Seasons of Growth
A Journey Through 2025
There are seasons in life where everything aligns -- milestones, memories, and moments that remind us who we are and where we're headed. For me, 2025 has been one of those chapters. Each month has carried its own rhythm -- celebrations, reflections, courage, and vision and new beginnings. This is my journey -- one chapter at a time. I hope you'll join my journey as I navigate the remaining of 2025.
June 2025
Reconnecting with My Roots: "There's something special about going back to where it all began."
June was a full-circle moment. After six months of planning alongside a dedicated team of old and new friends, I helped host and organize our 30-year high school class reunion, Northside High School Class of 1995. Walking into that space was surreal -- faces that carried history, laughter that echoed old memories, and stories that reminded me just how much we've all grown. Standing in our "new" lunchroom, surrounded by familiar faces and shared stories, felt like stepping into a time capsule. Laughter, hugs, and nostalgic conversations reminded me how much we've grown - yet how our roots remain beautifully intertwined.
I felt a quite pride. It wasn't just about the event itself - it was the intentional act of reconnecting with a part of my past that shaped me. We celebrated where we came from, and in doing so, I felt more grounded in who I am today. It wasn't just a reunion. It was a reconnection to the girl I once was and the woman I've become.
July 2025
A Spark of Inspiration: "One sunset can spark a lifetime of dreams."
July brought a plane ticket, a passport stamp, and a dream. I traveled to Portugal for a friend's wedding - a celebration filled with love, culture, and breathtaking views. We were able to share a beautiful garden view as our friend exchange their vows at the Vandelli Botantical Garden.
Returning from the cobblestone streets of Lisbon and from a dear friend's post of celebrating her 50th birthday with 50 destinations, it sparked a new idea that I was interested in. Passport to 50 - a journey to experience 50 moments leading up to my milestone 50th birthday in 2027.
Not just travel, but new foods, new adventures, simple joys, and acts of self-love. This wasn't just a list. It was a promise to me - to keep growing, exploring, and living fully.
August 2025
Our Tradition --- Mother & Daughter Adventures
August carried one of my favorite yearly traditions -- a mother and daughter trip. This year's destination: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Sunkissed beaches, laughter over dinner, quiet moments of reflection, and belly laughs that reminded me why these trips matter so deeply.
As a mom, these adventures are more than vacations. They're love letters in motion -- little chapters in our shared story that I know we'll both hold close forever. It sparked an idea of me creating an IG account (@travelingwithmyceo) to document our travels or experiences.
September 2025
A Quiet Month of Remembrance
September marked the two-year anniversary of my father's passing, September 7th, 2023. Grief doesn't vanish; it evolves. This month was softer -- filled with gentle memories quiet prayers, and moments of reflection. I lit a candle, looked through old photos, and allowed myself to feel it all.
His legacy lives in me. Every step forward is, in some way, carrying a piece of him with me.
October 2025
Leaps of Faith & New Beginnings
October has been a month of courage. I made the decision to pursue another Master's degree, in Human Resources, stepping into a new field where I hope to make a meaningful impact. After losing my father, it helped me realize that life is precious and you can't take it for granted. I wanted to do something that can make a difference in helping others in some way or another. I enjoy sharing information and connecting people with others in hopes the connection can lead to something they are looking for or missing.
I celebrated my daughter's 19th birthday -- a reminder of how beautiful time moves, at this amazing Thai restaurant, Siam Emerald, for some mother and daughter time after shopping of course. Then on Sunday, Hector and I took her to a French brunch place nearby called La Petite Framboise. We showered her with gifts but importantly showered her with love and time marking her special day before she left back to UMD.
October month is filled with so many birthdays for the special people in my life that includes both my siblings, Cynthia and Pele, and great friends like Amie, Ruthie, Bobby, Faith and Tram to name a few (there's additional 10+ friends birthdays this month). I wish I can celebrate with each of them but yet distance is the only thing keeping us apart but until then, wishing each of them and others a very Happy Birthday. It felt like a season of both becoming and believing in what's next.
