Growing up is scary.

When I was two or three, I must've told my aunt that I liked apple juice. Either that, or we've both just been playing our parts for so long that neither of us can remember if I even still like apple juice. 

While she can't show emotion through physical touch or words, she gave it in juice.

random thought: perhaps, people aren't trying to keep you the same, they're trying to show their love for you in the only way they know how... my aunt knew something I liked, and wanted to make sure I always had it.

That's love, even if it's two weeks past expiry. 

Starting this website, my parents had their reservations about how I was choosing to spend my money -- I spent my bank account, literally down to my last hundred dollars in my checkings account, booking a surf trip to Fiji with my friend next month. 

The reason I'm going? To build my confidence.

I know that my outer confidence is there, but I have issues with my inner confidence. I've struggled to make my own decisions, and blamed my parents for way too much without thinking about new perspectives.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, I guess it's that I realized today that I'm changing. Once I share this to the world, I'll be a new person. Fiji is my fresh start -- and I'm going with a girl who truly feels like a soulmate, she's on the exact same journey.

I don't know if that makes sense, and I don't need it to. 2026 is all about reflection, connection, and happiness -- and let me tell you, I see so much happiness around me right now. 

my money on traveling and decided to spend my last thousand dollars on going to Fiji. Little did they know, it had been a dream of mine to go and see where my mother was born and raised. I'd heard so much about her tough upbringing, and wanted to understand a little bit more about why our family may act in certain ways.