This recap comes a little late. August already feels like it happened a lifetime ago, because September has shifted the ground beneath my feet in ways I could never have imagined.
Still, I want to honor August for what it was—steady, demanding, and quietly kind.
August wasn’t dramatic. It didn’t roar or unravel—it simply moved with the rhythm of work, routine, and small pauses of joy. Long night shifts defined much of the month. The kind where silence feels heavier than sound, where you measure time not in hours but in moments of exhaustion and perseverance. Yet beyond the hospital walls, there were pockets of softness—friends gathered around the table at home, laughter echoing between mugs and plates, conversations stretching into comfort.
It was also a month of little markers: International Cat Day, a sweet reminder of the joy and healing pets bring, and my grandmother’s birthday in the Philippines—celebrated from afar but deeply felt. These milestones reminded me that love, whether across oceans or in fur-lined paws, finds a way to reach us.
August wasn’t flashy. It was consistent. A month of showing up, working hard, and still finding small joys. And sometimes, that’s enough.
Life Lately (The Highlights Reel):
🌙 Long night shifts where silence felt louder than ever
🌾 Quiet farm visits and walks in Burntwood, a reminder that nature still heals
🍲 Simple gatherings with friends at home, laughter softening the edges of tired days
🎂 Grandma’s birthday celebrated back in the Philippines—love spanning oceans
🐱 International Cat Day—a reason to pause and smile at the little companions that make homes warmer
On Repeat:
Sometimes, a piece of art arrives just when you need it most—not because it solves what’s hurting, but because it speaks it, sings it, tucks your heart in when all else feels fractured. Ed Sheeran’s album did exactly that for me in August. It’s not just favorite music—it became a companion through the long nights, the ache, the small victories, the pause between breaths.
What Makes the Album So Powerful for Me
Lyrics that Feel Like Home
Songs that mention ordinary things—invisible moments, conversations over coffee, regrets, promises. Those details anchor me. Because grief is felt in ordinary moments, too. And when art names the ordinary, it tells you: your small moments matter.
Vulnerability Woven into Every Note
Ed doesn’t hide behind polish or bravado. There’s rawness here—admissions of fear, love, longing, breakdowns, and rebuilds. In a month where grief has been close and silence louder than ever, hearing someone name their own hurt reminds me it’s okay to not have all the words.
Balance of Heartbreak + Hope
There are songs that ache—songs that feel like a sigh in the dark—and then there are songs that look forward, raise their hands, insist that morning comes, even when it feels impossible. August held both: sorrow, and unexpected flickers of light. This album mirrored that balancing act.
Melody That Holds You
Sometimes a chord just pulls you in; sometimes harmonies drift close like reassurance. When I walked through Burntwood or lay exhausted after a shift, these tunes became cushion for my weariness. “Let me in” chords. Gentle lifting.
Finished Watching:
- Wednesday – Dark, quirky, and sharp. It reminded me that even misfits can carry power when they own who they are.
- Short YouTube camping vlogs – Strangely calming. There’s something healing about watching someone else live simply in the woods, away from noise.
- Cinderella Closet – A mix of charm and drama. It gave me that reminder that every story—no matter how ordinary—has layers worth exploring.
- The Old Guard 2 – Action-packed, yes, but with undertones of loyalty, sacrifice, and what it means to live with the weight of time.
- The Princess Royal – Steady and dignified, like watching history wrapped in discipline and quiet grace.
- Mallari – Dark and haunting. A story that leaves you uneasy but reflective about choices, consequences, and the shadows people carry.
Reading Corner:
- The Housemaid by Freida McFadden – A psychological thriller that pulled me in from the first page. It reminded me how appearances can deceive, and how easily we trust what looks safe. Twisted, suspenseful, but also a mirror of how power dynamics play out in everyday life.
- Three other Freida McFadden thrillers devoured back-to-back – I binged them like oxygen. Her writing is gripping, addictive, and unsettling in the best way. Each story left me questioning not just her characters, but the fine line between morality and survival in real life.
- The 48 Laws of Power – Not just a book, but a manual that demands reflection. Some parts are uncomfortable, almost ruthless, but they challenge me to think critically about human behavior, manipulation, and influence. It’s not about becoming powerful—it’s about being aware of how power works in the world around us, and how easily it can shape relationships, workplaces, even faith.
Lesson of the Month:
Consistency is its own kind of victory.
Life doesn’t need to be dramatic to be meaningful—sometimes simply showing up, fulfilling your duties, and finding small joys is the quiet strength that sustains us.
What Didn’t Go As Planned:
Nothing.
August was steady, intentional, and faithful to the plans I made. I worked hard, and all was met.
Grateful For:
• Steady health and energy through long work days
• Friends who turn ordinary evenings into little celebrations
• Family milestones, even celebrated from afar
• Nature walks that soften exhaustion
• Music, books, and films that filled in the quiet spaces
What’s Coming in September?
September changed everything. We said goodbye to Millie, our beloved cat, and grief reshaped our days in ways words can barely hold. In the rawness of loss, we also opened our home to two new kittens—a gentle, imperfect step in coping with the silence she left behind.
This month will be about navigating grief, honoring memory, and learning how love can expand even when the heart feels broken. Alongside that, I hope for gentler days outside of work, more reflections written down, and the courage to keep choosing joy even when it hurts.
Dear reader,
Thank you for being patient with this delayed post. Thank you for journeying with me not just through the light chapters, but also through the ones marked by loss. August was steady. September is stormy. And yet, through it all, God remains faithful.
Here’s to the pages still turning. 🍂
To God be all the glory. Always.
Love,
ANJ ✨
superanjventures 
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