Farewell to My Mother

These select images of my mother were from my visit to Taiwan, in 2022. I struggled with sharing them, as I'm not one to usually share such personal and private details of my life. The images are an intimate and tender attempt to process, grieve, and mourn my mother in a way that feels lucid to me. Through making her portraits and taking photos of my daily walks to and from the hospital in a city that feels familiar yet foreign, perhaps it stirred up similar memories of our relationship. We had our issues; with our share of ups and downs. In hindsight, I wish I'd been more open when she reached out. It wasn't until her health deteriorated that I attempted to bridge our differences. Her gaze upon my arrival held understanding, void of judgment. With a mother's love, she accepted me. Our silence spoke volumes, and being together sufficed. As I prepared to leave for the airport, she said with a soft, reassuring tone, expressing her motherly concern and affection, “Take care of yourself.” In that moment, a silent understanding passed between us. Conveying my wish for her recovery and the desire to ease her worries, I responded with “Just focus on getting better.” We held hands, and