As has been done multiple times, I’ve circled back again lately. Not in a literal sense, but emotionally. I’ve had some incredible new experiences in the recent months and years – moments that should have filled me to the brim. And yet, there’s this familiar ache, this kind of hollow space that just… persists.

It’s a feeling when you’re supposed to be soaring, but you still feel a bit grounded and stuck. And then, you still push through, try new things, meet new people, and open yourself up to different perspectives, and believe it’ll be different this time, but it isn’t. Even with all these amazing new puzzle pieces, the overall picture still feels incomplete.

There’s a quiet strength in acknowledging this feeling rather than pretending it doesn’t exist. And maybe, just maybe, I hope this persistent emptiness isn’t a sign of failure, but rather a call for self-discovery.