Looking Ahead: November & December 2025
The last two months of the year are already brimming with plans and possibilities. November will be about gratitude and, gathering, and quiet intention-setting. December -- my favorite time of the year -- will be a month of reflection, celebration and creating space for the dreams I want to walk into 2026.
This isn't just a year. It's a journey. A collection of stories that remind me how far I've come -- and how much is still waiting to unfold.
November 2025
A Month of Gratitude & Giving Back: “The truest form of gratitude is giving back.”
November overflowed with gratitude — not just for what I have, but for the opportunity to give.
This month, I felt called to pour back into the community that continues to nurture me in so many ways.
I spent time volunteering at Harlem Grown, helping prepare Thanksgiving meal bags for their local families and high school students. There’s something powerful about being part of a circle that feeds both body and soul.
Each smile, each “thank you,” was a reminder that compassion multiplies when it’s shared.
Every Saturday, I also joined Hunger Free, and this time before Thanksgiving, we hand out different food items at Harrison High School in Jersey City. Watching families gather, seeing children’s faces light up — it reminded me of how small actions can ripple into something much greater.
To close out the month, I contributed to the Holiday Gift Project 2025 with Services for the Underserved (S:US) — wrapping gifts and writing heartfelt cards. Each package felt like a message of hope.
And, amidst all the giving, I carved out space for my heart — a mother-daughter self-care day, our sacred quarterly ritual. Between giving to others, we took a moment to pour back into ourselves — massages, quiet reflection, and time to simply be.
November reminded me that gratitude isn’t a season — it’s a lifestyle.
December 2025
Reflection, Celebration & Renewal: “Peace isn’t found in perfection — it’s found in presence.”
December arrived with a sense of calm, warmth, and joyful anticipation. After a year filled with travel, milestones, learning, and giving back, this month invited me to slow down and savor what truly matters.
I decorated my home with holiday warmth, wrote in my journal more often, and reflected on all the “Passport to 50” moments that had already begun to unfold. From Portugal to Cabo, from reunion laughter to classroom courage — each memory became a piece of the story I’m still writing.
This season also carried moments of reconnection — dinners with friends, laughter over dessert, and quiet nights spent wrapping gifts for loved ones. And as the year came to a close, I found peace in realizing that growth doesn’t always mean more movement; sometimes it’s the quiet stillness that heals the most.
One of the highlights of the season is that we are hosting our very first family Christmas dinner — a milestone that feels both exciting and deeply meaningful. Our home will be filled with tons of food, laughter, and connection, creating a space where memories are made and traditions begin. We’re leaning fully into the fun with games, including a lively White Elephant exchange and a small-gifts swap, adding playful surprises and lots of laughs to the evening. Each family is bringing their own personality to the celebration by showing up in their own matching Christmas-themed pajamas — from classic plaids to cozy neutrals and festive prints. It’s not about perfection; it’s about togetherness.
Throughout the month, I also found myself reflecting more intentionally — journaling by candlelight, revisiting moments from my Passport to 50 journey, and acknowledging just how much growth 2025 held. From Portugal to Cabo, from reunion planning to stepping into graduate school, from volunteering to creating space for rest — every experience felt like a gentle reminder that this year shaped me in ways I didn’t fully realize until now.
December is ending with joy, gratitude, and a heart full of anticipation — because this isn’t just the close of a year. It’s the foundation for what’s more to come.
As 2026 approaches — my Season of Becoming — I’m ready to walk into it with open hands, a peaceful heart, and a renewed sense of purpose.
“Sometimes the most meaningful growth happens around the table, surrounded by love.”
Closing Reflection:
A Year in Bloom
From June’s reunions to December’s new traditions, 2025 has been a year of intention, courage, and connection. Every chapter — the celebrations, the challenges, the quiet moments — contributed to the woman I am becoming.
As I step toward 2026, I carry this truth with me: ✨ When you honor every season — joy, grief, growth, and gratitude — life unfolds with purpose.
Every month of 2025 has carried its own lesson -- to cherish the past, honor the present, and lean boldly into the future. Here's to living empowered, embracing adventure, and writing the next chapters with intention.
"Legacy begins in the moments we choose to fully live."