sometimes you leave, sometimes you stay

i often quip that, as a lifetime east coaster, im not used to seeing trees this big! the redwoods tower above the consistent layer of fog, and you have to wonder how something so large has been able to sustain a lifetime of over 3000 years. the trees serve as a constant testament: long after our feeble efforts to change the landscape, they will continue to outlast you. in the face of awe, i feel small & insignificant. i embrace this feeling, because it reminds me that i am part of a greater whole — that i may just be a mote of dust on a floating rock, but at least we’re stardust together. i threaded together 2025 through these moments: in queens, swaying to the tune of take me to the ballgame; at the bleachers of edc, watching lights erupt above the stage; in catskills, seeing the stars stretch impossibly above as incandescent tapestry; 4th of july, a day where fire can bloom and fall in the sky like rain. i yearn for connection, but i also value my individuation. i fear losing myself,

i often quip that, as a lifetime east coaster, im not used to seeing trees this big! the redwoods tower above the consistent layer of fog, and you have to wonder how something so large has been able to sustain a lifetime of over 3000 years. the trees serve as a constant testament: long after our feeble efforts to change the landscape, they will continue to outlast you. in the face of awe, i feel small & insignificant. i embrace this feeling, because it reminds me that i am part of a greater whole — that i may just be a mote of dust on a floating rock, but at least we’re stardust together. i th