There is nothing more effective in keeping your fire burning for something you love than sharing it with others. Just recently, I received an email with the subject: “Invitation to Share Your Expertise in a Children’s Storybook Research Interview”. Turned out that they are college students who are working on their thesis. After that call, I felt kilig (as we call it in Filipino terms).

Such a wonderful world to be in, this kidlit industry. Although I’m no bookworm myself, there’s something magical about children’s books that — when beautifully written — can reach even the oldest of souls.

As I’ve said in that interview, I can’t remember a moment when I read a book together with my parents. Shared reading as they call it. But I remember our house having bookshelves filled with different books, including children’s books and comics. The kids always have a few

books to flip through at home whenever they feel like it. I most especially remember one quiet weekend when my sister and I were lying on the wooden floor, my dad’s sitting on the sofa chair near the window, and my mom’s settled on the couch near us — all of us were holding and reading a book. Mine’s an activity book for kids. That’s a core memory for me.

The world has changed. Now we are full of responsibilities, distractions and busyness. We don’t get to be still because there’s always something to entertain us — our smartphones, televisions, streaming platforms. You name it. Not to mention the struggle of spending more hours at work to put food on the table.

Parent-child interaction is waning. Those college students see it, too. And they are opening this discussion that an interactive storybook can help foster it. I believe that a well-written (and well-illustrated) storybook can indeed help nurture parent-child relationships and spark a child’s curiosity to explore. Many factors come into play, of course, such as living conditions and education (for both parents and children).

After all, a storybook is only as impactful to a home as how many times it is seen and more when taken out of the shelf. It's a great feat, especially in my country, but I hope every home can own at least one great storybook — not as an escape from the world’s realities, but as a means to connect and build relationships…and core memories.

If you think about it, it’s the kids who ask the silliest yet most profound questions. They’re also the ones who give you the silliest yet most profound answers. Adults won’t ask why cats purr while dogs bark — they just accept it as it is.

Children are also the ones who notice what most adults miss. Adults are just too occupied to care if the trees hurt when its leaves fall.

Children are smart little humans, naturally curious and observant, no bias and prejudice. They deserve books that respect their intelligence.

I didn't know that I have this much experience in children's illustration until Fine Arts students reached out to me to share my insights for their thesis. I never see myself as an expert in the field, but I do love sharing this colorful creative world — especially the kidlit world — to others who are curious about it.

There are endless possibilities in creating children’s books. This time, we talked about interactive elements like flaps in storybooks. I haven’t done any interactive book (yet). Good thing that I have children’s books at home that have such elements, and I was able to show some examples.

I just love the kidlit industry. I still have a lot to learn, but being able to share what I know so far about children’s books is as exciting as creating one. :)

The things you can’t draw — you find a way around it, and that becomes your style.

I'm now appreciating RSS feeds (currently using Feeder in Android). My email's getting rowdy with all the newsletter subscriptions.

I don't know what else is there with RSS feeds, but I'm enjoying the fact that I can read the sites and blogs I like without drowning myself in emails. Love it!

I’m writing this using the Substack app on my grayscale phone at 11:54 P.M., Manila Time. How weirdly normal it is to include that timezone…occupational hazard. Is the grayscale phone becoming weirdly normal, too? I have mine set to “Less Phone” mode.

Staggering fireworks are resounding at this time because of the upcoming Chinese New Year.

My sister and I did some cleaning at our house. She cleaned my fan, so it’s giving me cool air now that summer is coming. I’m loving the smell of my freshly changed bedsheet and pillow cases.

You see, I’m sharing with you some random stuff as I notice it. It’s good to notice things. For a daydreamer like me, my mind tends to float around. Doom scrolling never helped. So, I’m trying to incorporate little habits to ground me in the present.

Move a little. Put away my phone. Look up at the sky. Visit my mini garden and brush the leaves with my hand. Breathe deeply. Annoy my sister. Just little things to break my routine.

I’ve read somewhere that time passes by fast when we do the same thing over and over again -- so much so that our mind can’t find any new memory to pin, and our day becomes a blur. Now that is scary. I wouldn’t want that.

Actually, I was supposed to tell you what I’ve been writing here. But anyway… The fireworks have stopped. Going to sleep now. Goodnight! 😴

More often than we think, we stand in between what was and what could be. In between who we were and who we are striving to be. In between starting and finishing. In between today and tomorrow. In between the known and the unknown.

And I found that the middle part is as necessary as the start and end, if not the most important thing. This is where we learn how faith works. It’s the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. And we also learn more about where our faith lies. We get deeper into the character of who (or what) we have faith in. Gradually and eventually, we no longer base our actions on fear but on faith strengthened by assurance upon assurance.

The true test is in the middle. Every boring or scary step towards the end makes us who the end requires, stripping away old habits and beliefs. Or maybe the end is really not the end but only a resting point. And again, we find ourselves in the middle spot.

Moving.

Growing.

Living.

I'm not a driver, but I know what it feels like cruising along the road... singing you're favorite song... and bump! There it is, a speed bump no one knows when it got there.

I don't think we understand enough how important speed bumps in our life are. In our auto-pilot hustle, we don't realize that we're taking for granted the little things that keep our pace at the right meter. Our families, our friends, our hobbies. Art. Sunrise. Sunset. Chirping birds. Rustling wind. Boredom. Freshly baked cookies.

I cannot blame us for ignoring the speed bumps. Life is demanding and unpredictable.

My hope is that we are not hit with speed bumps unexpectedly. Not for our lives to be predictable. But to be in the lane where we can spot the speed bump and savor the things that matter more. Now that is living.