Change is constant. The waves will come, sometimes gentle, sometimes crashing, but we always have the power to learn, adapt, and grow.

The ocean waves have always been a metaphor that resonates deeply with me. Their unpredictability—gentle waves, overpowering surges—serve as both teachers and mirrors, reflecting the journey of change, culture, and now, grief. Grief ebbs and flows; it is both unpredictable and deeply profound. Some days, it feels like being swallowed by the ocean: waves pounding relentlessly, knocking me off my feet, pulling me under until I lose sight of the surface—consumed by sorrow, loneliness, and an aching sadness that refuses to relent. On other days, the waves are gentler, softly lapping at my feet with memories.

When I’d misbehave as a kid and tell my mom I was sorry, she would often say,
“𝘐 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴.”

Earlier this year, I wrote about losing my mom. Putting parts of that journey into words has been part of my healing.

Kofi Annan's words remind us that environmental preservation is a shared endeavor. No single person or organization can do it alone. This Earth Day, let's think about how we can collaborate across industries, communities, and borders to build a more sustainable future for all.