10/20: I can't remember exactly how old I was at the time, but I remember the scene perfectly - me, a little boy, visiting Dad's office in Taiwan for the first time. I was bored the way that every little boy would be when forced to sit still with nothing to do, but at the same time, I was amazed. Everything was so big and so unfamiliar. All the drawers and file cabinets, as plain as they appeared, held keys to a lifestyle that remained a mystery to me in the years to come.

Fast forward to my late elementary school years. My family has moved from Taiwan to California, and Dad had passed away from liver cancer before being able to secure a job in this new environment. Following the typical path of an Asian-American boy, I studied hard, went to a highly competitive high school with a strong honors program, spent a summer interning at a well-known computer company, and got admitted to UCLA as an engineering student. No less stereotypical was the fact that I excelled in playing piano. Little did I know, though, that after a series of unexpected events, I would discover God's calling for me to give up my seemingly more prestigious engineering degree to obtain a degree in music. When I prayed for a job shortly after graduating, He responded almost immediately with academic tutoring opportunities, which eventually launched into a full-time job that still gave me plenty of free time and flexibility to make music and enjoy life.

There is another scene I remember from childhood - me, an elementary school student, sitting at my desk in my room with a toy computer next to me. Its shape and size resembled a laptop, although its screen was only large enough to hold about two dozen characters. I always kept it on my desk and often left the screen flipped open even when I wasn't playing with it. Somehow, it made me feel good. It made me feel grown-up, like a man sitting at an office desk. Even though Dad was no longer with me, it made me feel like I could be just like him.

Both of these scenes didn't mean much to me during the first few years after graduating from college. After all, I was no longer who I used to think I would be. I was now a musician, called by God to live an exciting and passionate life, and the last thing I wanted was to be confined to a cubicle for eight hours a day. But soon, my passion became my insecurity. I began to believe that I not only was called to live a unique life, but also wasn't good enough to be like everyone else. My tutoring job, which I clung tightly onto knowing that it was a blessing from God, became a crutch to hide my belief that I was too inexperienced and stupid to get a "real" job. Despite the fact that I was getting increasingly frustrated with being a tutor, I kept on fighting stubbornly. At home, I felt inadequate to play my role as the only man in the house, and often got angry with my family for expecting me to do things I believed I was incapable of doing. I began to blame my past, and more specifically, I began to blame God for taking Dad away.

The Bible promised that God would be a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). While this is a difficult promise to believe given that I have been greatly impacted by having to grow up without a dad, God sees my heart and knows my struggles, even when I make the mistake of doubting Him over and over again. I've always believed that even though success is not measured by money, a man should be capable of suppoprting a family. And so I've always wished deep inside that I would someday be financially stable, despite how difficult that would be with a music degree. But it was God who pointed my heart toward music, and He has everything under His control. Almost a year ago, He answered the cries of my heart clearly and swiftly; I came to terms with my insecurities, decided to work up the courage to pursue a more stable career, and within a span of of less than two weeks, I found myself going to work at my new full-time office job.

This job, to me, was a desperately needed boost of encouragement, and even though I know that there will always be new challenges to face and new lessons to learn in how to truly become a man after God's own heart, I believe that with this job, I'm one huge step closer to where I want to be. As for music, I continue to put the gifts God has given me to use during my free time, without having to stress about depending on it to make money. On the surface, it may appear like my life now is that of a stereotypically boring office employee. But deep inside, I know that my life is full of excitement, because even though I had to grow up without a father figure next to me, God is truly a father to the fatherless. He allowed my father's death to happen, and He has the power to change my life even when I think it's impossible.

A couple days ago at BSF, Steve pointed out something that I find amazingly fitting for my life this week. Acts 12 begins with King Herod, intending to persecute Christians, arresting James and putting him to death with the sword. He then arrested Peter for the same purpose, but Peter miraculously escaped from prison in the middle of the night through the help of an angel of the Lord. He immediately went to a house where many Christians were gathered in prayer, and they were astonished at his escape. Steve pointed out that among the people in the house were Mary (James's mother) and John (his brother). How could Mary and John rejoice with the others knowing that God sent an angel to save Peter but didn't do the same for James?

