Chapter 1 of My New Chapter
Hi, I’m Vin!
Thank you, new friend, for coming to my blog. I hope you enjoy today’s content and find inspiration and joy as you read.
It’s been a while since I’ve used this platform. The reason being is because I’ve made a huge transition in the past couple months.
From coast to coast.
I knew the price would be high (especially in a literal sense) and I had a lot of pushback from peers to not go through with this. Ultimately, I caved in, and so far I’m very satisfied with my decision. After a green light from my boss to come here for at least three months, I pulled the trigger, and alas…
That’s right. This blog has been renamed “V.A.L in VA” to “V.A.L in L.A.” I have much to talk about in this brand new chapter I’m writing. I’ll also tell you why I decided to take my talents from the Capitol Hill to Hollywood: both spiritual and personal.
The Spiritual Calling
One of the most fond memories of my childhood was my family’s first trip to Disneyland.
When I was 14, my Tita (Tagalog word for aunt) wanted me to live with her in Los Angeles for a summer. Unfortunately, before these plans could manifest, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I was so looking forward to this chapter as I was deeply close to her and wanted to make the most of our time while I was still very young. We both wanted for me to come to this city to bond.
She did not win her battle.
In a sense, Tita Terry’s spirit lives on in me. I somehow felt like God wanted me here in this city in order to fulfill my aunt’s wishes to live with her. In a way, just being here fulfills me in intangible ways purely off the fact I am finally spending time with Tita Terry in a spiritual sense. Somehow, I believe she is grateful the fact that I’ve made it out here to live with her even after her time on Earth.
But there’s more to this spiritual calling than just her spirit. My pastor from Northern Virginia had a calling late last year to plant his theology in an existing church in Southern California. A crucial component to my Christian faith right now, I felt compelled to join his new church since the moment I visited in May.
The Holy Spirit hit me the moment I walked through the church doors.
There were countless opportunities here to serve the community, spread the Gospel, and sharpen my own faith. I knew for sure that God was calling me out here, so I heeded the call. And thus far, I’m not yet convinced it was just an emotional drive that called me out here—but a spiritual one.
2. The Personal Calling
When the sun sets on L.A, it’s as if the world around you changes before your eyes.
If I may mention my Tita Terry again, I must say that she was largely responsible for making me fall in love with this city as a child. She brought me to fantastic restaurants within L.A’s diverse culture, introduced me to three amazing theme parks that I vividly remember (LegoLand, Disneyland, and Universal Studios), and showcased that the weather here that is to die for.
I always have love for Virginia, my home state. But in my time there, I felt something waning. The zest to come to California has been growing since my Tita Terry’s life, and I longed to satisfy it. Could that be it?
Perhaps. But one thing’s for sure: I needed a change of pace. I had just turned 30 this year. I yearned for a new slate and a scenery more suited to my lifestyle. As I’m a natural extrovert, I find myself more immersed in the dense L.A culture in one week than I ever have in D.C’s culture in five years.
Networking events, creative hangouts, and live music every day? Count me in.
Things are constantly moving here and the sun is (literally) always shining on me. I couldn’t be happier.
3. Closing Off Chapter 1 in this New Book
Despite the insane prices, I believe I am paying for a luxury in this city.
Given that my fiction novel, The Brave Haven, takes place in this city, I’ve found new-found inspiration to write again. I’ve also been pumping out new religious/political commentary content at a faster rate than I ever have due to the energy my new location has granted me.
Does this mean I’ll consistently be balancing all my passions again consistently in the next couple of months? I wouldn’t count on it, but I wouldn’t count it out either.
But what I do know for sure: this change of pace is exactly what I needed.
Until next time! :)
V.A.L
