What Lies Beneath?

Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom.

--Rumi

What lies beneath?

What lies beneath?

Beneath all the parts that I hide.

The parts I hope no one sees.

The parts I don't want them to see.

What lies beneath the insecurities, the shame, the hurt, and the pain?

How do I get past all that to what awaits on the other side?

My goal is always to be as authentic and transparent as I can when writing.

However, I don't always share everything.

There have been many moments when I feel so overwhelmed by life.

I feel like I'm drowning, and I can't swim.

There have been so many times when I wanted to quit.

I want to be happy and peaceful.

But peace doesn’t come from pretending everything is okay.

It comes from facing the storm within.

It comes from sitting with the discomfort, the questions, the broken pieces—and choosing to believe that healing is possible.

What lies beneath is not just pain.

It’s resilience.

It’s the quiet strength that kept me going when I didn’t think I could.

It’s the hope that flickers even in the darkest moments.

It’s the truth of who I am—whole, even when I feel shattered.

I’m learning that vulnerability isn’t weakness.

It’s the doorway to connection.

To healing.

To freedom.

So I write.

Not because I have all the answers, but because I’m still searching.

Still growing.

Still believing that what lies beneath all the layers is someone worthy of love, joy, and peace.

And maybe, just maybe, by sharing this, someone else will feel a little less alone