Trigger warning: Child abuse, sexual assault, suicide There was a heartbreaking time, many years ago, when I couldn’t sleep without worrying that I’d be woken by a real boogie man in the night. So I’d lie awake, very late into the night, doing whatever I could, watching TV, listening to music, anything just to avoid […]
A Bad Decision Doesn’t Make You a Bad Person
Many of us feel pretty sure of ourselves. We see another person make a “bad” decision, engage in some reckless behaviour, or act out of character – and we are quick to say “I would never do something like that.” We can’t help but judge others for decisions we “clearly” wouldn’t make ourselves. But in […]
When You Are Loved Like You Deserve
I’m in the process of writing my first book – a memoir – and at times, it can be very triggering. In order to write a book that really moves people, that helps them to feel every emotion that I was feeling… I’m going back in time to re-create moments in all their rawness and […]
Living with a Hole in Your Heart
For the past few months, I’ve been struggling with the loss of someone significant in my life. It wasn’t the end of a life, but instead, the end of a friendship. And the grief, at times, has been incredibly overwhelming. As much as I understand that this person can no longer be a part of […]
When Life Comes Full Circle
When I was 17 years old, the flu hit me pretty hard. I was bed ridden and felt so unwell I’d piled on layers and layers of clothes to keep me warm. At that time, I was getting to know someone who expressed a lot of concern at how unwell I was feeling. He asked […]
I didn’t choose to be a victim of child sexual abuse. But I choose everyday how I live the rest of my life.
I’ve been thinking about choices a lot lately. Who I choose to be around, how I choose to live my life, my career choices. And I’ve thought about how, it’s so easy to feel regret towards the choices we’ve made. It’s also easy to feel regret towards the choices others have made and how they […]
A Lesson about Love
Several years ago, I came across a video that had gone viral. It was about Chinese culture and how the use of the phrase “I love you” was rarely used. My husband, who is Chinese, engaged in debate with me over the topic. I am of Vietnamese ethnicity but grew up in Australia my whole […]
Leaving Footprints Wherever You Go
When I was about 17 and a half years old, I was going through a really emotionally challenging time. I’d just had my heart broken by the first person I ever loved. I was incredibly broken and vulnerable. I was anxiously waiting the results of my Tertiary Entrance Exams for University. I then met a […]
Empathy is the best legacy
This was a piece of writing I wrote in September 2017, as an entry for a writing competition. I’d like to share it here on my blog.People question why I care so much. I question why they don’t. When I was 15 years old, a close friend of mine told me, “You’re too nice.” I […]
Thank You For Breaking My Heart
To the person I loved at 16, You told me many years ago that I was special. That I was different. That you loved me because of how much I cared for other people. Then you let me go. The only person who I ever thought cared about me left. And it broke me. Really […]