Padayon, Mindanao. Abante lang!

It makes me feel so sad seeing the devastation in cities in Mindanao after the earthquake. Having grown up there and called it home for most of my life, the fear and sadness feel deeply personal. I find it difficult to watch the constant images and stories, so I have stepped away from the news and buried myself in my work on Searching for Faerie. The earthquake may have shaken the land, but it cannot erase the love, memories, and resilience of the people who call Mindanao home. My heart's hugs goes out to the people of General Santos City, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and all the communities affected. Mindanao is home to brave and strong people who will rebuild, heal, and emerge even stronger. I hope that how i focus instead in working through the sadness will echo and stregthen the hearts affected by the devastation - focusing on rebuilding rather than fear, on hope rather than loss. I share two photos, one to reflect our sadness and the other to depict our resolve. One to depict the darkness that we feel right now, and the other to reflect the promise of a brighter day. "Padayon, Mindanao. Abante lang!"