Finding Our Light Again: A Journey Through Shadows and Songs

Life, as it often does, threw us a curveball recently. Eddie’s return from Manila to London brought with it a weight, a shadow I hadn’t seen before. He was physically present, yet a part of him seemed distant, lost in the echoes of past traumas. As he spoke, the pieces began to fall into place – CPTSD had taken hold, and it felt like we were both caught in a strong undercurrent, pulling us down together as we held on.

My immediate reaction, my old coping mechanism, was to retreat, to recharge on my own. It's how I've always processed things, this need to look for the bright side, to remember the good memories that marked the beginning of “us,” the foundation of our blog, AshleyLoveEddie.

During that initial period, as I poured my emotions into creating the first song, the start of something new (https://youtube.com/shorts/vs-8pVAlzXQ), Eddie wasn't fully present to share that moment of creation. The lyrics speak of finding a new beginning after being broken, of a virtual hug and feeling saved – sentiments that reflected my hopes for our future together.

Then came a moment of realization. My instinct to step back shifted. He needed me. We were in this together, and running wasn't the answer. I sought guidance on how to navigate this, how to heal myself while supporting him on his own journey. It was from this space that another song emerged (https://youtu.be/gkPg4ZlpYqg). This folk-inspired melody is about reconnecting, about finding joy in small things after a period of drifting apart. It perfectly mirrored our struggle and my decision to stay and fight alongside him.

And then, slowly, we began to find our light again. Eddie started to heal, and the creative spark reignited within him. He returned to our blog, sharing his thoughts and feelings with such raw honesty. His latest entry, “Miss Na Kita” on https://ashleyloveeddie.blogspot.com, is a testament to the depth of his emotions. The lyrics he composed on YouTube (https://youtu.be/RG8qmmtudL8?si=YMTYYMl8dap_W6uF).”It’s a powerful declaration of our bond, a reflection of how we found our way back to each other.

This series of events, marked by shadows and illuminated by songs, feels like a significant chapter in our story. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love and connection can be the guiding lights. And sometimes, the most profound healing happens when we face the storm together, hand in hand, finding our shared rhythm once more.

"The Song We Made" is more than just a song; it's a chapter from our life. This song was born from a journey through a dark period of struggle and healing, a time when our love and resilience were truly tested.

It tells the story of how my partner, Eddie, and I navigated the challenges of CPTSD. When it felt like we were swimming against a strong current, we found our way back to each other and to the light. 

Ashley

#CPTSD #MentalHealthAwareness #HealingJourney #LoveStory #MusicHeals #Blogging #FindingYourLight #CoupleGoals #MissKita #AshleyLoveEddie

Miss Na Kita

 

When I first wrote the lyrics to this song, it was a case of me missing Ashley. Ashley couldn't understand how to deal with my CPTSD nor have the ability to understand it in full. But it wasn't just her I was missing, it was more me missing us.

Unfortunately, the darkness in me was overwhelming me at night time due to a very traumatic situation I went through nearly my age. More on that in another post later down the line.

I looked deep down inside of myself and the memories I had and remembered the first time we kissed and how much I wanted to keep going!

Having your first kiss with your love one should always be special and I wanted to capture that by taking a picture of us in front of a mirror. Regret to say, the picture is blurry so it isn't the best one to see!

We chose to keep the picture between us and not show our family and friends it! Either way... I miss her. Not been by her... Holding her hand, kissing, hugging... All those little things were missing. Truth is, it will all be worth it knowing that we will see each other again soon!

But no matter how far away I am from her, I always look at my phone and see her face our picture together with me holding her, kissing her forehead. And it's memories like that, that makes you realize that the whole journey is worthwhile.

Don't give up on each other, especially if you know your other half is worth it! There will always be struggles because that's now relationships work! It's to build you up and take on the next challenge! But always remember, support each other and take time for you. If you feel overwhelmed, don't feel bad but try to say it in a gentle way so it doesn't feel bad. As I said, no relationship is easy but working together, you can get through it all.

Eddie

#MissNaKita #LongDistanceRelationship #LDR #BritishFilipinaCouple #BritishWriter #BritishBlogger #LoveStory #FilipinoMusic #OriginalSong #CPTSD #MentalHealth #RelationshipGoals #BloggerLife #TrueLove #MusicVideo

Hello from Manila and London: Our Story Begins

Hello, and welcome!

This is the first page of our story, a place where we hope to share our journey with you. We are Ashley and Eddie—a couple connected across continents. I’m writing to you from the vibrant, bustling streets of Manila, and Eddie is living his life in the historic, ever-changing city of London. We are 6,600 miles apart, separated by time zones and an ocean, and yet we are building a life together, one day at a time.

Eddie is also autistic. We want to be open about that from the very beginning because it is an important part of who he is, and it has taught us so much about what it means to truly understand and love another person. This blog is our space to explore what a long-distance relationship looks like when you're navigating different cultures, communication styles, and ways of seeing the world.

How We Found Each Other

It wasn't a movie meet-cute or a chance encounter in a coffee shop. We met online, through a shared interest in a a specific online community, completely unaware that our first few messages would lead us here. Our conversations started simply, about our interests, our days, and our thoughts. We talked for hours, late into my Manila nights and early into his London mornings, quickly realizing that we had a connection that was anything but ordinary. The distance was a reality from day one, but it never felt like a barrier. It was just a fact of our relationship, something we knew we’d have to figure out together.

Building a Bridge

Our lives are different in so many ways. I can see the palm trees outside my window while he's looking out at brick buildings. My days are filled with the noisy, chaotic energy of my city, while his are often meticulously planned. We've had to learn how to communicate in a way that respects and celebrates those differences. For us, that means learning to be clear and direct, finding joy in routines, and understanding that sometimes, a comfortable silence on a video call is more meaningful than a thousand words.

Our blog is an invitation for you to join us on this journey. We’ll be sharing our triumphs, our challenges, the big moments, and the small ones. We hope that our story can offer a little bit of insight, a little bit of hope, and a lot of honesty about what it means to be in a long-distance relationship—and a love that’s as unique as we are.

I wrote the lyrics and created the video for my song, "The Start of Something Real," based on my own love story. It's for anyone who feels like they've given up on love or life. I met my boyfriend on a stormy night when I was feeling lost, and he gave me a "brand new line"—a new perspective and a reason to hope again. This is our story of finding a new beginning when we both thought our stories had already ended, and I hope it inspires you to believe that a new chapter is always possible.

Ashley

#LongDistanceRelationship #LDR #LoveStory #LondonToManila #AcrossContinents #Autism #Neurodiversity #AutismAwareness #RelationshipGoals #OurJourney #PersonalBlog #LoveAcrossMiles #GlobalLove #RelationshipBlog