you are my first and the last roommate — Patrick — you’re the first and the last roommate I had in my life It took our past lives That day through the window you’d tossed a message before we met Later you confessed you’d known me in your dream long before I entered your life Then the door opened

Thank you for all these years of your continued offerings — You lit a light inside anyone you met Your smile opened anyone’s chest to breathe The space you created became a seed of inspiration Your tenderness vibrated anyone’s heart to feel The air you touched became a seed of kindness Your words brought an end to anyone’s worries The comfort you…

I’ve learned to embrace my Little Kyomi, the essence of me, holding her in my arms — For the last five years, if I’m honest, since my early twenties, when I hid the wooden chest of secrets in the deep ocean trench, I knew it was there but hidden. I never forgot its existence. My fear of what I would find behind the door or inside the…

To truly own our lives, we set guideposts and diligently work toward our goals — A habit, either positive or negative, has a profound impact on our lives due to its repetitive nature. Once we recognize a negative habit and its pattern in how we feel, think, and behave, we are one step closer to turning it around and re-establishing it into something positive. Reflection…

Our interpretations of the experiences truly shape how we grow to find our true selves. — Stories around mothers and daughters are very common and often complicated. Most mothers are good and caring individuals. However, emotional traumas can still happen to anyone. In this series of “The Awakening,” I’m sharing my spiritual journey of finally overcoming the fears in my life-long relationship with Mama.

I decided to take this journey without knowing how long it would take. — The true beginning of Mama and my recent story* was at the hot spring in the autumn of 2016, only a few months after my late husband, Patrick’s passing. I was deeply grieving but I couldn’t admit it back then. *** At the hot spring, I was left alone with…