A look back at last school year's highlights

It's a brand new school year. Summer is long gone and rainy days are here again. When I think about the past school year, I realized I have a lot of things to be thankful for.

•  Yohan won a bronze medal in the school Math and Science Quiz Bee.  He was a little sad when he  came in 3rd but I told him that I felt very proud of him the moment I found out that he was chosen as a participant in the Quiz Bee.  Winning a medal makes me twice as proud.

• I'm happy that Yohan met a new friend in class. J and Yohan clicked immediately because they realized that they share many things in common.  They both love to read, draw and play video games. Yohan's adviser told me that she immediately noticed that both of them are wide readers.  They both excel in class.   J and Yohan have become best of friends.

• Yohan had his Cub Scout Investiture last school year.  I witnessed the kids light their candles and recite their oath. I went up on the stage to put Yohan's cub scout neckerchief to symbolize his formal acceptance as part of the Boy Scout of the Philippines. 

• I'm so proud of my son for earning an Academic Achievement Award at the end of the school year.  I'm very happy because has been a consistent 1st Honor since pre-school.  Last school year's Recognition Day was very special because my mom was here on vacation.  It was her first time to see her grandson go up on stage to receive a medal. 

• I found out on Recognition Day that Yohan was Ranked No. 1 in the whole Grade 2 level.  I was teary-eyed when I heard the official news from the school administration.  The Top 3 students were given corresponding discounts on the following year's tuition fee. Since Yohan was Top 1, he received the biggest discount. I'm proud of Yohan's academic achievement and thankful for the big savings.

Fight stress and regain energy

We all wake up to a brand new day to face regular tasks and fresh challenges. We constantly deal with duties at home and at work. Multi-tasking has become a normal way of balancing the daily obligations given to us. There’s a limit to what the body is capable of accomplishing. It is important to maintain a balance between work and recreation. The body needs to rest and relax every now and then to rejuvenate.

Keep in mind that too much work can be stressful to both the body and the mind. A good way to fight stress is to ease the tension from the body through a relaxing massage. The massage therapy has been used by many generations to ease the tension and bring back the energy lost by the body.

Busy people who do not have time to go to the spa for a massage have the option of calling home massage services. Certified massage therapists are trained to conduct home spa services complete with massage tables, towels, creams, essential oils and aromatherapy oils. A good massage has many health benefits. It can help ease body aches and pains; relieve stress; and improve blood flow circulation. A relaxing massage can also help an individual sleep better.