In the quiet moments of my workday, between tasks, during brief pauses, or whenever time allows, I often open my notebook and write. Sometimes it is about what I feel at that moment, sometimes a thought that crosses my mind, or a small realization that seems worth remembering.
Over time, these simple notes have become my office diary, a collection of reflections, observations, and lessons gathered from ordinary days at work. They are not grand stories, but honest fragments of life as it unfolds in real time.
This blog shares those pages like thoughts written in spare moments, capturing the feelings, ideas, and quiet lessons that often pass unnoticed in the rhythm of everyday work.
FEATURED STORIES
LUNCH BREAK REFLECTIONS
When I was still a new employee at the bank, lunchtime was something I genuinely looked forward to. My co-officemates and I would walk together to the canteen, share a table, and exchange stories about work and life. Lunch was never just about eating, it was a moment of companionship in the middle of a busy day.
But there was one person I often noticed. He was one of the tellers assigned at the counters. Every lunch break, while the rest of us gathered in groups, he quietly sat at a table in the canteen alone.
Read MoreGHOST OF THE PAST
A small fragment of my sorrowed past slips quietly into the present, uninvited. Like a shadow that lingers, unwilling to rest. It arrives not as a guest, but as a social obligation somewhat. Or maybe, that momentary glimpse that tries to stir the ashes of things I thought buried and long forgotten in the grave of the "unlikely" has to rekindle back, just to remind me that it existed.
Read MoreA QUITE VOICE WITHIN
With no one to serve at my workstation at the moment, I find myself lost in thought, caught up in a quiet wonderment, or perhaps it’s more than that. I ponder the possibility that I am not a separate entity, isolated from the rest of humanity. Beneath the surface of what we call reality, could there be an unseen thread weaving all souls together, a binding force connecting each of us to the intricate tapestry of creation?
Read MoreTHE ENERGY VAMPIRE
There’s a certain kind of challenge I’ve come to accept in my life today, one that I’ve learned to endure as part of the human experience. It's the recognition that inner peace often lie not in changing others, but in accepting them for who they are, whether their energy is positive or negative.
Read MoreMONDAY BLUES, IS IT?
Monday blues feels more relevant to me now, or perhaps it's just an instinctive response to an impending danger. It’s like catching the stench of decay in the air, triggering an innate urge to turn away.
Read MorePRESERVING PEACE, PROTECTING SELF
They say too much familiarity often breeds contempt. I’ve seen this truth unfold in my own life. Sometimes, a simple gesture of kindness or goodwill is met not with gratitude, but with disrespect or even hostility. When that happens, it reveals more about the other person’s narrowness of mind than it does about us.
Read MoreI RATHER HAVE FEW FRIENDS BUT GENUINE ONES
More often than not, a gregarious person has a distinct advantage when it comes to human connectivity, which can be particularly beneficial in networking, building relationships, and even in the business world. Being outgoing often translates to an ability to cultivate broad networks of acquaintances or friends, a trait that can open doors and provide support in various endeavors. However, not everyone is wired this way, and I am one of those individuals.
Read MoreRISING ABOVE TOXICITY
After spending a day or two outside the grip of this workplace, it feels as though I’ve taken a fresh breath of air, a fleeting reprieve from my inner chastisements. But as I return, the weight comes crashing back down on me.
Read MoreTITLES DON'T DEFINE ME
It’s natural to feel a twinge of envy when others advance in their careers, especially when it’s through the recommendation of a boss, and not you. But is there really anything to envy about? A promotion is just another title attached to someone’s name. While it may signify career progression and boost one’s self-esteem, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee happiness or fulfillment. Well, let's face it, it is an added item to the resume, making it more appealing for future career advancement. But it's not worth a thought really. If such an opportunity comes my way, I’ll carefully consider it, but if it doesn’t, I won’t lose sleep over it.
Read MoreSERVING BEYOND WEALTH
The one thing that continues to draw me to this job, despite the years that have passed, is the daily challenge it presents. There’s something about the ever-changing nature of the work that keeps me on my toes. Even after two decades in this role, I still find myself feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety when there’s a shift, especially when I’m reassigned to a function or a space that feels more exclusive, like the one I’m currently in, catering to some of the wealthiest people of Cebu.
