imbolc

Imbolc is a celebration that has existed for centuries and has been passed down from generation to generation in different parts of the world. It has existed since the tenth century and holds great importance in the lives of many as it is linked to the fertility of land and livestock.

Imbolc welcomes the first wave of spring

Imbolc is observed on this day when people strengthen their connection with the world of nature and pray for a fertile land to produce plenty of crops the entire year. The best part about this occasion is that even if the history and practice surrounding the event is not ours, we can’t resist the amazing celebration that takes place.

lifetime landscapes

Returning to our island in the sun after being away for four years is a bittersweet experience. We are glad to be back but sad about the urban developments that have taken over and obliterated the lush green nature we grew up in. 

rainbow after heavy rain

Gone are the endless waving fields of sugarcane. Replaced by huge swaths of cemented construction. Slow meandering drives through empty roads lost to the press of too many folks pushing their way around roads too tight for this amount of traffic. 

languages & languaging

In her piece "Shapeshifting: discovering the 'we' in mixed race experiences," Anne Liu Kellor writes about questions raised growing up Asian-American. 

"Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve been longing for your whole life until you experience it. As a mixed-race woman, I never knew how much it would mean for me to finally sit in a room full of other multiracial women until, at age 45, I taught a creative writing class called Shapeshifting: Reading and Writing the Mixed-Race Experience. I was nervous because I’d never attended something like this myself. And yet, sometimes when it becomes clear that you need something that doesn’t already exist, you have to create it yourself."

cultural diversity - stock image

Her statement resonated with me - a chameleon of reinvention creating jobs and openings for myself where none existed prior. I love hunting out places for work and collaboration that are open to my input and contribution. Parlaying my otherness into fresh perspectives and views. 

Growing up in the Philippines with a Spanish Filipino father and a Chinese Filipina mother put me in this position early on. Forcing me to question, interrogate, and examine - where others were more accepting and agreeable. 

broken promises

If you’ve already broken your New Year’s resolution, don’t despair. You don’t need a holiday to change your life. 

It’s the first week of the new year. Let’s be in the moment. How many of us resolved to be more present in 2023? How many of us have broken that resolution? 

Depending on which gloomy study you read, somewhere between everyone and everyone will have broken their New Year’s resolutions by February 14. How can we make this year different? 

The Problem with Jon Stewart - "The Fumes of an Empire"

Speaking of making a difference. . . .give a listen to Jon Stewart on The Problem as he brings to light the lies and cover ups in the politics and governance on issues that impact us all.