This forced me to ask myself, "am I confident enough in God's decision to allow Dad to pass away that I can rejoice in Him without questioning?" I admit I find it difficult to say yes. The older I get, the more I see just how much my life has been impacted by the lack of a father figure and how much it will continue to be impacted by it. But at the same time, I also see more and more just how great and powerful God is. The way He has led Mom, Carol, and me to where we are today is nothing short of a miracle. And all the amazing stories He has written in our lives over the years tell me that, even though thinking about Dad still brings tears to my eyes, He is truly faithful and does all things for the good of His children.

In these past several months, I have spent countless hours sitting outside at night reflecting on God's greatness while gazing at the stars. And each time I look up at the sky, I remember that Dad is in heaven, with all the physical pain of cancer gone and forever replaced by the indescribable joy and peace of being with God. I may not be able to see him, but I believe that he always see me. He sees me step into the office for work every day just like he used to. He sees me learning to love Mom and Carol the way he would if he were still here. And he sees me trying my best to become more and more of a man after God's own heart, following the example he set during his last days, which continues to inspire me seventeen years after his passing. I believe Dad is smiling in heaven when he sees just how much I've grown over the years. And if he - my father, role model, and hero - is rejoicing, then I have no reason not to rejoice too.

10/08: We met and introduced ourselves prior to the start of The Hill conference. He told me his name was Chris, and that he was from Chicago. I mentioned the annual Grace conference in Chicago, which I attended as part of the worship team last year, and he told me that he was the speaker at that conference the previous year. I also found out that he was the speaker for tonight's program. He was very friendly and easy to talk to, and getting to meet him beforehand made me look forward to hearing him speak on stage even more.

Little did I know, though, that he was a former drug addict and dealer, who had a broken relationship with his family and rejected anything that had to do with Christianity, until God transformed his heart while he was in prison. Most Christians have heard this kind of story before, and I admit that after having heard so many testimonies of gangsters, prostitutes, and all kinds of other "sinners" being completely changed by God, it's easy to dismiss this testimony as just another emotionally touching story. Even as tears were forming in my eyes while he shared about his past on stage, I wasn't quite sure if it was because I liked the story or because God was really speaking to me.

But one thing about Chris truly stood out to me. Over the course of the years he spent living without knowing God, he had contracted HIV. "Could it be true?", I kept asking myself. Could it be true that the same friendly guy that I met and talked to this afternoon was carrying an incureable disease that would almost certainly limit the time he gets to spend in this world? And could it really be true that, even with the knowledge that his days are numbered, he still had the courage to stand on stage proclaiming God's love? Just about every testimony I've heard in the past concluded with a present situation in which life seems to be going smoothly because of Christ. But this story does not have such a happy ending, and statistically speaking, there's a chance that it never will. Yet he was still so hopeful, so joyful, and so eager to share the good news of Jesus Christ with everyone. How could this be true?

Then the truth finally hit me. Yes, his days may be numbered, but who am I to think that mine are not? Who are we, no matter how smart, rich, successful, happy, or strong we are, to guarantee that, after we fall asleep tonight, we will be able to wake up to see tomorrow? As much as we hate to admit it, the truth is that all of our days are numbered. Whether we are young or old, God can give life to us and take it away with the blink of an eye. It happens across the world every day, sometimes close to us and sometimes far from us. But even when it seems far, it doesn't mean it's not happening. How, then, should that affect the way we live our lives?

"The gospel is not good news unless it gets there on time." All of us know someone that has not yet come to understand the power of the gospel. Whether it's a friend, a family member, a co-worker, a classmate, a neighbor, or even a stranger, the fact is that there will come a day when, if they have not accepted God's great gift to them by then, they will never have a chance to do so again. As Christians, we must remember that while it is by the power of God and not by us that people can be saved, we still have to do our part to be God's light in this dark world. Even nonbelievers know that this is a dark world, filled with disasters and problems far beyond our control. We can give money to the homeless, buy food for the hungry, and pray for our friends and family members. And those are all definitely good things. But do we see that there is a much greater gift - the gift of life, given to us freely by God - that we often forget to offer them?

Some of us are often afraid to tell the truth about what we believe to the people closest to us. We feel that people might think we're crazy, or not want to be friends with us anymore. But it really all boils down to two questions. First, how strongly do we truly believe what we think we believe? And second, how much do we really care about the people around us? If I had lunch with the president, would I be afraid to tell people about it because I think that they wouldn't believe me? And if I knew a friend who was sick and I had the perfect medicine with me, would I hesitate to put it to use? This is a world that is desperate for true love and lasting hope, and I must always remember just how great God is - something that I've witnessed firsthand many times - and let it inspire me to be honest, both to myself and to others.

