by M. Joseph Boehler

a sudden missed step in the night—

the first shock where truth meets ignorance.

the duality of our nature reveals both our brightest illumination and our darkest place;

empathy, love, and understanding flow like a sunrise that provides,

cultivating dreams that uplift and inspire.

yet fear and the endless scroll of misinformation pulls the shades,

and the same light is eclipsed.

when reason is barred, the lies pile up and our foundations crack.

in the quiet moments we stare into the mirror of our own thoughts,

we notice how perception bends, how judgement slips, how easily we become entrenched with the shadow we fear.

naming the darkness is the first glimpse of clarity: it is the spark that forces night to retreat.

when we own our vulnerabilities, we choose truth over comfort, and the light shines through.

by holding reason, we become stronger, individually and collectively,

a resilience that refuses division, that refuses deception.