Curious Stranger There's no need to carry thunder. Leave your armor at the door. I've spent years learning from strangers, each one a key, a door. It seems I've collected bits of souls like the shoreline gathers glass— parts of them that had no words, shadows underneath their laugh. Strangers seem to open up to me. Maybe they sense my curiosity, or maybe they could feel the stillness which created a bit of room— room to expose the fragile bits inside of them, where they're seen as strengths, not as wounds. But I wonder often if there's someone out there who could be curious about me; one who wants to play, have some fun, a companion in discovery. Is there a soul out there somewhere who doesn't shy away from depth? One patient and eager to lean in real close, where our souls might dance inside of breath. Let's talk until the night air gets cold, about the dreams we've yet to have, about the roads that led us to this moment, how breaking trail has carved a path. Sit beside me, Curious Stranger. in the stillness, it unfolds. A desire to know the shape of you becomes a truth one day I'll hold. But even if the curiosity lies only within me, I honor each soul—their expression, their release. Each one just as beautiful as the next soul I meet, part of the tapestry we weave, the pieces I keep. Observed alone, each piece is broken and sharp. But separate is not the design. Stand back and a wonderful mosaic emerges, when the pieces are carefully placed side by side. Without our fractures, the image would not be what's true. We took struggle and pain, turned it into love— a reflection of what we can do. So—to the Curious Stranger, with sight beyond the shadow realm: If your path ends up winding this way, Set up camp, rest your feet. Your soul is invited to stay— to play.