• We were sitting in the back row of the church, deep in conversation. Since service had ended about an hour prior, the pews had emptied out and it was just the two of us. I was in my early 20’s and she was in her early 80’s. A sweet, beautiful woman with gray and black […]

  • As I made my way to work over the last several months, I came across a billboard that was borderline inappropriate. When I knew the sign was coming up, I made a conscious effort to avert my eyes to avoid looking at it. It wasn’t easy because it was a catchy ad, strategically placed near […]

  • We were not in agreement. And that was okay. In any relationship, there will be a difference of thoughts and opinions. We won’t align every single time. But you know what I’ve learned the hard way? The beauty of silence during a disagreement. There’s a high likelihood I’ll mess up and say something I’ll regret […]

  • The first time my parents dropped me off at college, it was just the three of us in the van. As the oldest of 4 children, it was a sweet and rare opportunity to have both parents to myself. In those final hours before they left me at the dorm, they were handing out last-minute […]

  • There was that one class in college that I dreaded to take. It was rumored to be a tough one that required a ton of memorization. I held off registering for that class as long as I could. Then, it came to the point of no return. Given it was required for my major, I […]

  • I woke up at 2:30 a.m. the other night. There were no loud sounds to startle me, no random alarm that went off. No cold shaft to bother me- the comforter was tucked in place My eyes adjusted to the dark. It was quiet. But I was wide awake. That’s strange, I thought.  Maybe the […]

  • “I regret to inform you…” The words I never wanted to see on the e-mail I had been anxiously waiting on. “Fail” A feeling of rejection washed over me as the monosyllabic word glared at me from the screen after I clicked “submit”. “I’m sorry…you didn’t make the team.” My daughter, crushed, from hearing those […]

  • Eight dollars. That’s all my father had in his pocket when he came to America. After months of writing hand-written letters to each other, he met his beautiful bride at the airport when she arrived. A few weeks later, they were married in a chapel with friends as witnesses.  Their parents and siblings were thousands […]

  • I was 16 years old when I had the opportunity to shadow a highly intelligent young physician.  He had a big smile and was kind. Watching from the corner of the exam room, I saw how well he interacted with the young child on the table. The mother of the patient sat across the room, […]

  • “Mama, is this the best coffee you’ve ever had?” I was sipping the cup she brewed using our machine. It was complete with cream, sugar and all. “It’s good!” “But… it’s not the best?” she asked. “It’s good!” I repeated. She smiled.  She could tell I was trying to be nice. I hugged her.  It […]