Living forward

I returned today from a week-long holiday in Ubud, Bali to celebrate being reborn at 50. It was an unforgettable visit, and it capped off an insightful journey of 83 days to prepare for my rebirth. Now that my Reborn at 50 blog is complete with a daily countdown of 83 posts, I return to Dao and Wine which is where I started blogging last year.

Living forward is a theme that distilled itself from my week of celebration. I got lots of inspiration for living forward during the holiday. Ubud is the epicenter of art in Bali and I had a great week of appreciating nature, good food, music, art, and real estate there. The town is filled to the brim with creativity, and people are friendly and gentle.

Traveling back today was fun as well. The Balinese staff of the resort were very friendly and helpful in seeing me off. I did more souvenir shopping in the airport, and watched the latest James Bond movie in the plane from Singapore to Manila. Then the unpacking of gifts and other acquisitions at home.

What a difference a day makes, goes a famous song. In my case, the past week almost made me forget my daily routines in Manila. I realized that taking a break is a healthy thing to do. I am happy to be 50 now, and I have lots of plans for living forward.

Each night in Ubud, the friendly hotel staff put a card with a quotation on my pillow. One that stood out for me was by Sanaya Roman and read “What you love is a sign from your higher self of what you are to do.” I loved exploring Ubud last week, and I feel more connected as a result, with myself and with the universe around me.


Photograph: Something old, something new. I left my old sandals in Ubud - I think they carried me far enough in the past 4 years. I replaced them with comfortable slippers for in and around the house.