I already wrote an article about The Bonds In Our Lives, then I thought people are not the only bonds we forge in our lives there are other things too and one of them is Pets, Animals in general. So this piece is dedicated to the pets that were in my life, to the ones in my life and to the ones that will be in my life. I know they can’t read but I mean they deserve it. So here we go.

The way they come into our life we buy them, adopt them sometimes we rescue them, just like that they enter our lives in so many ways. I think they bring additional colour to our lives. After we get the pet, I love the next stage the naming stage, I mean i start digging into my brain about the characters names that I liked from the shows, movies, anime and all. Then i will say one name which my brother be like god, that’s what you want to name our dog? That’s awful(even if it’s a good name he will say No just to annoy me, the typical sibling drama) anyway then mom say one name we be like nooo, then my dad says he is not participating in this, and finally we decide on a name that fits our dog, that everyone likes, and that is easy for our grandma to say. I love the whole process of it.

The pets I had in my life was Dogs, Fish, we had a Cockatiel bird once, and now we have a Cat. We have a Shih Tzu. Her name is Scooby, yeah you guessed right it’s from the Scooby - Doo cartoon. When we first brought her, I was in college at that time all i could think was when can i go to home so i can play with her. She was so tiny cute and i love those puppy noises they make. Whenever I was sad or stressed about something, when i played with her everything would just vanish. She made me happy. And i taught Scooby something, in my defense it was completely accidental. I thought i would try something and I started to howl you know how the wolf do it, the head goes up and like Awooooooo. I did the same and Scooby started doing it too. It was so cute and my mom was like “why are you teaching her that, now she is gonna start howling every time.” But good thing Scooby only howls when I do, so yeah i don’t regret teaching her that haha.

Then I taught our bird Peek-a-boo, I didn’t think our cockatiel will say it but it did, So whenever any of us hide behind curtains or anything our cockatiel kind of say’s Peek-a-boo, It was so cute. And then there’s our cat, Oreo. He’s a rescue cat, Scooby was also part of raising him. The way he sleeps in different positions it’s so adorable, which makes me want to annoy him, which i do sometimes with my kisses.

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Just as how they come into our life and make it beautiful, happy and memorable. When they leave the heartbreak we feel is much more than that, I know they have a shorter life span when compared to us but still it hurt’s like hell.

I remember we had a white terrier, She’s been with us for so long. It was early morning we were all sleeping and our grandma she came to us and said “hey, wake up something happened” and she told us Choco had died, I couldn’t process it. When everyone went to see her i just couldn’t go, I know i should go see her one last time. Then my mom came to me and she said “I know it’s hard but you have to come see her, it’s the respect we give her for being part of the family.” And I went and saw her for the last time. It happened long time ago but I felt like sharing, so yeah. Then about the fish, they were all good at first for some time, then they started dying, which we hated seeing, so we stopped buying them, I mean, better alive in store then here.

And animals that i love in general, wolves, everything about them, And foxes, they are so silly, I don’t know when my obsession with otters started but they are like the cats of ocean. ok, i guess i will stop yapping about the animals i like, i mean the list is long.

I hope just like how when you see the videos, pictures of your pets and random memories of them come, I hope this piece does the same for you.

Show them care. Love them, play with them, and make their lives beautiful, just like they make ours. And even if they are strays, show them little love too. You never know how much that small act of kindness might mean to them.

I already wrote about The Bonds In Our Lives, check it out if you haven’t!!

Something I’ve Been Obsessing Over:

On repeat non-stop — Te Olvido (La La) by Benny Blanco, Selena Gomez and Becky G. I love Selena’s music so much and this song is so good, one of my favourites right now 🤍

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you’d want to share? I’d love to know. 🤍

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If you’ve never read a webtoon before, they’re basically digital comics designed to be read by scrolling on your phone or tablet. Over the past few years, more and more webtoons have even been adapted into anime, dramas, and live-action series, so there’s a good chance you’ve already watched one without realizing it started as a webtoon.

