"Having a place to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing." ~Donna Hedges Most families work the same way. A set of relationships that are intertwined and become like branches that grow from a tree. A foundation that is so intricate it has the ability to stretch out and affect the other life forms nearby. When most people think about what family means to them, they will likely tell you it consists of parents, siblings, aunts and uncles,

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" ~Ephesians 6:4 Yesterday was Father’s Day. And I have mixed feelings about that day. I have my reasons for my apprehensive attitude. I suffered a lot of pain at the hands of my father and still hold a lot of bitterness and resentment towards him. A part of me wants to forgive him, but that would only be for my benefit. Something I have learned through the years

"Most people will never understand how painful it is to watch your entire world fall apart and be expected to keep going." ~ Unknown !!TRIGGER WARNING!! I promised you real and authentic. Here it is. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. The five stages of grief. Ha, grief. Grief is a funny thing. And a horrible thing. But it also makes you think too. Love, forgiveness, aging, meaning of life. Makes you see things for the way they are. Makes you appreciate

"Not everything that weighs you down is yours to carry." -Anonymous Depression, grief, loss, mental illness, fear, and trauma. Often times, we are forced to face the things that make us uncomfortable. Instead, we avoid the negative and turn to substances to drown out the noise rather than taking things head on. In my life, I have had my fair share of horrible circumstances. I made many bad choices and denied having any problems. I blamed others for a lot of my issues. In t

"Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead." Nelson Mandela If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know that I am a strong proponent in continuous improvement for a better life. In order for true change to happen, daily effort towards your goals is the only way to get to the finish line. In Japanese culture there is a term for this called kaizen. Introduced by Masaaki Imai, kaizen asserts that significant positive results can be achieved by th

The last time I left you was over 6 months ago just before I got back home from my mis-adventures abroad. I’m here to tell you that a lot can happen in such a short period of time. See below for a rough timeline of the events that brought me back and my life since then. December 1: Wonderful Café owner purchased bus ticket from Figueira da Foz to Lisbon Portugal December 2: Bus trip to Lisbon December 2-5: Lisbon stay while receiving help from the U.S. Embassy to get a flight