Some of us care so much about people that we pray for them day after day for what seems like forever, to a point where it's difficult to continue praying without it becoming merely a daily routine. We wonder if God is really listening to us, and if He really cares at all. Chris shared about the many years that his mother spent praying for him, despite his refusal to have anything to do with the Bible, before his heart was finally soft enough to come to understand the Truth. But does that mean that all those years prior to his salvation were wasted? Absolutely not. God spent that time nurturing the seed in his heart and preparing the soil to produce the best fruit. And in that time, He also wrote part of an amazing testimony that would eventually be used to change many other people's lives. God answers prayer, and that's not going to change. If we give Him the pen, He will write amazing stories in our lives and use us to do things we never thought were possible. And no matter what stage of life we're going through, we can continue to put our trust in Him, knowing that He loves us as His children and knows what's best for us.

09/30: I remember driving through a neighborhood on the way home from work last Friday and noticing a big drop of water on my windshield. My mind naturally gravitated toward the possibility of some idiot not knowing how to aim the hose while watering the lawn. But as I kept driving, more water drops appeared, until my confusion prompted me to pull into a parking lot and stop to see what on earth was going on. All around me, the sky was blue. Then I opened my sunroof, and noticed above me a single cloud. It wasn't even all that big of a cloud. But there was rain falling from it, and it soon started raining pretty dang hard. After living in Southern California for so long, I don't think I'd ever seen anthing like that before. Then earlier today it happened again. I was in the middle of teaching SAT math when I heard big raindrops falling for a couple minutes, even though most of the sky was clear. I admit that when I stepped out of the house to go to my car, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see that, just like last Friday, the rain had left so many dirty spots on my car that I had to give it another wash. But then I looked up at the sky, and suddenly all of my complaints faded away.

The sunset sky was unlike any I have seen before. Knowing that it was the end of another busy week, I had originally planned to stop by a mountaintop to reflect and pray for a while before going home. And that view made me even more eager to be there. I'd been to the typically desserted place for the same reasons a couple times before, but what totally surprised me this time was that by the time I arrived, there were already a dozen or so people, most carrying cameras, admiring the beautiful scenery. I already had my own camera in my hand, but it didn't take too many tries for me to conclude that my little point-and-shoot simply can't do justice to such great beauty. It was one of those moments that I had no way to capture and bring home with me, but must enjoy it at that very moment before it went away forever.

It's hard for anyone to stand at the sight of such beauty and not be amazed. Everyone stood silently, some playing with their cameras to get the best shots and others simply gazing motionlessly at the sky. Regardless of race, religion, or social class, everyone was humbled and amazed. We all knew deep down inside that nothing we create will ever line up against such beauty. And even the most intelligent among us could only stand in wonder.

I found an area away from the crowd and sang praises to God. Suddenly, my mind was filled with memories of those glorious summer nights not too long ago when I would lie in my backyard and stare at the infinite sky, praising God for caring so much about me despite me being just one person among millions. With my eyes and heart fixed on infinity, so many of the things in my life that I often take for granted - my house, my car, my job, my family, my friends, and much more - suddenly become blessings. And even though there are many who probably deserve these blessings much more than I do, God chose to give them to me, and has reasons for doing so. That realization leaves me amazed and puzzled, humbled by His love and eager to continue to seek His will.

With life as busy as it is now, it's a lot harder for me to find time to spend in the backyard every night like I used to. I still make sure to set time apart to pray and focus on God, but it takes a lot more effort. And with that effort comes a reward. As I gazed at the sunset, I found myself once again rejoicing in the hope that could only come from being touched by God. Normally, I already tend to be very thankful for the many things I've been blessed with. But once I regain my focus on God and look at my life from a heavenly perspective, suddenly all of the things that I've been blessed with become even more amazing. God is just too good to me, and that is a fact that will never change. No matter how many ways He chooses to bless me, and no matter how wonderful my life is, I must remember to always turn back to Him, be humbled by Him, and live my life with the realization that He is truly a wonderful God.

09/26: Looking back at another incredible weekend, I find it hard to believe that I'm back to five consecutive days of office life. It seems like the more fun I have on weekends, the harder it is to wake up early and come back to work on Monday morning. But I know that if it weren't for this great job that God has blessed me with, I wouldn't be able to afford to have nearly as much fun as I've been having. On Sunday, I got to enjoy food, tea, and a wonderful scenic walk with Tiffany, followed by some amazing all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ at O Dae San with the same gang that met up at UCLA in August for the dorm food reunion. Yesterday evening, I had the great honor of playing with James Paek's worship team at The Cause Community Church (in Brea). I've never been to a church service like that before, and it's always great to break out of my own ideas of church and see how different people use different ways to worship the same great God.

