02/03/2026
A Journey to 45
45 Years of Growth, Gratitude, and Grace
Today, I turn 45.
Forty-five years of breathing, surviving, fighting, believing, and becoming.
And if I am being honest… I never imagined that at 45 years old, I would still be working far away from my family. Minsan naiisip ko, bakit andito pa rin ako? Why am I still here, nagbabanat ng buto sa abroad, when years ago my plan was clear?
The dream was simple. At 40, I thought I would already be home — living peacefully with my family in our homeland, running my own business, relaxed, and slowly preparing for retirement.
But destiny had its own plan.
And my journey? It was never easy.
I grew up in poverty — the kind of childhood where mud, old empty cans, candy wrappers, and coconut leaves became toys. I went to a public elementary school without a backpack, without pencil cases, without crayons. Before and after school, I was pasturing cows. Childhood was not soft. It was survival.
I stopped college early because life demanded responsibility sooner than I was ready. I went to Manila carrying nothing but courage and uncertainty. There were nights I slept hungry. Days I walked miles just to save fare. Dreams felt far away, but I kept walking.
Then came the first opportunity abroad — and with it, misfortune. I experienced fear I never thought I would face. I remember running, being chased, crawling in the desert near the borders of Iraq, knowing that rattlesnakes could bite us at any moment. That chapter could have ended my story.
But it didn’t.
Instead of giving up, I searched for another chance and found it in Saudi Arabia. For six years, I worked hard and rose to become a store manager. That season was proof that resilience works. That faith pays off.
Then came another journey — twelve long years now in Papua New Guinea. Being an OFW is never easy. The loneliness. The missed birthdays. The school programs you only watch through photos and videos. The silent sacrifices no one sees.
But I kept standing.
Today at 45, I am still blessed. I have a high-paying job. A supportive and loving family. A caring partner who stands beside me. For all of these, my heart is grateful.
But life is never a perfect picture.
They say we cannot have both worlds. While I am blessed with work and love, I am also carrying debts — millions lost in business ventures that did not succeed. Loans from financial institutions. Debts with relatives and friends. There were even moments when friendships broke because of money. Words were said. Judgments were made.
It hurts.
It humbles you.
It teaches you who stays and who walks away.
At 45, I stand not as a perfect success story, but as a living testimony of endurance. I have fallen. I have failed. I have been condemned. I have doubted myself.
But I am still here.
Still breathing.
Still working.
Still believing.
Still dreaming.
Forty-five years taught me this:
Success is not measured by how smooth your life is. It is measured by how many times you rise after falling. Grace is not about having everything figured out. It is about continuing despite the uncertainty.
I may not yet be where I once planned to be.
But I am not where I used to be either.
And for that, I am grateful.
To my younger self who played in the mud and dared to dream — thank you for not giving up.
To the man I am becoming — keep going.
This is not the end of the journey.
This is just Chapter 45.
And I believe… the best chapters are still being written.
Happy 45th Birthday to me.
