"Believers" works by Katherine Fraser

Life is a recurring cycle of building and growing, and letting go. In times of devastation, illness, and loss, we are forced to make sacrifices, but sometimes losses can signal a change of perspective for the better. It can be extremely empowering to let go of things that no longer carry meaning, of ideas that do not serve us, and of people who we realize do not support us. Conscious choices like these make us feel more present and in control of our own lives. What do we let go of willingly, and what is taken? How do we reckon with what remains, and move forward with grace? Can we be cleansed by these losses, and find beauty in the destruction?

Defining moments like these challenge our sense of identity. How do we maintain or reconstruct our sense of self? Do we have to kill our old selves, our old lives, in order to begin again with a clean slate? Is it even possible?

We all have wounds that are specific to us, and yet common to everyone. The painful experiences forge our character. If we are strong, we can stand before the wreckage, battle scarred and triumphant. We can carry the memory of the people that we have lost, and find reasons for hope and connection. We build on the ruins. We survey our surroundings and see more clearly what matters.