I surprised my best friend and got something unexpected in return. Here’s the touching story.

ᴾʰᵒᵗᵒ ᵉᵈⁱᵗᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᶜᵃⁿᵛᵃ

Last Thursday, my best friend, Marj chatted that her job interviews didn’t end well. She had been meeting HR managers and recruiters only for it to end with, “We have a junior associate position open, would you like to take it?” Disappointed, my best friend politely declined the offer. She knew she deserved more. As someone who has known her for over a decade, her work ethics and auditing skills match those in managerial positions.

To help ease her mind, on the following day, I shared some job openings in other companies and suggested a different career path, maybe as an assistant professor? A senior auditor at a local company? But something tells me that while offering career advice helps, what really matters is comforting the heart. Someone who will listen to her vent out.

Then I had an idea: What if I cheer her up with a box of croissants and ice cream?

It’s been a while since we arranged a bestie date together due to our schedules not lining up. But with my work ending at 4:00 PM and plenty of social energy, I thought I could drop by her house and spend the night there. And so, the secret mission began with a trip to the Ijo Bakery.

“The” French Bakery in Lipa City

Michelin-trained pastry chef and proud Lipeno Joaquin Katigbak helmed this quaint and rising bakery in Lipa City, Batangas. They roll out some of the most impressive croissants, pain au chocolat, and other delicate viennoiseries.

𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 @𝘪𝘫𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘱𝘩

It is located at the Big Ben Complex, which you may have guessed has a clock tower, and houses many other local businesses. This is a central hub for travelers, so no wonder Ijo bakery chose this spot to sell their goods.

“Ijo Bakery's croissants are promoted as crunchy on the outside and flaky on the inside, baked to perfection," (San Juan, 2023).

Mission: Success!

While walking on the rough road that leads to their gates, I called Marj on the phone. It rang for a few seconds before I was greeted by a low, grunty voice, “Hello?”

“Tao po!”

(A Filipino way of greeting people when they are outside the house. It translates directly to, “Human here!”)

“What?” She replied. I heard her march up to the door.

“Tao po!”

“Huh?”

I saw her confused expression through the window and her face lit up when we made eye contact. It was like seeing the sun after a gloomy rain.

“Surprise!” I said as she unlocked the gates.

I laid the Ijo Bakery box on the table and asked her how she had been.

She recounted just waking up a few minutes ago, so I arrived at the right time. She grabbed mugs and saucers for our afternoon snacks while sharing that she changed her attitude towards the interviews, especially her opinion about the job position.

“Maybe it was a sign that auditing isn’t for me,” she joked.

Rather than get stuck in a single career track, she realized she must expand her search. Be open to the possibilities. I noticed a sense of relief and easiness in her tone. That’s when I knew that she’d be okay. It’s time she embraced her distance from work life and be the Marj who plays her Nintendo and reads her books.

The usual gab and conversations flew by over tea and croissants. There is no dull moment when we are together; either we’re laughing about something silly or exchanging ideas about human conditions. After every bite, I felt nourished by the deliciousness of the pastry and by my best friend’s presence. What more could I ask for?

The unexpected blessing

When I woke up the next morning, I heard the pan sizzling from downstairs. I smelled the freshly cooked eggs and fried rice. I opened my eyes and scanned around my best friend’s bedroom. Her faded green cabinets, clean wooden tiles, and bookshelves lined the walls of her room. Ahh, this is home, I thought.

Since I was alone and Marj slept in the Master’s bedroom, I enjoyed a few minutes of silence before descending the stairs. Her mother greeted me with an inviting smile, telling me to join her in eating breakfast. Tita Mabel was a gentle soul and young at heart. Unlike other people in their 50s, she’s very close with Marj, loving, kind, and neighborly, open to hearing your thoughts, and willing to change her own when she’s corrected.

Admittedly, I felt very fond of her because she’s like the mother I never had. With the two of us alone, I was weary of getting emotional again. I was afraid that I would break down from the deep scar my mother left me, impacting my relationship with other mothers. It happened before, so what if it occurs again?

But the impending crash was replaced with gentle nostalgia. I asked about her life as an interior design and nursing student. She told stories about her former boyfriends and how she met Marj’s father. We giggled because of how courtship in the past was so romantic, homely, and… cinematic.

It reminded me of when my mom used to share her life stories. Each experience played like a movie in my head. I was expecting this thought to spoil my breakfast, but there was no bitterness in the memory of my mom. There was sadness, but I wasn't feeling nauseous or jumpy in my seat. I just continued to listen to Tita Mabel's stories.

It was as if I was handed a gift of knowing that I'm healing. I'm making progress when it comes to healing my childhood traumas. The universe gave me an example of an act of love returning with love for one's self.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blogs 💜

ᴬˡˡ ᵖʰᵒᵗᵒˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᵗᵃᵏᵉⁿ ᵇʸ ᵐᵉ ᵘⁿˡᵉˢˢ ˢᵗᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳʷⁱˢᵉ

Hi, I’m Ish!

Content writer by day, mental health advocate by night. I also speak at live and virtual events about stress management, emotional regulation, self-love, and more. I have a NEW project on YouTube named Pahina Playlist, a Filipino Deep Breathing Exercise.

Outside the busy hustle of life, I am a nature and animal lover. I make sketches, paintings, and collect oddly shaped glass jars.

My creative and old soul indulges in random art projects, jazz music, afternoon tea, and reading Booksale books.

You can follow me on my advocacy page, where I share my wounded mind and healing purpose.

Hello Ish, I'm Zita!
This what a very soothing piece of work and I enjoyed reading every part of it.

You're a great friend to have come to visit your friend when she was feeling down. Those croissants look amazing😄.

I don't know the traumas that you might have gone through with your mother but I'm glad to hear that you're gradually healing.

I think I can relate to an extent with the feeling that one gets talking to another parent when you've lost your own. I lost my dad and when I speak with other fathers, I get this feeling of longing to have my own. Although I think I have healed and fully accepted the fact that he is no more. That's by the way...

I love your vibe and would love for us to be friends🤗. What do you say?

I surprised my best friend and got something unexpected in return. Here’s the touching story.

“The” French Bakery in Lipa City

Mission: Success!

The unexpected blessing

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blogs 💜

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