Maria Ekonomista

Caption this.

Growth isn’t always a massive breakthrough. Sometimes it’s just choosing not to argue back and keeping your peace.

I’ll be in somewhere else soon! I’m determined to make a childhood dream come true by 50s. I spend 1–2 hours each night and join workshops like this... because dreams don’t work unless you do. It’s never too late: Anthony Hopkins released his first music album at age 80! 💛 Aw!

Kawawa talaga ang mga stray animals.... Wala naman silang kapasidad makiusap, makahingi atbp. Napakairesponsable ng iba :( sana mapush na ang CNVR here.

PIECES OF PISCES - of Life and AVR

His shadow lingers, a phantom’s caress,
A father stolen, by darkness obsessed.
Tortured and broken, justice denied,
Decades slip by, where sorrows reside.

To causes and movements, his spirit took flight,
Leaving a family to grapple with night.
We tended our wounds, alone in our fears,
While he soared on wings, to unseen frontiers.

From distant horizons, his gaze might descend,
“You’ll conquer,” he whispers, “you’ll transcend.”
Struggles unmet, the path barely trod,
He battles still, for some celestial kind of God.

In his death, his wake, crowds gathered and praised,
But hollow those echoes, through memory’s haze.
The father we longed for, a warmth never felt,
While wounds long suppressed for survival had knelt.

Pains deeply buried, their tendrils they seek,
Convenient silences, where truths dare not speak.
Yet hurt has its seasons, to blossom and weep,
And forgiveness we’ll sow, where sorrows lie deep.

One day, on a dawn, echoing shadows will shine,
One day, these answers to questions will be the sign.
In a realm yet unknown, a future unfurled,
Our family awaits, in a much much simpler world.

There, a father’s embrace, a mother’s sweet care,
And siblings entwined, our laughter to share.
The complexities fade, the torments unbind…
In that place beyond time, a haven we’ll find.

— Sakura Magtanggol

“May Tanikala Rin ang Bukas”

May tanikala rin ang bukas, ngunit ginto ang kulay,
Hindi na tayo alipin ng dayuhan o ng sariling buhay.
Ang watawat ay hindi tela ng huwad na pag-asa,
Ito ang selyo ng bansang may hawak sa sariling tadhana.

Wala nang takot sa boses, wala nang piring sa mata,
Ang bawat pilat ng kahapon ay naging lakas ng bansa.
Kung ang lumang tula ay umiiyak sa dusa ng sariling lapi,
Ang sagot ng ngayon ay pagbangon na walang pasubali.

Ang batas ay hindi rehas, kundi gabay sa paglipad,
Ang mga pangako ay hindi bulok, kundi unti-unting natutupad.
Hindi tayo ang sumisikil sa sarili nating mukha,
Tayo ang nagpupunas ng luha ng bawat maralita.

Tingnan mo ang pinto—bukas, malawak, at walang kandado,
Hindi tayo ang riles, tayo ang mismong tren at bapor na tumatakbo.
Ang wikang sarili ay hindi na panakot o patahimik,
Ito ang sigaw ng tagumpay na sa mundo ay umuukit.

Tapos na ang gabi ng pagdududa at pag-aalinlangan,
Hawak na natin ang tunay na kahulugan ng kasarinlan.
Malaya tayo—hindi dahil walang sugat ang dibdib,
Kundi dahil kaya nating maghari sa sarili nating daigdig.

Delayed Arrival
by Sakura Magtanggol

When I was young, I carried the fierce, quiet dream of becoming a writer. But when the time came to choose a college path, reality intervened. "There’s no money in that," my mother dismissed gently but firmly. As a scholar of the state university, my choices were bounded by utility, and I found myself studying Economics. I followed that practical trajectory to its natural conclusion: a bachelor's degree, a master’s, and eventually, post-graduate studies.

Yet, the writer in me refused to be entirely buried under graphs and data. I wrote on the margins of my life. I penned news articles for the school paper, drafted free-verse poetry, and sculpted ultra-flash fiction to fill the quiet, lonely spaces of my nights. It was a secret parallel life.

Now, almost in my fifties, the universe finally knocked back. An invitation arrived—a formal opportunity to contribute to an anthology for a well-known publishing house.

Suddenly, I found myself submitting my words to be autopsied by an editor almost my own age. It took immense courage to hand over my vulnerability like that. But looking at the submission confirmation, all I feel is an overwhelming sense of pride.

Whether the piece is accepted or rejected doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that I dared to try. Richard Bach’s words have echoed in my head since I was sixteen, reminding me of what could be. It took me a few decades to get here, but I finally made it. It is not too late. I am determined to savor every bit of this first.

"Write as if no one is watching, no one is judging, and no one is waiting. Your only duty is to spill your truth onto the page. Let the world worry about what to call it; your job is simply to let it breathe."

3 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 — 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭

1. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Why: A timeless story of unlikely loyalty — between Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider. It shows true friendship means giving of yourself, even when it costs you greatly. Gentle, wise, and deeply moving; perfect for all ages.

2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Why: Explores friendship in its full complexity — loyalty, betrayal, guilt, and redemption. Reveals how one moment of weakness can echo for decades, and how far we will go to make things right. Shows friendship as both a burden and a lifelong bond.

3. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Why: Tracks a decades‑long creative partnership — messy, competitive, deeply connected — showing friendship changes over time, survives distance and hurt, and shapes who we become. Illuminates how we build worlds together.