What’s your type of freedom? There are plenty. Whether it’s mental, emotional, spiritual, or financial, I’ve discovered mine in driving. Yes, that’s right. Open streets - no endless queues of glaring headlights, no deafening honks, no vehicular traffic - just the rejuvenating splendor of lush foliage, flowing hills, blue skies, and breathtaking coastlines.

It was during one such adventure that I stumbled upon a priceless jewel that enlightened me up with life-changing lessons.

It was a typical weekend morning. And because the previous week had overwhelming demands for work routines, I decided to take a solo road trip. No plans, just drive off aimlessly until I got tired. I fled the concrete jungle, exchanging glass skyscrapers with rice fields, urban chaos with the peaceful lifestyle in the countryside. The longer and farther away I cruised, I felt more relaxed. With car windows slightly opened, accompanied with soothing music, and the breath of unpolluted air, it was a satisfying escape I was longing for quite some time.

All of a sudden, my stomach made grinding sounds, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten yet. Looking ahead, there were no signs of restaurants, so I decided to keep going in the hopes of catching a quick meal. Around 30 minutes had passed and dusk was fast approaching, but there were still no signs of food.

However, just as I was about to turn left to enter an uncemented road away from the main highway, I caught a glimpse of a roadside eatery. Known as “Carenderias”, these food outlets cook and serve local dishes housed in a traditional “Bahay Kubo” (vernacular Filipino house) styled environment. What was really amazing was this modest space was overlooking the sea, which was perched on the edge of a cliff.

“Seems like the perfect eatery to stop and eat,” I grinned. So I parked by the roadside to check what was available for early dinner.

“Long drive huh?” An old woman with a pleasing personality (probably the carenderia’s owner) asked while showing me the mouthwatering varieties of food to order.

“Yeah! Wow, the food here looks yummy! And I'm pretty sure they’d taste delicious too, right? I said.

“Of course Sir! We have all our homegrown favorites available here. Sisig. Kaldereta. Chicken Pork Adobo. Humba. Sinugba. Kinilaw. Sinigang. Bola-Bola. Ginamay, Fruit shakes, and more!”

“Awesome!” I ordered a few of my favorites and sat on one of the wooden seating areas. There were only a few customers that night, so it was like having the entire establishment to myself.

As the old woman delivered the last order of mango fruit shake to my table, she sat to converse with me while I ate.

“I built this humble carenderia because I’ve noticed that people always seem to be hurrying up, especially those driving and wandering around this part of town. Hopefully, this relaxing place would remind them to stop for a while - avoid rushing everything,” she said.

“Sometimes, the best experiences of life happen when you just slow down, pause, and indulge in the moment,” she continued as she stood up and returned to the food counter.

“Thank you for your heartwarming words of wisdom!” I looked at her while sipping my energizing dessert.

I drove back to the city not only with a stuffed tummy, but with valuable takeaways:

• Slowing down allows us to discover secret treasures. By rushing, we miss out on exceptional moments worth experiencing.

• The best food isn't always served in classy restaurants. Sometimes, the most unforgettable flavors come from ordinary places where food is cooked laboriously with genuine love.

• Not all voyages in life always require a target, goal, or objective. The greatest memories also come from spontaneous happenings.

How’s that for a journey without a destination?

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