Hi, I’m Maria Angela Flores-Abad, a young mom and wife, a writer, environmentalist, communicator and development advocate. I am a mother to an adorable little boy, Vito. I am married to my favorite person, Cols, a chemical engineer, a hands-on dad and loving husband. We met in college at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 2002 and got married in 2005.

This blog is about the joys and anxieties of motherhood, marriage, and life in general. It also chronicles my daily obsessions such as current news and events, environment, fashion, contests, trivia and tips.

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On Motherhood: My 1-yr-old son Vito is the youngest teacher I have known. For one, he taught me to appreciate the tiniest details about life: falling leaves, an airplane flying high, the wonders of touch, the color orange, chirping birds, flowing water, etc. Everything around him makes him smile. He is devoid of prejudice and bitterness. All he sees is beautiful. I see it all clearly now. Life is, indeed, beautiful.

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On Marriage: I often hear about acts of infidelity among married couples. For a newly-married person, I would be a liar if I say that facts as these do not bother me. It does. I love my husband and my family very much and just the thought of a broken marriage crushes my fragile heart. I take comfort in God’s promises, though. I believe that He is an integral part of a marriage, that marriage is more than two people justifying their existence, exploring the abyss of the unknown. Marriage is definitely more than steamy nights and raising children. Marriage is not just love. It is faith, hope and love altogether. And yes, I pray for a happy marriage.

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On career: After my bundle of joy Vito came, priorities changed drastically. Now, I am torn between two lovers: financial gain vs. career fulfillment. I resolved the issue by taking one day at a time. I decided to do what I love and the rest will follow. Why trade short-term benefits for long-term goals? I also realized that there is a win-win approach to this.

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On Myself: I really dream of a better world. I despise the ills of society and I do not want to be passive about these issues. I choose to do something about it. Some time in my childhood, I thought I had superpowers. Haha. I thought I could save the world. Now that I have grown, I realized I am not super but yes, I am bound to make a difference, no matter how small it may be. After all, big things are made of small things put together.

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On Writing: Finally, I’m back on my feet. I am falling in love with you all over again.