I woke before my alarm again — but this time it didn’t feel like dread, it felt like the day was waiting for me. I walked down to the water while the light was still pink and just stood there until my coffee went cold. Six months ago I couldn’t have imagined feeling this steady. My hope for today is to remember that this calm is something I built, one small morning at a time — not something that could vanish if I look at it too directly.



