Ripping the Bandaid Off of Your Fears I have heard many, many times in my life that telling people your issues and fears is scary and painful. We always feel that revealing our weaknesses will cause us to be in pain and suffer unimaginable consequences, so we hold them close and cover them up, even … Continue reading What Heals Wounds
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Labeling Machines
What makes us hesitate from being ourselves in our world? There are a lot of self-help books and famous speeches about "finding yourself" and "being/ loving yourself," but why do we still fall into the same patterns, over and over again? To love yourself doesn't mean not taking responsibility for yourself. It also doesn't promise … Continue reading Labeling Machines
Traveling isn’t Always Fun
Tears are streaming down my face, I'm miserably staring at the cars racing by me, all seemingly without a single care in the world. I have two suitcases beside me, their combined weight being about 80 lbs, or 45kg. In my hand is my cellphone, which has no service in Japan. It's dark, pitch black, really, … Continue reading Traveling isn’t Always Fun
Hawaii: Homeland
If you ever ask a person from the islands where they are from, they'll tell you "I'm from Hawaii." Not "I'm from America." I heard this phrase constantly when I started class at my international university, when the students older than me from Hawaii answered the question, "Where are you from?" And I did the same. See, when … Continue reading Hawaii: Homeland
A Little Poetry for the Soul
Sometimes I write poetry, to calm my thoughts. I have a notebook full of couplets and limericks about the most emotional times in my life, words I never spoke out loud. I've heard many people say they hate poetry, but I don't think poetry has to rhyme all the time. My older brother, who's major … Continue reading A Little Poetry for the Soul
Entering the Unknown
When I first decided to leave, I'm not sure what I had in mind. Probably something like: "Japan. Sure! Can't be THAT different from what I know!" Ah, naivety. How I miss you. Now, there's no need to fool myself. I go into a new country thinking "Well. This'll be fun."(That's heavy sarcasm, by the way. If … Continue reading Entering the Unknown