They say writing is an on-and-off romance with your soul. So here I am, trying to rekindle that relationship.
Hello Hive! I am Rachel Ann, a working mom from the small but bustling town, the “vegetable basket of Cebu”—Dalaguete. I have been an educator since 2009, a mom since 2019, and I am trying to find my passion for writing again this 2023.
Quick Recall
Like most kids during my time, I started my writing journey with a diary. It was fun writing about my thoughts and feelings and then re-reading them years later, getting a hearty laugh out of all the mistakes in my writing and the emotions from the words I wrote (that had already left my heart a long, long time ago). I also remember writing my own stories mostly out of my growing interest in anime (thus, all of my characters’ names were Japanese). What further fueled my interest in writing was when I started reading novels and watched movies. That was when I began taking my writing further, from diaries to essays and even creating a blog in college. It is however sad to note that my passion for writing, along with reading books, have been on and off since I started focusing on my career and in other aspects of my life.
What Lead Me Here?
I recall one of my college professors, during a discussion in Creative Writing class, asked us “Where are you writing from?” and I vividly recall, in all honesty, that I had a hard time finding the right words to answer that question. It’s because there is always a point in life when you feel that your writing is good, then again, there are times you feel your work lacks something. I kept doubting myself and my capability to write something meaningful and beautiful.
What brought me to Hive are my former students in the university. Yes, I taught for four years in a prestigious state university and I have former students who, like me, are educators in the public education sector. I saw @netswriting and @callmesmile posting about freely writing a blog that comes with its benefits. I remember blogging back in college though it wasn’t really going anywhere and I can’t even recall how many poems, stories, or essays I wrote there. Right now, I am at a point in life where I want to do something new, or to find the time to go back to what I was passionate about. This is somehow another way to teach myself again to do one of the things I used to love doing— expressing myself through writing.
With this chance of blogging (again, and this time in a new and interesting platform) and sharing my thoughts and feelings, I wish to paint pictures of my life using words. Thus, I call my blog @lifewithchel. I wish to share my meaningful experiences, my random but meaningful thoughts, and my journey in my constant search for various interests that will keep me going.
I am in a state of constant discovery of various interests and rekindling those that I have buried deep in my heart for many years. This means that my blog may have various topics generally focusing on what I love to share.
My Love Affairs
When I decided to start a blog again, I was flooded with thoughts about what I wish to share. I’ve already put some of these ideas into a list and hopefully, I WILL be able to share all of these in time. Here are the interests that I will be having meaningful “love affairs” with:
FOOD. Since becoming a mother, I have once again tried cooking (especially baking) at random moments, especially on weekends and whenever I have the time to make something delish for my husband and son. I am not an expert but I keep trying to become good at cooking. My heart feels full whenever I see them enjoying the food and asking for more. I also want to share about food-related experiences like when my family gets to dine somewhere new or somewhere where food has made its mark on our palates.
NATURE. I travel every day to work via my motorcycle. Every day, I get to experience nature as I traverse through various barangays. I also love even the most ordinary or the most random things related to nature—those pretty flowers among the weeds on the roadside, those droplets of water on the edges of the leaves I pass by, the lush forests on the mountain ranges and hills I see daily, and more. I also take random treks to mountains when time permits.
TEACHING. I am proudly an educator for the public education sector for more than 10 years. I worked four years as a college instructor and now I am in my tenth year in the public high school in my home town. I have been teaching English in its various facets. I can safely say that I have seen some of the highs and lows of being a teacher and I would like to share some of my thoughts and experiences in my blog.
MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD. Every journey in marriage and motherhood is unique and special. Both a wife and a mom, I want to share beautiful and real experiences that I have encountered so far. I am forever grateful to have become a wife and a mother. My family is my main inspiration. Further, I want to share some of my most meaningful struggles and how I managed to stay rooted to my goals in this challenging yet charming life. I want to highlight wonderful memories etched in my heart and soul.
READING. Having a mother (who also a teacher) who did her best to provide us with opportunities she didn’t have growing up, my siblings and I were exposed to books at an early age. I recall reading novels and encyclopedias wholeheartedly as internet did not exist until my last year in high school (this surely gives away my age haha). High school led me to classic writers (and even today, I love books from classic authors) as well as Rowling, Meyer, Tolkien, and many others. This also helped me improve my writing skills in terms of grammar and vocabulary. I felt the excitement in being a creative soul all throughout those years. Books will always be one of my favorite things in this world. I hope my son also falls in love with reading.
“Lub-Dub”
My excitement overflows knowing that I will be writing in the coming days. I am probably going to start from scratch again. Keeping that in mind, I will do my best to improve myself as I write. I am willing to begin again and hope for the best in my journey here. I hope to improve my craft by learning from others as well. I hope to write meaningfully, genuinely, and passionately.
Excited to begin my journey with Hive!