MANILA, PHILIPPINES. I have stayed in the Philippines for almost a year now. I went home from Canada to heal my chronic jaw pain, which points to an illness called trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Living with TN is not as sweet as the sound of this illness. Over the past few months, the consistent numbness of my left cheek, half of my tongue and my head signals fear that challenges my sense of optimism and resilience. Whenever this happens, I usually withdraw from the social scene and make sure that I am alone. Being with myself allows me to face the painful “I”, grasping its essence, recognizing its presence. In this lonesome moment, my body is at its weakest, my mind at its lowest, but my heart and spirit never waiver, reminding me of the beauty of the people and the environment around me. The smile of my mother, the grit of my father, the humour of my brother and the laughter of my nephew are just few of the many blessings that keep me going.
