BAMBI Magazine February 2024
View BAMBI Magazine February 2024 (PDF)
Dear BAMBI members,
I hope everyone has settled down from the winter break and is back to a normal routine. Welcome to the February issue and the month of celebrating love!
Celebrating love involves recognizing, appreciating, and expressing the positive emotions and connections we share with others. Relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers provide us with love, comfort, and security.
Being Asian and growing up in a typical traditional Japanese family, my parents were not affectionate and did not express love, which meant I struggled to feel that they loved me. However, as I’ve grown up I’ve realized no one loves me like my parents do. Different cultures have distinct ways of expressing love, and individual families within those cultures may also have differences in their practices, such as cooking traditional meals, helping with homework, or providing practical support for their children. My parents were focused on creating a stable and secure environment for the family—that was the way they expressed their love to us.
I have a busy everyday life with children, but I have realized that I still have to take care of myself and my body. Since becoming a mom, my priorities have shifted significantly. Becoming a parent inevitably meant every aspect of my life changed. I started not enjoying my life because all day long I was taking care of my children, and neglecting myself. This is something many parents end up doing, as our lives have suddenly changed so much, and the children we love so much can feel overwhelming.
One day I was sitting on the couch and started thinking: If I do not love myself, how can I love someone else? I want to be a good example for my children, and I want to be a happy wife for my husband. Generally, I want to be a happy person! I realized loving myself can have numerous positive effects on various aspects of my life, and on the other people in my life. I am constantly forgetting to take care of myself, but this year I want to focus on improving my mental health, increasing resilience, and maintaining healthy relationships with people around me. By remembering to love myself and take care of myself, I will also be able to show more love to those I love.
To finish, I want to say thank you to all the BAMBI committee members, volunteers, and members who have been supporting me. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who I have worked with. I’ve learned so much from you and I hope I have given you enough of the support you needed. Remember to love yourselves as well as others this Valentine's day.
Chiaki
BAMBI executive board