Here's the order I'll be talking about them in:

OLGAMI (TRAPPED) :
Status: Completed
Created by: Haemuri
Genre: Vampire, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

Little Preview: Chae-a Han is a taxi driver and Yunsu Park is a vampire. It all starts when Yunsu begins blackmailing Chae-a for a murder she didn’t commit.

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this one. It’s a perfect enemies-to-lovers story and it’s a slow burn these two use each other for their own benefit, manipulate each other, and the chemistry and tension between them is just really good. They go from hating each other to protecting each other. Both of them carry their own share of traumatic pasts. The side characters are great too. If you’re in the mood for something dark and romantic, this is it.

OMNISCIENT READER :
Status: On Hiatus
Created by: Sing N Song | Adapted by: UMI | Art by: Sleepy-C
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Little Preview: Kim Dokja is a regular office worker whose only hobby is reading a web novel one he’s been the sole reader of for years. Then one day, that novel becomes reality and he has to use everything he knows to survive.

My Thoughts: I don’t know how I stumbled onto this but I’m so glad I did. I binge read the whole thing and immediately started the novel because I needed to know what happens next. Kim Dokja is genuinely one of my favourite characters he is so self- sacrificing and honestly every time he does it, it stresses me out. this man. The dynamic between him and Yoo Joonghyuk is everything. And his dynamic with Han Sooyoung is just as good, I love these three together. The side characters are so loveable too, and don't even get me started on Dokkaebis(well, not all of them). The constellation(i love some of them so much) and star stream power system is so creative. There's already a live-action movie out, but I haven't watched it yet, so I don't have any thoughts on it for now. An anime adaptation is also officially in production, and I'm genuinely so excited to see it. I'll leave the trailer below if anyone wants to check it out!

NAN HAO & SHANG FENG :
Status: Ongoing
Created by: Brownie
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, School Life

Little Preview: A story about two ordinary high school boys and the absolute chaos of their daily lives.

My Thoughts: My Thoughts: This one had me laughing so hard. These two are best friends and the chaos they cause together is something else. Nan Hao has this crush on a girl and that girl literally ships Nan Hao and Shang Feng together and draws them, like it's so crazy funny. Random things keep happening one after another never stop making me laugh. If you need something that will just make you laugh, just go read it.

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MY S-CLASS HUNTERS :
Status: Ongoing
Created by: Geunseo | Adapted by: Seri | Art by: Biwan
Genre: Action, Dungeon Adventure, Fantasy

Little Preview: Yoojin is an F-ranker constantly overshadowed by his little brother who is an S-ranker. When a routine dungeon raid goes terribly wrong and costs his brother’s life, Yoojin is granted a wish and he uses it to reset the timeline.

My Thoughts: I absolutely love this one. Yoojin gets this ability where he has to say a specific keyword to use it on anyone and every single time he does it he gets so embarrassed about it and I find it so funny. The bond between the brothers is genuinely so touching. And then there’s Sung Hyunjae, leader of another guild the dynamic between him and Yoojin is so BL coded and I love every second of it. The way Yoojin collects his S-class hunters one by one is so satisfying to watch. And the cute animals don’t even get me started. This story has everything honestly.

FOG LAND :
Status: Ongoing
Created by: POGO
Genre: Action, Survival

Little Preview: Fog Land is a mysterious international prison for the world’s most notorious criminals. Dante Kang, a science teacher driven by his belief that everyone deserves education, agrees to teach there. But his very first class gets interrupted by a violent prison riot and when he wakes up, he’s in a cell. And when you find out why it's actually kind of funny.

My Thoughts: I read this after seeing an edit of the guy on the poster and I’m so glad I did because I binge read the whole thing. The fog awakens deep powerful desires and talents in the inmates but it takes a lot of it to get there, and it gets so intense. Some of the character names are genuinely funny. The art is incredible creepy and beautiful at the same time.

OPERATION TRUE LOVE :
Status: On Hiatus
Created by: kkokkalee | Art by: Dledumb
Genre: Romance, Drama

Little Preview: Su-ae has been in a one sided relationship with her boyfriend for years he treats her terribly but she keeps holding on hoping things will change. Then a sentient flip phone called Jellypop appears and she starts receiving messages about her own life in real time. And when the phone is pointed at someone it shows their love points the total amount of love that person is destined to receive from others in their entire lifetime.

