Feeling ALIVE

Four months ago, I was contacted to teach a morning Qigong class for a fitness and wellness festival in Burlingame, CA. Although the 1.5 hour commute was a bit further than what I would normally agree to, it felt meaningful to support this inaugural event founded by Annie Tam. Annie’s sister Wendy passed away from mucinous ovarian cancer last year at the age of 25. The ALIVE festival was held to honor her, with the proceeds benefitting the Wendy Tam MOC Research Fund. 

The event was held at Washington Park, a beautiful area surrounded by majestic trees, lush grass, with humming birds and butterflies zipping by in the abundant sunshine. Throughout the day, various classes were offered across three stages: Zumba, pilates, sound bath, yoga, barre, and Qigong. Unique vendors added to the fun: an inflatable cold plunge tub; infrared light therapy demos; Tiny Batch Bakery's miso nutty cookie; complimentary Stretch Lab sessions; and more. 

I also had the chance to meet the COO of Cancer Care Point, a wonderful non-profit organization where I've been teaching online wellness classes for the past three years. They offer free services and resources to Bay Area residents who have cancer, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.

In the afternoon, I had a tender moment being introduced to Annie and Wendy’s mom. She showed me a photo of Wendy from a family trip to Italy in 2023. Her daughter looked happy and radiant. Mrs. Tam mentioned that there were 30 of them on that trip. “We have a big family,” she said with a smile. I imagined Wendy's spirit beaming with love, gratitude, and pride for her family. They chose to transform grief into inspired action and hope for the future.

During the community gathering, Annie described her sister as someone who loved life and would be the first to say yes to anything that meant adventure, connection, and the joy of being alive. She loved trying new restaurants, traveling, running, her friends, and her family.

For me, this was a gentle reminder to keep saying YES to life. It's not about doing more, but how we spend our precious time and what actually strengthens our life force. Do our thoughts, actions, and choices cultivate our inner light or move away from it?

I'm thankful that I didn't let the "no's" from my logic and overthinking mind stop me from joining this festival—the long commute, sacrificing a whole Saturday workday, needing to leave my house early, and taking multiple forms of public transport. None of that mattered in the end.

I am sure that Wendy’s spirit was with us during the day. After all, it was the kind of festival that Annie said her sister would not have missed.