Dear Readers, Thank you for visiting my blog once again. It has been quite some time since I last wrote here, and the silence was not intentional. Life has a way of pulling us in directions we do not expect, and sometimes writing has to wait. My pause began with the loss of my father.… Continue reading Finding My Way Back to Words
Author: Little Belle's Mama
A Lesson in Kindness and Rising Above Cruelty
Today, something happened that stayed with me long after we left the restaurant. What was supposed to be a simple family meal turned into a moment that tested my patience, my emotions, and my beliefs about kindness. We were sitting at our table, enjoying the meal and each other’s company. Our little daughter, who is… Continue reading A Lesson in Kindness and Rising Above Cruelty
Baby Bella and the Language of Love
There are many ways to say I love you, and in our home, we say it through names. I never realized how full of affection language could be until I became a mother. My daughter, Isabella, answers to so many names that sometimes even she laughs trying to keep up. To me, she is Isabella,… Continue reading Baby Bella and the Language of Love
Happy 74th Birthday, Mama!
Today marks my mother’s 74th birthday, and as I sit down to write this, I find myself filled with a quiet kind of gratitude. It’s the kind that settles deep inside when you realize how far someone has come and how much they’ve endured just to be here today. My mother has seen more than… Continue reading Happy 74th Birthday, Mama!
The Instant Response of a Toddler
One of the most delightful things about watching a toddler grow is noticing the little details that adults often overlook in themselves. My husband and I are constantly amazed by how quick our daughter is to respond. She is only two years old, yet her reaction time feels almost superhuman. Whatever we ask, whatever we… Continue reading The Instant Response of a Toddler
A First Masterpiece on Canvas
There are moments in parenthood that feel so simple on the surface yet carry a weight that makes you stop, breathe, and smile with your whole heart. On the 15th of this month was one of those moments. At just two and a half years old, my little artist created her very first abstract painting… Continue reading A First Masterpiece on Canvas
The Moment My Daughter Called Me Supermom
The other day, something happened that I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It was just a small moment, the kind that probably looks ordinary from the outside. But to me, it felt like a light shining through all the stress I’d been carrying. A moment so full of love and truth,… Continue reading The Moment My Daughter Called Me Supermom
The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion
Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio recently called the flood control scam the biggest corruption scandal in Philippine history. Bigger than any scandal during Martial Law. Bigger than all the other stories of corruption that have angered Filipinos for decades. Hearing something like that makes you stop and wonder — how can something this massive… Continue reading The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion
The Hidden Impact of Being Around Negative People
We’ve all met them. That one person in the office, on the street, or maybe even at a family gathering who always seems to carry a dark cloud around them. No matter how good the day is, they’ll find something to complain about. Maybe it’s the weather, the food, the boss, or even just life… Continue reading The Hidden Impact of Being Around Negative People
The Different Kinds of Coffee
I do not drink coffee because it gives me palpitations, but I often find myself around people who love it. They talk about lattes, americanos, flat whites, and more, and I used to just nod along without having any idea what those drinks actually were. It always made me feel a little out of place.… Continue reading The Different Kinds of Coffee
BDSO and Its Impact on Cash Flow
Accounts receivable management is a key part of keeping a business financially healthy. One important metric that helps measure efficiency in collecting receivables is BDSO, or Best Possible Days Sales Outstanding. What is BDSO? BDSO stands for Best Possible Days Sales Outstanding. It measures how quickly a company can collect receivables in an ideal situation… Continue reading BDSO and Its Impact on Cash Flow
The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude
There is a strange feeling that often sits quietly in human nature, one that we rarely admit out loud but almost everyone has experienced. It is the small sense of satisfaction that arises when someone else faces a setback, especially if that person seemed too fortunate, too confident, or too untouchable. The Germans gave this… Continue reading The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude
Crab Mentality: The Mindset That Holds Us Back
In many parts of the world, people share a story about crabs in a bucket. If you put a single crab in a bucket, it can probably climb out. But if you put several crabs together, none of them escape. As soon as one tries to climb out, the others pull it back down. No… Continue reading Crab Mentality: The Mindset That Holds Us Back
Delegation and the Johari Window: Finding Clarity in Work and Communication
Delegation is one of those words that often makes people think of leadership seminars, corporate training sessions, or motivational posters about teamwork. In reality, it is something that shows up in almost every aspect of life. We all face the choice between doing something ourselves or asking someone else to take it on. Parents delegate… Continue reading Delegation and the Johari Window: Finding Clarity in Work and Communication
How Paraphrasing and Setting Priorities Can Transform Your Workday
In any workplace, success is not only about technical expertise or how many hours you put in. The way you communicate and how you decide what matters most often determine your effectiveness. Two underrated yet highly practical skills in this area are paraphrasing and setting priorities. At first glance, they may seem unrelated, but together… Continue reading How Paraphrasing and Setting Priorities Can Transform Your Workday
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: A Delightful Start
