No one is big or great enough to “do” life alone

This is a journey of gratitude. Day after day I keep learning and become more aware that it is a gift and a blessing to be alive, to still be here, to have another chance each day to be and do better, to love more, to laugh louder, to give beyond reason, to stretch and dream, in spite of fears and uncertainty.

There are days I feel indomitable. Everything goes my way and there is nothing to complain; however, every up has its down, which makes living a thrilling adventure. I can no longer keep track of how many times I thought “This is it. It is not working out as planned and will lead to the loss of my visa / residence permit. (When one’s passport only guarantees visa-free access to about eleven other countries and islands, one can understand why the freedom of movement is of dire importance.) I will then have to move back home and miss out on realizing my dream; nevertheless, it’s been a great run overseas.” Just as I concluded that my streak was over, miraculous events stepped in and saw me through at the last minute - always. I uttered “Thank you, God, for hearing my cry, Thank you, God, for saving and blessing me, once again.” Months and years later came the aha moment “It wasn’t as bad as I had thought. That fated event was orchestrated for my best interest and my highest good!” Subsequently, I followed up with “but of course, because of you, God, are still on the throne and in control, I am not alone. I should learn to trust more.” I had to give credit to a power that is higher and greater than me because I believed, and still do, that no one else could pull it off so consistently and marvelously, so that I am safe every day and able to live where I am and do what I love.

Now, please bear in mind that my faith and my spirituality have been strengthened and reaffirmed from what I have seen, felt, and experienced along with my time spent in solitude to reflect, breathe, and let all my thoughts and emotions freely flow through me, in order to be able to navigate life “alone” in different countries since the age of 16. When I mention the word “God”, please take it as the God of your understanding, if there is one; or please feel free to interpret it as the anchor of your life, something or someone that you always turn to when hardships come.

The aforementioned humbling experiences finally put an end to my propensity of claiming and thinking “I did it all by myself. The victory is all mine.” They invited me to ask myself:

What am I without my mom’s daily prayer, the thing that evaporates 9,339 kilometers between us? What am I without the teachers and professors who saw something in me? What am I without the true friends and families who love and support me unconditionally? What am I without the acquaintances who believe in my vision and the strangers who just happened to be there when I needed them? Was it merely an accident? Definitely not. There are no coincidences or mistakes in the Universe and here, on planet earth.

I stand and walk as hundreds or even thousands! I am everyone who loves, inspires, teaches, pushes, and helps me, regardless how big, how small and in whatever shape or form. I am everyone who laughs and cries with me, who sits with me, who takes me in their families, cooks for me, and makes me feel at home. I am everyone who has built me up and touched my life in a way that cannot be expressed in words. I am everyone who has said “hello” to me.

With such a phenomenal team on my side, I may dare dream of a fulfilled, abundant, and sweet life. And there’s no reason not to bring everyone in, without whom this journey could never be “Phamtastic”. While on the subject, I did not call myself Phamtastic. That was what my former English professor Dr. Marisa P. Clark at the University of New Mexico commented on my trajectory and my application as I asked her for a letter of recommendation. See - I did not think of the word on my own either!

So, dear friends, let the Phamtastic Journey be a platform that we connect musically, philosophically and or spiritually. Let’s walk this road and grow together. Life is not meant to be “dealt” with single-handedly after all.

In love and light,

Thien