Read MoreTHE HUSH OF NOON
At precisely 12:10, the clock on my desk faintly glows, marking the time in this quiet workstation now. Just hours ago, this stillness was no where to be found. As this place is like a symphony of contrasts, a tempest one moment, and the next, a sudden hush, forcing me to take a breath between the waves. This dance of storms and fleeting peace is a cycle that repeats endlessly.
Read MoreTHE INVISIBLE BURDEN OF SERVICE
The clock on my computer reads 3:48 PM. The bank had officially been closed forty eighteen minutes, yet a client is still seated in one of the officers' cubicles for hours now. She is a high-profile customer, the kind whose presence often warranted extra attention. Had she noticed that the bank had already closed? Where was her transaction?
Read MoreA LESSON FROM THE RAIN
Yesterday afternoon, the rain started to drizzle and continued until this morning. It wasn’t a heavy downpour, certainly not the kind people describe as “cats and dogs”, but steady enough to leave everything damp. My children were at home since they had no classes today, which meant I had a rare, quiet morning travel to my workplace.
Read MoreSTANDING CALM IN THE STORM
My journey in this workplace unfolds undeterred, unwavering in the face of any tempest that besieged me here. Yet, amidst that serene spirit, an unwelcome presence intrudes, disturbing the stillness of my soul with the insidious tentacles of pessimism and irrational intolerance. I could resist, could shield myself from this intrusion and protect the calmness of my spirit, by countering back. But, I did not. That customer just showed her ugly side and to face it with an ugly face could only add insult to injury.
Read MoreA ONE-MAN BATTLE AT THE COUNTER
Earlier today, I found myself somewhat overwhelmed by the seemingly endless swarm of customers. It was like being caught in the middle of an ant infestation, everywhere I turned, there were more and more people crowding around, each demanding attention, each more insistent than the last. Their questions, their impatience, the constant tug of requests, it all piled up on me, bit by bit, until I could feel my patience were wearing thin and I could hardly breathe. It's really just a one man battle here.
Read MoreA SELF-EVALUATION SCORECARD
Well, this morning, there were quite a lot of clients to attend to. I just came back from taking lunch and still has few minutes to say something to my friend, my handy dandy notebook.
Read MoreGRINDING THROUGH THE CHAOS: A DAY IN A BANK
Work has been far from comfortable lately, with my mind caught in a web of distractions. The most pressing issue is the delay with a government agency, intentionally dragging its feet on processing my documents. The situation has stalled the construction of my house for nearly a month now, leaving my carpenters waiting, that makes them go hungry without money, because progress has ground to a halt.
Read MoreTHE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY
These days, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed by lots of things to do. My house helper, who had been with me for about a year, just left. She eloped with her boyfriend. It seems like a decision made under pressure by her boyfriend. It wasn’t the best idea, but I suppose we all make choices we regret.
Read MoreTURNING THE PAGE OF YESTERDAY
After a chaotic scene in my workplace, at this very moment, a beautiful life calls to me, like a whisper carried on the wind, soft yet certain. It reminds me that even amidst the shadows, light has always been near, waiting for me to notice.
Read MoreLIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
In the quiet moments of my workplace, I gaze within a parent's heart that is weighed down by doubt. The echoes of my own missteps hum a song of time that I cannot rewrite. My daughter's struggle with the clock is a mirror of my own dilly-dallies. The habits that shaped her, I silently taught.
Read MoreA SATURDAY STOLEN
At this moment in my workplace, I'm going through an emotional storm, a mix of insecurities and burdens that feel overwhelming. I find myself battling feelings of being undesirable, growing old, and confronted by the weight of my imperfections. On top of that, financial worries have been crashing me down too, luckily, close kin tried to fill that chasm.
Read MoreFROM ILLUSION TO CLARITY
As I sit quietly at my desk, a question rises from somewhere deep: Who have I become? The days, the months, the years, they’ve blurred into one continuous rush. And still, I find myself searching, restless, chasing after something I can’t quite name.
Read More