spring pleasure

asparagus with charcoal grilled marks,
and caramelized onion strips
enveloped in baby leafs -
a spring mix
with light asian dressing of ginger
and sesame, toppled with
cherry tomatoes,
slices of fuji apples
and grilled chicken breast.

perfect spring day feast
sided with a tall glass of iced
water with a lemon ring.

cool breeze to air the warmth
of the sunrays
green grass pleasing the eyes
to soulfood of life.

sigh.

surroundings

lately, every corner has nestled an inspiration.

from the people i met and learned from at last week's maasu conference in ohio, to the daily remarks my 3 year old creates with new words and songs she hears, to the artists of the world who continue to nurture core beauty and truth, or the heart-filled projects that phillips scholars create and implement through the years, or the quotes from courageous justice seekers and fighters throughout history, the women who survived abuse to tell of its ugliness and their will to live despite of it, and when a quiet moment of rest allows, my heart is at peace listening to the sound of happy birds and dancing leaves, as the sunny rays warm the grass under my feet.

joy of life.

autumn and its concerto

(sigh)

yes, i am one of those asian dramas fans - but do not call me crazy or laugh at me until you experience a full asian drama series yourself.

my journey innocently started with the "meteor garden" series several years ago and my admiration for f4 as well as meteor garden (a story of friendship, love, sacrifices, and courage all wrapped up in 30+ episodes) inspired me to look more into this new discovery.

i was actually surprised at how much i was learning about relationships throughout the meteor garden series, about the sacrifices you make when you love someone - many aha moments & powerful revelations about my own definition of love and the relationships in my life. it was bizarre to gain so many insights that were candid and real, from a drama series. trust me - i never intended for this journey to take off the way it did.

through the years, my loyalty to my favorite f4 member, vic zhou, led to the following series:

*mars
*silence
*wish to see you again
*black and white

but honestly, nothing ever measured up to meteor garden.

until the recent infamous drama series starring vanness wu (another f4 member) - "autumn's concerto" - this drama reset the bar for asian drama series as we know it. its ratings grew past predictions every week; the fans became international; and the stars went from being almost unknown (and under-appreciated) to top-requested red-carpet star status overnight.

autumn's concerto (or AC to its fans) is a brilliant drama with a beautifully written script, amazing & heartfelt storyline, a powerful cast of talented actors/actresses - the soundtrack just adds on to this emotional masterpiece. i think vanness has became my new favorite f4 - his acting was superb!


autumn's concerto revived my love for dramas and i am having a hard time with the withdrawal now that the series ended. so if you find another drama that is filled with lessons for the heart, please let me know. :)

a haiku gift

a text from love:

look out see green grass
the earth turns around again
earth's answer to life

le moulin

listening to: le moulin by yann tiersen

soul music

remisnicing of

morning sunwalks

to the patisserie van,

sipping on hot cocoa in a bowl,

warm croissants,

homemade crepes,

filled with jam,

and nutella.

reminiscing of

sibling fights,

dog chases,

sandcovered traps,

ghost stories

and dreams,

dark basement cages,

tennis balls in the

cemetery,

the lighted cabin

in the woods,

grandpa's swing,

and sunday meals

as the sun dived down

to the horizon.

sublime peace

memories of

waiting for dad,

after work in the park,

hills filled with treasures,

and imagination.

visiting our vegetable garden in the

middle of downtown,

a riverstream swam through it.

forbidden walks by the railroads,

by a field of coquelicots,

finding dead snakes

and fresh raspberries.

saturday morning market,

roasted chicken for lunch,

summer soccer tournaments,

evening parties in the audiorium,

kids running,

my father hosting.

safe haven

trusting neighbors with children

distributing cilantro and green onions

around the neighborhood

talking to friends

in the evening air

on balconies

kicking soccerballs with the boys

while the girls played barbie

watching bruce lee films

on reruns during weekends

dancing to music

in our tiny living room

singing our talents

to deserving guests like

grandpa santa

watching my father

leave for work every

morning at 6:00

before the sun rose,

only to see him at night

too exhausted to play,

but always ready to help

with homework

a world away

weekend drives to bourges,

singing "un kilometre a l'heure,

ca use, ca use,

un kilometre a l'heure

ca use les souliers."

visiting grandma, grandpa,

uncles, aunts, and cousins

clipping my grandma's toes

sweeping their kitchen floors,

memorizing french songs and

poetry

playing with friends

in the woodhouse

when days were too short

wishing we were older

to drive, to cook, to travel,

to do what we wanted to do

oblivious of the growing pains

roots

in margaret benefiel's words: "deep roots anchor strong trees"

it reminds me of a resurfacing dream that continue to guide the direction of my life:

"i am swimming alone, under water, in a warm vast ocean of darkness. i realize that i can breathe like a fish. i start to relax and enjoy the freedom the water gives me. intense feelings of warmth fill my heart. i notice that i am swimming with a lit candle in my hand, which provides just enough lighting to see my body. unsure of the journey ahead, i just keep on swimming. then, i notice a light in the distance. its candle smoke creates a trail and it pulls my body confidently in its direction. as i focus on the light ahead of me, i catch a glimpse, from the corner of my eye, of another distant light, but this one is far behind me, gradually following the path of my candle smoke. suddenly, my heart is filled with warmth again as i realize that i am not alone."

Cup#2

I'm in trouble.... Cup#2.