the stars in our sky

This piece was written during a time where I struggled with my mental health. It depicts two personas (or "speakers")
having conflicting ideas about self worth & hope - one is weighed down by the heaviness of daily life and has trouble
imagining a world where they feel truly happy, while the other is a source of encouragement that is trying to help them see that
there is light at the end of the tunnel. While the two characters in this piece can be interpreted in a number of ways, I imagine
them to be two sides of a person, the optimistic side ultimately convincing the other to tentatively hope for the better.
Growing up in a fairly traditional Singaporean Chinese household, filial piety and "family-before-self" are some of the most
important lessons to be learned. Conversely, mental health is a taboo topic of sorts. I have had the privilege of meeting people
from all walks of life through my time spent living in other countries, and this has played a large role in helping me understand
mental health & be more willing to start difficult conversations with the people around me, which eventually translates into the
work I create.