As you know, yesterday was the debut of my blog, and I’m excited to see where this journey goes. One of the first people I shared it with was my mother. Our relationship isn’t perfect, but I still value her words. She told me something that caught my attention: she felt my first post was a little dark.

Hearing that reminded me of something important: everyone interprets writing differently. What feels honest to one person might feel heavy to another. So I want to ask you all:
Did you find it dark, or did you find it real?

Because life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. There are dark, cold, rainy days. There are seasons where you feel lost or overwhelmed. And sometimes, the only way you ever see a rainbow is after the rain.

This isn’t Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok where people usually post only the highlights: the good days, the wins, the smiling moments. You rarely see the hard work, the setbacks, the tears, or the rebuilding that came before the success. And honestly, that hurts the youth today. It paints a picture that life is supposed to look perfect all the time, when that’s far from the truth.

People struggle. Some quietly. Some loudly. Some more than others.
And that’s why I chose the phoenix.

Even when life burns you down, even when you feel like you have nothing left, there is hope. You can rise again. You can grow from ashes. You can rebuild into someone stronger, softer, wiser, and more aligned with who you’re meant to be.

That is the journey I’m sharing here. Not perfection, but truth.