The Ghosts of Tai O

Stepping out onto the verandah, a strong feeling of déjà vu sweeps over me. I breathe in the early morning air of the sleepy fishing village of Tai O, the sound of the water inviting me out to explore. The purity of silence only a pre-dawn sky can provide, accompanies me as I walk down a path toward the shore of the South China…

Ellinor, The Year of the Goat, and Quantum Entanglement

From the moment I awake, I lie silently and listen to the calling of the universe to determine the type of day ahead, because every day has its own personality. Some mornings are overwhelming, blasting with the sound of horns and a declaration of chaos. A day that can zap the life out of the soul, and the only bright spot is thinking of the good…

The Sparrow and The Red-Crowned Crane

A small sparrow was weaving her way down along the tree line, darting in-and-out of its branches before quickly changing directions and taking a steep dive over the riverside grasses.  With a slight shift of her body she then swiftly rose again, up over the treetops. The morning air lifting her higher and holding that crispness of winter that she found so refreshing.  It…

The Fishermen’s Lore: What Lies Beneath?

As with the morning sun, slowly I rise out of bed and slip on a new day without a sound. The scents of algae, spices and humidity rise above the fading dreams of last night and I savor the moment.  Looking out at the pre-dawn sky I prepare my coffee, anxious for the day to begin. Wandering down a path, I climb into a thin,…

The Endurance of Tacloban: Heart of the Philippines

Violent winds swirl the dark, ominous thunderclouds overhead. The pounding waves crash onto the rocky shore and the roar of the Pacific Ocean makes its intention clear: thrash anything in its path. With electricity in the air, I am oblivious to everything except the power coming my way as rain beats against my face, sucking me into the depths of the storm. Ever since…

Being Time in Kenya with Heidegger

The concept of time is fascinating. From physics to philosophy, the notion of time is difficult to define. From our normal existence in the world, we often define time as ‘fleeting’ in the sense there is never enough. Frustration builds as the majority of time is spent catching up on work…work that is always running further and further away. The more worry about time,…

Hong Kong Democracy: The Umbrella Revolution

Upon first glance, the sight of demonstrations in Hong Kong is enough to take the breath away: another crystallizing moment in the territory’s rich history.  It is a beautiful thing to see; young and old united for a cause…especially one important as democracy and freedom. Yet like Hong Kong history, the protests are just one of many layers of complexity. There is a very…

Hong Kong: The Pulse of Life

There are days where no matter how I get out of bed, every side is the wrong side. Days where the dreary drone of jumbled words fill the mind and accompanies me as I sleep walk through the day.  A day, regardless of what my calendar tells me, is a week of  full of Monday mornings. Since returning to Hong Kong last week, my typical day has been…

Don’t Die Wondering…

Sitting along the shore of Elliott Bay, I often wonder what it would have been like centuries ago when Native Americans spent the summertime in Seattle.  The Seattle summer with its perfect weather is special, so I imagine it would have been heaven on earth to see the sun setting on this land so long ago when the wilderness ruled. Back in those days, getting outside and…

Positive Envy

There is an old saying I think about every now and then: “the grass is always greener on the other side.” Not so much for its meaning of someone desiring something they believe would improve his or her life, yet in reality would not.  Instead, it is because I think about where I am now, and the possibilities of what could be. To dream…