DECEMBER has always been my favorite month. It is the season that permits me to pause—to breathe, to step away from the city’s constant noise and rush. This year, however, felt heavier. Every day demanded more effort, yet each night ended the same way: simply surviving.
The economy feels fragile. Basic needs inch closer to luxury. In moments like this, rest feels indulgent, even irresponsible. How does anyone justify a vacation when survival itself requires so much? Still, the Lord remains faithful. He provides daily manna. But the truth is hard to ignore: rest has become a privilege many can no longer afford.
Lyka Amethyst Perandos
Lyka Amethyst PerandosBy faith, we went anyway.
We traveled to Surigao City, where my sister lives. From there, she took us to Lanuza in Surigao del Sur, home to the Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary—a protected coastal area known for its coral reefs and rich marine life. I arrived with modest expectations.
What I found was peace.
Waves lapped gently against the shore. The wind brushed my skin. Birds glided freely overhead. A soft drizzle fell, urging everything—and everyone—to slow down. The world spoke in whispers, not demands. Standing there, I realized this was the rest my weary soul had been craving all along.
The entrance fee: ₱10.
Lyka Amethyst Perandos
In that quiet moment, life made sense again. Life was never meant to be rushed. It was meant to be lived slowly, steadily, and with intention. I remembered Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28–30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… and you will find rest for your souls.”
With the sea at my toes, the breeze wrapping around me, and nature keeping time, it felt as if God Himself was gently inviting me to stop—to release the noise, the worry, the weight of merely getting by, even for a moment.
For ₱10, I did not just witness creation. I encountered renewal.
Lanuza has so much more to offer, and I pray the local government and community continue to protect and cherish this gift. We wished we could stay longer, but life in Davao City called us back. Still, we returned renewed, inspired, and strengthened.
We go back to the hustle with lighter hearts and clearer eyes, already longing for the next time we can find our way back to God’s quiet places.