Welcome to my monthly updates! I hope you can learn a little bit more about the work that I am doing while I study at Hawai’i Pacific University.
“Do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember, a kite rises against the wind rather than with it.”
– Unknown
Next Chapter:
The end of February got a little chaotic, so here is my update!
Once Upon a Year (2026): Chapter 2
Courage doesn’t arrive like thunder.
It shows up quieter than that. Just inconvenient enough, it waits in a pause before it speaks. In the message I write and delete, and in the moments that I feel the truth rise in my chest.
Courage is a knight, but not one with armor. Just a presence, a lingering weight. And it feels like a helmet we have worn before. Every fight, the knight is there in the middle of the battlefield.
Wd didn’t have a conversation or plan how to approach the war, but it knows my next move. It often asks Where am I holding back and why?
I guess I hold back when I care, when the outcome matters, or when being seen feels like I have no walls or armor around me. It’s that if I respond to it, it would feel real.
My chest tightens, and my hands feel unsteady while wielding a sword. My voice might waver at first, trying to find its shape.
This month, I felt that challenge with giving up on a crush of mine that should not have happened in the first place. I am letting it go to feel peace. It’s not worth charging into a battle I know I am going to lose. I need to not hold back but move forward to a more strategic area where my efforts will be better appreciated and remembered by the generation after mine.
I know I will be asked the question again, but next time I’ll have a quicker answer and be ready for what’s to come next.
This month, I spent a lot of time learning to speak the truth to myself and really calling out the BS in people I really don’t want interfering with my life. I have more important things and people to worry about, so I’m not going to burn myself to keep everyone warm.
Personal Life Continued:
I survived my 6th and 7th 5K, and then, in early March, I survived my 1st ever 10k. I constantly keep beating my times and getting better!!
It’s getting hot in LA, but I’ll be training for two more 10k races right before the big Half Marathon at the end of May!!
Hawai’i Pacific University:
Term 3 Killed Me, but hey, I passed and am going strong into Term 4. Although I am getting tired of classes, especially after spending so much time in school the past X amount of years, cause I lost track.
I sadly did not win the AOTA election, but I am happy to say I ended up in 2nd place, with another student in my program in third place. I was surprised but excited to see how close the results were. It has taught me that a huge number of students abstained from voting, and it’s teaching me that we need to find more ways to interact with students across the country so they know what we are aiming to do for them.
I also wanted to let you know my podcast will be making a comeback soon, as I revamp it and make it more meaningful to my current projects.
Special Projects:
Bran Diego Photos – BranDiegoPhotography
Thank you for your time, dedication, and service! You can always reach out to me @bran.m.ramirez@gmail.com
-Brandon Ramirez