Learn to put on your bracelets and zip up your dresses by yourself. There will be times when you will be alone, and in those moments, your independence will be your greatest ally. Embrace the solitude, for it is in these quiet times that you discover the depth of your resilience. Get on a long plane ride. Look out the window and marvel at the immensity of our world. Understand your insignificance in the grand scheme of things, but also recognize your absolute importance. You are a unique thread in the vast fabric of the universe, and your presence matters. … Continue reading Simple Rules

I know I exist because you imagine me. I stand tall because you believe me to be tall, and I am clean because you look at me with kind eyes, with a pure gaze. Your thoughts make me intelligent, and in your simple tenderness, I am also simple and kind. But if you forget me, I will be dead without anyone knowing. They will see my flesh alive, but it will be another man—dark, clumsy, wicked—who inhabits it. In the quiet spaces between your thoughts and my existence, I find my being defined by your perception. Each glance, each consideration … Continue reading Death in Oblivion

To the naked eye, it was nothing more than a sudden rain, but within, it roared like a tempest. The world outside seemed calm, with droplets gently tapping against windows and leaves, a mere inconvenience to passersby. Yet, inside, the storm raged with an intensity that belied its quiet exterior. Each drop was a torrent of emotions, cascading through the heart and mind, creating waves of turmoil and reflection. What appeared as a gentle drizzle on the surface masked the swirling chaos beneath. This storm was not of the skies, but of the soul—an upheaval of feelings that threatened to … Continue reading Storm

Earth fills her lap with your pleasures; she cradles us with a tenderness that is both ancient and enduring. Earth has longings that she maintains, deep and unspoken, resonating with the rhythm of life itself. She carries something maternal, a nurturing spirit that is honest in her intent. The Earth, our wet nurse, strives tirelessly to provide for us, her foster children. She holds back nothing of her highest points, offering all that she has to sustain us. Her mountains, rivers, and fields are gifts, brimming with the essence of life, waiting to be cherished and respected. And everything that … Continue reading Earth

People are rarely given a free lunch without the other party expecting something in return, so be cautious of anyone who tries to convince you otherwise. Free advice often comes with hidden agendas, and it is wise to question the motives behind the generosity extended to you. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes. In a world where everyone seems to have an opinion on what you should do, it’s important to give yourself permission to consider options that no one else has put on the table. Trust your intuition and recognize that you are more aware of your … Continue reading Stay True with Yourself

I spent forever trying to spell out the emotions I felt, whether they were painted, etched, sketched, or sewn into my flesh. You were a kaleidoscopic array of eccentric prose, a vibrant explosion of color and chaos that I couldn’t quite learn how to mold. Each attempt to capture your essence felt incomplete, as though words alone were insufficient to convey the depth of my feelings. I began to think that loving you was easier through the acrylics, charcoal, and watercolor, and their hydrophilic pages. With each brushstroke and each line, I sought to create a portrayal that might show … Continue reading Feelings

I heard a woman say today that she felt like she was sinking further and further into a hole she couldn’t get out of. And I remember myself saying something similar. But as I was thinking about it today, I realized that maybe that’s not such a bad thing. If you feel like you’re already buried beneath the weight of the world, the hard part is already over. Life has already planted you in its garden. Now, you must learn the art of growing roots. Stretch your palms out into the darkness, grip onto it, strangle it, and take it … Continue reading November, 06 2013

I drowned countless times in my own tears, sir. I rowed against and with the current so much that I no longer knew when I was going against or with it. I cast the anchor when it was time to depart; I departed when it was time to dock. I suffered from hunger and excesses, sir. I suffered from mirages and silences. I sailed towards the storms, always at the convenience of my tides. I invented pirates to plunder my treasures. I became a distant daughter of the constellations. I graduated in time as a sailor without ever learning to … Continue reading Drowned

Aujourd’hui, je me confesse, mon âme est à nu, dévoilée, telle une robe démodée. Elle a été arrachée de mes os, dévorée et régurgitée comme un plat interdit, consommé trop précipitamment. Aujourd’hui, mon âme est blessée, ravagée… Les tourments de la vie ont laissé des cicatrices profondes, des marques indélébiles sur mon être. Les épreuves ont ébranlé ma foi, ont fait vaciller mes convictions les plus profondes. Je me sens déchiré, brisé, comme si mon essence même avait été mise à mal. Dans ce confessionnal solitaire, à cette heure tardive, je déverse mes peines, mes regrets, mes remords. Je me … Continue reading Confessionnel à 01h07

You mistake tolerance for acceptance, acceptance for apology, common sense for liberalism, civil duty as charity—all under the guise of some profound form of enlightenment. Yet my name, language, ethnicity, religion, and “culture” all become subject to your western fetishization. Somehow, for some reason, it’s still acceptable to portray the non-white individual as the “other,” as something to be fascinated by. As if fundamentally altering the course of our history, and ultimately our existence, wasn’t enough for you. Contrary to popular belief, we aren’t here for handouts, or charity, or for our plight to be acknowledged. We are more than … Continue reading We are more than Our Skin