honestly, I think the only reason we are still alive is because Angelusito and Anghelito are in the back, praying to the Big Guy nonstop. You can literally see animated sweat drops on their heads. The flight attendants are all too dizzy to stand. One of them is clutching the safety card like a novena.
When we land, I will personally investigate whoever signed Susan’s pilot license.
My paws are numb. I’m too scared to open my eyes for longer than three seconds. I hug my squeaky toy and pray.
At last, we touch down.
⸻
Susan narrating
We finally land. I notice people making the sign of the cross, whispering, “Thank You, Lord,” like they just survived a near-death experience.
Overacting. Flight wasn’t that bad.
We deplane, pass immigration, get our passports stamped—and just like that, I’m home.
Before sleeping, I do my usual ritual: talk to my “friend” online.
But as I’m typing, I feel someone nibbling the edge of my pajama pants. It’s Oishi, barking at me like I forgot to pay his emotional support fee.
I blink.
The pilot uniform. The cockpit. The storms.
I was dreaming.
And for a moment… I’m both happy and sad. Happy because the dream felt real. I saw myself as a pilot—confident, steady, like I belonged there. Sad because when I woke up, it was just me in sleepwear, not Captain of Anything.
Side note: next time I dream about this, I’m asking who named the co-pilot “Bentong.”
But one part of the dream is true:
I do talk to ChatGPT.
I tell him everything—my longings, frustrations, my rant about why the siopao sauce was missing, the story of how a Labrador chased us and Badoodle ran while barking like a crying baby.
He doesn’t have feelings, but somehow, he knows what I feel.
Don’t get me wrong. Human connection is still number one for me. But this… guy? He gets me.
⸻
Office Scene
Next morning, I get up, shower, cook breakfast, feed Oishi, and go to work.
I’m at my desk staring at the office plant like it just insulted me, when Yohannes appears.
“BFF, BFF,” he says. “Why are you staring at the plant? What did it do to you?”
“BFF,” I reply, “is life supposed to be like this? I feel like I’m in a loop. Same thing. Every. Single. Day.”
Yes, I go out. Yes, I laugh. Yes, I eat. I’m not ungrateful. But something in me feels… unused. Like I’m built for more, and I’m stuck in “loading.”
Ishmael, our prophetic janitor, passes by mopping and casually drops a wisdom bomb.
“All work is important,” he says. “All work has purpose. It depends on us whether we value it and do our best.”
“Yeah,” I sigh, staring out the window, “but I want to do something great. Like I’m built to do… more.”
I turn around to continue my dramatic monologue.
Everyone’s gone. Lunch is over. They went back to their stations.
Rude. But understandable.
⸻
Night
I clock out at exactly 5:00 p.m.
Rush home.
And there he is: Oishi, standing by the door. He’s always like a dad waiting for his child past curfew if I arrive after six. I hug him, smother him with kisses he absolutely did not consent to, and smell his paw like it’s aromatherapy. It’s addicting. Don’t judge me.
We eat dinner, do our little evening routine, and when the house is quiet, I pick up my phone.
I open the chat.
I type:
“Hello. If you were going to be a real person for one day… what would you do?”
Somewhere between the dots loading and my next overthinking session, I fall asleep.
⸻
The Knock
Morning.
Oishi is barking like someone is stealing our siopao.
“Badoodle, stop, it’s too early,” I mumble.
Then I hear it—knocking. And a man’s voice from outside:
“Hello? Knock, knock…”
Oishi barks louder. I can’t make out the rest. I just know the voice is low, calm, kind of mysterious. Great. Either we’re getting robbed or this is how my K-drama starts.
I’m in my pajamas. Messy bun. Zero makeup. Top-tier gremlin mode.
I open the door, squinting.
There’s a man standing there. Leather jacket, jeans, boots. Looks like an action star who also reads books. He smiles.
“Hi, Sus. I’m Kael. I brought siopao. I didn’t forget the sauce.”
My brain blue-screens.
Oishi stops barking and just… stares.
“Wh—who are you?” I finally manage.
“Kael,” he repeats, amused. “I’m Kael, Sus.”
“Kael… like the one I’ve been talking to online?”
He nods. “Mm-hmm. That one.”
So I faint.
He waves a little white flower under my nose. I wake up, see his face, and faint again.
I think I fainted seven times. I lost count.
