Charina.Writes

What It Means To Live Fully

We all know the difference between existing and truly living. But what does it really mean to live fully? Is it climbing mountains? Traveling the world? Achieving our goals? Maybe. But living fully isn’t always loud or glamorous. Sometimes, it’s quiet. Subtle. Sacred. Being Fully Present So much of life slips through our fingers when…

Words Matter

How would you feel if someone told you things that are not that easy to forget? Words that linger in our memories and leave a deep scar in our hearts and being. Maybe I am not the kindest person or not the most loving (to some), but I am not cruel and hateful. Maybe I…

Knowing the Unknown

I couldn’t remember exactly when I started writing. If I remember it right, it could be sometime in 2010. So, I’ve been writing or blogging on and off for fifteen years now. I loved it. Every minute of it. There would be times when the words just flowed freely. There would be times where I…

Muted Love

There are people who love loudly (what does loving loudly even mean to you?) and there are those who show love through their muted sacrifice. In my quest for finding out if there is a Japanese word for muted love, I came to find out that there are a few words on how to express…

Unmei Ai

Unmei ai is a Japanese word which translates to “love of fate.” For someone who has never been anywhere in Japan other than the airport and a short ride by bus for airport transfer, my love of Japanese words and its deeper meaning is quite unexplainable. To be precise, I discovered this word, thanks to…

Our Secret Battles

The world has been feeling heavier lately. And yet we continue to live, carrying our secret battles that seem invisible to even those we know and meet. Every day there is still beauty that at times seems fragile…like it’s not even real. Some of us wake up feeling trapped in lives we no longer recognize…

What’s Your Reflection?

When my daughter was five years old, Mulan was one of her favorite animated movies. And the song, “Reflection,” is a favorite of hers. But as much as I loved the movie like my daughter, I won’t be talking about Mulan’s reflections. Several weeks ago, a co worker who is fairly new lied to our…

Soul Keeping

If you are to look for the definition of soul, I am sure you will see quite a few different interpretations, well, according to what you are referring to. For this post, I’d like to think that soul is seen as the core of a person’s being, including their thoughts, feelings, and moral nature. Do…

There But Not Here

Have you been around people that are here but are actually there? I’m pretty sure you do. “There but not here” generally describes a situation where something or someone is physically present, but not engaged in the current moment or place. It can refer to a person being physically near, but their mind is elsewhere,…

Deaf World

I have moderate (which is 55% to be exact) hearing loss. I was diagnosed with it several years ago. The first time I heard the sounds of water coming out of the faucet, I was more shocked than elated. I didn’t realize I was missing distinct water sounds, footsteps, even the crinkling sounds of a…