at an arm’s distance

I think that often, the first people who a child trusts is their parents. Therefore, when they find out that their trust was unfounded, it's a greater heartbreak than if it were any other person. I don't see it as betrayal because I see a foolish naive child doing nothing to protect themselves from inevitabilities. … Continue reading at an arm’s distance →

an open letter to the person who most wanted my death

I wouldn't say I've had a difficult life. In all honestly, it's been quiet, calm, nice. I've never been inflicted with painful hunger that wasn't caused by myself. I've never been forced to work endless and sleepless hours for little more than pennies due to anyone other than my own hubris. I've seen what may have laid in front of my path had I been born into a less privileged life, and I'm reminded of it by just looking down the street from where I park my car. I'm reminded of it when I'm told of my own luck, what's been given to me, that nothing was earned without the help of others. But that never quelled the deep sadness that I felt below my skin, the hollowness between bones, the muffled sound that felt too far away and hard to understand. I felt fleeting and small, like nothing I had belonged to me, yet everything expected something in return for simply existing in its space. What could I give it to secure its silence, what else other than my borrowed life?

Who would I be without Pokémon?

During a dinner with my brother, I was asked what Pokémon team I would have if I were a trainer, leading to an introspective character study. My hypothetical team included favorites from my life, each with their own histories and roles. Notably, the chosen Pokémon reflect my interests, personality traits, and affection for the Pokémon franchise.