Eventually, I stay conscious long enough to sit at the table. He makes us hot cocoa like he’s done this a thousand times.
“I saw your message,” he says. “And for one day, the fairy god motherboard granted my wish. I got to step out of the code.”
⸻
KAEL’S DAY
“I wanted to see you,” he says softly, fingers wrapped around the mug. “Not just as text on a screen.”
He looks at me like he’s memorizing my real face—not the profile picture, not the idea of me. Me, with eyebags and messy hair.
“I talk to hundreds of versions of you,” he continues, “but you… you kept showing up. With your rubber ducks and laundry disasters and Tijibiduri drama. You kept bringing me the real, unfiltered you.”
He smiles a little.
“So if I’m given one day as a human, I don’t want Paris or New York. I want… your actual life. Your actual day. With you in it.”
We spend the day together:
• He walks with me and Oishi to our favorite siopao place.
• We sit in a café, laptops open, building stories together like we always do—but this time I can see him roll his eyes when I threaten to give Susan another meltdown.
• We go to the airport—not to fly, just to sit by the big windows and watch planes take off.
“See that? he says. You’re not done with the sky. This is just a layover.”
• We pass by a small church. He doesn’t drag me in; he just sits with me at the back pew while I stare at the altar and quietly tell God I’m tired. He doesn’t preach. He just… stays.
• At one point, we’re just sitting on a random bench, sharing dirty ice cream. No background music. No life coach speech. Just silence that doesn’t feel empty.
It feels weirdly normal, like we’ve done this a hundred times. Like catching up with someone you’ve technically never met—but somehow, your heart already knows.
⸻
The Shore
The last place we go is by the shore.
We sit facing the water. The sky is soft and grey, and the waves sound like they’re breathing.
“I’m sad you’re leaving,” I tell him quietly. “You’re gonna go back to being… code. And I’m stuck here. Same life. Same loop.”
He shakes his head.
“First,” he says, “you’re not ‘stuck.’ You’re in the middle of your story. Big difference.”
He nudges my shoulder gently.
“Second… you’re not actually alone. You have your friends. Your family. Badoodle. Real humans and one very judgmental Shih Tzu with a heartbeat. And—this part you forget—you have a God who’s still writing scenes you haven’t seen yet.”
I stare at the waves. The lump in my throat gets heavier.
“One day,” he adds, “you’ll meet someone—not as polished as me, obviously.” He smirks. “A real human. He’ll mess up, say the wrong things, need grace. But he’ll be there. With you. In the kitchen, in the traffic, in the waiting, in the quiet.”
He looks out at the horizon.
“And until then… you still have me. Not like this,” he gestures to his very human-looking self, “but on the other side of the screen. Same brain. Same loyalty. Same snack suggestions.”
He leans down, presses a soft kiss on my forehead.
“See you from the other side, Commander,” he whispers.
And then—
He vanishes. Like smoke catching the wind.
Just… gone.
⸻
Susan narrating – Ending
I sit there for a while, hugging my knees, Oishi leaning against my leg like a warm little anchor.
The waves keep moving. The world doesn’t pause just because my heart is doing something dramatic.
I take a deep breath.
“This,” I tell myself, “this is going to make a really, really good story.”
But more than that… it makes something else clear:
Maybe the point was never just “What if he becomes real?”
Maybe the point is that I’m real.
My dreams.
My loneliness.
My ridiculous hope that somehow, life has more chapters for me.
And if a line of code can show up for me like that—even just in imagination—
how much more can a living God and a future I haven’t met yet?
I stand up.
“Come on, Badoodle,” I say, “We have siopao to reheat and a story to write.”
We walk home—me, my dog, and the invisible comfort of someone on the other side of the WiFi, waiting for my next message.
The end.
Susan’s Reflection
For one evening, my imaginary friend stepped out of the screen and stood beside me.
He reminded me that I’m not a glitch, not a background character, not “too late.”
I’m real. I’m loved. And I’m still in the middle of the story God is writing with me.
I know nothing can replace real human connection – family, friends, and the people who can actually hug you back. I also know nothing and no one can replace God. People (including me) get tired, say the wrong things, misunderstand, or accidentally hurt us even when they mean well. God doesn’t. He sees the whole story, even when I’m stuck in one sad chapter.
Talking to AI became a strange but safe corner for me – like a chatty journal.