For those who actually read this journal (I've always kept more or less quiet about this site, for reasons I've made quite clear over the years), I apologize for not updating nearly as often these days as I used to. Part of the reason is that my life has been getting increasingly busy, to a point where, even though I've always believed in making the most out of the time God gives me every day, I still find myself greatly challenged by having to balance out my current schedule so that I can do everything I need to do. I still have no doubt that all the important things that occupy my life - my job, my weekly church commitments, music projects/events, and people I care so much about - are blessings from God that I shouldn't take for granted, and I believe that as long as I center my life around God and don't neglect Him because of my busyness, then surely He will give me strength and wisdom to face whatever challenges life brings me to.

I'm not going to lie, though - the truth is that I've actually been journaling much more in these past few weeks than I used to. But those journal entries do not belong on this website. In this past month or so, after countless hours of seeking God's will, along with many unexpected rollercoasters, I found myself in a story that completely transformed my life in ways I never thought were possible. This journey brings me both fear of the many unknown and unfamiliar things ahead of me and excitement for being so privileged to have a role in such an amazing story. A part of me wants to tell the whole world how wonderful I feel now. But I know that this story could not have come anywhere close to where it is now if I didn't surrender my will and let God take complete control, and in the same way, I must continue to trust Him and not let myself jump too far ahead. At this point, for the good of both myself and others, I must remain silent and stay focused, so that I will have wisdom to know when and how to break this silence.

I ask for a huge favor from those of you who are reading this, that you will trust me, given my history of always being willing to share my deepest life stories and use them to bless others, and understand that I will not hide my life from people I care about unless there's a good reason. And I also ask for your prayers, because this journey is one that will definitely involve taking many risks, overcoming many fears, learning new lessons, and facing challenges I have never faced before. But at the same time, this journey could very well be one of the most amazing stories that God has ever written in my life.

Even though things will continue to be insanely busy, and I may not be able to write as much here as I used to, I believe this is an opportunity for me to learn to better prioritize my life. I know that all the things that occupy my time now are amazing gifts from God that I shouldn't take for granted, and I will continue to uphold my belief that no matter how busy I am, I should always be willing to set apart time for people and things that matter most to me. For now, I must do whatever it takes to stay focused on seeking God's will, and I promise that when the time is right, I will share about all of the great adventures taking place in my life now as a testament to God's amazing kindness, infinite wisdom, and unfathomable love.

09/19: It seems like Monday nights are among my only chances throughout the week to have several hours to just relax, reflect, and write. Of course, considering all the amazing adventures that life has taken me on recently, I'm not complaining at all. This past weekend, Ken and I hosted a private BBQ event to bring two very special friendship circles together. On Saturday, we had an amazing time enjoying the outdoor dinner, complete with incredible conversations, great background music courtesy of Tiffany's iTouch, the view of the sunset, candles to ornament the night, and so much leftover food that we decided to have a second party with the same group on Sunday. The leftovers party was no less incredible - this is the first time we've ever done a party so small that everyone could fit at the round table. The combination of candles, wine (courtesy of Joseph), and the nighttime atmosphere made me feel like I was at a very fancy restaurant. If it isn't for the fact that summer is pretty much over, I would love to do this on a regular basis. I find myself once again amazed at just how much God has blessed me with. Not only do I have a backyard so suitable for events like this, but I also have the great pleasure of seeing some of my closest friends get to meet each other and enjoy spending time together. I don't think I can be any more content right now.

In other (somewhat related) news, BSF is finally back in session. This past Tuesday was the first meeting of this "schoolyear", during which we will be studying the book of Acts. Since I first checked out BSF during Week 2 of last year's study, I guess this week marks the completion of my first full year with the fellowship. It's amazing how much I've been blessed by BSF. I remember my first time there, when I didn't know a single person and had no idea what to expect. I arrived early and sat in my car praying, and I asked God to make sure that every person I meet, every conversation I engage in, and every lesson I learn will be for His glory. And looking back now, I'm completely blown away by how He answered that prayer. It's safe to say that without BSF, I may not have discovered my desire for a full-time office job like what I have now. It's also safe to say that without BSF, this past weekend's BBQ parties would not have happened. Even though the fellowship didn't meet over the summer, some of the friendships that began there only grew stronger, and I really can't even imagine what my life would be like now without the amazing people that have played (and still play) such a crucial role in my life.

