Two people stood facing one another. Longingly, they gazed into one another’s eyes. Between them was a hammock – radiant in its red, purple, and orange hues, tinged with the sun’s warmth and the remnants of their bodies and embrace. Falling into love, they would rock back and forth, comfortable and safe. They wove the […]
Feedback hit the mic as I trailed in front of the speakers for a second, bowing my head and taking a breath before I uttered: “I know what happens when the months get colder.” I have fallen into the crevasse of suicidal ideation a couple of times. Once, with a plan, means, and timeframe, the […]
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is a gift. It is a marvel when you can bask in its light as you look backward toward the vast expanse you had arrived from. We show people the easiest way to […]
There was always a dark matter cloud hovering over my every move through my days navigating the mental health challenge of bipolar disorder. A brooding seriousness. What does that mean, exactly? If I began to feel significantly elated at any particular moment, I wondered if an uncontrollable sense of mania would soon follow my upbeat […]
Twenty-three switchbacks between Lake Serene and us. The trail comes into a small plain of sorts, a million shades of green interlaced with branches teeming with leaves and wildlife. Trees were growing out of other trees — nature helping itself advance and thrive. A friend of mine had invited me to get out of the […]
At the intersection of 11th and Fir, I refined my definition of what it means to be liberated as I closed the front door on a rental Chevy Tahoe, tinted windows and black paint dusted by the trails we had traversed. That weekend, I discovered a new source of inspiration to further the excavation of […]
Thirty-two years it took for me to trust myself. A sliding glass door to an inherent truth–value in my existence. “Stepping into my first dance-music concert was the beginning of opening that door,” I thought to myself, as I walked the grounds of Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. Standing amongst countless variations of flora and […]
Previously, I discussed how making time to “date” ourselves can pave the way for increasing our emotional intelligence. It is a key to understanding “you” as a human. Humans are driven by emotion. Heightening your emotional intelligence improves your ability to respond to different situations optimally. To know why you feel the way you do, […]
Nails on a chalkboard. A semi-truck skidding to a halt on the interstate as its back jack-knifes, sending sparks cascading across rows of cars like the Fourth of July. A never-ending vacuum on a Saturday morning outside of your apartment door. What do these three things have in common? They are all analogous to how […]
It was mid-50s out in the crisp Pacific Northwest air. Discolored hands carrying bags of groceries in the cold, a washed, dull look splashed onto my face. Between point A and point B, I felt alone. It’s challenging to fit into much of anything when you walk on a tightrope wearing neon blue and sequin, […]