Time Machine

Eleuthera, Bahamas

“Time Machine” by Aren Park for this post - a quiet whisper of reaching back through time to hold the child we once were. Feel free to press play and let the music accompany you as you read.

As part of my own healing journey, I’ve found that reconnecting with the younger parts of myself has been profoundly grounding. One self-love meditation, in particular, helped open that door…

An image surfaced that I hadn’t thought about in decades - a photo of my 5-year-old self at kindergarten, celebrating my birthday. In the picture, my teacher leans over me with a warm smile while I hold a green apple stuffie, smiling softly. It was a time capsule of innocence and simplicity, perhaps the last memory before the pressures of school and society took hold - when I started to build up the wall of high standards to protect myself and prove my worth.

In that moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to hug that little girl in the photo, to tell her, “You are enough just as you are, take your time and write your story - no matter what, you’ll be okay.”

When my hands touched, it felt as though I reached across time and connected with my childhood self. A gentle power seemed to flow through the years, allowing tears to fall as I was wrapped in deep warmth, gratitude, and tenderness - a reminder that I can carry forward, knowing that I’m enough, just as I am.

Reconnecting with that 5-year-old girl reminded me that, despite the pressures that followed, she was determined to expand her horizons. That inner pull led me to study across Asia, Europe and Australia, and eventually to the U.S. to pursue my graduate studies and career.

Reflecting on my journey now, I feel that the same desire of exploration is resurfacing, but with a different purpose - this time, not just as a physical journey, but as a search for places and experiences that resonate with my evolving values and sense of belonging.