Aging and birthday blues
I’ve been quietly reflecting on my birthday this year. The candles, the greetings, the familiar phrase: “Happy Birthday!” But what happens when you don’t feel exactly happy on your birthday? There’s a name for that strange heaviness before or around your birthday: birthday blues. And yes, it’s more common than we think, especially as we…
Natural Menopause Relief Essentials for Women Over 40
No one really prepares us for how menopause can make us feel, off balance, emotional( really emotional I mean, lol), sleepless, or suddenly unsure in our own skin. For me, it didn’t come gradually. I entered surgical menopause at around 44 I think, after undergoing a total hysterectomy with removal of both ovaries (TAHBSO) due…
Held by Grace part 3: Testimony in Color
Looking at Held by Grace now feels like looking at a friend who walked through the fire with me. Stood by me through hard times, accepting my flaws, doubts and rejections. This painting holds pain, yes, but also peace. And most of all, hope. Since finishing this piece, I’ve grown more aware of my weakness…
Held by Grace part 2: Finding Jesus in the Details
Have you ever created something that seemed to carry more meaning than you expected? That’s what happened to me while working on this piece. The textures, the gold, the layers : All random stokes were not planned at all. I just followed the feeling inside me. Something in me knew it had to be raw…
When Everything Felt Heavy : The Beginning of “Held by Grace”
I could still remember, it was a time I felt like I was just floating, not moving forward, just stuck. Living day by day, because I had to, no direction. So much things to attend to, all obligations to be a good mother and wife. These days became frequent that I got used to them…
The Quiet Victories: Finding Simple Joy in Motherhood
By Melinda Castillo There’s a kind of magic in the mundane if you slow down enough to notice it. My life as a mom at present looks very different than it did a decade ago. I have two adults who’s both in college, one unique teenager soul on the autism spectrum, and my youngest, 9,…
Why at 47: A Journey of Self-Love and Personal Growth
By Melinda Castillo At 47, many women are settling into routines, careers, family, or preparing for a quieter life. But me? I’m starting over. Not because I have to, but because I finally want to. For more than two decades, profession as an Interior Designer put to the side. I poured my energy into being…