How are you doing on this spring day? Are you, like me, doomscrolling (a.k.a. doomsurfing) from one breaking news to the next, fearful for the future of humanity?
The news hits close to home these days. For immigrants like me, reports of revoked green cards and valid visas, followed by forcible transportation to detention centers for participating in political demonstrations, or publishing opinions, feel personal. What happened to human rights? What happened to the freedoms of protest, speech, and expression? What happened to our America?
As more and more of my friends struggle with anxiety-induced insomnia, I find myself guilty of my own endless doomsurfing/doomscrolling. However, something reminded me of the phrase, “You are what you read,” a play on the common saying, “You are what you eat.” Just as I don’t want my body to be made entirely of processed food, I don’t want my mind and psyche to be made entirely of reported news.
It’s spring. One deep breath fills your lungs with fresh air. You smell the sweetness of blooming flowers. Your skin feels alive under the sun. A short walk puts a smile on your face and courage in your heart. We are all descendants of generations of survivors. We are resilient and resourceful. I come home and realize that it’s been a while since I’ve read a physical book. Turning one page after another reminds me that timeless wisdom lives in these books.
Keeping up with the current affairs is important – especially in our present age of daily upheavals. But our responsibility as global citizens is not just to stay informed. We must also stay engaged – as family and community members, stewards of the environment, and as trained professionals. To do our part in preserving our society civil, we must first take care of our own physical and mental well-being, nurturing both with a balanced diet of information and nourishment, in sensible moderation.
…And my 3-day residency at Indiana University Northwest was covered by Chicago Tribune!
This entry is loosely based on #150 of my bi-weekly column “The Way of the Pianist” for Nikkan San to be published on April 6, 2025.