The Seasons of Us

Episode 22- What do dinosaurs, black holes, anime, friendship, and figuring out adulthood have in common? Well, apparently, quite a lot.

In this episode of The Seasons of Us, I sit down with my longtime friend Makesi Pantor to talk about his journey from a childhood fascination with dinosaurs and science fiction to studying the universe through physics. We get into black holes, plasma physics, nuclear fusion, and the ways physics quietly shapes our everyday lives. But as fascinating as the universe is, our conversation eventually brings us back to the people living in it.

We talk about persistence, knowing when to push through and when to take a break, and learning not to lose yourself in the routines of everyday life. Makesi reflects on how becoming a resident assistant changed the way he sees people, why vulnerability matters, and how studying the universe has deepened his appreciation for the world right here on Earth.

And because this is Makesi, we also get into laughing until you cry, the realities of adulting, and the softer side of someone I've known for many years.

A conversation about curiosity, friendship, vulnerability, and everything in between.

Episode 21 - What happens when the pieces of our lives begin to make sense, even when we don't have the whole picture?

In this episode of The Seasons of Us, I sit down with Oriana Lezama to talk about poetry, healing, and the unexpected ways we discover who we are. From finding her way to writing through therapy to publishing Fragments in Time, Oriana reflects on how our experiences can hold different meanings as we grow, and how something we write for ourselves might become something another person needs to hear.

We also explore her work in mentorship, the importance of showing up for young people, and why impact doesn't always have to be grand to be meaningful. Sometimes, it starts with a simple reminder: I believe in you.

Through conversations about faith, asking for help, and learning to move forward without having the whole plan figured out, Oriana shares what it means to remain teachable, embrace change, and trust where life is leading.

Perhaps this season isn't about having all the answers. Perhaps it's about being open to what comes next.

A conversation about the fragments that shape us, the people who help us grow, and the hope of beginning again.

Episode 20 - Three conversations. Three careers. Three different ways of figuring out what it means to keep going.

From navigating the music industry and finding healing through creativity, to construction, service, purpose, and speaking up, to hospitality, entrepreneurship, sobriety, faith, and trusting a season of sowing... these conversations from Decclan, Abigail and Anton all ask questions about work, identity, purpose, and becoming.

And for the first time, I pushed past the idea that these conversations needed to be polished. Because real life isn't polished. There are pauses, tangents, laughter, unfinished thoughts, and random food debates.

Maybe that's the point. So here it is, raw and unedited.

Feel it. Build it. Trust it.

#SeasonalReflections

Episode 19 - What do you get when you put a chef, storyteller, stylist, musician, entrepreneur, and self-described multipotentialite in one conversation?

A lot!

Anton and I talk about creativity, food, music, faith, entrepreneurship, his sobriety and figuring out how to make space for all the different parts of ourselves. We get into seasons of sowing, learning to pivot, setting boundaries, giving your first fruits, and why your work is your prayer.

We go from Ms. AI (yes, she has pronouns 😂), creativity as an investment, making something with your hands, to being your own worst critic, and finding gratitude even when the fruits of your labour haven't quite arrived yet.

And, naturally, there’s food: picky eating, pelau debates, black coffee, the kitchen, and the many stories we can tell through what we create.

Let's see what's cooking in this episode!

Episode 18 - What if life was never meant to be finished? Abigail and I get into the challenges of navigating the workplace, finding purpose in what we do, and learning how to keep the lighthearted parts of ourselves alive even in difficult environments.

Our conversation takes us from civil engineering and project management to psychiatric nursing, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and the importance of thinking beyond the obvious. We talk about what it means to serve, to speak up, to stop limiting ourselves, and to recognise that sometimes the things we complain about are actually blessings we’ve forgotten to notice.

We get into foundations... what is truly foundational in our lives, and what might just be decoration? We talk about concrete, nature-based solutions, vetiver plants, and why not every problem needs the solution we already know.

But beneath all of that is a bigger question: What are we building?

Our careers. Our purpose. Our relationships. Our sense of self. Our future.

And sometimes, building means changing direction. Moving out of comfort zones. Being willing to learn, ask questions, think differently, and make room for a new season.

Through all the serious conversations, there is plenty of laughter, because staying goofy is part of the process too. Maybe we're all a little unfinished. Maybe we're all still learning.

