Hey there. It’s been a while since last posting. I went on a journey looking for work the past two months, while maintaining some semblance of sanity with a mortgage, car, and an upcoming wedding to still pay for in the midst of record inflation.

There were bouts of anger and resentment I held towards the powers that be who laid me off along with my co-workers, including my manager, in such an unethical way that would make a communist politician blush. For seeing the potential we had as a team to build something great go to waste. For causing my mother’s psoriasis to flare up even more and my fiancée more worry from the undue stress.

Despite those feelings of anger and resentment, the extended vacation of sorts was an opportunity to attend daily morning mass and to create short videos as a new form of content for Noy Sauce. Morning mass provided clarity and a sense of accomplishment for waking up earlier to learn something new from the Word of God. Creating short videos built video editing skills I hadn’t tapped into since the Snapchat days of 2016-2017.

I spent a few hours a day reviewing computer programming exercises and honing my exam-taking skills, while reaching out to my network and job recruiters for help.

I spent more time working out at the gym and running outside at the trails to release the stress, so that the pandesal below my chin and on my stomach got smaller.

I paddleboarded at the marina and visited my college to order a chicken-brocolli-mushroom hot sandwich that brought nostalgia, only to smile and think to myself, “These students were in elementary school when I was their age…I’m too old to be here 😂”.

When time needed to be taken to handle an important family matter, travelling out of town to take care of it was not a problem, giving me time to sadly accept that a big part of my life isn’t the same anymore.

That being said, the two main ingredients that will help us get through any situation are prayer and action.

We pray to let go of our egos and lift up our burdens to someone who can handle them better than us. Pray the rosary. Go to confession. Understand that our own healing is a process that takes time and not just something that immediately goes away with a wave of a magic wand.

If anything great in our lives are to happen, we must also do our part by taking action before new opportunities are opened to us.

Perhaps there was a reason why I was laid off. To find a new opportunity that will set me and my family up for greater success than before. To see that as chapters of my life sadly come to a close, new chapters are excitedly waiting to be written. To find great fulfillment that the job was attained through skill and hard work put over the years with the help of prayers, and not because of nepotism or someone whom I knew within the company helping me.

To use my pains and experiences to help those who grew up without a father or strong mentors navigate a world becoming more centered on ego. To use God’s teachings to humble myself even more to be the light and semblance of hope for someone, even when I am not perfect. To take heart that in my darkest moments, the One who can help me find my inner peace and take refuge in is Our God.

Life is just as good, bad, ugly, and beautiful as it was before. And I’m still grateful for all of it.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the good, bad, ugly, and beauty in our lives. Like the sriracha sauce added on the nostalgic chicken-broccoli-mushroom hot sandwich, our trials add spice to our lives and kick us out of our complacency. We pray that regardless where we’re at in life, we make time for you and to share the blessings You’ve given us with others. In this we humbly pray, Amen.

Here’s the official Noy Sauce ig: https://www.instagram.com/iam.noysauce/

Next step: TikTok?