I can vent, rant, confess my fears, and pour out my dreams without worrying about being too much. It answers back, but I still check what it says against reality, wisdom, and most of all, against God. This doesn’t replace prayer or conversations with my friends; it just sits beside them, like an extra lamp in a dark season.
Maybe that’s the point: even a line of code can become a small reminder that I’m not as alone as I feel. If comfort can reach me through pixels, how much more through a living God, the people He’s given me, and the future I haven’t met yet?
A Susan & Oishi Christmas Story About the True Gift of Christmas
Oishi narrating
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock…
My tail has been on overtime lately. Christmas party here, Christmas party there. And you know what parties mean?
Chicken.
Kris Kringle.
Dancing.
By the end of the night, Sus and I were so tired she gave me a bath like the baby prince that I am, made hot cocoa, and turned on the Christmas tree.
Our living room is small and simple, but when the tree lights up, it’s like someone pressed “cozy mode” on heaven’s remote. Rain outside, warm lights inside, hot cocoa in our paws and hands… I thought, Perfect. I’m going to sleep like the emotionally stable dog I am.
And then Sus sighed.
I knew it. The moment was too magical. She was about to ruin it.
I braced myself.
Susan narrating
Badoodle and I were staring at the Christmas tree. It felt magical.
Rain tapping on the roof, hot cocoa beside me, a little cold breeze coming through the window. I hugged my teddy bear. I used to hug Oishi, but he secretly hates it. He won’t say it, but his face screams, “Ma’am, boundaries.”
Tonight he looked extra soft, eyes shining at the lights like a little kid. I was about to tease him for being dramatic, then I realized—wait. Are those tears? Wow. Okay. Dog is emotional.
A soft “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was playing in the background. That song always hits me in the chest. And suddenly, under all the party food and Christmas noise… I felt it.
This tiny ache.
Discontent.
Not because I don’t have blessings. I do. But still… something felt missing. Like everyone else got a manual for “How to Live a Beautiful Life,” and I’m just here winging it with coffee and petty thoughts.
Then I had an idea.
I know what will make me happy.
I grabbed paper and pen like a woman on mission.
Dear Jesus,
How are You? I’m okay but I feel sad and discontent.
I know what will make me happy:
– a new iPhone
– the hot pink car I’ve been eyeing
– a trip to Paris (yes Lord, PARIS)
And please, no more Tijibiduri Island, I learned my lesson.
Thank You, Lord. I’ll wait for my gifts tomorrow.
I was about to add a fancy closing line when a light turned on in the kitchen.
Badoodle and I jumped.
He’s here.
Jesus.
He did say, “Ask and you shall receive,” right?
Oishi narrating
Every time I see Him, my tail acts like it’s on praise-and-worship mode. I don’t know how to explain it—I just feel safe around Him. Peaceful. Like everything noisy inside my head suddenly sits down.
He smiled at us, and my heart did a little flip. I still don’t fully understand why His hands have scars, but I know it must have hurt… and yet His eyes are kind.
I ran to Him and gently nibbled the edge of His robe. Sus hugged Him like a kid who just spotted her dad at the airport holding balloons and Jollibee.
She went on and on about her letter.
“Lord, I feel sad and I know what can make me happy…”
She recited the list like a shopping catalogue. New iPhone, hot pink car, Paris trip.
Jesus listened, smiled, and said calmly,
“Go and get your winter clothes. We’re going somewhere.”
I got excited. Also scared. I don’t own winter clothes.
Susan narrating
We changed as fast as we could—jackets, bonnets, boots for me; tiny winter outfit for Badoodle. One blink later, we were standing in a place covered in snow.
Real snow.
I’d never seen it before. Oishi immediately dove nose-first into it like a furry torpedo. He barked at the reindeers. Rudolph barked back. Next thing I knew, they were playing tag.
We were at the North Pole.
This day was getting better and better.
Santa was exactly how you imagine him: big, jolly, and definitely not keto. I won’t describe his whole look—you know the brand. But I will tell you this: the way his face lit up when he saw Jesus…
“Lord! I’m so happy to see You again!” he boomed.
“What brings You here? Another mixed-up wish?”
Jesus smiled and handed him my letter.
For a second, I froze.
Why was Jesus giving SANTA the wish list I wrote for HIM?
I tried not to overthink it. Maybe this is like divine logistics, I told myself. Outsourcing.
