The Wandering Sensei

13. Joy

“Gratitude is the prerequisite to Joy” — Brené Brown
Grace…Joy…when the year began, I had a general idea of what these words meant. But as I reflect on the conclusion of this part of my journey, I’ve grown a deeper fondness and understanding of grace and joy. Let’s begin.
In April, I traveled for the first time since the onset of the pandemic…

READ MORE

12. Health

The first four letters of “health” spell “heal” which, I’ve learned, can take place in many different forms. This year has been quite a health and healing journey, to say the least. Let’s begin.

Since the arrival of the pandemic, my health has fluctuated in ways that have taught me how invincible I’m not…

[Image Description: Video still of a close up view of multiple ripples in a puddle of water.] — *Gratitude (photo credit: Marq Mervin)*

11. Gratitude

Hello, again…

As with every year, 2022 has given me trials, lessons, and the tumultuous beauty of transformation. With the closing of the year upon me, I spend time reflecting on what was. I’ve developed some habits over the years (decade, maybe?)…

10. Juggling

It’s been a while…

In March 2019, I attended a conference where I was first introduced to juggling. I knew what juggling was, but I never attempted it until that point. Everyone who participated was given a tennis ball. The initial steps were simple: toss a ball from one hand to the other…

*Labor of Love (photo credit: Marq Mervin)*

09. The Labor of Love

Before I could begin writing this 2019 re-cap, I needed to take a trip down memory lane. On this long and arduous drive, I realized that this was a year I didn’t think I’d make it through. Recalling these many missteps helped me document some of the hardest work I’ve ever done — working on my relationship with myself…

[Image Description: A deep blue and orange evening sunset viewed through a car door window.] — *Moving Forward (photo credit: Marq Mervin)*

08. Finding the Rhythm (Pt.2)

The last time we left off on this adventure, I mentioned I was letting the universe guide me wherever it needed to. Well, it’s been a true roller coaster ride after I let this supernatural force take the wheel (ironically, “Bad Dog No Biscuits” from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, which you should totally listen to, is playing as I type this)…

07. Finding the Rhythm (Pt.1)

Like most people, I decided to join in and set a new year’s resolution for myself. Eating healthier, working out, and saving more money tend to be the go-tos, but I started those a while ago. This year, I decided to challenge myself to slow down…

06. The Beautiful & The Terrible

Over the past few years, I’ve learned the importance of taking time out of the day, month, and year to reflect. I think I learned the significance of reflection by becoming deeply acquainted with tunnel vision. We became really close friends in my adult years. Though, sometimes, I need to take a break from our tight-knit relationship…

05. Inspiration

“Inspiration” is a term that’s oftentimes overused, almost to a point of being cliché. But, after the whirlwind that July has been, “inspiration” may be the perfect word to sum up the month. A month that sped by very quickly—almost too quickly. Maybe that’s how inspiration works…

04. Freedom

I’ve constantly struggled with the concept of “freedom”. Oftentimes, I’ve asked myself, “what does it mean to be ‘free’?” I think I struggled with this because I didn’t frame my inquiries with any reference or context…

03. The Care of Self

“Self-care” is a term that’s often used and sometimes misunderstood. I’m definitely a person that misuses the term. Well…maybe “misuse” isn’t the best word. Rather, I misapply it. I think the misapplication happens because I’m still learning what self-care means…

*Eternal Learning (photo credit: Marq Mervin)*

02. Thinkers & Doers

It’s exhilarating to be surrounded by freshly purchased books, a rich variety of supplies, desks with different forms and functions, and colorful posters with fonts as bold as their messages. So, it’s almost no surprise that after my would-be illustrious career in video games, I’d follow my heart to teach in a classroom…

*Uncle and Nephew (photo credit: Marq Mervin)*

01. Legacy

I’ve been mulling over the writing process for quite some time. More specifically, what could I write about that: a. supports my professional endeavors, while b. staying true to why I write in the first place—therapy and creative expression…