Once again, here are some photos from a day at the beach—even though I didn't actually make it to the coast this weekend. Quite the opposite, in fact: I’ve never had this much work or stress so far in 2026—but there’s always a first time for everything... I write posts daily on Hive, and I’ve found it hard to break that discipline—though it seems to get more difficult with each passing day. I swear to you, today was almost the day I wouldn't have minded letting my streak end; but my blog—especially my "Sublime Sunday" posts—always ends up making me pause to reflect and realize just how beautiful everything I experience truly is, including the chaos that surrounds me...
I’ve just woken up from a good, well-deserved nap, and the sun is setting, bringing the weekend to a graceful close. I really needed this afternoon of rest, as last night was our anniversary concert. Three hours standing in front of an audience—it was joyful, but wow, my feet and back certainly didn't feel the same way! 😅 I had the great joy of having my mom come to the capital with her best friend to celebrate with us; for this particular concert, I even sang a short solo in an African song. As brief as it was, it was a responsibility that left me feeling a bit stressed—and on top of that, my mom and her friend's visit was quite eventful; in fact, their vehicle was literally towed back to their hometown just a few hours ago.
I felt a lot of tension during the concert, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and wore a big smile the whole time. Afterward, we had a lovely celebratory dinner, though—due to issues with our van—the whole affair was quite chaotic. In fact, I’ve never taken so few photos on such an important day; so much was going on that I simply forgot to. I’ll be sharing a few of them on my blog later on, though. After the concert, we broke down again—this time close to midnight—in a terrible part of Caracas, and that problem dragged on right up until this morning, Sunday. I swear, absolutely everything went wrong; all the ingredients for a truly terrible day were there. Yet my mom, her friend, my wife, and I handled it all with great grace, and in the end, we emerged victorious.
All in all, it wasn't a bad weekend; the simple act of having breakfast with Mom made my Sunday sublime. The harmonies of the choir—along with that positive post-concert energy—still linger in the air and among my fellow members. We won't be getting any rest, as our next event is already right upon us, but we’re perfectly fine with that. Beautiful things elevate the overall vibe, and the lyrics of the songs we sing are, more often than not, prayers expressed with deep love—and that always brings about good things.
Why the beach photos? Well, because it calms my mind; it reminds me that better days lie ahead—days of connection with nature—and that while adversities come and go, life remains beautiful and is worth living. Right now, I want to hold onto the energy left behind by the music and good company, yet my mind yearns to escape the sounds of the city and the chaos of the streets. Ultimately, what I truly always need are days spent simply enjoying myself with my wife—my inseparable life partner.
On another note, I always recommend sharing one's reflections; writing has been the best form of therapy I’ve found over the past few years for navigating life on this side of the world—a life I certainly don’t consider bad by any means, even if the conditions here aren't exactly ideal for young people like us. As long as I have the love of my wife and family, my dream job, and God in my heart, I feel unstoppable. And most importantly: I strive to live in constant gratitude for the life we’ve been given 🙏 Thank you all for reading and for your support; I wish you a wonderful start to your week! ✌️