August is my favorite month. It always has been.
It’s the month of my birthday. It’s the month my cat, who I’m pretty sure adopted me, came into my life. And it’s the month of the company where I work, Chronicle, celebrates its anniversary.
This year was Chronicle’s ninth. Nine years is a long time for a tech company. It’s a milestone that deserves more than just a cake in the conference room. And thankfully, our team delivered something far more meaningful.
The celebration was a month-long series of events. Sports, charity, volunteering. A perfect blend of everything I love.
Being a sports nut, I was all in. I play football every Saturday, so joining the futsal tournament was a no-brainer. I was the only woman on the pitch, and yes, I managed to score two goals and some assists. It felt good. Later, in the badminton tournament, I got paired with a fantastic partner, Galang. We somehow clicked on the court and ended up winning first place. A little luck, a lot of teamwork.
But the moments that truly stuck with me happened off the court.
We spent a day volunteering, something I’ve wanted to do more of since moving to Bali. We planted mangroves, an activity that’s been on my life list for ages. There’s something grounding about digging your hands into the earth, knowing you’re helping a small part of the planet breathe a little easier. We visited a girl-only orphanage and shared a little bit about our careers and encouraged them to explore and keep learning.
The heaviest, most beautiful moment, however, was our visit to the Bali Care For Cancer Kids Foundation.
My father passed away from cancer. He was old, and in a way, his passing was a relief from suffering, I mean, it was too late when we found out about the cancer. But kids… it’s different. Kids have entire universes of dreams ahead of them. Sitting with them, coloring, listening to them talk about becoming pilots and artists, it just breaks your heart open. It was a quiet, powerful afternoon that gave me more perspective than a dozen business books ever could.
It’s one thing to have company values written on a wall. Ours are Courage, Achievement, Togetherness, and Service. It’s another thing entirely to see them in action. To see the courage of those kids, the achievement of winning a game with your team, the togetherness of planting trees, and the service of just being present for someone who needs it.
A massive thank you to our People & Culture team, and everyone on the committee. They poured so much heart into this.
It was more than an anniversary. It was a reminder of what it means to be human, together. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful.
May all beings be happy.
Ps. all photos are courtesy of Chronicle team.
