Photo by Aaron Burden One of the last vestiges of being human, The unseen moments of tenderness, Shown towards one another, Bringing hope to each. They say we are not completely lost, They say somewhere deep within, A part of us is still fighting, Fighting to keep our humanity afloat. In those many layers lie hidden, The actions we leave behind, One of compassion and concern, Towards a fellow being who walks alongside They are the silver lining behind dark clouds, The creators way of showing us who we are, A social creature above all, With a capacity to empathize. Silently seeping inside, Creating a positive reaction towards each other, Unspoken but felt at our core, Nurturing a sense of friendship and comfort. Unnoticed and unconscious by nature, They rise above our ego and pride, The gestures we show, Towards one another who we live by.

Photo by Ester Marie Doysabas Will I be part of the history that is written, Or fade away as part of the history forgotten, Will I live eternal in the words on these pages, Or will I be a memory struggling against time. It is a choice I make Live for glory or live like just another, Be remembered after I am gone, Live in the memories of others. A part of me that lie dormant woke, And drove the change that was needed, With unprecedented force I had not experienced, Compelling me to oblige with obedience. I had side lined this part of me before, Now he was in control, He was the result of my father's teaching, Bold and meticulous in his ways. He was late to wake up, But I'd say it was better than never, Years of learning had created a full being, Living inside me growing alongside. We are now one, He lives through me as I him, Forged a middle ground to coexist, To live passionately with ambition.

Photo by Aditya Saxena Fly like birds, Soaring in the skies, Majestic Kings of the earth above, Beyond the sight we are gifted. See what they see, From heights unimaginable, The miniscule details of this land, We plunder and conquer. The effects we have had, The transformations we have caused, The ugliness we have created, And the beauty we have destroyed. Search for those places, That still holds good, Amidst all these adversities, So that we can protect. The time is upon us, Change our nature and conserve, Salvage from what we have lost, In memory of what we were once given. Have the courage to do no harm, Be it living or inanimate, This is my faith, What goes around, comes back around.

Photo Credit: Sandra Mode The year has come to end, As the queen dawns the sky, In all her glory one last time, I write about the time expired. Another year of experience, Another step in a long career, Growing alongside the young and old, On this crossroads we are at. Hope I have grown the wiser, Hope I remember the lessons learnt, In the years to come, Hope I make better choices. There was more joy than before, There were disappointments too, There are times I'd remember forever, There are moments I will forget Another year is about to begin, With the promise of better times to come, One last play before spring begins, One last hurrah, the winter is here.

Photo Credit: Chris Ensey Worship Gods carved into stones, With deep reverence stemming from generations, Wishing for health and prosperity, For yourself and your next of kin. Shower gifts and offerings in plenty, Hoping for a blessings, a better future, In return for our unsullied adoration, Pray stone Gods save our tomorrow. Do they truly? Or is it a facade of our "self", A "self" that we are too estranged to see, A "self" lost in the pages of our beliefs. Aching for validation in rocks, Why don't we chisel inward through the veils of our glorified illusion, Seek within, and reverberate with every speck for all the faith we yearn, And in return find the self that was once born pure. But if you must, pray to the sun that shines every morning, Pray to the winds that bring rain, Pray to the earth that lay beneath, Pray to your health that suffers your carnage everyday.