Tomorrow night will be the first official meeting of the new BSF small groups (since last week was more of an introduction). I once again find myself a little scared, not knowing exactly what to expect. But that little bit of fear is exactly what I want. I have prayed over and over again that even though I'm no longer a stranger to BSF, I don't want my experiences and my friendships to get in the way of what God wants to do in my life through this year's fellowship. I want to keep an open mind, receptive to the things He wants to teach me through His servants and through His Word. And I pray especially for all the people there, that whether it's with new people or with existing friends, every conversation and interaction will still be for God's glory.

From what I've learned after last week's lecture, it seems like much of our study this year will revolve around stories of the Holy Spirit strengthening imperfect people to do seemingly impossible things. There are definitely some things in my life right now that I feel are impossible to do on my own. But I believe that if God intends for me to do those things, then through Him I will definitely find the strength to do so, and be amazed at the result.

09/16: I really think I have the most awesome job ever. Shortly after returning to the office after lunch break today, my boss posed a very profound question. "Who's not busy right now and can go buy Half & Half for everybody?" My eyes lit up, but I held back my excitement. After all, we were in a very professional setting. Unfortunately, I tend to be busiest on Fridays, since I handle a lot of weekly accounting tasks, and with plenty to do at home after work, I didn't want to have to stay late. One of my co-workers commented that the wait line at Half & Half was probably ridiculously long as usual, and that it wouldn't be worth the wait even if we all had nothing to do. At that moment my heart, already hooked on the desire for boba, did the talking for me. "It's a very cold day; there shouldn't be a lot of people in line". My boss gave me a "BS!" slap on the back. The conversation ended there.

"What an idiot!", I thought to myself shortly afterwards, after realizing that if I forced myself to work fast enough, I could definitely eek out an hour of free time to run the errand. My boss brought up the conversation topic again about half an hour later, and this time I told her I should be able to finish all my urgent tasks in about 10 to 15 minutes, then go to Half & Half afterwards. She agreed.

Five minutes later, she walked out of her room in the office carrying her purse and car keys, asking me for the Half & Half menu, which she knew I always kept safely in my drawer. Apparently I wasn't the only one with such a strong craving. Long story short, my boss wanted boba so much that she decided to go and make the run herself, sacrificing an hour of her life so that all of us could enjoy the best boba money can buy on this side of the Pacific Ocean.

I had honestly forgotten exactly what Half & Half boba tasted like, since it had been months since I last had one. But the moment I poked my straw into the cup and took a sip, all the beautiful memories came back. This thing is friggin' amazing. The combination of milk tea, boba, and pudding, each of which has a unique flavor, results in nothing short of an epic party in a fat cup.

Lately I've been getting more and more used to running on very little sleep, thanks to my willingness to stay up late every night and wake up early every morning (for very good reasons). But it's when I'm sleep-deprived that I come to appreciate even more the power of caffiene. I was doing just fine at work before the beverage showed up on my desk. But the moment I took that first sip, something deep inside me suddenly came alive. I probably spent the rest of the afternoon working twice as fast as usual. And I did it all with a huge smile on my face. Oh, I love my life...

09/09: Wow, what a week. I don't think I've ever consistently gotten so little sleep, and this is the first time since last weekend that I'm able to sit in my room and just relax. Not that I'm complaining or anything - there have been countless activities, conversations, events, and emotions that made every last second worth seizing. I really don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that this week has been one of the craziest weeks in my life. So much stuff happened that I'm still slowly letting everything sink in. I experienced some of the most heartbreaking and painful moments, as well as some of the most exciting and joyful. Despite being a control freak, there were many moments this week when I had no choice but to let go completely and just cry out to God for wisdom. Things were so beyond my control, beyond my knowledge and abilities, and beyond anything I've ever experienced, that all I could do was trust God one hundred percent and let Him write the story. And wow, what a story.

