Turning the Parking Lot Into Our Midweek Escape!

Can we just stop for a while?😄

That’s exactly what happened last Wednesday.

It had been one of those weeks—you know the kind. Submission after submission, deadlines stacked and everyone’s silently counting down to the weekend. We were exhausted. Mentally. Emotionally. Even physically.

So when someone—honestly, I don’t even remember who—said, “Tambay tayo sa parking?”
We all nodded like it was the most brilliant idea in the world. And honestly? It kind of was.

By 6:00 PM, we were clocked out, bags slung over shoulders, and dragging our tired feet down to the parking area behind the office. It wasn’t a fancy place, just concrete, a few parked cars, and a view of the evening sky that slowly changed its colors. But for us, that corner became our mini escape.

Ysa, Maying, and Joyce—my girls—were already there, setting things up. And by “setup” I mean folding chairs, a mini speaker, and a spread of chichirya and drinks that could make any sari-sari store proud. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t even planned. But it felt perfect.

The air was light but filled with laughter. Someone played music—just the right kind, the kind that makes you want to sway your head or close your eyes and just feel. There were no filters, no fake smiles. Just real people, finally letting go of the week’s weight.

Ysa started the convo with a story so funny I nearly choked on my drink. Maying had us laughing till our stomachs hurt with her dramatic reenactment of avoiding our supervisor during peak submission hours. And Joyce, ever the calm one, brought it all together with her soft but meaningful reminders: “Guys, this is what we need. We forget to breathe sometimes.”

She was right. We really do forget.

Somewhere between the first sip and the last bite of junk food, I felt a bit dizzy. Not in a bad way, just that light, floaty feeling where the world slows down and you’re aware of the moment you’re in. I was a bit hilo, sure, but I was okay. Grounded. Because I was with people I trusted.

We sat behind the cars, laughing in the shadows, letting the music wrap around us. And the night? It wrapped around us, too. The sky turned a deep blue, and the breeze kissed our faces, like even the wind wanted to join our little break from the world.

And you know what hit me?

This—this—is life. Not the long meetings or endless to-do lists. Not the rush to be productive every second. Life is in the pause. In the messy, snack-filled, slightly dizzy conversations you have with people who make the days easier just by being there.

No one was trying to be cool. No one was trying to outshine the other. We were just us—raw, funny, tired, but joyful in a way that’s hard to describe.

We stayed there longer than we planned. Because time, when it’s spent right, moves in its own way.

By the time we stood up, packed everything, and hugged each other goodbye, I felt different. Still tired, yes. But lighter. Like I had just emptied all the noise in my head and filled it with real connection.

So here’s to parking lots turned into therapy spots. Foldable chairs that hold our weight, not just physically, but emotionally. To snacks that bring us comfort, and to friends who bring us peace.

Here’s to the simple things. The small things. The things that don’t look like much on the outside, but mean everything once you’re in them.

Until the next Park ‘n Shot. 🍻💬🌙