Welcome to Dine’s Ethos – my personal blog about life, growth and the questions that keep me thinking.

My name is Bernadine. I’m an attorney trying to find clarity. I moved back to American Samoa in January 2024, hoping to find fulfillment and the answers my soul desperately craved.

But life had other plans. After being diagnosed with ESRD, I had no choice but to return to the mainland.

Still searching. Still hoping. Still asking the questions that don’t always have answers.

Welcome to my ethos.


Most read thoughts.

Almost 29December 4, 2025
One day at a timeJune 28, 2025



Latest comments.

  1. Floraa Polataivao's avatar

    Wow. I read your message more than once, and every time, I felt the weight of your words like they…

  2. La’a's avatar

    I just saw you in February. I cannot 😭 Praying for you Dine, you got this! Love to you and…

  3. Kidah's avatar
  4. Bernadine's avatar
  5. La’a's avatar

    thank you for your hard work 🫶🏽 I know you-when you do something…you give it your all. So when you…


My thoughts.

  • Almost 29

    I find it hard to believe that I’ve been alive for almost 29 years. That’s crazy. 29 years and I still feel so unsure in my existence. 29 years and I still feel like a fawn learning how to walk. The past nine months have carved in me the importance of perspective, gratitude, and resilience. Continue reading

  • One day at a time

    I used to live years ahead.Now I’m just trying to make it through today. When you’ve spent your whole life planning—school, career, moves—how do you suddenly let it all go? How do you take things one day at a time when you’ve trained your brain to stay ten steps ahead? How do you unlearn?  It Continue reading

  • This wasn’t the plan

    I’m a planner. I map everything down to the smallest details—spreadsheets for trips, checklists for just about everything. My sisters might say I have a control problem. Lollll. Lordtttt. But man, when shit goes sideways, it really goes sideways. All the way. I went to the ER on a random Sunday night at 10 p.m., Continue reading

My Spotify.