by Selena Pang
I am from collective worlds,
my mother and all the women before me
pushing, pulling and testing limits and possibilities.
I am from hushed places
where infant girls were bundled and laid in the woods
waiting for someone to come along to call them their own.
I am from a patriarchy
mothers ridiculed and rejected until a boy was born.
I am from the maze of Chinatown,
thousand-year-old-egg mixing with the brine of the port,
hijacking you to a place and time long ago.
I am from Kuo-zun and Hu-li,
young immigrants brought together
by circumstances that was not love but survival;
I am from the Land of the Rising Sun,
4:30 sunrises casting beauty so intensely and serene
you couldn’t help but to bathe in its magic and dream.
I am from the breed of hardy people
broken many times yet thrived,
because fearless is easy when there’s nothing to lose.
I am from generations of courage and persistence,
adventurers who have traveled afar
to find their place in the world.
I am from a body that knows and loves hard work
easily intoxicated by the taste of salty sweat
and tears of exertion.
I am from love and hope,
the Universe never failing to give me
the support I need and the lesson to learn.
I am from the spirits and wisdom
a mother, a daughter, a woman, a crone
wrinkled, wild and finally free.
– –
Born in California and raised in Japan, Selena is a long time yogini, rock climber and life-long adventurer. On her free time you can find her wandering in the wilderness connecting with her simian roots or checking off her bucket list of things to do before she dies.