Asheville,
You were the most nurturing mountain town to live in while writing and finishing a 175-page dissertation (guess I finally got to have my romantic “recluse in the mountains” phase of life). Thank you for the nourishing community, the 360 degrees of natural beauty-fueled inspiration, and your constant little reminders to be kinder and more gentle towards myself.
“Ocean, are you listening?
The most beautiful part
of your body is wherever
your mother’s shadow falls.”
I have a video recording of my doctoral defense and that moment my advisor welcomed me back into the room and said, “Congratulations, Dr. Hy Huynh.” The moment happened so fast in real-time though, so I’m grateful I can go back, slow it down, and savor that moment, frame by frame.
One of my favorite memories of my recent trip to Colombia was photographing Julian and his abuelo on a hike at Cocora Valley. The day before, his abuelo had asked if he could join us, even expressing interest in hiking with us. He wanted to do it all. It wasn’t until later that I learned he hadn’t been back to Cocora Valley in more than twenty years.
There are relationships that are centered around certain places,
sometimes remaining and laying dormant there for all time,
rejuvenated only when time allows presences to align.
A year ago, I moved to a really charming corner of the world called Battambang, Cambodia. I had previously been there one other time for my first 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, but this time around would be my first time actually living and experiencing a non-monastic life in Cambodia. I was excited to return and reconnect.
I think I love this saying more than the average person. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the majority of my life working with kids. Maybe it’s because I’ve had great students. Or maybe it’s because 50% of my community worldwide are kids. Or maybe it’s really because I know this sentence is so full of hard, beautiful truth.
A year ago from today, one of my greatest comrades from my Greenville life visited me while I was in Vietnam. Playing local tour-guide and showing friends why Vietnam is one of my greatest loves has been and continues to be one of my favorite human experiences.
A special visitor was in town this weekend.
Every time we reunite, we quickly come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what we do, just as long as we’re spending that precious quality time together.
During one past visit, we decided that it would be silly and entertaining to spend time together in as many different and interesting environments that time and geography would allow.
This fall, I went on a national park tour. I hunted down flights for $38 RT to Denver, bought an annual national park pass, and then hit the trails.