It has been about a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began affecting my own life. It is hard to remember what the normal used to look and feel like. I also lost many friends in 2020 for reasons other than COVID-19. These losses brought back my old griefs, too. What should I do with these … Continue reading Creating a Pandemic Memorial
A Valentine to Self
Valentine's Day is coming up in soon. Have you ever made a valentine to yourself? Join me this Valentine's Day, or any day for that matter, to create and share a valentine to yourself. Loving oneself is an important part of healing journey from oppression. Here is the Facebook event page to join.
A Flower-Makers’ Great Granddaughter
When our youngest daughter was 6 or 7 years old, she made a bouquet of paper flowers from scratch. I was very excited because...
The Power of Masks
Are we really happy in this lonely game we play… (This Masquerade by Leon Russell) Several months ago, I sang this song for a worship service led by my friend, Mike Jenkins, at our Unitarian Universalist congregation. The song was a good fit to the main message: take off your mental masks so we can … Continue reading The Power of Masks
We Are As Good As We Can Be
Several summers ago I was looking for seashells at the beach during a family vacation. Because my friends and I had agreed to sing songs for an event for people living in poverty with AIDS after the vacation, I decided to bring lots of beautiful, perfect shells for the occasion. My thinking was that since … Continue reading We Are As Good As We Can Be
My Son’s Car Accident: A Mother’s Confession
“Mommy, I crashed your car.” When my son called me in a recent morning, my brain refused to comprehend his words. Then came a mixture of emotions and questions in my mind: Is the car drivable and how much would it cost to repair it? And what about the rate of our insurance? Why did … Continue reading My Son’s Car Accident: A Mother’s Confession
A Tribute to a Piano Technician
A few weeks ago, my husband showed me an obituary of Mr. Melvin Frye. Melvin first came to tune our piano when our older children were still taking piano lessons. We owned—and still own—a red Yamaha upright piano similar to the one I grew up playing in Japan. Though Melvin was a Steinway specialist, he … Continue reading A Tribute to a Piano Technician
On Being Mother or Ultimate Loneliness
Long, long time ago one afternoon, I was looking at my first baby sleeping in her crib. She was so little and looked helpless in her crib-cage. She looked alone. But I, her mother, was standing outside and just watching her. Ordinarily I would have seen peacefulness or bliss in a sleeping baby. But on … Continue reading On Being Mother or Ultimate Loneliness
Unraveling Tangled Yarns: Unraveling Tangles in My Brain
Last Friday started out to be a very unproductive day. After a couple of hours of struggling to find something meaningful to do, a large tangle of yarns on the floor of a closet drew my attention. The yarns used to be in a large plastic trash bag with the top tied in a knot … Continue reading Unraveling Tangled Yarns: Unraveling Tangles in My Brain
always a friend: a Magnetic Poetry Kit
Some years ago my friend gave me something called a Magnetic Poetry Kit. It is a small plastic case filled with tiny magnetic strips, and a word is printed on each strip. I think it was a Christmas present but I’m not sure. I confess that I wasn’t too keen on it at that time. … Continue reading always a friend: a Magnetic Poetry Kit
Accompanist for the Soul 