In a world of 15-second stories and reels, sun-kissed skin filters, one-click-away follows, cryptic emoji combo communication, right-click DM sliding, and lefton reads… It gets harder to achieve decade-long relationships, display unanticipated realness, invest in meaningful non-disposable conversations, or give considerate and educated goodbyes.

Friends still ask me why I haven’t adopted them already — if I’m that heartless that I actually “resist the temptation”. To be honest, I’m not tempted to own her. If I were, I think that’d be the moment where it could be official that my caring for her had ceased and mutated into toxicity.

Sometimes… The rain comes a little too strong and temporarily impinges your strength by fracturing your leaves. Seasons make your petals fall and force you to be inevitably naked, unwillingly crowded by unknown species. The wildfires strike your anatomy and its heat makes you crawl back to your underground roots.

I learned how to ride a bike in a similar fashion to many. Four wheels. Then an abrupt transition into the two-wheeler. Some will defend that it’s the best way to learn balance — I’m starting to disagree.