These days, my life’s a blur. I feel like I’m just racing ahead, bouncing from one moment to the next, often without really stopping to check in with myself. Every day feels like I’m moving in fast forward, so focused on what’s next that I forget to pause and look back to see how far I’ve come. The future always seems to demand my attention, and in that constant rush, I’ve missed out on the chance to reflect, to reconnect with myself, and to heal.
But here’s the thing: Jasmines in Her Hair has become a gentle reminder that it’s okay to slow down. In fact, it’s necessary. This collection of poems isn’t just a series of carefully chosen words; it’s a call to pause, breathe, and remember who we are beyond the chaos of life, the constant noise of expectations, and the pressure to keep moving forward. It invites us to return to ourselves and gives us a space where we can begin healing.
The poems feel like a personal invitation into a quieter, slower pace where we can stop running for a moment and just be. There’s no rush here. No need to race ahead, no urgency to reach the next milestone, or check off another item on your to-do list. It’s as if the book is holding up a mirror, showing us that there is beauty in reflection, in understanding the stories that have made us stronger, more resilient, and more grounded.
This isn’t a book about escaping the past or pretending we’ve got everything figured out. It’s about looking at the messiness of our journey and accepting it—the twists and turns, the times we’ve stumbled, and even the moments when it felt like we were standing still. The book isn’t about perfection; it’s about acknowledging our imperfections and finding power in acceptance. And in that acceptance, we find freedom to grow. The process of reflection isn’t about fixing ourselves; it’s about understanding who we’ve been, who we are, and who we’re becoming. It’s about allowing ourselves to sit in discomfort and finding the healing that’s always been within us.
As we settle into the rhythm of November, with its cooler days and longer nights, it’s the perfect time to lean into reflection. The change in seasons has a way of reminding us that time moves in cycles, and we’re all part of a natural flow. We often think that growth is about sprinting forward and achieving our goals right away, but maybe it’s really about sitting with the stories we carry. And in doing so, we begin to understand that growth comes from the inside, through those quiet, thoughtful moments where we reconnect with ourselves.
So this November, maybe we can all take a moment to just breathe. To stop. To look back without shame or judgment, and to see the ways our stories have shaped us. Jasmines in Her Hair shows us that growth isn’t a destination. It’s a journey that starts from within. And sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply be and let growth happen naturally.
We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t need to be in a constant state of progress. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is pause for a while and recognize how far we’ve already come. Only then can we continue moving forward, at our own pace, in our own time.
by Tere Maligaya