This is only the beginning of the story. Even though my life is filled with all kinds of adventures, this is going to be one unlike any other, and I have no doubt about it. "God, take the pen". That's what I've been praying every day this week as so many crazy things came and flooded my life. This is a story full of challenges to overcome and lessons to learn, and I must continue to pray that God will take the pen and write the story according to His will. A part of me thinks this story is too good to be true. But at the same time, I am amazed at just how real it is, because the way every piece of it was intricately woven together up to this point testifies that it must have been God who made it happen. I am so excited I can't even begin to describe it, but I also know that I need wisdom now more than ever before. This is a love story, the kind that I've only experienced in my dreams before and am unworthy of writing on my own. But if God wants to write this story in my life, then I have no reason to question Him. May I trust Him to lead me with His perfect and unfailing love, and may His will continue to be done.

09/03: Today was supposed to be a bad day - the kind that, given all the unexpected crap that happened, would almost certainly leave me angry, bitter, frustrated, worried, and just very unwilling to face reality. But I find myself sitting here filled with joy and peace, with neither anger nor worry inside me. Yes, I may have to face a couple unwanted inconveniences in my schedule next week, and there's going to be a ridiculously big dent in my wallet that may take a very long time to fix. But I'm very thankful, because the dent is only in my wallet, not my heart. In my heart I am content, knowing that while this day could have been a disaster if I spent it alone, God brought great comfort and love to surround me, getting my mind off the problems I can't control and letting me see that as big as my problems may seem, they are so small compared to what He has blessed me with. Today served as a test of some of my core values - even though money is extremely important, will I let myself stress uselessly over a sum of money that I am obligated to spend, or will I focus on rejoicing over the great things I have that all the money in the world cannot buy? I'm so glad I was blessed with the wisdom to choose the latter.

09/01: They say it comes like a hurricane; once it's here, you simply can't ignore it. There's a risk - a risk of being swept away by the storms, washed away by the floods, and forced to accept the fact that life may never be the same again. It may be dangerous, but for many it is the beginning of a new chapter of life - an opportunity to do things and go to places that they never thought were possible. I've seen many go through such storms. Some fell and had to struggle to rebuild their lives, while others ended up in places so wonderful they want to stay there forever. But very few would say that they regret having gone through the storm.

I've definitely been through hurricanes too, except I would always grab on tightly to whatever I could find, refusing to be swept away. Even when most others let go, and even told me I was foolish for hanging on against something so powerful, I refused to give up. Many storms came and left, and still I stand here, growing a little stronger after each battle. Still, I must admit that a part of me has always wondered what it would be like to be blown away, lifted by the gentle but powerful arms of Mother Nature, only to be put in a place a thousand times more wonderful than what I can imagine.

"You won't know until you let go". That's what they all tell me. I've always considered them foolish and weak. But deep inside, I knew that there's something they know that I don't. I want to see what it's like on the other side of the storm. The more I wonder, the more I want to actually be there. Sooner or later, I must let go and be washed away. But how will I know where the storm will take me? How will I know that I can trust nature's control? A part of me is really scared to admit it, but the truth, as much as I deny it, is that I'll really never know until I try.

It's like searching the night sky trying to see a shooting star for the first time. Every airplane, every slightly brighter star, every little movement in the sky - even those that are merely my imagination, steals my attention and begs me to wonder, is this it? Are you my first shooting star? Each time, I feel like I've seen it, but I'm still left with doubt. Then finally, it appears before my eyes, so majestic and so bright, catching me off guard but leaving me assured that I've finally found what I was looking for.

I cannot forget the shooting star that flew across the sky just as I was talking with you in the stillness of the night. Could it be granting me a wish so precious that I wasn't even sure if I was wishing for it? The way every activity, word, and emotion planned itself out one after another... I wonder, could it really all just be one lucky coincidence? I wonder, through a million narrow and windy roads in this forest of life, how did we cross paths? It happened once, then twice, and now so frequently that it almost seems wrong when our paths grow a little distant. Each time I wondered, is this it? Is this the peak - the top of the mountain, the climax of the story - where things from here on start to go back downhill? But each time, our paths have taken us higher. Through many sunrises and sunsets, you were there. We've only known each other for a rather short time, but somehow I feel like we've been friends for years. I have met many that made me feel this way, but somehow I'm starting to believe more and more that you are truly different.

Many storms have come and gone, but never have I felt this close to stopping myself from grabbing so firmly to my own fears and allowing myself to be swept off my feet into a new, unfamiliar, and exciting adventure. The fact that I've held on tightly for so long and grown stronger each time leaves no doubt that it will take much more than an ordinary storm to blow me away. Could this be the right storm? Is this the time for me to let go?