My Thoughts: I love Su-ae so much and I absolutely cannot stand her boyfriend or her stepsister. And then there’s the love triangle Eunhyeok Go and Dohwa Baek, I love both of them but I am firmly Team Eunhyeok. I finished season one and started season two but I’m waiting for it to finish before I go through the emotional hell chapter by chapter.

I could honestly yap about webtoons all day, but I didn't want to make this too long or spoil too much. If you enjoyed this, let me know and I'd love to make a Part 2! . And if you have any webtoon recommendations for me, please send them my way because I'm always looking for my next obsession. 🤍

Something I'm excited for:

Ariana Grande's album petal is being released today and I am so excited to listen to it. Honestly I've been waiting for this. If you're an Ariana fan, today is a good day. ✨

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you'd want to share? I'd love to know. 🤍

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I was thinking what to write next, and this one was screaming in my head so here it is.

There are so many different kinds of bonds in each of our lives. Family, friendships, colleagues, internet friends, book club friends you get what i mean. Every bond we have is different, and some have expiry dates while others simply don’t.

In my life, one of my best friends and We don’t have that constant communication we’re not texting every day but whenever we meet or call, we both know the connection is still there. Not even a trace of awkwardness. I’m sure most of you have someone like that in your life too.

Then there’s my other best friend. We went to the same school, and it’s been so long since we actually saw each other in person but somehow we both know everything that’s going on in each other’s lives. That’s just how much we talk every week without fail.

And there’s my college bestie. We’re basically long distance now, but we constantly text each other and video call each other.

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All these bonds look completely different, but they all have one thing in common it’s the effort. The effort we put into staying in each other’s lives, showing up for each other even when life gets in the way. We’re all humans, we’re all changing and growing, and that’s just part of life. But even in the middle of all that chaos, still choosing to be there for each other that’s such a beautiful thing. I really love when people put genuine effort into a relationship. Knowing that someone actually wants to maintain what we have, that they’re as excited to know me as i am to know them that means everything. Even here on Substack, I’ve found some really amazing people like that.

And then there are people who are like seasons. They’re there for a particular chapter of our lives, and then, just like that, they’re gone. But somehow, every person we meet leaves a mark. Every person we meet changes us a little, just as we leave a little piece of ourselves with them. Whether they stay for years or only for a season, they become part of our story.

But not every bond stays the same forever.

I sometimes think to myself, If i stopped texting this person, would they even notice? Would they care enough to reach out? Maybe at some point we had a really good connection, maybe we were even best friends once. But something shifted, and I can’t keep giving myself excuses to continue a relationship just because of what we had in the past. What matters is how we’re being treated right now, in the present.

And at some point, i made peace with letting go. I started choosing myself a little more. I was okay with being the one who stopped texting first even if that meant that someday, if we ever crossed paths again, they could say “you were the one who stopped reaching out.” I was okay with that. Because if something is costing me my peace, it’s simply not worth holding onto.

So it’s okay to choose ourselves. It’s okay to put ourselves first. I mean we deserve that.

Some people stay for a season, some for a lifetime. Some quietly become strangers again. But every bond leaves something behind a lesson, a memory, a laugh, or a version of ourselves we’ll always carry with us.

Here’s to the people who stayed, the people we had to let go of, and the new bonds waiting to find us.

Something I’m excited about:

The Avengers: Doomsday trailer finally dropped this week and wow. It was absolutely peak. I’m even more excited for the movie now, and December suddenly feels so far away.✨

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you’d want to share? I’d love to know. 🤍

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Reading is another one of my hobbies and honestly, it started in the most unexpected way. During my last year of college, it was all projects and deadlines, and somewhere in between, I found myself doomscrolling constantly. So I asked my friend to lend me one of her books, just to see if I could actually finish one. Did I even have an attention span left?