Some dramas take their time to draw you in, while others feel irresistible from the very beginning. Bon Appetit, Your Majesty belongs in the second category. I started it without expecting much more than an entertaining watch, but after just four episodes I’m completely hooked. There’s something instantly engaging about the way it blends romance,… Continue reading Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: A Delightful Start
When the Earth Shook Afghanistan Again
When the news came that more than two thousand people had died in an earthquake in Afghanistan, I felt a quiet heaviness in my chest. It is hard to believe that life can change so completely in a single moment, that in the place many are still trying to heal from past turmoil, another calamity… Continue reading When the Earth Shook Afghanistan Again
A New Player in German Banking: My Thoughts After Reading the News
When I first came across the article about JPMorgan expanding into Germany’s retail banking market, I paused for a moment. Banking is something we all deal with almost daily, often without thinking too much about it, and yet it shapes so much of how we handle our money and plan for our future. Reading about… Continue reading A New Player in German Banking: My Thoughts After Reading the News
A Gentle Reflection on Lisbon’s Tragedy
When I first read about the accident in Lisbon, my heart sank in a way that words barely capture. The Gloria funicular, a historic cable car that has been carrying people for generations, turned into a place of terror on a September evening. A cable is believed to have snapped and the carriage sped out… Continue reading A Gentle Reflection on Lisbon’s Tragedy
Why I Believe Harry and Meghan Face Unfair Criticism
When I read comments about Harry and Meghan, I often notice how quickly people dismiss their experiences. Some claim that the royal family has not said anything against them directly, so the couple should not feel attacked. But from my perspective, that argument does not capture the bigger picture. The truth is the royal family… Continue reading Why I Believe Harry and Meghan Face Unfair Criticism
Like a Post-it Note
Post-it notes are small. They’re light, easy to overlook, and yet somehow, they’re everywhere. You’ll find them clinging to the edge of a computer monitor, tucked between book pages, or stuck to a refrigerator with a scribbled reminder. People grab them without thinking. They’re convenient, disposable, and quietly useful. And sometimes, we feel just like… Continue reading Like a Post-it Note
The Person Everyone Depends On But Rarely Thanks
There is always that one person in every workplace, family, or group of friends who seems to carry more than her share of weight. She is not the one with the highest position or the most authority, yet somehow she ends up being the one who keeps everything moving. She runs errands no one else… Continue reading The Person Everyone Depends On But Rarely Thanks
When Corruption Steals a Nation
Corruption has become so normal in the Philippines that many no longer react with shock. People expect it. They talk about it over meals, in schools, on the streets, even joke about it like it’s just part of daily life. But behind the jokes and casual conversations, there is a deep pain. A country full… Continue reading When Corruption Steals a Nation
Why People Who Aren’t Happy With Themselves Are Mean to Others
It’s not always easy to understand why people treat others badly. Sometimes it seems like certain people are just mean for no reason. But if you look closer, a pattern often shows up. Many of the people who are harsh, cruel, or quick to put others down are actually struggling with something inside themselves. They’re… Continue reading Why People Who Aren’t Happy With Themselves Are Mean to Others
Evening Walks in Our Little Town
There is something special about living in a place where forests meet farms. Our town feels like it is wrapped in fresh air, with apple trees scattered almost everywhere you turn. It is quiet, yet not completely cut off from the world since the autobahn is just five minutes away. That balance of peace and… Continue reading Evening Walks in Our Little Town
Why I Finally Uninstalled Facebook
I deleted Facebook from my phone during the first weeks of August, and I am curious how long I can keep it that way. It was not a dramatic decision. It did not come with a speech or a personal announcement on my wall. It was more of a quiet moment when I realized I… Continue reading Why I Finally Uninstalled Facebook
Finding Our Evenings Again on the Terrace
This summer was not at all how I pictured it when it came to spending time on our terrace. I had imagined cozy evenings after work, sitting outside with a drink in hand, talking, unwinding, and watching the sun go down. Instead, the reality was quite different. The terrace faces the sun directly, and as… Continue reading Finding Our Evenings Again on the Terrace
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: A Match That Feels Just Right
When I think of Taylor Swift, I smile and feel a sense of calm. She’s been my one and only favorite American singer for years now. I’m not one of those super-fan people who spend a fortune on concert tickets, vinyl records, shirts, or anything else. I don’t camp out overnight to get front-row seats,… Continue reading Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: A Match That Feels Just Right
Our First Car in Germany: A Little Polo with Big Memories
When we first arrived in Germany in 2013, we were not expecting to have our own car so soon. Moving to a new country is already a mix of excitement and uncertainty. You do not know exactly how life will unfold, and you are busy adjusting to a new place, new language, and new ways… Continue reading Our First Car in Germany: A Little Polo with Big Memories
The Fewer the Toys, the Greater the Value
When we become parents, one of the first instincts we have is to give our children everything we can. We want them to have the opportunities we did not. We want them to grow in an environment that encourages curiosity, imagination, and learning. For many of us, this translates into buying toys, often far more… Continue reading The Fewer the Toys, the Greater the Value
