If I tried to list every reason I have to be grateful, I’d run out of paper. Not because my life is perfect, but because I’ve learned that blessings are not always wrapped in pretty paper or delivered on sunny days. Some of my reasons are obvious—family, friends, a roof over my head, food on…
Category: finding self
Resilience
My daughter and I landed in the Philippines a few years ago to visit and spend time with my family. As always, with any trip we take, I made sure to bring my camera. Four weeks into our six-week vacation, I realized I’d only taken a handful of photos. It’s not that there isn’t beauty…
Why I Keep Writing
When Words Save You: Why I Keep Writing Even When It’s Hard There are days I sit in front of the screen and feel absolutely empty. No inspiration. No spark. Just silence, fatigue, and the heaviness of too much life. And yet—I write. Not because I always feel brave. Not because I have it all…
A Letter To My Younger Self
Dear younger me, You were always the quiet one — the girl who preferred books over parties, cozy corners over loud rooms. You felt safer in your own world, where your thoughts could wander freely and your heart didn’t have to perform. And that’s okay. That was never a flaw. That was your beginning. I…
The Ugly Side of Boundaries
No one really talks about the awkward, uncomfortable, slightly soul-crushing part of setting boundaries — especially with the people you love. It’s supposed to be this healthy, empowering thing. And it is. But sometimes, it also feels like breaking your own heart a little. Because the moment you stop saying “yes” to everything, the people…
God-Given Identity
The Blessing of Our True God-Given Identity In a world that constantly tells us who we should be—louder, thinner, smarter, more successful—it’s no wonder so many of us wake up wondering who we truly are. We search for meaning in titles, approval in relationships, validation in likes and follows, and value in performance. And yet,…
Value What You Have
While You Have It.. It’s a phrase we hear often. It sounds simple—almost too obvious to be profound. But life has a way of teaching us just how deep those words really go. We don’t always recognize the value of something while it’s right in front of us. The everyday moments. The people who text…
Mujo
The Beauty and Bittersweetness of Life’s Impermanence There’s a quiet, poetic word in Japanese—mujo—that means impermanence. At first glance, it sounds like something we might want to avoid. After all, most of us crave stability. We long to hold onto moments, people, places, seasons. But mujo isn’t cruel. It doesn’t come to steal joy. It…
Trouvaille
The Beauty of Unexpected Blessings There’s a quiet kind of magic in the word trouvaille. It doesn’t shout or demand attention. It whispers—like the warmth of sunlight falling unexpectedly on your face during a cold morning, or a song that finds you at just the right moment. Trouvaille is a reminder that sometimes, life gives…
Memoir of my Heart
There’s a quiet place in my life where I go to make sense of the mess, the beauty, the ache, and the grace of it all. That place is Charina Writes. It began simply—as a space to share thoughts, to process life, to speak gently into the noise. But somewhere along the way, it became…
Charina.Writes 