My first book was Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. And that’s when I discovered something about myself not only did I finish it, I genuinely loved it. I didn’t touch my phone once, didn’t even think about checking it. That’s how much it pulled me in.

From there I fell into the rabbit hole. What do I like to read? What genres speak to me? And it didn’t stop at books i started reading webtoons, manga, manhwa, novels, all of it. I think what kept pulling me back was the way stories made me feel things. All the things. That’s why I kept going back.

Whenever reality felt like too much and I just needed a break, I’d let myself get lost in a story even if just for a few minutes. I liked being somewhere else in my mind. Books heal me in some way I can’t fully explain.

There are books that made me close them for a second and just sit there thinking what did I just read. Books that made me giggle like an idiot. Books that made me cry while I couldn’t stop reading them. And somewhere along the way, reading opened so many new doors i started caring deeply about fictional characters, getting attached to them, missing them when it was over. Book boyfriends, book girlfriends my standards have genuinely never been the same.

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It's Just Reader Things:

Only readers will truly understand. That hollow feeling after finishing an incredible series and suddenly not knowing what to do with yourself the book slump that can drag on for days, sometimes months. Adding new books to your TBR while the unread ones on your shelf stare at you like am i a joke to you? The never-ending TBR that is genuinely a nightmare. And finishing a book on a cliffhanger only to realize the next one doesn’t come out until next year, sitting there thinking maybe I should’ve waited until the whole series was done before starting. And don't even get me started on being interrupted while reading. I could honestly go on.

It's Beautiful, Isn't It?

Authors go through draft after draft, endless editing, cover design, production, marketing a whole journey before the book ever reaches our hands. And we finish it in one sitting, or over a few weeks, or sometimes months. When an author gets a heartfelt DM, a kind review, or sees fan edits of the world they built knowing that something they created connected with real people that must be such a beautiful feeling.

And as readers, we get to be on the other side of that. We fall in love with characters, resonate with them, go through a whole rollercoaster of emotions, and then yap about it endlessly. It really is a beautiful cycle the stories find us, we feel them deeply, and somehow that feeling finds its way back to the people who wrote them.

Even here on Substack, every comment, message, and response to my articles or Notes makes me smile. Knowing that something I wrote connected with another person is such a heartwarming feeling. I'm sure many of us have experienced that in one way or another.

But There's Another Side Too:

As beautiful as this community can be, there's also a darker side. Whether it's in the book community, anime, manga, manhwa, TV shows, or anywhere else, it's heartbreaking to see authors and creators receive hate or even threats. Not everyone is going to like what we create, and that's completely okay. Honest reviews and different opinions are part of sharing art. But sending hate or threatening the people behind those stories simply because we didn't enjoy their work is something I'll never understand.

We can disagree. We can critique. We can have different opinions. But we can also choose to be kind. We never truly know what someone else is going through.

Being kind is always a choice.

So anyway happy reading, happy watching, and whatever else you're enjoying.

Have a lovely week, everyone. 🤍

something i’ve been listening to:

On repeat lately i absolutely love Olivia Dean, and there's just something about this song that keeps pulling me back.

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you'd want to share? I'd love to know. 🤍

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One Piece is one of my favorite anime out there. And funny enough, when a friend first told me to watch it, my initial reaction was a hard no surprise, surprise. But look at me now, not only watching it but also making my best friend watch it too. I asked her to give One Piece a chance, her initial reaction? Also a hard no. “It’s too long.” But I persuaded her a little, and now she’s absolutely loving it. I’m proud of myself, hehe.

That’s exactly why I’m writing this piece. I want people to watch One Piece, or at the very least give it a try. And yes, I’m going to try to persuade you too!!

So What IS One Piece?

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, which was later adapted into an anime. At its core, it follows Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist, who wants to become the King of the Pirates. To do that, he has to find the ultimate treasure: the One Piece. Along the way, he builds his crew the Straw Hat Pirates.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

One Piece isn’t only about a boy who wants to be King of the Pirates. When you go deeper, it’s about people’s dreams, freedom, fighting for their nakama , loyalty, and the unshakeable bonds between people. There are goosebump moments that live rent-free in my head. It also touches on slavery, revolution, racism and discrimination, government corruption and so much more that you’ll experience when you watch it. The found family aspect and the way these characters heal each other gets me every single time.

