As a kid, I was called 'alien boy' because of my pointy ears—and even after surgery to 'fix' them, the bullying didn't stop. It took decades to realize the real wound wasn’t in my appearance—it was in the way I talked to myself. This is a story about how I reclaimed my self-worth, one mirror at a time.

It took some time, distance, and tenderness to understand that this, too, was part of the journey. That not every sacred space will crack us open. That sometimes the most spiritual growth comes not in the fireworks of revelation, but in the silence of unmet expectation.

From family bakeries in the Azores to late-night theater seats in London, this journey became a patchwork of love, history, presence, and resilience, reminding me that honoring our roots and showing up for each other creates the moments that last.