burning-beneath

[burning-beneath]

Reflecting on a Heavy Heart

I am overwhelmed with rage, sorrow, and helplessness over the ongoing genocide in Palestine. For years—decades—I’ve tried to protect my heart from the constant stream of bloodshed, hatred, and destruction. I’ve looked away from the news, avoided the updates, tried to shield myself from the agony of seeing children murdered, women violated, families erased, entire neighborhoods flattened under…

[burning-beneath]

Staying Informed or Staying Sane?

I visited a friend recently, and as often happens during these visits, our conversation drifted into world events. It struck me then—how out of touch I’ve become with the daily news. Not out of ignorance, but out of choice. I realized I’ve developed a habit, maybe even a defense mechanism: I purposefully avoid watching, listening to, or reading the news. It didn’t start out as a conscious…

[burning-beneath]

The Uninvited Guest.

Depression—what a cruel, sneaky thing. Just when you think you’ve wrestled it down, invested the time, the money, the energy to fight your way free… it slithers back in like it never left. Quiet at first. Subtle. A heaviness in the chest, a cloud over the day, a silence that grows too loud. And suddenly, you’re back in the grip of something you thought you had already escaped. But here’s the…

[burning-beneath]

Why Does Money Have This Strange Hold on Us?

It’s wild how money—just paper or numbers on a screen—can have such a powerful grip on our emotions. We chase it, stress over it, sacrifice time, energy, and sometimes even our peace of mind just to earn a little more of it. And yet, no matter how hard we try to hold on, it always seems to slip through our fingers like water. Rent, bills, groceries, unexpected emergencies—it’s gone before we even…

[burning-beneath]

Choosing Peace or Mending Bonds

They say, “Be the bigger person.” But what does that really mean? Is it simply walking away from an argument, swallowing your pride for the sake of peace? Or is it something deeper—like choosing to nurture a relationship even after it’s been cracked by disagreement, misunderstanding, or hurt? In my view, being the bigger person isn’t about pretending the hurt didn’t happen. It’s about valuing…

[burning-beneath]

The Battle of Building a Dream

“It’s hard to stay focused on the task at hand.”That sentence sums up the battle I’ve been facing daily. My mind doesn’t walk—it races. It jumps ahead to the next phase of the project before I’ve even completed the one in front of me. One moment I’m planning the immediate step, and the next, I’m off thinking about alternative approaches, better strategies, ways to make it more effective, more…

[burning-beneath]

Outsmarting Time

The mind is a tricky thing. It dreams big, it fuels ambition, and it whispers, “You’ve got this.” It convinces you that anything is possible, even when the body gently—or sometimes not so gently—disagrees. There’s a strange moment that hits when you set out to do something that once felt easy. You think, “I’ve done this a hundred times before. No big deal.” But then reality steps in. Age makes…

[burning-beneath]

The Uninvited Storm

Mood swings are strange, unpredictable things. One moment, I’m on top of the world, almost skipping instead of walking, my feet barely touching the ground, and then—just like that—something shifts. The weight returns, the energy drains, and I feel… bleh. And the most frustrating part? Sometimes it’s not even the next day. A single word, a passing comment, a sudden thought can send me spiraling…

[burning-beneath]

The Sun’s Connection to Our Soul

What is it about the sun that lifts our spirits and moves us into action? Have you ever noticed how, on a gloomy, rainy day, you just want to curl up under the covers, wrapped in warmth, with no motivation to do anything? Yet the moment the sun emerges, spilling golden light across the sky, something inside you shifts. A restless energy stirs, an unspoken call to move, to step outside, to feel…

[burning-beneath]

Perspective in Pain

It’s strange how the weight of our own problems can feel insurmountable, like mountains pressing down on our chests. Big or small, they consume our minds, fill our hearts, and cloud our vision. We carry them, convinced they are the heaviest burdens imaginable. And then—someone else speaks. They open up about their struggles, their battles, their unseen wounds. Suddenly, our own troubles shift.…

[burning-beneath]

Behind Every Door

Have you ever walked through a quiet neighborhood, letting your eyes wander over the different doors of every house you pass? Each one is unique—some are grand and inviting, others modest and worn, some freshly painted, and others chipped by time and weather. But as you observe them, have you ever wondered what lies beyond? What kind of stories unfold behind those closed doors? Behind one, a…

[burning-beneath]

Fear: A Double-Edged Sword

Fear is one of the most powerful forces shaping our lives. It can be crippling, keeping us from taking action, from stepping into the unknown, from reaching for what we truly desire. If we think about it, how many things have we left undone, how many dreams have we abandoned—not because they were impossible, but because we were afraid? Afraid of failure, afraid of judgment, afraid of the…

[burning-beneath]

The Weight of a Dream Coming True

There’s a strange feeling I’ve been carrying lately—a mix of happiness and stress, excitement and contentment, yet also a quiet undercurrent of fear. It’s a paradox I never expected, but perhaps it’s natural when a long-held dream begins to shift from distant possibility to tangible reality. For years, I’ve imagined owning a camper van. It wasn’t just a passing thought or a casual wish; it was a…

[burning-beneath]

Pursuing Dreams: The Unshakable Calling

Dreams require hard work, resistance to obstacles, and perseverance. The journey to fulfilling them isn’t just about having a vision—it’s about acquiring the skills, resources, and mindset necessary to bring them to life. For years, I’ve carried a dream: owning a small camper van and traveling freely. Sometimes, I imagined doing it with my kids; other times, I pictured solo adventures when they…

[burning-beneath]

The Sound of Laughter

There’s nothing quite like the sound of a child’s laughter. It rings through the walls, filling the space with a kind of joy that’s impossible to fake. Pure, untamed, and full of life. It’s in the way they chase each other, tackling and tumbling in their makeshift wrestling matches, arguing over rules only they seem to understand. Even the occasional slip of a swear word—though I don’t…

[burning-beneath]

The Never-Ending Cycle of Taxation

I bought an old van—a 2013 model—something that’s been passed from one owner to the next until it eventually landed in my hands. A simple transaction, right? But the moment I went to transfer the title, reality hit: taxes. Of course, I expected to pay something. But then I started wondering—how many times has this vehicle been taxed? Every time it changes hands, the government takes another cut.…

[burning-beneath]

Silent Witness to a Vanishing Land

The weight of silence is heavy. A genocide is unfolding in Gaza, and the world is watching—some in horror, others in indifference, but most in silence. How is it possible that, in an age where information travels faster than light, where injustice can be exposed in real time, the response remains muted, the action absent? Palestine was once a whole country. A land with its own people, its own…