If I talked about every scene that made me laugh, cry, or stare at my screen in complete disbelief, this article would never end. Some moments are simply too special to spoil. They're meant to be experienced.

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The Person Who Created This Masterpiece

Oda Sensei is a legend. I genuinely don’t know what inspired him to create something this extraordinary, but hands down, the world-building, the storytelling, the depth of each character’s journey, the beautiful dialogues, the foreshadowing that pays off in ways you never expected, and the way he connects histories across the entire story is just wow. Even in the latest episodes, there are glimpses of the past that completely reframe everything. He built an entire world and somehow every corner of it feels intentional.

There Is a One Piece For Everyone

Now here’s the part I really want you to read, because One Piece has an entry point for every kind of person and I mean that.

For the anime watchers If you’re already an anime watcher and you don’t mind long series, you can jump straight into the original anime. Or if you’re a reader, the One Piece manga is always there waiting for you.

For people overwhelmed by the length If you’ve always wanted to watch One Piece but the episode count overwhelms you, I hear you. Yes, One Piece is long. But the journey is genuinely worth it. And specifically for you, the One Piece remake by Wit Studio is coming to Netflix in February 2027. It’s a brand new from scratch remake of the story with modern animation. Worth the wait, I promise. I’ll attach the trailer below so you can see for yourself!

For people who don’t watch anime If you don’t watch anime at all but you’re curious about One Piece, there’s an option for you too. The One Piece Live Action is on Netflix with two seasons, eight episodes each, and Season 3 is coming in 2027 too. I loved the casting and the adaptation is amazing. Give it a try.

One Piece is so many things but disappointment is not one of them. You will never regret watching it.

Maybe it won't become your favorite story. Maybe it will. But if you never give it a chance, you'll never know why millions of people around the world love it so deeply. Sometimes the greatest adventures begin by saying yes to something you almost ignored. So give One Piece a chance. 🤍🏴‍☠️

Who knows? Maybe one day you'll be the person convincing someone else to watch it.

something i’m watching:

Currently watching Cyberpunk: Edgerunners — and yes, I’m already feeling things about it.

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you’d want to share? I’d love to know. 🤍

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Have you ever thought that the only thing standing between us and the life we want isn’t our family, our friends, or anyone else — it’s ourselves?

I’m sure every single one of us has done this to ourselves at some point. Maybe it’s a dream you keep putting on hold, maybe it’s wanting to start a YouTube channel, maybe it’s wanting to move somewhere new. It could be anything, really.

But here’s what happens whenever we want to try something new — something we’ve never done before. At first, there’s this little spark of excitement. You start researching, figuring out how to do it, all of that. But then, maybe the next day, or if you’re like me — at night, right when you’re trying to sleep — your mind decides it’s the perfect time to flip on the overthinking switch. And that’s when it starts. The doubts, the insecurities, the fear, the “what ifs” — and not the good kind. Suddenly your head is full of thoughts you never asked for, and now you’re wide awake.

Okay, let’s use the YouTube example. Say you start watching videos — cooking, reactions, educational, travel, whatever — and you get inspired to create something similar. So you go down the rabbit hole of “how to start a YouTube channel for beginners,” and the algorithm throws every related video your way. Your head fills up with all of it, and somewhere in the background — at least for me — the fear and the questions start creeping in. What began as excitement slowly turns into “should I even do this?”

Maybe one of those videos talks about finding your niche, figuring out your content style — and that part can shift depending on the person. If you’re introverted, extroverted, not comfortable showing your face yet, or maybe a little shy filming in public — there are a hundred different reasons that might come up depending on who you are. First, your mind throws every reason you lack at you. Then it moves on to other people — what they’ll think, who you don’t want finding out about it. The reasons change, but they always show up.

