A cardboard box could become a spaceship before lunch. The gap behind the sofa was a secret cave. A blanket stretched across two chairs made a castle. Rainwater rushing along the side of the road deserved your full attention because a paper boat was about to enter dangerous waters. Childhood had a way of makingContinue reading “Where the Magic Went”
Author Archives: Kenrick Vaz
Who Stays When It Hurts
Joy is easy to be around. When life is going well, people know what to do. They celebrate with you. They like the photos. They send congratulations. They show up for birthdays, promotions, weddings, new homes, holidays and all the moments that come with smiles already built in. Pain is different. Pain makes people uncomfortableContinue reading “Who Stays When It Hurts”
You Can Tell Me
I’ve met people who make you watch every word before you say it. You know the feeling. You start telling them something, then stop halfway because you’re already wondering how they’ll use it later. You hide the messy parts. You soften what you feel. You give them the edited version of your life because theContinue reading “You Can Tell Me”
The Time We Have
We usually talk about time as if we are collecting it. Another birthday. Another year. Another Monday. Another day added to the story. There is another way to look at it. Today isn’t one more day. It’s one less. That sounds a little uncomfortable at first. Maybe even dark. Yet once you sit with it,Continue reading “The Time We Have”
Make Them See
The best kind of inspiration does not make people stare at you in awe. It makes them look at themselves differently. There is a big difference. We often think inspiring someone means showing them what is possible through our own achievements. We tell the story of how hard we worked, how far we came, whatContinue reading “Make Them See”
Calm & Ready
There’s a certain kind of strength that doesn’t need to announce itself. It doesn’t walk into every disagreement looking for a fight. It doesn’t confuse anger with courage. It doesn’t need the last word just to feel like it won. It stays calm. That line often attributed to Sun Tzu captures the idea well: “BeContinue reading “Calm & Ready”
Grateful for the Cup
When someone asks whether my cup is half full or half empty, my answer is always the same. I’m grateful I have a cup. That answer usually catches people off guard. We spend so much time arguing about how much we have that we forget to notice we have anything at all. It’s easy toContinue reading “Grateful for the Cup”
Strong Enough to Bend
A Japanese bamboo craftsman once said, “The bamboo survives the storm because it knows when to bend.” We often picture strength as standing firm. Hold your ground. Refuse to move. Keep your face calm while the wind gets louder. That works until the pressure becomes heavier than your body, mind, or heart can carry. BambooContinue reading “Strong Enough to Bend”
A good life can still have terrible Tuesdays!
You can wake up tired after eight hours of sleep. Spill coffee on your shirt five minutes before leaving home. Get an email that ruins your mood. Argue with someone you love over something stupid. Sit in traffic wondering why everyone suddenly forgot how to drive. Some days just refuse to cooperate. We tend toContinue reading “A good life can still have terrible Tuesdays!”
Love, Out Loud
We’re strangely good at feeling things we never say. We love people deeply. We’re proud of them. We notice how hard they work, how much they’ve grown, how they show up for us when life gets messy. Then we keep most of it in our heads. Maybe we assume they already know. Your parents knowContinue reading “Love, Out Loud”
