The good but breaking on the inside
My parents are wonderful, and our family is harmonious — this is how most people view our family. “You are an independent child who needs no worrying over”, my parents would say about me. My mother would often recall the days after I was born after she commented on this feature; unlike other babies, I […]
Unveiling the Hidden Struggles: Navigating Mental Health Challenges in India
In a world that’s gradually waking up to the importance of mental health, India’s situation serves as a reminder of the struggles many face with their mental well-being. While conversations around mental well-being have gained momentum, the reality in India is marked by financial constraints, societal stigma, and limited access to healthcare. The Harsh Reality: […]
You Want Some Kitchen Cabinets For Your Loneliness?
It’s scary how much of our digital lives get shared. I was contemplating a small kitchen cabinet refacing project last month and submitted a quote to one vendor. Since then, my inbox and voicemails have been flooded with random contractors and remodeling agencies pestering me. Unfortunately, I inadvertently took one of those sales calls, and […]
Elephant in the Room – Rewarding Quality Care
It’s back-to-school season, and, I, like numerous other parents, am preoccupied with getting just the right classes or teacher assignments to help my kids’ chances of getting into a top university. My incoming sophomore is trying to get a waiver to take AP English on top of two other AP classes, and before we were […]
How It Could Have Been Prevented
Hear the saddening childhood of an autistic boy and how it could have been prevented. “If my grandparents had taught him how to feel, he wouldn’t be so cruel.”
Rebellion Against the Model Minority Role
“Asian Doesn’t Start With A+” In a TED talk featuring Olivia Lai’s ‘Asian Doesn’t Start with A+’ at TEDxPhillipsAcademyAndover, she shared that she had been conditioned to accept herself as nothing less than perfection. Like her other Asian-American friends, it was a shared experience among them to crumble under school and work pressures. She reckoned […]
Why Won’t You Admit You’re Autistic Like Me?
My Journey with Autism: Learning Empathy and Finding Understanding I have autism, it’s not a sercret I try to hide. Growing up with autism, I didn’t really understand other people and their views, and I had a hard time expressing my ideas. But I didn’t see it that way. When it was my turn to […]
Can ABA Be Harmful
Understanding the Complexities of ABA: Positive Impact and Potential Harms Short answer? Yes, it can potentially be, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. While the application of the science of ABA can be positively life-changing for many individuals and their families, there are a number of ABA recipients who have been harmed by […]
I’m Not OK????
Dealing With The Suffering of My Beloved Cat I’m so sad. My cat is dying before my eyes from a very aggressive form of lymphoma. We are going through chemo and a demanding home care routine. There are so many injections to give and pills and syrups to shove down his throat. I wish I […]
I’m there for you–the whole you
Challenges and Reflections on Caring for a Dying Pet My cat in Taiwan was diagnosed with large-cell lymphoma last month. It’s a disease with a grim prognosis, even with aggressive and successful treatments. I know he is just a pet, but he helped me survive the difficult periods early in my marriage and move […]