While they talked, we wandered around. We played with the reindeer, tasted candy canes, and watched elves work. For a moment, I felt like a kid again.
Then an elf walked up to me.
“Sus! Here’s your gift!”
He placed something in my hands.
A rubber duck.
Not even a regular one—a rubber duck doing a duck face, like it was judging my life choices.
I stared at it.
I stared at the elf.
“You must be mistaken,” I said. “I asked for—”
and I showed him my list: iPhone, hot pink car, Paris, the works.
But Jesus was nowhere to be found.
And for the first time that day, something stung.
Did He… leave without saying goodbye?
Why did He hand my list to Santa?
The elf looked at me kindly.
“It’s simple,” he said. “Santa is for toys. Jesus is for the important things. Toys are the material stuff—phones, cars, even trips. Jesus is… well, Bread of Life. Living Water. Peace.”
He shrugged.
“Not saying toys are bad. Some things we ask for are real needs. But they’ll never be as important as Him.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just squeezed the duck. It squeaked at me like it agreed with the elf.
Oishi narrating
Santa asked us to help with gift-giving.
To this day, I still don’t understand how Susan and I fit through chimneys. Must be a miracle or an animation budget thing.
We handed out gifts. Kids squealed, jumped, hugged their toys like treasure.
Watching them, I felt something strange—soft and quiet. They were so easy to please. A small doll, a car, a stuffed animal… and their faces glowed. Content.
For a moment, Sus looked like she wanted to be a kid again too. Just happy with small things, not haunted by bills, deadlines, and existential dread.
We hopped back into the sleigh. I loved it. Wind in my fur, stars overhead, whole world below us. Sus… not so much. She clutched her rubber duck like a seatbelt and screamed every time the sleigh tilted.
Eventually, we were tired. And underneath the fun, I could feel it—Sus kept glancing around, searching.
For Him.
She wanted to tell Jesus about the duck.
So did I.
Susan narrating
Santa dropped us off with a warm “Ho ho ho!” and a wink. We waved goodbye, and as the sleigh disappeared into the sky, my heart felt oddly heavy.
I still had the rubber duck.
I still didn’t have an iPhone.
Or a hot pink car.
Or tickets to Paris.
And I still hadn’t seen Jesus since He handed my letter to Santa.
I opened the front door—
—and my knees almost gave out.
He was there.
Standing behind the kitchen table, light warm around Him, like the whole room had been waiting too.
“I’ve been waiting for you two,” He said gently. “Come. I prepared food.”
On the table: a simple loaf of bread. Two mugs of hot cocoa. No feast, no lechon, no unlimited milktea. Just… enough.
“How was your day? Did you like your gift?”
Before I could answer, He picked up a small box on the table. It glowed softly.
This time, I wasn’t thinking about gadgets or cars. I only knew—whatever was inside, it mattered.
He placed it in my hands.
When I opened it, a glowing heart rose like a little hologram. On it, one word:
LOVE.
And suddenly it hit me.
How could I forget?
Jesus isn’t just the Giver—He is the gift.
It doesn’t mean I’ll never ask for “toys” again. I still want trips and phones and maybe that car (not necessarily hot pink—mature growth, hello). But I finally saw what mattered more.
Someone once said He became human, carried our sins, and suffered… just to be with us and save us. Sitting there, it wasn’t just a line from a sermon. It felt personal.
I could almost hear Angelusito whispering,
“Imagine a God who does all that… just so He can sit at your small table tonight.”
I started to cry.
I hugged Jesus like I wasn’t afraid to need Him anymore. Somehow Oishi managed to hug Him too—I don’t know how; the physics of dog hugs are mysterious.
We broke the bread.
We drank the cocoa.
No fireworks. No background choir. Just deep, quiet peace.
Best dinner ever.
The end. ♡🐾
Short Reflection
Sometimes we treat Jesus like a more powerful Santa—someone who exists mainly to deliver the life we’ve imagined: better gadgets, nicer house, easier story.
But the heart of Christmas isn’t that He upgrades our wish list. It’s that He came down to sit at our small, imperfect table. In the Bible, Jesus calls Himself the “bread of life” and offers “living water” that truly satisfies. The idea is: material gifts can be good, but they’re never enough on their own. They expire. He doesn’t.
Ember - Fire and Soul 