Reimagining Life by Mikael Wagner As a young man full of life and energy in 1982, I was forced to give up my dreams and ambitions, because of a new disease that swept the country. At that time, physicians told me that as a gay man my chances of surviving were slim to...
My Father's Garden by Jon Melegrito Out in the yard are three dozen peat pots basking in the sun. Inside each pot is a bitter melon seed, planted weeks earlier. Helping to water these soon-to-be ampalaya (bitter melon) seedlings is three-year-old granddaughter...
Our Story by Mike Rodriguez & Brad Veloz When we met in 1977, we shared many similar commonalities. We were both from large families, our families still spoke Spanish at home, our mothers were our first priority and we loved disco music. After moving to...
My Peace Sensei by Tomi Nagai-Rothe Sensei (先生?) a teacher or instructor usually of Japanese martial arts (as karate or judo) - Merriam Webster Dictionary Haruyoshi Fugaku Ito (“Ito” for short) is my martial arts teacher and a peace practitioner. That may seem...
Crossroads by Tomi Nagai-Rothe I turned 59 this year. In Japan, one celebrates “Kanreki” at 60. It means returning to the beginning – five times through the 12 year zodiac cycle. Turning 60 is associated with attaining maturity and wisdom and, paradoxically, with...
On Memorial Day, the United States honors millions of men and women who have served in our country’s Armed Forces, including around 1.7 million older Americans alive today who served during World War II, and over 7 million who served during the Vietnam War. For the...