Tag Archives: Reflection

Life Prevails – Lessons from the Negev Desert of Israel

“Boom!…Boom!…” the earth trembled with hollow echoes from a distance.

“What is that?!” I gasped.

“Bombings from artillery.”

Wide-eyed with disbelief, I stared at Steve. He didn’t say anything more, and so I kept silent.

“Ta ta ta ta a ta….ta ta ta ta ta…ta ta ta ta…”

I whipped my head around again and asked, “What is that sound?”

“Machine gun sound—”

Before I even had a chance to respond, a loud noise boomed from the sky overpowering all conversation. Four F-161 fighter jets streaked right above us in a straight line over the orchard.

Steve looked me and smiled: “Don’t worry, you’ll get use to it.” Continue reading Life Prevails – Lessons from the Negev Desert of Israel

Packing Up the Tent

Last night I packed up the tent in my Grandma’s backyard. It may seem like a simple task, but the stories and meanings behind this task was very heart breaking and emotional. Packing up the tent felt like breaking a fragile porcelain bowl filled with precious droplets of memories—memories of my family and our one-year journey together. Nostalgia and sorrow flooded over me like a tidal wave crashing into an earthen wall. Why does packing up this tent bring me so much pain? Why is this empty space covered by a tarp have so much meaning and significance? Continue reading Packing Up the Tent

Boy to Teenage-hood

Who is Nathan from his Sister’s eyes?

“If Olivia and Joani aren’t going, then I don’t want to go either.”—that was my little brother, Nathan, at age 5. He was refusing to go on an exclusive trip with just my parents to Vietnam, because Joani and I weren’t going. Even though my parents already applied for his visa and made arrangements he still stubbornly refused. Lots have changed since then. For one, now he would jump at a trip to go to a different country, especially if he gets to go alone without Joani or me. Of course there’s a lot more than that: he’s more talkative now, more out spoken, more adventurous, and has even acquired the teenage “attitude” and presence. Despite the changes from Nathan being a boy to a rising teenager, he still will always be my sweet, little kid brother. Continue reading Boy to Teenage-hood