As words turn to ash, so does our ability to be human. — Markus Zusak’s 2005 novel, The Book Thief, is a beautiful novel that starts with a somber image. As 9-year-old Liesel Meminger walks with her mother through the graveyard, her 6-year-old brother now resting in his grave, her eyes land on a little black book, “The Grave Digger’s Handbook”, and her…

Sitting in a dark room, I notice the window and I am reminded of the blinding light at the end of a long dark tunnel. Just as the end of the tunnel leads to a whole new world, the window itself leads to a realm of unknown possibilities. The bright…

“It is,” I said. “It is the one altogether pleasant thing about it.” — As I start to take my writing more seriously, there is one question that I end up asking myself a lot. Why write anything at all? Does the world really need another writer? Isn’t everyone writing anyways? What’s the point in putting a bunch of words together just so I…

Creativity is hard. It’s even harder when we are trying to find our creative voice, wondering at every moment whether we even have an ounce of creative juices flowing in our bloodstream or if we’re just trying to live in our own fantasyland. It’s a scary thought. It is very…

Toward the end of 2020, I started taking writing more seriously but at the same time, I was struggling with a cripplingly high level of imposter syndrome. I really felt like I was bad at writing and was constantly wondering what it even takes to succeed in the creative endeavor…

Imagine Teddy (or pick a name of your choosing). Teddy is a 5-year old kid who loves to do whatever 5-year old kids love to do these days and Teddy spends his days doing just those things. Teddy is having the time of Teddy’s life. To everyone, Teddy seems like…

“Put these seeds in your pockets”, the woman said, to the soldier — a stranger on her homeland, “At least sunflowers will grow when you lay dead”. Her heart blue, eyes red, yet resolute her stand. With guns, bombs, and tanks, the tyrants invade A people of peace; they bring a reign of pain. War spares no one, it’s an evil trade, Lives are taken, only suffering and despair remain. The people of freedom, they’re heartbroken yet headstrong,

“Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it… but love it.” — Friedrich Nietzsche Life is a difficult and complex journey. Random things happen to us all the time, both good and bad. This is further complicated by all the noise and the distractions in our world. At…

A poem for those lost in life. — A doctor, a pilot, a man building buildings, Every kid in your class has a dream they’re singin’. Your turn! You can think of none, so you just lie, Each morning, every night; just one question: who am I? A pen, a bat, a laptop, or a guitar, Every teen’s…