Camelia Pham illustration

The world we're living in is full of pleasures and distractions to select from that are supposed to make us happy. True freedom isn't achieved by choosing your pleasures, it's ingrained in the process of selecting your own pain; pain that comes from sacrificing your vices which leads to a more fulfilled existence.

It's well known that pigs have an inability to look up at the sky because the fat on their necks inhibit their view. During the 'pig slaughter' festival in Vietnam, the first time these pigs take in the beauty of a deep blue sky is when it's tinted with their own red blood and muffled by their own last scream. Please click on this link to know more about this festival

The more developed and connected we are to the world, the more lonely we feel. Social media has supplied us on tap with that addictive, feigned taste of approval that seems sweet at first, but leaves you with an overwhelming aftertaste of insecurity and isolation.

In biblical times, goats were ritually treated as the receptacle for people’s sins. The term ‘scapegoat’ comes from the practice of loading life’s burdens onto a goat and then casting them into the desert to die. Over time, women took on the role of scapegoat for society’s historic shortcomings. During the Black Plague, this was because we were said to be witches capable of inducing an evil, carnal lust and guilty of making deals with the devil. Little has changed until now; men are still happy to claim a women’s irresistible provocation in defense of their own vile actions Women didn't just get cast into the desert, we were tied down there. It’s difficult to cut the rope when some of us are brainwashed enough to believe we deserve our fate.

The term 'jellification' is used to describe the soaring prevalence of jellyfish due to the current ecological crisis. Plastic, too, is enjoying a new, free existence in our jellied oceans. If human practices continue as they are, we may be looking at a brand new superrace.

The first step of overcoming bitterness is to admit that you do feel it and that it grows so strong and lingers for too long, it covered you up completely, to the point that you can't see the better side of the story and start letting it go. A garden of bitter melon could grow overwhelmed if left untended

To ensure that pigs can't run away, farmers in northern New Guinea slice off a chunk of each pig's nose so it can't sniff out food and has to depend on humans to survive A classic manipulative move that also can be practiced on humans. Just by slicing off a chunk of one's personality and devalue them, enough to stop them from sniffing out the confidence to feel good by themselves without relying on the butcher. Source: Sapien by Yuval Noah Harar

Entrance exams have indeed taken a toll on many young souls. With just one wrong stroke of pen in a different direction, your life could be lead to a different way. You might feel like a headless chicken, but don't worry, cause even when the wind changes, your life compass will adjust accordingly and you will find a way for yourself. You did your best, it's summertime now, try to cheer up.

You chilled ma beans. You always help me to reflect my own thoughts and hear them in a different direction

"Hopes are like hair ornaments. Girls want to wear too many of them. When they become old women they look silly even wearing one" - Memoirs Of A Geisha -

Just let me slip over and embrace my failure, for it's the foundation from which i lift myself up to become the person that i am now.

everyone wants to be happy, but can humans deal with permanent happiness? or are we going to be bored and start seeing prickles and thorns even in the sweet aspect of life after a while?

a feign sympathy is worse than an honest cynicism

The blend of the old and the new of Vietnam

sometimes I just want to freeze my head, right at that moment when I have some positive thoughts about myself and my works. How can I just stay like that instead of coming back to that self-pity old me?

thank you for listening to my nutty thoughts and fantasies, thank you for willing to fly away with them, for wanting to take part in my plan for the future.

Blind eyes can see clearer than blind heart The pink dots mean 'heart' in Braille - the reading system of the blind