A Friend's Secret War by Terence Im HIDDEN INSIDE GRAHAM’S stunned look was a subtle fright which had been patiently growing and manifesting for fourteen years. As he held Dennis’s letter in his hands, Enesera took a sip of her tall hot matcha latte. Instead of giving into preconceived anxious conclusions, she simply let the soothing warmth of her drink overtake her senses and remained calm. Graham set the letter down on the coffee table and looked out the window at the falling snow. The yoga classes that he, Dennis and Enesera used to frequent together drilled into him this simple approach to distancing oneself from anxiety-inducing questions: Appreciate the moment and appreciate one’s surroundings. Read more
A Painter Seeks Paradise Within by Terence Im “YOU’VE SURRENDERED YOURSELF to the world,” Telisari said. “That is why you are unhappy, and that is why you haven’t been able to paint.” We were sitting at a coffee table on a balcony at the Academy of Self Expansion. From this miraculous view in the Academy's western wing, one could see the city below and the three moons above: Jexpari, Ashax and Tilan. Since I was a teenager, I used to paint this scenery weekly, year after year. Read more
To Feel Human Again by Terence Im “HOW DOES ONE LIVE LIFE like it’s a dream, a dream where the world has no knowledge of sorrow?” Marina asked. “In the real world, there are dark clouds hanging over the hearts of billions. Even worse, if someone were to tell a heartbroken person that there’s a way to unravel profound joy and freedom within, so many would just laugh and say, That’s impossible in this grey world. And why? Because we’ve been conditioned to think only of the clouds." Read more
The Scientist Who Wants to Know Nothing by Terence Im “I WANT TO KNOW NOTHING, so I can be like a child every day, learning something new about the world. Only then, can I appreciate its beauty,” Eric said. His words struck a chord in Jeff. The two were walking in Central Park after enjoying coffee at a cafe near the Museum of Natural History. Their surroundings were quiet. Barely anyone was around, and in this silence far away from the chatter of the city, Eric felt as if he could truly focus on what his friend was saying. Read more
