I am grateful to Asian Journal for my column, actually it was last Nov. 2017 to mark my writing for 10 years – imagine over 600 submissions now. 600+ submissions that I had to research, read books on, travel to do one on one interviews, attend conventions, book talks, and public events.
The travels on my own budget have taken me to Japan, Philippines, Holland, France, Belgium, DC, SF, Costa Rica, and national parks.
It has allowed me to cover Pope Francis, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, local mayors and congresspersons, enterpreneurs like Sriracha owner and manufacturer, artists, musicians, composers, arrangers, tv hosts, theater directors, chefs, choral groups, academicians, realtors, 50+ priests of Filipino, Irish and Latino heritage, healing priests, middle school children, college students, painters, poets, festival organizers, curators, and hair and makeup stylists. From them, I soaked in their life lessons and wisdom.
I am most grateful for the trust given to me by Cora Oriel. I am also grateful for the new assignments from Roger Lagmay Oriel and most especially my meticulous, thoughtful and smart editor Christina Oriel.
I am most appreciative that together with the AJ staff, Rhizomes, a column in AJ paper and occasionally, submissions to Balikbayan Magazine have been spaces for spirituality, exploring dimensions of faith, God’s blessings in Nature, Filipino empowerment, creative spirit, musicianship, creativity, policy, human rights, civil rights, elections, voting, citizen guardians of democracy, no more Hiroshimas, grandparenting, couplehood, and taking care of our souls! Thank you to all of you AJ readers and more!