In Malaysia and Singapore, there is a dish named rojak. It is a sort o fruit salad with ingredients that at first glance seem to be a strange mix. A typical version consists of cucumber, pineapple, jicama, deep fried tofu, and some sort of deep fried dough fritters. Other fruits like unripe mangoes, guavas, and green apples can be present. All the above is dressed with a sweet, spicy, and sour concoction of condiments which can include chili, fermented shrimp paste, sugar, lime juice, tamarind, crushed peanuts, and ginger buds. Some versions use squid fritters, honey, boiled potatoes, prawn fritters, hard boiled eggs, and cuttlefish.

It all comes together with flavors, textures, and other factors.

This, to me, can be a metaphor for life. In mine, it is reflected in my writing. When I first started to more seriously do this, for potential publication, further dissemination, and income, I was advised by some very wise, experienced friends to find a target group to focus on. The short list included those interested in law enforcement, criminal justice, and some types of Christians. I reflected deeply on this and realized that what I was writing didn’t fit in neatly in categories.

Rather, it felt like rojak – blending together of many styles, topics, and themes.

I’m going to venture that it works.

Life’s also like this if you can handle the complexity. I really didn’t fit in anywhere so I could fit in many places.

A mish-mash that maybe makes sense to those who can see and understand. Many can’t.

Rojak doesn’t look pretty at times. In fact, many dishes from my culture don’t. But that hides the complexity of the dish and ultimately it’s deliciousness.

It’s all there.

It all fits.