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Tuesdays with Morrie: Life Lessons on Gratitude, Death, and Eternal Hope

Saturday, August 16, 2025


Tuesdays With Morrie is a book that I got to know through a friend. I saw one of his online posts, and didn’t waste my time having a second look. It was just one of the many passing updates on my news feed from my online friends which I rarely put too much attention to.

It started with curiosity and a book that was on sale at Goodwill. It was cheap and I could afford it hehe

The book left me with the impression that nothing is forever. Nothing lasts for eternity. Well, except for the One who is Eternity.

People come and go. They stay for a season and a reason. Some choose to stay, some choose to leave, and some just have no choice but to submit to the natural way of life, which one of them is death.

Humans die. Human death is a dead end, everyone must face it. To leave the physical world is something that no one could ever run away from.

But the memories we create with our loved ones, with the people who stay for a season and a reason worth all the struggle and pain we face in life. The experience of being alive and living and loving the moment is a gift from the One who lasts for eternity.

The present is a gift I am in the process of consistently trying to be grateful for. I can be an overthinker sometimes and that ruins the gift of the present. I am always praying to have a grateful heart, a heart that is overflowing with gratitude. In good times and bad times, I desire to be grateful to the LORD.

The attitude of gratitude is a good way of living a good life, of no regrets, of contentment, and of joy.

I hope and pray we also find peace as we journey to a life that is filled with gratitude to the One who stays and lasts forever.
‭1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV‬
[18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

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Life Lessons from The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

This is the second book I read from Mitch Albom and I try to write a blog post about it makes me wander about the first book I read from him which is Tuesday's with Morrie. I went to the search tab and search for the title, but it didn't give me any. I tried the author name and it didn't also. I am surprised and I didn't have a blog entry for Tuesday's with Morrie. I was so confident that I had a blog entry for it. Oh well, I guess I have to read it again or I just have to remember what the book is about.

What's the book about?

Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his "meaningless" life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: "Why was I here?"

"It is a fiction, slightly non-fiction, and a little bit of self-help." And that's how would I describe the book,  the five people you meet in heaven. It was easy and short to read. The length of the book is just enough for the story, no fillers, just the essential. My heart swelled in all the heartwarming parts of the book. I must confess I cried to most of the part of the book. I loveSo how picturesque the used words are, they tickled my imagination. 

I took notes of the lessons I learned from the story of Eddie and how he came to know why everything happened in his life and learned their purpose. The realization he had about the things that happened in his life was comforting to a reader like me whose trying to find reasons and purpose why bad things happened even though a person isn't bad at all. 

Lesson 1: We are all connected and affect one another by our actions and decisions in life. 

Lesson 2: We all make sacrifices in life and it is for a reason, definitely not a vain reason, but a purposeful purpose and reason.

Lesson 3: We forgive. Hate is a double edge sword. We hurt as much as we hate. So, we must forgive instead. Forgiveness is much powerful, than hate.

Lesson 4: We move on. We don't get stuck in one place. We fail, we move on. We got hurt, we move on. We win, we move on. We move on with life, and we're always making progress little by little, step by step. 

Lesson 5: We have purpose and we will serve it well by the end of our life. One way or another, our purpose will be served whether we are aware of it or unaware. We got purpose in life no matter how painful life has been.




I must say that this book is on my top good read books. I reall enjoyed and learned a lot at the same. A must read you have to try too, if you haven't.

Let's read more books! Tara!

Love,

Ang Pinay Manlalakbay
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Taiwan Blog (Episode 2): Pack with Me on a Hot and Humid Day

Saturday, July 12, 2025


I started packing for my Taiwan Trip with all my toiletries, first aid kit, shoes, and clothes my suitcase was pretty much packed and ready, except for some of the last minute additionals. It was really, really hot when I was packing the suitcase. Sweaty and hot, I survived the heat and was able to write this blog entry. 

Here is the list of things I put in my luggage.

Toiletries:
shampoo
conditioner
feminine wash
sunscreen
lotion
perfum/cologne
body wash
toner
cotton balls
cotton buds
facial routine kit

First aid kit:
band aids
burn cream
antibiotic ointment
Tylenol 
Eye moisturizer 

Shoes:
Tennis shoes
leather shoes

Clothes:
dresses
underwears
leggings
shorts
socks
sleepwear

That's quite a list, but I always try to be prepared and ready for any trip. It is better to be ready than sorry. I know this is not a comprehensive list, but you can modify, add, or remove somethings that you might need or not need. It is all depends on your comfort, tolerance, and what you need. 

Join me as I travel the world. Tara!

Love,

Ang Manlalakbay 

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Taiwan Blog (Episode 1): Flights, Hotel, and Tour

Sunday, July 6, 2025


Taiwan is one of my dream destinations. My desire to got to this country is rooted from the Taiwanese drama I used to watch with my cousin when I was a teenager and somewhere around my high school era. This trip will gratify my lifelong dream of going to the country of Dao Ming Si and San Chai, the two leads in the Taiwanese drama. 

When I had an 11-hour layover during my trip from US to Philippines, I was able to step on the ground of Taiwan, but I did not attempt to get out of the airport despite the long hours of staying there. I just thought to myself that I would return there as a tourist, not as a passerby. And I did. 

Travelling the world is also one of my many dreams in life. I guess dreams keep us going too in life, like hope. This is my first time doing solo travelling. I am bit nervous, which is normal I think. I tried to prepare rightfully for this trip. 

The Trip.com app has been my go to online software for my travel ever since I booked that ticket with my friends for Cebu trip which is seven years ago.


Everytime I travel my goal is to find the cheapest but safest flight, hotel, and tour. I am always travelling on a budget. 

This time for the booking I used US dollar currency, since it felt more affordable and not painful on my pocket when I look at it. Well, yes, it is more of a psychological thing and hopefully, it is helping rather that damaging me.

Flights. For the plane tickets, I spent $110.50. It is a round trip ticket already for 4 days and 3 nights trip or more like 3 days and 3 nights because of the flight schedule.

Hotel. For the accommodation, I tried booking in a hostel. I booked for 2 nights, since I would be spending the 1st night at the airport. I spent $24.10 for the hostel. I made sure that hostel is a walking distance to the training station.

Tour. I decided to avail a package tour since I would be travelling in a unfamiliar land. I thought it would be safer and cheaper because the tour includes the transportation. As it was advertised, the tour is composed of 7 tourist attractions to visit. It is a one-day tour. I paid $49.75 for the packaged tour.

In total for the plane tickets, accommodation, and guided tour, I spent $184.35 which roughly converted to 10,139.25 Philippine peso.

I am excited and nervous at the same time for this trip, but I am definitely looking forward to it. 

Join me as I travel the world. Tara!

Love,

Ang Manlalakbay
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Manocot, Arlene
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Book Review & Full Book Cover Reveal: The Restless Mind
Good day y’all!  Good news, I just released a book for my birthday. I’ve been self-publishing for almost ten years. I am happy doing that, a...

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Goodreads

Arlene Manocot's books on Goodreads
Once Summer Days Once Summer Days (Fangirling Series, Book 3)
ratings: 4 (avg rating 4.25)

My Hopeless Case My Hopeless Case (Fangirling Series, Book 1)
ratings: 3 (avg rating 5.00)

Chasing an Elusive Dream Chasing an Elusive Dream (Fangirling Series, Book 2)
ratings: 3 (avg rating 5.00)

Yearning for the One Yearning for the One
reviews: 1
ratings: 2 (avg rating 3.00)

The Gung Ho Lady The Gung Ho Lady (Gung Ho Series, #1)
reviews: 1
ratings: 1 (avg rating 5.00)

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