nourish

Sometimes, I observe people at work. Some have stayed in the same system for so long that they’ve grown used to being told what to do— to follow, not to think. It’s a kind of calmness that looks safe, but quietly erases the self. I once talked about this with my boss. We agreed that when a company only cares about what employees can *contribute*, and not what it can *nourish* in them, the system slowly drains the soul. If someone spends eight hours a day just exchanging time for money, then those eight hours stop being part of a life—they become missing time. I believe we should live for ourselves. Not just for money, titles, or approval, but for the small moments that feel *real*— like when a single brushstroke feels undeniably yours. Maybe I’m lucky. I’ve always known I loved to draw. Creation keeps me alive, but it also makes me realize how easily people are taught to obey instead of choose. While painting this piece, I kept asking myself: Can we still hold on to our sense of self while surrounded by systems that define us? Maybe we can’t escape them completely, but we can stay awake. To remember that our choices, no matter how small, still belong to us.