Maybe we're all living a life under construction.

Episode 17 - Almost a year after we last saw each other, Decclan and I sat down for a conversation that slowly found its way into the deepness.

This episode felt different. There was no rush to arrive at a big revelation or perfectly packaged takeaway. Just two friends reconnecting, catching up, and allowing the conversation to unfold; an invitation to slow down, be present, and simply listen.

We talk about music, poetry, healing, friendship, and the ways we make sense of the things we sometimes struggle to put into words. For Djorn B (check out his stuff!), music has become a way to express what he can't always say, to turn feelings and lived experiences into something tangible, and to face the difficult parts of life with a little less resistance.

Because it's easy to get consumed by sadness. It's easy to isolate and convince ourselves that we have to navigate everything alone. But sometimes, creating gives us another way through and music can help us see our wounds a little more clearly.

This isn't necessarily an episode about having all the answers. It's about nowness. About reconnecting. About outgrowing the need to constantly be seen. And about making space to feel, create, and simply exist.

And somewhere in all of that deepness, we somehow still managed to talk about food, scrambled eggs, and whether roti and egg is actually a thing!

Episode 16 - On August 1st 2025, I packed my bags, left Trinidad and Tobago, and began a new chapter abroad. Today, exactly one year later, I'm recording this reflection from home, looking back on a year that has changed me in more ways than I ever imagined.

Episode 13 reminded me why I started the Seasons of Us and what it means to create a space where people simply feel heard. In Episode 14, Hillary invited us into her journey from Puerto Rico to Philadelphia, reminding us that curiosity often leads us where comfort never could. Then came an unexpected email from California, and in Episode 15, Dr. Megan Kamath shared a conversation that reminded us to care for the things that take care of us.

Looking back, I'm filled with gratitude. Grateful. Thankful. Blessed. This journey has affirmed that stories have a way of finding the people they're meant to reach. And if there's one reminder I'm taking into the next season, it's this: keep going.

Episode 15 - What does it really mean to care for yourself and for others?

This week, I'm joined by Dr. Megan Kamath, an Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist, educator, mentor, trauma-informed coach, published author, and poet. After discovering Seasons of Us as a listener, Megan reached out from California believing our stories were meant to intersect. Now we get to share hers!

Together, we explore "the body remembers," the importance of taking care of the things that take care of you, and how healing begins by meeting people where they are with curiosity, compassion, and without judgment. From her childhood dream of becoming a physician to becoming the author of Resilient Cadence, Megan reflects on the humanity behind medicine, the stories we all carry, and the power of truly listening.

Beyond the white coat, we talk about baking, music, gardening, her current season of giving, and she closes the episode by reading one of her original poems. A conversation about the heart... in every sense of the word.

Episode 14 - What happens when life forces a planner to become an explorer? Fresh into her "thirty, flirty... and actually 31" era, Hillary reflects on leaving behind a four-year relationship, packing up her life in Florida, and moving to Philadelphia without knowing a soul. From childhood memories of wandering the mountainsides of Puerto Rico to exploring the beauty of religious architecture, navigating racism, debating pineapple on pizza, and eating cold leftovers straight from the fridge, our conversation moves effortlessly between laughter and reflection. Together, we celebrate the joy of discovering yourself beyond the plans you once held, and explore the courage it takes to take up space while finding the freedom to wander. Oh, and seriously... what's up with those sweet beans?!

Episode 13 - It's hard to believe we're already at the halfway point of the first season of Seasons of Us!

As I celebrate my birthday month and prepare to turn 26, I've found myself reflecting not only on the past year of life, but also on what these thirteen episodes have taught me. When I started this podcast, I thought it might be about using my voice. Instead, it has become an exercise in listening.

One of the things that makes Seasons of Us unique is that guests are never given questions beforehand. Every conversation begins with trust and unfolds in real time, creating space for authenticity, vulnerability, and the unexpected. Over the past thirteen episodes, people have generously shared their joys, struggles, hopes, questions, and everyday realities.

At this halfway point, I'm reflecting on the gift of being heard, the responsibility of holding another person's story, and what it means to create space for ordinary lives to be seen as extraordinary.

Whether you've been listening since Episode 1 or are just joining the journey, thank you for being part of this community. This episode is an invitation not just to listen to these conversations, but to listen to the season you're in.