I was rushing to work that beautiful Thursday morning. I had overslept and didn’t hear my alarm ring, probably because it had rained the night before, and the cool weather made it all too easy to stay curled up in bed. It felt like the universe had conspired against me; not a single car would stop. Every one I flagged down just zoomed past, adding to my frustration.
In the middle of my silent panic, I whispered a prayer to God. And just like a miracle, a car stopped right in front of me.
I glanced at the driver, he looked like someone in his early thirties, quietly handsome. Without hesitation, he offered to drive me to work. I hopped in and gave him directions.
The ride began in silence. After about a minute, he played music from his phone, which was connected to the car’s speakers. Apparently, he had paused it when he stopped to pick me up. To my surprise, the song that started playing was one of my favorites "Victoria Orenze’s Victory Has a Sound". I smiled, sang along, and he even replayed it for me. That broke the ice.
We started talking, first about the song, then about other things. Time seemed to slow down during that ride, filled with music, laughter, and an unexpected sense of comfort.
When we reached my office, I was almost reluctant to leave. But before I stepped out, he asked for my number so we could keep in touch. I gladly gave it to him and walked into work with a strange blend of hope and happiness.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. I never heard from him again. All I had was his first name, and no other way to reach him. Still, I often think about that brief encounter, the ride that felt like something more.
But with time, I’ve come to understand something deeper: not every person who crosses our path is meant to stay. friendship, love, continuity, but that may not be God's plan for us.
Just like an earthly father wouldn’t hand over his car keys to an eight-year-old, no matter how much he loves his child, our heavenly Father doesn’t give us what we aren’t ready for. He takes us through a process, one step at a time, until His perfect plan unfolds. And even in the briefest moments, He teaches, blesses, and prepares us for what’s ahead.
Some people are not the destination, they're part of the journey. And that's more than enough.
I’ve been seeing this weird trend online, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
It bothers me a lot, but not in a completely negative way.
A few days ago, I came across a video showing full-grown adults treating monkeys like children.
Some keep them as regular pets, but many seem to house them in place of actual kids.
They feed them, clothe them, let them sleep in the same bed, and even call themselves “mom” and “dad” to the monkeys.
I don’t judge anyone, but I really want to understand the reason behind it.
Is it because some couples are struggling with infertility or conception issues, so they choose to buy a monkey to fill that emotional void?
Or do these people simply prefer monkeys over having real human children?
One video in particular keeps popping up on my feed. In it, the monkey walks around, seeks hugs, and shows feelings similar to what human babies express, wanting closeness and affection.
The couples treat it exactly like their own child.
It seems quite prominent in certain parts of Asia.
Am I the only one who finds this weird?
On a lighter note, some of their ASMR videos are genuinely relaxing.
I honestly have no idea what kind of food they’re eating in those clips, though.
All images are mine