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Here’s the thing — we're often the ones giving ourselves reasons not to go after what we want. And eventually we start the cycle of “maybe this isn’t for me,” “maybe I’m not ready yet,” and so on. We don’t stop because we don’t want our dreams. We stop because of fear, doubt, insecurity, and the uncertainty waiting for us on the other side of our comfort zone.

And feeling all of this is just being human. Happiness, sadness, embarrassment, fear — they’re all going to show up, so be ready to feel them.

Being scared is fine. Being stagnant isn’t.

We’re never going to fully get rid of fear — it’s going to be with us for as long as we’re here. So instead of letting it shrink us, why not use it? We feel fear because we care.

Back to the YouTube example — instead of overwhelming yourself all at once, maybe just start with research on your niche. If you’re not comfortable on camera yet, set aside five minutes a day to talk into your phone camera about whatever’s on your mind. Learn some editing along the way. Take as much time as you need — there’s no deadline here. Going slow means you’re less likely to overwhelm yourself and quit before you’ve even started. And once you’re ready, start. Don’t aim for perfect — that’s just another form of procrastination in disguise.

Don’t worry about what other people will think either. Realistically, they’ll talk about it for a few minutes and move on to the next thing. Don’t let that stop you from going after what you want — because if you try it and it’s not for you, you can always pivot or change direction. Want to move somewhere new? Do it. Stop overthinking whether you’ll be okay or whether you’ll make friends there — you’ll figure it out, you always do, and if it doesn’t work out, you can always come back. And instead of looking back one day wondering “what if,” you’ll actually know. Whether it works out or not, you’ll have real answers instead of regret.

Think about it this way — if someone else told us not to chase what we wanted, we’d list every reason why we should anyway. So why not do the same thing when the person standing in our way is us? Convince yourself the same way you’d convince anyone else.

something that stuck with me:

“The more terrifying uncertainty is wanting something but not knowing how to get it. It is working toward something even though there is no sure thing. When we make choices, we open ourselves up to hard work and failure and heartbreak, so sometimes it feels easier not to know, not to choose, and not to do.”
— Meg Jay, from her book The Defining Decade

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to, or did recently that you’d want to share? I’d love to know. 🤍

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Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

This happens all the time — sometimes intentionally, sometimes without us even realizing it.

What I mean is, we often ask family, friends, or others for their opinion. It could be something big or something small — relationship advice, a decision that’s been on your mind, moving somewhere new, studying abroad, things like that.

For instance, I was thinking about going abroad to study. So obviously, I started doing my research — about the universities, the country, all of it. I opened Google, typed in my questions, and somehow ended up on Reddit. I don’t usually do that, but I thought, let’s see what they have to say. There were already a hundred similar questions asked by other people, so I clicked on one of them — and that was mistake number one.

Because by the end of it, I didn’t get a single useful answer. What I got instead was doubt. Doubt in my own decision. Do I really want to study abroad? Do I really need to go that far? It’s like walking into a store knowing exactly what you came for, and somehow leaving with five things you never needed. (I can already hear you saying “you did this to yourself” — I know, I know.)

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So many people on there were sharing opinions and experiences — and some of them hadn’t even attended these universities themselves. They were just repeating what they’d heard from someone else. You see what I mean?

Here’s what I’m really trying to say: there’s nothing wrong with wanting an opinion or wanting to know someone else’s experience. But don’t let that turn into doubt that talks you out of what you actually want. You’ll never know what could’ve happened unless you actually do it. Take what’s useful — you don’t have to take it all. And don’t lose the ability to tell the difference between your original thoughts and someone else’s, because that line gets blurry more often than you’d think.

At the end of the day, the only person who truly knows what feels right for you — is you.

Not your friends. Not strangers on the internet. Just you.

It could be about relationships, dreams, or even the smallest decisions.

Listen to others if you want — but don’t let their experiences decide your life.

something i’m reading:

Currently reading Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti, and so far, I’m loving it.

“She lives in between the pinks and yellows of the world, where a beautiful color is unknown to others, and when she speaks, I become a bee enthralled in a field of daisies.”
— Liana Cincotti

I love this quote so much.

What about you — something you read, watched, listened to or did recently that you'd want to share? I'd love to know. 🤍

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